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November 2012 LIFESTYLE - FOOD - OFFERS - GADGETS - INFORMATION - HOBBIES - GARDENS - FINANCE Who? What? Where? Why? When? Issue Three 2013

5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

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Home and Leisure Magazine - 5Ws - What? Why? When? Where? and Who? - The How is through the magazine. Sponsored by Marina Alta Business Club, based in Spain

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Page 1: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

November 2012

LIFESTYLE FOOD OFFERS GADGETS INFORMATION HOBBIES GARDENS FINANCE ETCLIFESTYLE - FOOD - OFFERS - GADGETS - INFORMATION - HOBBIES - GARDENS - FINANCE

Who What Where Why When

Issue Three 2013

2 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Despite the windy start to the year the Mediterranean has started to bloom again so we have been out with cameras and laptops to bring you our choicest items for Issue Three of 5Ws

Donrsquot forget to keep an eye on www5Wsbiz where you are welcome to leave comments and where you can make sure that you catch up with our latest issues

If you have an article that you would like to submit or an advert for an event why not emailmanagermabcbiz

hasSpring

Sprung

08

22

34

4 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Pego and Paellaby Sarah Farrell

The Importance of a CommunityTom Parkinson

Facebook Marketingby Steve Mitchell

8Issue 3 2013 CONTENTS

46 Valencia

50 Surviving the Down Turn

56 100 FAQs about Notaries

64 Antiques Quiz

78 Behind the Scenes

featured

22

Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF B54067996 Tel 966 461 913

06 Whatrsquos On30 Photos of the Month 38 iTunes App Picks 39 Music amp DVDs 40 Currency42 HGOL Next Event

regular

All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at managermabcbiz or via the website www5wsbiz

30

34 56

44 IKEA66 Poisonous Shades of Grey Part 3 71 Secrets77 MABC

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 2: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

2 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Despite the windy start to the year the Mediterranean has started to bloom again so we have been out with cameras and laptops to bring you our choicest items for Issue Three of 5Ws

Donrsquot forget to keep an eye on www5Wsbiz where you are welcome to leave comments and where you can make sure that you catch up with our latest issues

If you have an article that you would like to submit or an advert for an event why not emailmanagermabcbiz

hasSpring

Sprung

08

22

34

4 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Pego and Paellaby Sarah Farrell

The Importance of a CommunityTom Parkinson

Facebook Marketingby Steve Mitchell

8Issue 3 2013 CONTENTS

46 Valencia

50 Surviving the Down Turn

56 100 FAQs about Notaries

64 Antiques Quiz

78 Behind the Scenes

featured

22

Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF B54067996 Tel 966 461 913

06 Whatrsquos On30 Photos of the Month 38 iTunes App Picks 39 Music amp DVDs 40 Currency42 HGOL Next Event

regular

All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at managermabcbiz or via the website www5wsbiz

30

34 56

44 IKEA66 Poisonous Shades of Grey Part 3 71 Secrets77 MABC

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 3: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Despite the windy start to the year the Mediterranean has started to bloom again so we have been out with cameras and laptops to bring you our choicest items for Issue Three of 5Ws

Donrsquot forget to keep an eye on www5Wsbiz where you are welcome to leave comments and where you can make sure that you catch up with our latest issues

If you have an article that you would like to submit or an advert for an event why not emailmanagermabcbiz

hasSpring

Sprung

08

22

34

4 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Pego and Paellaby Sarah Farrell

The Importance of a CommunityTom Parkinson

Facebook Marketingby Steve Mitchell

8Issue 3 2013 CONTENTS

46 Valencia

50 Surviving the Down Turn

56 100 FAQs about Notaries

64 Antiques Quiz

78 Behind the Scenes

featured

22

Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF B54067996 Tel 966 461 913

06 Whatrsquos On30 Photos of the Month 38 iTunes App Picks 39 Music amp DVDs 40 Currency42 HGOL Next Event

regular

All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at managermabcbiz or via the website www5wsbiz

30

34 56

44 IKEA66 Poisonous Shades of Grey Part 3 71 Secrets77 MABC

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 4: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

08

22

34

4 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Pego and Paellaby Sarah Farrell

The Importance of a CommunityTom Parkinson

Facebook Marketingby Steve Mitchell

8Issue 3 2013 CONTENTS

46 Valencia

50 Surviving the Down Turn

56 100 FAQs about Notaries

64 Antiques Quiz

78 Behind the Scenes

featured

22

Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF B54067996 Tel 966 461 913

06 Whatrsquos On30 Photos of the Month 38 iTunes App Picks 39 Music amp DVDs 40 Currency42 HGOL Next Event

regular

All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at managermabcbiz or via the website www5wsbiz

30

34 56

44 IKEA66 Poisonous Shades of Grey Part 3 71 Secrets77 MABC

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 5: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF B54067996 Tel 966 461 913

06 Whatrsquos On30 Photos of the Month 38 iTunes App Picks 39 Music amp DVDs 40 Currency42 HGOL Next Event

regular

All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at managermabcbiz or via the website www5wsbiz

30

34 56

44 IKEA66 Poisonous Shades of Grey Part 3 71 Secrets77 MABC

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 6: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Bringing Business Together in Spain

966 461 913 amp 681 001 300wwwmabusinessclubcom wwwmabcbizmanagermabcbiz

March 7th 2013 - 730pmJaacutevea Old Town - Time Bar next to the Correos (right)

March 15th 2013 - Lunch 1230pmDenia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra de las Marinas km 269 Denia

March 21st 2013 - 730pmParador Hotel Jaacutevea - along the Sea Front

Lanzerote Branch meeting details by email

6 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 7: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Concerts Costa Blanca presents in association with the charity TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA amp the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofiacutea (Valencia Opera) the first night of a new production of

MOZARTrsquos ETERNALLY POPULAR

DIE ZAUBERFLOumlTEThe magic flute - La flucircte enchanteacutee

Saturday 6th April 2013 at 2000h Grazia Doronzio - Daniel Johansson - Mandy Fredrich - In-Sung Sim

Loiumlc Feacutelix - Jinkyung Park - Maria Kosenkova - Marina Pinchuk Conducted by Ottavio Dantone

After this performance - and all included in the price of your ticket - there will be a full cava buffet supper during which we shall be joined by the superb chorus of the Valencia Opera who will sing 3 or 4 famous opera choruses for us We hope - as for Tosca last year - that the Zauberfloumlte artists will join us for a drink With the excellent cooperation of the Box Office of the marvellous Valencia Opera House this will bring to a happy conclusion a truly memorable evening after which Concerts Costa Blanca will be able to pass to our collaborators - the charity

TODOS JUNTOS JAacuteVEA - a substantial payment destined to assist the poor of Jaacutevea

Email infoconcertscostablancacom

WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US

Tickets at euro125 (incl bus amp refreshments etc)

Premiegravere Vienna 30th Sept 1791 Theater auf den Wieden Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder [Production Teatro Regio di Parma Stage director Stephen Medcalf]

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 8: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Pego and Paella

Pegorsquos place in paellarsquos history

Walking through Pego old town provides an instant history lesson with historic buildings signifying the importance of the church and the Moors in bygone days Between Pego and the main N332 and AP7 roads is the magnificent marshland natural park which is home for a wide variety of wildlife as well as an important rice-growing area

Turn back time

A good time to visit is Thursday morning as this is market day The bustling street market is held in and around the Placa del Mercat or market square You will find stalls selling clothes shoes food second-hand books (includ-ing English and German novels) bric-a-brac and tradi-tional Spanish pottery

Pego is a charming little Spanish town with the Segaria hills providing a dramatic backdrop

while the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from higher ground

8 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 9: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

10 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 10: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

During your meander around the market you can take in the main historic buildings and traditional family-run shops in Pego as they are all within easy walking distance

Pegorsquos rich history dates back to prehistoric times but it was the Arabs who came and left their mark on the town in many ways You can see the Moor-ish influence in the cuisine some of the architec-ture and also in the cultivation of rice

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 11: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

The Iglesia del al Asuncion (Church of the Assumption) looms over the old town with its bell tower standing high and mighty over the town The church dates from the 16th century and houses an impressive Gothic altarpiece There are a couple of bars in the square by the fountain where you can stop to relax and watch the world go by before continuing on your historic tour of Pego

Around the corner from the church is the Ecce-Homo Chapel which is one of Pegorsquos most symbolic monuments and named after Pegorsquos patron It was previously a hospital and shelter for travellers or pilgrims in bygone days and dates from the 18th century Baroque period The building is octagonal to symbolise the eight initiation rites for life and death

12 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 12: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

On the other side of the Church of the Assumption is the18th century Casa de Cultura which is a former manor house once owned by the influential Torres-Sala family It now houses the library museum and a contemporary art exhibition You can find out all about Pegorsquos rice cultiva-tion in the Ethnology Museum inside the Casa de Cultura

Across the square is the town hall which is housed in a 19th century mansion and has an underground corridor that you can walk through to get to the little Plaza del Portxins

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 13: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

14 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

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Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 14: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Two kilometres from Pego is the Ambra Castle which dates back to the 12th century and whose function was to guard the road between Pego and the Vall drsquoEbo Nowadays you can enjoy fantastic views over the town the orange groves and the rice fields

If you stop for lunch in Pego town centre you could try the coques de llanda which are small pizza-type snacks with various topping such as onions peas and peppers These are sold in the little bakeries As you would expect in a rice-growing region the local Bomba rice is the star attraction in many dishes such as paella arroz a banda (rice cooked in the oven) and arroz en crosta (another oven-baked rice dish containing chicken pork black pudding and chickpeas with an egg crust)

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 15: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

16 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 16: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Marsh mellows

After exploring Pego town centre and sampling some local cuisine it may be a good idea to find sanctuary in the tranquil natural beauty of the Pego-Oliva marshlands or marjal This nature reserve is one of the most important wetlands on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts and is where the local Bomba rice is cultivated

The townrsquos Moorish past is also clearly remembered in the nature park as the Arabs brought rice cultivation to the area They were responsible for providing a series of irrigation channels from the rivers to the marshland to provide water While walking through the nature reserve you may spot nu-merous aquatic birds such as kingfishers herons and linnets as well as types of fish which have set up home here One of the rarest species is the Valencia hispanica which is a tiny fish known locally as a samaruc

There are several walks around the Pego marshes which can take one or two hours and offer far-reaching views to the Segaria hills One route follows a path alongside the River Bullent to the Font Salada (or Ullal del Burro) which is a saltwater spring said to have medicinal properties and is great for people with skin problems to bathe in

18 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

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Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 17: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

In the summer months you can enjoy a boat ride across the marjal However the pathways make for fairly gentle walking or cycling too

All around you will see the rice fields which produce the special Bomba rice which the locals would argue is the best rice there is The fields extend over 1250 hectares The rice is still cultivated using ancient crafts which guarantee less disruption to nature as well as making sure that only the best grains are selected Bomba rice needs three cups of water to one cup of rice -most varieties just need double the amount Bomba absorbs more stock than others yet the grains remain distinct Itrsquos not creamy like Italian Arborio rice or sticky like Asian rice

In the supermarkets such as Mas y Mas you can buy Bomba rice made in Pego Look out for the va-riety produced by the El Segardor firm which comes in a small canvas sack This has won awards and been selected as one of the top three Bomba rices

In the words of a master

Valencian designer and artist Javier Mariscal who designed the chair in the Big Brother diary room summed up the importance of rice He said ldquoFor me the great symbol of Valencian nationalism is to go to eat a paella on the beachrdquo

Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide wwwmydestinationcomalicante

20 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 18: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

When a buyer acquires a property in Spain that belongs to a community this person is not only investing in the property but also the community it is located in This may be beneficial or negative depending on the way the community conducts itself

A community has to be created by law if there is commu-nity property ie a swimming pool within its ownership This applies to all types of property even where town-houses have a communal roof The Spanish Law that ap-plies to communities is the Horizontal Law

Many buyers of community property bought off-plan in the boom years in Spain amp consequently there was no community existing when they signed to buy their property amp consequently it did not have any influence on their decision to purchase

Today things are very different where a lawyer acting for the buyer will ask to see the minutes amp accounts of the community to form a view on the community his client is buying into Hence a poorly run community who are not meeting their obligations to maintain amp administer their affairs in a business like manner or are unable to agree expenditure for improvements or renewals are not an attractive proposition to buy into leaving the seller in a situation where his investment has lost value to the market

On the reverse side a well run community with good members acting in the majority in their community be-come an attractive proposition to buy into adding value to the owners property amp giving it the edge in selling in a competitive market

1Q - Can I as President be the administra-tor as well amp is the of benefit to the com-munity

A - The answer is yes the President can also be the Ad-ministrator amp yes this can be beneficial to the community in the day to day control of it particularly with regard to the collection of service charges from the members ef-ficiency in the day today running of the community also leads to lower expenses amp savings on administration costs

2Q - I do not receive notice of meetings minutes or accounts of the community

A - This is bad administration amp the information can be recovered from the Administrator by formal request (in writing by certificated post is recommended) A well run community usually has a community website which pro-vides transparency to itrsquos records with historical accounts minutes amp information on the next forthcoming meeting with regard to itrsquos agenda amp status (ordinary extra ordi-nary or annual) The law provides for a meeting to have a 51 attendance to vote on matters but it is normal that the meeting will have two times 30 minutes apart where by the second later meeting time does not require this quorum amp consequently a small number of owners are able to steer the community in their preferred direction If you find out about a meeting that you disagree with the outcome of you are entitled to go to court within 3 months of this discovery to make a application to have the meeting made invalid

by F A L ParkinsonJacksons Administradores de Fincas

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY

IN THE SALE amp VALUE OF A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

22 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 19: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Jacksons are Chartered Accountants amp Administrators advise on property administration company amp personal financewwwjacksons-groupcom Tel +34 966 424 380 For financial amp tax matters Email fparkinsonjacksons-groupcom

3Q - The community meetings are in Span-ish amp so are all the subsequent documents amp I do not understand what is happening in the community

A - Documents that need filing legally in Spain with the appropriate authority have to be in Spanish However by majority of owners vote the language of the meetings can be changed to English or any other language this chang-ing the minutes amp other written documents of the commu-nity too It is considered good practice by an Administra-tor to have the appropriate language skills available for community members

4Q - My service charge has risen 3 fold since I bought my new apartment 5 years ago amp I cannot see where my money is be-ing spent The promoter was our President until recently

A - Often new communities were formed by the Pro-moter amp initially as a new development there was no need for maintenance so the community fees were low As the property ages the need for maintenance becomes apparent amp this needs to be addressed amp carried out in a controlled manner This should be handled by a consultant surveyor who makes regular inspections amp provides budget cost-ing for the agreement of the community at their meetings Caution is advised when the President is the Promoter as there needs to be a distinction between the works that are those of the Promoter to conclude the garden amp other com-munity areas from the maintenance spending of the com-munity

5Q - I have to pay extra service charge to a new fund for renewal works but these works have never been carried out

A - This fund will be the result of an extraordinary gen-eral meeting convened to approve a major spend by the community Often this is to paint the whole building The minutes of the meeting should provide for record of the use of the money amp also the approval of the competitive tendering for the cost of works provided to the community at this meeting by the community officers The new funds paid should be paid to a separate community account to provide for these works amp the President amp community of-ficers are obliged to provide details of the conduct of these funds at a community meeting

Popular questions asked by Presidents amp owners in communities

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 20: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000

bull estilo de la vivienda mediterraacuteneobull estado de la vivienda buen estadobull Casco Antiguobull se distribuye en 3 plantas

Dormitoriosbull 2 dormitorios

WCbull 2 wcbull 1 bantildeeras

Exteriorla soleada terraza orientada al oeste con vistas a los tejados y la iglesia de la Ciudad Vieja

EntornoLa casa estaacute en buenas condi-ciones cuenta con elementos originales como vigas de madera umbrales y ventanas y el caraacutecter de una casa tradicio-nal se ha mantenido a traveacutes de la reforma que se ha hecho por el titular reciente

floor is also a guest wc Stairs lead up to the lounge area and a bathroom it would be possible to create a second bedroom on this floor From here stairs lead to the top floor which has the master bedroom and access to the sunny west facing ter-race overlooking the roof tops and the Church of The Old Town

The house is in good condition features original elements such as wooden beams doorsteps and windows and the character of a traditional townhouse has been main-tained through the reforming that has been done by the recent owner

Charming townhouse in Altea with west facing terrace and views to the Old Town The townhouse is located in a tranquil area of the Casco Antiguo and has a sunny patio and the house is distributed on 3 floors From the pa-tio you enter to the ground floor living room and an open plan kitchen on this

KT735 Charming TownhouseAltea Costa Blanca euro245000

24 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 21: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Solana Casas Info

A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge so best to use a local property

broker

When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing contacting

agencies and filtering through all the information Often with a lot of confusion because of dupli-

cates and different pricing

On behalf of the client Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a

close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via e-

mail for studying and evaluation at the clientrsquos leisure in peace

and comfort

Located in Altea Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooper-ates with local agencies to find the right home for each client a tailor made search to suit any

individualpersonal requirements

Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete such as lawyers banks accoun-tants and other relevant Spanish authorities This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips makes the property search

more focused and successful

VIP services also available through a fixed advance fee

which is refunded when a property is purchased through

Solana Casas please enquire for further details

Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea

Alicante Spain

Mob (00 34) 607 899 352

Email mksolanacasascom

wwwsolanacasaseuWe look forward to receiving

your enquiry

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 22: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

AlteaTownhouse

on three Floors with Fantastic

Roof top views

26 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 23: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

KT735 Charming Townhouse Altea Costa Blanca euro245000 (continued)

28 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 24: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Insectsfrom JaveaPhotoscom

30 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

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Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

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Portable Heat kit

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This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 25: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

solarsolarsolar

electricityhot waterpool heating

Energy prices keep rising Isnrsquot it time you explored SOLAR POWER

Grants and 100 finance availableCall us now for free advice or simply come

and visit our showroom in Pedreguer Industrial Estate

wwwsolarinspaincominfosolarinspaincom

902 636 570contact us

Electricity

Hot Water

Pool Heating

Dehumidifiers

Biomass Heaters

Pool Covers

Street Lighting

Portable Heat kit

FREE SURVEY

This and the following three photos were all snapped in the garden - The paper wasp was so absorbed in nest-building underneath a marble-topped table that she ignored the camera even though it was almost touching her

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 26: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

32 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 27: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

The flower with pollenating bees was on the edge of a shaded clump of plants peeping out of the shadows in vibrant colour

The Preying Mantis on the purple flower was almost a pet - I had caught it on a similar flower a few months be-fore - barely large enough to cover the centre of the flower Here as an adult it is still convinced it is camouflaged

My favourite though is the Mantis on the right - as curious about me as I was about it I call this photo ldquoBoordquo

Gaile Griffin Peers

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 28: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Facebook Marketing

Love it or hate it Facebook is here to stay and is one of the most widely-used social network-ing applications on the planet (according to Facebook in September 2012 101 billion us-ers) So the likelihood is that many of your existing customers are members and many of your potential customers too

So it would be churlish not to exploit this and communicate with your customers right However there are good and bad ways to do this Get it wrong and you will alienate poten-tial new clients so here are some ldquodorsquos and donrsquotsrdquo for marketing your business product or service on Facebook

Facebook Profiles

Facebook Profiles are for individual and social use Many people in the earlier days of Face-book set up profiles for their business activity but doing this is a no-no and businesses must have a Facebook Page How can you tell the difference When you place the mouse point-er over the name a Profile will have the option ldquoAdd Friendrdquo but a Facebook Page will have the option ldquoLikerdquoNow we ALL read the small print in the Terms amp Conditions donrsquot we Failure to do so could cost you dear as the devil (as always) is in the detail Facebookrsquos Terms amp Conditions state that

ldquoYou will not use your personal timeline (ie Profile) for your own commercial gainrdquo

If Facebook discovers that a business is using a profile as a marketing tool then they will suspend or delete the account This could be catastrophic for someone who has been using a Profile for some time and has gathered lots of ldquofriendsrdquo as all of these will be lost There-fore it is much better (and safer) to have a Facebook Page

A social networking consultant friend of mine once wrote ldquoPeople make friends with people not businessesrdquo and I think that she is spot on there

Facebook Pages

Also known as Fan Pages a Facebook Page can be created by any individual with a Facebook Profile In other words you must join Face-book as an individual before you can set up a Facebook Page

Just go to wwwfacebookcompagescreatephp where you will find that there are a num-ber of different categories for Facebook Pages

bull Local Business or Place

bull Company Organisation or Institution

bull Brand or Product

bull Band Artist or Public Figure

bull Entertainment and

bull Cause or Community

34 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 29: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Depending on the category selected you can either choose a Username at the outset or after you have achieved a certain number of ldquoLikesrdquo for the page

Once selected this Username will be the Page Name (people will be able to find your page from the Search bar) For example if you were creating a page for a restaurant called Steversquos Diner in Deacutenia you might choose to have the Username of StevesDinerDenia (the username can be a mix of upper and lower-case letters but no special characters such as hyphens slashes or punctuation) Using up-percase letters to separate words looks better too when you are adding your details to busi-ness cards and flyers etcThe Page name is not case sensitive so wwwfacebookcomStevesDinerDenia would be the same as wwwfacebookcomstevesdinerdenia but the first example is easier for us humans to ldquoreadrdquo

Getting Likes amp Promoting Your Page

Now that you have your Facebook Page you need to get some ldquoLikesrdquo so that you can inter-act with your audience You can invite people who are already your friends from your Profile to like your page You can also join Facebook Groups where you can advertise your Page and get people interested in your contentIf you have a business with a physical loca-tion such as a bar restaurant or shop then dis-play your Facebook Page details so that people can ldquoFollowrdquo you and get updates and details

of special offers from your business via their Facebook News Feed (you could even make Facebook-specific deals or run competitions to encourage more people to follow and share your page with their friends) Those people who have liked your page will see your posts and updates in their News Feed

Good MarketingBad Marketing

The idea behind using Facebook as a marketing tool is to keep your business relevant to those people who are interested in your product or service therefore you need to post updates on your page regularly and keep an eye on who is interacting with the page Existing and potential customers may ask questions about a product or an offer that you have posted make sure that you answer these promptly where possible as no-one likes to be ignored when they have a question

A rule of thumb on how often to post would be once or twice a week so that people have the opportunity to see whatrsquos happening in your business but that would depend on the type of business More than this could lead to satura-tion or could even be regarded as spamming

Some pages that I have liked in the past post-ed updates far too often (sometimes up to 20 posts a day) and filled my News Feed with so much ldquonoiserdquo that I couldnrsquot see the posts I was genuinely interested in that were from friends and other pages that I had liked I took away my ldquolikerdquo from these pages and now

marketing

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 30: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

donrsquot see anything from those businesses (or to put it another way they lost me as a poten-tial customer)

If your posts involve several pictures create an album first and then put your post with the album rather than post 10 individual pictures with the same update text This means that people can view the album picture by picture with whatever description you want for each and it is only one post rather than 10 (no satu-ration)

At the other end of the spectrum is to have no updates at all You need to keep your page in-teresting with relevant content (so no pictures of cute kitties riding skateboards ndash keep that for your personal profile) For example share articles from trusted sources on your page that are related to your business if yoursquore being informative via your page people are more likely to take you seriously and engage with your business

Netiquette

Netiquette (or Internet Etiquette) needs also to be mentioned here I have seen numer-ous posts from business pages on Facebook where the use of uppercase letters seems to be the only way they communicate It is con-sidered bad form to write only in capitals as it has been deemed to be the internet version of shouting at the recipient and it can be difficult to read By all means emphasise individual words that require it (eg FREE or NOW) but not all of the text

Another bone of contention with Facebook marketing is the posting of the same advert into all of the Facebook groups to which those individuals belong Frankly this is just self-ish and lazy marketing (the scatter-gun ap-proach) Take the time to find out the purpose of the groups to which you belong (look in the tab marked ldquoAboutrdquo at the top of the group page) Also read the guidelines that the group administrators usually provide somewhere in the group that will tell you which kind of post-ings are appropriate for the group and which are not

You may find that if you post your updates into a group that doesnrsquot want them you could be alienating the very people that you are trying to reach and you could be removed from the group or even reported to Facebook for spam-ming and have your account disabled

Steve Mitchell Fontana Designwwwfontanadesigneu

36 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 31: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Move The Turtle

An educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs using in-tuitive graphic commands Do you remember the Logo pro-gramming language A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic con-cepts of programming in a co-lourful graphic environment Who knows maybe your child will be the next outstanding pro-grammer

By completing the tasks one af-ter another children learn how to plan complex activities com-posed of simple elements how to reuse previously completed work how to use graphics spa-tial orientation and sound in programming and they will be-come familiar with the notions of loops procedures variables and conditional instructions

Plus it is FUN

KindleDeveloper Amazon

Price Free

The best library of literature to choose from not least as one of our sponsors U P Publications only publishes e-books on this platform at the moment Cross platform support via Whisper-sync means that this free app is available on smartphone android PC Mac iPhone and iPad as well as all the Kindle Tablets - so no link to this app - purely because we havenrsquot the space to cover them all

There is a great choice of fonts and ways to readhellip Plus Kin-dle is the most comprehensive reading app out there so an es-sential download

To find it you can start from Amazonrsquos website or search for Kindle in your devicersquos on-line store

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDs

pound199

The Nutcracker Step into a fully animated story-book adventure of a great classic With original illustrations and full symphonic orchestral excerpts of Tchaikovskyrsquos timeless ballet For children at least 6 years old This app featured in February 2013 as a top 30 pick by The Guardian Newspaper

FEATURESTap on the Nutcracker to start reading - Tap on the owl to strike 8 orsquoclock - Help Clara put the Nut-cracker together - Fight against the Army of Mice - Jump on a nut-shell pulled by two dolphins

ABOUT TIMBUKTU - Timbuktu is an award-winning creator of mo-bile applications for children Tim-buktursquos apps for iPad and iPhone combine age-appropriate stories with colourful and witty illustra-tion rich animation and great mu-sic to get children excited about reading and discovering the world Timbuktursquos apps help children learn through sight sound and physical interaction

38 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 32: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

iTunes App Picks Music amp DVDsWith the Brit Awards still fresh in my mind as I write I thought this issue we might look at Music for a change If you are in the UK and want to see Mumford and Sonsrsquo ldquoGentlemen of the Roadrdquo Live Tour then you need to grab your tickets for the 19th and 20th July fast as the UK venue is the only one for the Tour not already sold out httpwwwmumfordandsonscom In the unlikely event that you have not yet heard them you can listen to lsquoI will Waitrsquo on YouTube free Their Albums and tracks are available on iTunes YouTube and most surviv-ing Music Stores The West London Group formed in 2007 Their 2009 debut album ldquoSigh no Morerdquo was not released in the US until 2010 although it became a huge success both sides of the Atlantic Their ldquocountryrdquo style meshes with traditional US music while their eclectic mix of classical and modern instruments gives them a uniquely English flavour This year they have won categories in both the Grammy Awards (US) and the Brit awards - so if you havenrsquot heard them yet you will

GaileGP

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 33: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Spain +34 68 864 0092(Glenn Tullett) glennrabbitfxcom

wwwrabbitfxcom

terRegulation - Infinity International is registered by the Financial Services Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services

Our firm reference number (FRN) is 67835

Infinity International is also registered with HM Revenue and Customs as a money Services business Our registration number is 12273818 As a Money Services Business we follow a strict code which incorporates all the requirements of the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and other legislation

You can look us up on the HMRC website httpscustomshmrcgovukmsbregistercheckTermsdo

40 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 34: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants amp Surveyors providing premium quality

services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia

Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents amp community members monthly accounts

community website maintenance schedules amp estimates professional advice on all aspects of the

running of communities

Cabo La Nao El Pla no135 Buzoacuten 37 03730 Jaacutevea Espana

t + 34 966 460625 m + 34 606 0061241e infojacksonsadministradoressles

w wwwjacksonsadministradoressles

Jacksons Administradores SLCIF B-54485834

Administradores David A Mayer FCCA ACA FAL Parkinson

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 35: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

wwwhomesandgardenses

Homes Gardens amp Lifestyle What the Papers are saying

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April Torremolinos Palacio de Congresos

1000 am ndash 700 pm42 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 36: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

tion

If you would like to participate in the Show

and see your business bloom please contact GM Events

on the Spanish English phones 695 399 841 amp 966 761 050

or email officesolproductionstvand we will provide you with further informa-

Wednesday 29th amp Thursday 30th May La Finca Golf amp Spa Hotel Al-

gorfa 1000 am ndash 600 pm

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 37: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

44 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 38: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Have you ever been to IKEA You go to the nearest store wander round picking up pretty things you donrsquot really need find the check-outs pay figure out how to fit it all in the car load up then grab your-self a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions a bag of

screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in we take the stress away completely We buy deliver and assemble IKEA furni-ture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol

Putt ing i t a l l to-ge t her

For more information about easy flatpax visit wwweasyflatpaxcom or like our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomeasyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch Get your stylish af-fordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free We cover the Costa Blanca amp Costa Calida We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service wwweasyflatpaxcom We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs donrsquot end up with the legs on the wrong way Just ask for a quote our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years

Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren who was a Swedish draughtsman He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car According to reports Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home He then discussed the idea with his em-ployers at IKEA

The company later built its entire business around the concept launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956 Most products IKEA produce now are lsquoself assemblyrsquo

The company is the worldrsquos largest furniture retailerFounded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kam-prad who later became one of the richest people in the world the companyrsquos name is an ac-ronym comprising the initials of the founderrsquos name (Ingvar Kamprad) the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and his hometown (Agunnaryd in Smaringland South Sweden) The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 39: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

You may be contemplating visiting the city centre of Valencia shortly for some Christmas shopping or perhaps going up for a night at the Opera (which reminds me as I write to book tickets for the Queen Tribute concert in the Palau de Musica on Decem-ber fourth) Whatever the reason for a visit an overnight or two is essential to capture the ambi-ence of this lovely city sitting as it were right on our doorstep

Ten years ago the Barrio Ruzafa was still very much a marginal place to visit Barrio Carmen its much more famous cousin was the place to be and be seen in the night life scene was legendary the bars and restaurants spilling over the narrow streets crowded by the young `pijosacute (yuppies) of the timeProperty prices shot through the roof and the most savvy sold up and bought in the very much cheaper and cosmopolitan Ruzafa

Ruzafa already boasted an im-portant colony of artists avant-garde designers and a diaspora of migrants which gave it a frisson of bohemian risk for the unknowing innocent traveller The new incoming wealth and a thorough urban renewal by scheme carried out by the Valen-cian City Government (while it

still had the money) has resulted in a still very much multi-cultural Barrio but now itacutes more up-market and a delight to spend some time exploring

Originally an ancient Arab town in its own right (Russafa means garden in Arabic) still boasts a few Morrocan shops and traditional tea-houses but now the accent of the majority is on up-market Tapas and Montaditos in a plethora of traditional modern or quirky bars and restaurants at every corner One thing to remember though is you are extremely un-likely to see an Egravenglish Breakfastacute sign here this zone is multi-cultural however Mediterranean style

There are so many eating places that itacutes difficult to recommend but Restaurant Meacutetodo in Calle Puerto Rico (almost next door to the Landrover Agent) de-serves a mention as does Cafeacute Tocado Calle Ca-diz 44 a good place to finish a night out with its

frequent mini theatre acts music and of course copashellipa great at-mosphere

Ruzafa is old style shopping the Mercado Central still forms the basis of fresh food purchasing but one can buy just about anything in tiny specialised shops old fash-ioned ironmongers hat shops bi-

Barrio Ruzafa (Russafa)Valencia

The Constant Traveller

46 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

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If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

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Round Town Newsgroup SL

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Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

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The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 40: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

cycle repairs a shop specialising in honey delicates-sens spice shops and bodegas where you can sample before you buy

Art aficionados should head for Color Elefante in Calle Sevilla where you can meet the artist Carles Al-bert or Studio Nacho Murillo in Calle Clero both in-ternationally acclaimed and exhibited artists at workTeatro Russafa in Calle Denia has become an impor-tant centre of culture and drama for the barrio We were fortunate to have seen an excellent play in this lovely little theatre a few weeks ago

A special mention should be made of the Fallas in March Ruzafa converts itself into a fiesta zone and the illuminations around Calle Cuba are spectacular I

have tagged a Youtube video on the next page but the actuality really is special

Barrio Ruzafa is located south of the Grand Via Ger-maniacuteas and is more or less ten minutes walk from the station turning right at the Plaza de Toros walking down Calle Ruzafa and crossing Gran Via Germanias

How to get there

Bus from Javea but better to catch the express bus otherwise itacutes a two hour plus tour of the towns off the N332

Car Parking is expensive in Valencia but if you in-sist there is ample parking at the Modernistic and

48 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

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Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 41: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

beautiful Mercado Colon Galerias Jorge Juan and down near the Mercado Ruzafa

A good option is to leave the car at Xeraco just off the motorway after Gandia and take the train into Valen-cia Estacioacuten Norte The train is very efficient on time and very inexpensive by British standards

Where to stay

If you want to savour the ambiance of Valencia you must stay in the centre of town

In or near RuzafaPetit Palace Germanias Valencia +

Calle Sueca 14 Ruzafa Valencia

HUSA Llar Colon 46 Valencia

Senator Parque Central HotelPlaza Sanchis Guarner

Valencia

Fallas link

Barrio Ruzafa Illumination Fallas wwwyoutubecomwatchv=DLkzbGpGPDQ

Enjoy Ruzafa we frequently doNorman MacRitchie Reeley

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
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Page 42: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

I recently spent three months in Lanzarote in the is-landrsquos main resort Puerto del Carmen (PDC) which gave me a chance to observe the efforts local bars and restaurants made to attract customers In fact what I should have written is the complete lack of effort with the sole marketing activity in many cases having a barely coherent youth outside the premises trying to entice customers in off the street

To give a little background in the municipality of Tias where PDC is located there were 260 bar-caf-eterias 117 cafeterias and 419 restaurants1 and the majority of these will be in PDC The supply of such establishments has increased year on year although the number of tourists has remained broadly stagnant

There are two major areas of PDC which attract significant footfall namely the ldquoStriprdquo and the ldquoOld Townrdquo The Strip is a long coastal road and the core touristic section of the Strip is around 2km in length The Old Town is built around the port and is made up of a warren of small streets on the hill overlooking the port

The tourist mix is predominantly British German and Irish with a surge of Spaniards from the main-land during July and August The Canary Islands gen-erally suffer from much less seasonality in tourism than the Costa Blanca with a steady volume of tourist arrivals throughout the year So let us examine four options to help bars and res-taurants survive

1 httpwww3gobiernodecanariasorgturismoestadestadisticashtm

Keep Residents Happy

However much tourists love your establishment they will only be around for one or two weeks and there is no guarantee that they will come back next year

Ask yourself which sort of customer generates more business a moderate or heavy drinker who comes into your establishment several times during their one week stay or say a resident who will come in for morning coffee two or three times per week all year

Research

There are two types of research which an ownerrsquos es-tablishment can do the ldquowalk-aroundrdquo and ldquoonlinerdquo The walk-around involves going around the neigh-bourhood and seeing what competing establishments offer and how busy they are

For example one bar of my acquaintance was in an area in which none offered Wi-fi to its customers and so there was a golden opportunity to create a first mover advantage by installing it

Online research is a way of getting inspiration from elsewhere The world is your oyster Take an idea from other bars and restaurants around the world but make sure you adapt them to your own local circum-stances

SURVIVING THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR SECTORS

Adam Simmons

50 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 43: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

52 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 44: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Innovate

Unless your restaurant is Michelin starred the product you serve is going to be not particularly different from your competitors and this is even more true of bars all bars have access to the different brands of say gin (from local to upmarket) so your core product is either very similar to what your competitors provide or identical

To differentiate your establishment you need to work on your ldquoaug-mented productrdquo This could be entertainment (quiz nights) opening hours (if all your competitors are shut on a Monday evening have you considered opening then) or a loyalty scheme (buy nine coffees the tenth is free)

Communicate

This is perhaps the major failing of so many businesses in the hospital-ity sector In brief if you have a great product but not enough people know about it you are simply wasting your time and money

Creating awareness of your business has never been easier or cheaper yet it is startling how many businesses have not taken advantage of this fact For a bar to set up a Facebook page costs nothing There are groups such as Like Spain Members (httpwwwfacebookcomgroupsLike-SpainMembers) which will help you get your business noticed

There are three groups of people who fail to use this technology to their advantage ldquonon-usersrdquo ldquonominal usersrdquo and ldquobad usersrdquo

Sadly there are too many businesses which do not use Facebook for example the owner might say that he or she ldquodoesnrsquot like Facebookrdquo Well nobody likes paying tax either but it has to be done The reality is that a significant proportion of your current or potential customers DO use Facebook and you ignore the medium at your peril

The second group of people are ldquonominal usersrdquo in other words a Facebook page is set up and is then ignored In a sense this is even worse if a page is not updated regularly people might think that you have gone out of business If inadequate information is provided on the FB business page why should anybody make the effort to find out information which should be readily availableFinally there are ldquobad usersrdquo I have seen business pages with cartoons and beautiful pictures of clouds and sunsets but what do these have to do with the bar or restaurant What should be included in addition to obvious information such as location and opening hours are news items These can be what football matches are being shown on a par-ticular day or new menu items Once the news is posted everybody who has requested ldquoget notificationsrdquo should receive this news

Facebook is the cheapest and simplest option For those catering for an international customer base a website may be a better option But the same principles apply namely communicate regularly and relevantly with the public

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 45: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

54 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Before you advertise

Identify your goals Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent Advertising is vitally important for market capture but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start You also need a company logo for all your advertising and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales

Choosing a newspaper What are their distribution num-bers and where do they distribute Do they publish online also Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study How many readers do they have How long have they been publishing Are they will-ing to help design and redesign the advert for you sending new proofs as required at no extra cost as part of their service

Designing your advert

Keep it simple Identify a clientrsquos need in your advert Every product fills a need for something but you need to identify that need in your advert first no matter how obvious

Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weekseditions in the press and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford whether it be a module in classifieds or a double full page Your potential customers may not know you they need to know you are going to be around long term It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised Be realistic advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication so readers will know where to find you You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising If you pay up front for a whole campaign further discounts are added

It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud Consider a space that will comfortably house the contenthellip and go for a unique look

Try and be in both paper press and online Your potential clients could be using both mediums RTN offers both for our advertisers for example

Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity Use case examples of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs wants and expecta-tions Target your audience and location market

Use specific area references in your case examples eg Javea Moraira La Marina

Try and keep the advert simple do not overfill the space or confuse the reader If the advert looks squashed get a bigger space or reduce the content Images are excellent a before and after image for example Any message should be clear and concise Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step the sales will follow

Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds Re-quest supporting editorials to fully explain your serviceproduct (these are often added free or reduced cost to lon-ger campaigns)

Change your advertsrsquo content regularly but always use your logo Speak with your agent regularly to give feed-back and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions

Last but not least Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later Make it easy for them use simple contact details offer a no obligation quotation free advice but try and build up some urgency

hellipfix that leaking roof now unique offer while stocks last stop wasting money live better now

If you wish to talk in confidence and without obliga-tion regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News) please feel free to contact me colinroundtownnewscom or call me directly on 0034 627068561

Colin RichAccount Sales

Round Town Newsgroup SL

mobile 627068561 Office 902 118 999Email colinroundtownnewscom

Web wwwroundtownnewscom

Getting results from your advertisingA few simple guidelines

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

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Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 46: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Josie MitchellSales Executive607 744 153josieroundtownnewscom

Colin RichAdvertising Sales607 553 870colinroundtownnewscom

wwwroundtownnewscouk

member of

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 47: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

The notary is a public officer of the Span-ish State that guarantees citizens the legal certainty they need in their relationships whether they are personal contractual or entrepreneurial

In addition to monitoring and ensuring the legality of transactions the notary plays an equally important role as advisor offering completely impartial advice A No-tary is duty bound to offer the most appropriate legal means to achieve the legitimate aims pursued Advice and and Counselling are the foundations of their role as lawyers because it is important to understand the conse-quences and effects of what you are signing

The General Council of Notaries has published around 500 issues frequently raised by clients (wwwnotariadoorg) - this series of six articles features the top 100 most frequently asked questions with some general an-swers Subjects covered will include

Family and Personal RelationshipsWills and Estates

Homes and Real Estate Mortgages and Loans

Companies and CorporationsMiscellaneous

Topics from the right time to make a marriage con-tract to inheritance issues and queries about the sale of homes such as knowing what rights attend purchasers property or what the implications are for a seizure of the property by one married partner from another as-well as questions concerning the creation of companies and the costs of the intervention of the notary etc

Everyone has the right to go to the notary at the begin-ning of any agreement or negotiation and it is advisable to do so before signing any legal document

The notary will always advise impartially on the pros and cons of each situation within Spanish Law

Their scale of fees is preset and cannot vary - much of their advice is free - so it makes sense to be familiar about how they can help and it can avoid lengthy legal procedures and high costs if you take the trouble take advice from the notary before taking any legal action

Part One Personal and Family Relationships

1 Prenuptial documents - marital agree-ments - Must they be made before marriage What are the requirementsPrenuptial agreements establish provisions relating to matrimonial property and other general provisions relat-ing to marriage If you are not governed by any statutory right you may want to agree for example a separation of property interest should the marriage dissolve In lease-hold rights may also be given to cover certain covenants on inheritance

Marriage contracts can be made before or after marriage - at any time - the only requirement is that the agreement is notarised with both spouses present2 Before I was married I made a a written agreement to separate property but it was not notarised Is it legal or will there be peoblems because it was not registerd

It is valid if the marriage to took place within one year but may be challenged in court by third parties in good faith if it was done against their interest Accordingly we recommend that you take your document to the Civil Reg-

100 FAQs about Notaries Part One of Six

56 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

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Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

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Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 48: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

istry where the marriage is registered to be no-tarised as soon as possible (this information is available on the Family Book)

3 What differences exist between community (communal) property and individual property How do I secure my individual property Also I bought a flat which will not be completed until after the wed-ding We will both live theer but I want it recognised that the property is mine because I paid for it Is this possible If so what must I do prior to marriageImplicit in the term Community Property is the concept of pooled assets owned by both a hus-band and his wife as opposed to their personal and exclusive property Generally communal property is anything purchased during the marriage by either spouse those representing them or acquired through the work of husband and wife Individual property is that acquired by inheritance or gift or to replace individual property that they owned before the marriage

Selling or mortgaging marital property re-quires the consent of both spouses Upon the death of one spouse the conjugal partnership is effectively dissolved an the deceasedrsquo share is spread between the remaining partner and the heirs of the deceased The principle applied to this separation of property is that in effect it is as if they had not married Each spouse remains the owner of their own assets without commonality The debts of each spouse relate solely to their own share of the property alone When an item is in doubt it is assumed that half of it was owned by the deceased This is the general idea al-though there are many special cases and varia-tions to the general rule

If you are not Catalan Valencian or Balear-ic by birth or marriage the marriage will be governed by the lsquoreacutegimen de ganancialesrsquo (or the system of Aragon Navarre and Biscay all very similar) If you want to opt for something else you will need a notarised marriage con-tract stating your intentions and the agreement of your spouse

If you want to record the appartment as your

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

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Page 49: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

then they could buy on an undivided exclusive basis in proportion to the money contributed by each without having to change their community property status by the separating the property This issue is complicated and well worth discussing in more detail with your notary

6 We want to get married soon and have a money contract for the purchase of a flat We each pay half the mortgage but the initial capital was not equal as one partner paid much more than the other (about 70 -30) Can this situation be stated without mention-ing separate property In case of separation can we each recover our share despite split-ting the mortgage Can this situation com-plicate other formalities like Income TaxWe must distinguish between home ownership and pay-ment of the price The property will be owned by the per-centages you yourself declare to the notary in the deed of sale The percentage of ownership or ownership is not changed by the fact that the share of payments made sub-sequently is different In principle you have three options

1) Buy in proportion to the price (no interest) to calculate what each ends up paying at the end of eachrsquos share of the loan

2 ordm) Buy in proportion to the initial payment of each and change the ownership percentages at the end of the loan according to what actually was paid by each

3rd) Buy in proportion to the initial investment and refund the difference in cash if it turns out that there is any over-payment

Possibly the most correct solution is the first (stating this agreement in the deeds and fixing the percentage of the acquisition) because there is a commitment between them to pay half the loan installments Thus if one fails to pay there will be no doubt whatever the terms of the loan and the other may claim reimbursement of half the fees (though the ownership of the property would not be altered by it it would then be a simple matter to reclaim the money)

For Income tax purposes if there is a separate agreement for each then they will be treated separately within the range permitted by law based on the percentage of the fees actually paid up to their percentage of ownership (if 30 of the property then at most 30 of the shares)

Finally note that if you are married without having made provision under the law of community property the wag-es and income earned by each will be shared equally even if only one partner works

own your wife must formally agree that the money spent was exclusively yours and your ownership would then need to be recorded on the land registry as exclusively yours

However there is one limitation the creditors of a wife and children could consider it as a Dowry ( the life inter-est in a part of her husbandrsquos estate allotted to a widow by law )

If you want to extend this idea of exclusivity not only of the appartment but also to other property to be acquired then a notarised matrimonial pact ensures the legal separa-tion of property

Note that the economic circumstances of a marriage can change at any time as can the balance of wealth between partners The notaryrsquos fees vary depending on whether the agreement is simply to recognise formally the wealth dis-tribition in the marriage which is an act with no value or if the notary is also required to liquidate a former agree-ment which would raise the cost depending on the value of the goods awarded to each of the spouses

4 Can I make a matrimonial apreement ret-rospectvelyAn agreement can be granted retroactively if it causes no residual effects on third parties (eg creditors) It is pos-sible however to take this action more simply by liquidat-ing selling the currently shared communal property

5 I am buying a house with my partner Irsquove put in 96000 euros and my boyfriend now husband 18000 I do not want to make a separate property declaration but I want to put on the deed the amounts of money that each has contributed to protect my interest as if it was an undivided separate property What options do I haveIt is advisable to talk to notary from the outset not leave it until the end when everything is agreed and signed If the marriage has a lsquoseparate property agreementrsquo the spouses buy in proportion to the price of each contribution (if you put euro 10 and the other 90 euro the first acquires 10 and the second 90 of the peoperty) If you have no notarised agreement in place community property law prevails so it is assumed that the two made an equal contribution be-cause it is assumed that everything in marriage is commu-nal unless proven otherwise

However there is one exception if the spouses offer con-vincing evidence that the money given privately belongs to each individual and they claim that in the deed of sale

58 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 50: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

7 My girlfriend is legally separated with a 13 year old son and I am single we bought an unevenly funded property according to our different economic situations What would happen in the event of a break-up or my death in the following cases a) in the current situation b) if there is common mar-riage and child (communal property) c) if we stayed childless with communal propertyNot being married you have no legal right to inheritance but you can be name each other as your heir or bequeath certain properties including a share of the property Con-sequently assuming that they are subject to common lawa) If you die in the current situation the people you have designated in your will will inherit (without prejudice to legitimate heirs who may exist) and failing that your le-gal heirs

b) If you are married but have no children together your wife is your legal heir unless your parents live ( who over-ride the spouse) In any case she would be entitled to a life interest in half of the estate if you live with your parents or two-thirds in the other cases

c) If you are married and have children between you they are the legal heirs failing a testamentary heir without prejudice to any other legitimate rights that the law recog-nises Your spouse will be entitled in any event to a life interest in one third of the estate Beyond that there are possibilities to integrate any property you own into com-munal property (if you choose this matrimonial contract) there are lots of options that enjoy various tax breaks

8 I wonder if in the case of an established marital separation one of the spouses can purchase and deed property in their individ-ual nameIf there was a separate property agreement in place - either because it has been expressly agreed in capitulations or because it is legal in the autonomous region to which they belong there is no problem the buying spousersquos ownership is clear

If however the marriage was based on Community Prop-erty the marriage exists until there is a legal separation of the spouses or the dissolution of marriage by divorce or the death of either (art 1392 Civil Code) In this case any

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 51: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

60 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

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MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

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Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

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Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

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Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 52: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

property that either spouse acquired before the dissolution of the community of property will be integrated into itand will have to be included in the inventory of all assets due to be split The fact that there has been a de facto separa-tion of the spouses (temporarily or permanently) does not prevent the goods are purchased by either of them to be marital

This is the general rule and therefore it is advisable to regularise the situation by notarising a separation on the marriage contract if there is agreement between the spous-es or by filing a lawsuit for marital separation However there are some qualifications

bull In particularly serious cases of de facto separation es-tablished over several years court decisions may recognise that property can be purchased individually by the spouse who pays for it However these are special cases that should not serve as a general guideline

bull All that is acquired without payment (ie by gift inheri-tance unpaid assignment etc) is privately owned by the spouse who receives it even if married under the commu-nity property rule

bull If the purchase is made by a spouse stating that the money invested in it is personal in nature (for example because it uses money received by inheritance or donation or that the money comes from the sale of belongings acquired in that way) in this case the property you buy is personal and overrides the rules of community property In this case the proof requires that the money has to be documented as personal and a simple affirmation or declaration by the buyer is not enough Usually filing a previous document on inheritance or a gift receipt showing the money or a deed of sale in which the spouse is listed as the exclusive seller is required For more detail as circumstances can differ substantially please check directly with your notary

9 My partner and I each acquired half a house where we had our usual residence and shared a mortgage We have a daughter to-gether We are in the process of separation and would like to know what are the rights of each in relation to the property and custodyEach accounts for half of the house They can award it to one who would take over the mortgage and the personal obligation with the consent or acquiescence of the lending institution offsetting cash to another by applying Article 1062 of the Civil Code

The custody of the child is held by both in principlebut if the parents live separately and cannot agree joint custody the judge will decide the parent in whose care the children who are minors will be placed and will determine the con-tribution of each parent to meet the childrsquos care needs

10 6 months ago I bought a property in Barcelona with my then girlfriend We did not marry she wants to leave I want to stay in the property During the relationship I provided three times more salary than her What part of the value of the apartment do I have to give (we still have a mortgage for 29 years) if she sold me her share I would also like to know how much it will cost and if I have to also change the ownership of the mortgage

Not being married in principle the right of ownership of property is determined by the deed of sale regardless of how payments and loan receipts We assume that you bought 50 each The fact that you paid out more mon-ey on the mortgage only gives a right to be refunded the amount you paid of your girlfriendrsquos liabilty If you both agree that you will stay with the home your girlfriend must sell her 50 you then take over the entire existing mortgage loan freeing her or you can perform a condo-minium extinction being an indivisible loan (this option entails a tax reduction because only taxed between 05 and 15 of the total value of the property according to the Autonomous Community) Normally we would take ad-vantage of this time to settle all accounts connected with the loan because you will pay the current value of the half the peoperty minus the portion of the outstanding loan and the amount you paid in excess updated with legal interest

The steps to follow are

1) Talk to the bank to inform them that you will stay with the home and the mortgage The bank has to give consent

2 ordm) See your notary with all documentation to prepare the corresponding deed and mortgage documentation

The costs are for writing recording transfering tax (from 6 to 8 of the price according to the Community) IIVT-NU (municipal tax capital gains exempt if less than one year of the deed of purchase) and the fees for document management Your notary will be able to give you a full estimate of the expenses once they have seen all the docu-ments

11 Mother is a widow from a relationship lasting 15 years This man was legally sepa-rated and in turn had three daughters There is a will but the money in the bank is in his and my motherrsquos name On the death of this man who inherits this money my mother and or his daughters

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 53: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Subject to proof to the contrary we must presume that the money belongs to current account holders (your mother and her partner) equally In case of death half the money existing at the date of the death belongs to your mother and the other half would be for the heirs of the deceased To find out who the heirs are would depend on whether he had made a will and what it says A lack of will means that the three daughters are the only heirs equally

12 My father aged 70 has married for the second time After three months his current wife required him to put his property in her name The assets he has are the result of the division of an inheritance for my father my brother and I when my mother died He re-fuses to do so and they are getting divorced Getting married meant losing his widower pay If you divorce Can you recover your pay again Does my father have to give her a pension

She has the right to ask your father for a pension if he claims that the separation is due to an economic downturn on their situation before marriage As for the loss of the widowerrsquos pension without knowing the specific manner in which it occurredit would be best to consult directly with the agencies concerned

13 I have an widowed aunt whose husband left a long time ago without agreeing a sepa-ration or divorce or settling their communal property After her husband left her and be-fore he died he bought another home that was his primary residence On going to sell this house we have been told that the first thing to do is to dissolve the conjugal partnership and claim the legacy to win the whole house She wants no part of the rest of the estate or of the conjugal partnership just to keep the house in order to sell it I have several ques-tions about it Can there be a dissolution of the conjugal partnership for the house for-getting the rest of marital property Is there any way to prove that the property was ac-quired exclusively with his money to avoid the formalities of the dissolution of the com-munity property and inheritance partition How do we sell the house

Only a judge can declare bankruptcy and the dissolution of a conjugal partnership but a period of absolute separation makes a good case for abandonment However a lack of judgment means that marriage legally exists and without any legal cause for dissolution we must assume that it ex-ists and is continuing and that all assets of the couple are common unless proven otherwise for example stating that goods are donated or inherited Confirm first that she is the sole heir and the presence or absence of a will which your notary will help you with You can then claim for a partial settlement and inheritance referring only to the property Other assets of the estate would not be awarded unless his aunt is the sole heir

14 If a property was bought or inherited before marriage what rights over the prop-erty and the value it can generate does the spouse acquire if it is refurbished after the marriage Especially if my property is where we will set our residence The property and furniture need structural reformsIf the couple marry under the rule of community property the property that each spouse had owned before will be unique to each This does not change because assets are invested in mutual funds for communal benefit although there will have be a claim against the private estate of the spouse who owns the assets which will be paid at the time of liquidation of the marriage through ldquorefundsrdquo As for the house it should be noted that since the marriage all products and profits obtained by the property whether or not improved constitute a Dowry

Peoperty even unique to one spouse when made into the residence of the family requires consent from both part-ners before taking any action to dispose of it

15 I am the owner of an apartment with my partner but we are not married nor do we have children In my will I can only dispose of 50 of my possessions leaving the rest to my heirs in this case my parents I want to leave my part of the property to my partner Can I reflect that in the will Do my heirs have to renounce my inheritance How I can do that If part of the property has to pass to my heirs can can I ensure that they cannot force my companion out of the property

In the will you may leave half your share of the property to your partner That legacy will remain valid provided that sufficient assets in the estate to pay your parents half the

62 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 54: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

value of the assets to which they are legally entitled as heirs You can also ask them to renounce the inheritance but they are free to do or not In any case your partner will not be forced to leave the floor plus you can leave them a life inter-est There can be no objection to ordering a legacy of money for your parents indicating that your payment is legitimate but it could create a problem in a future valuation Talk to your notary to get details about the different alternatives Note also that if you were married your parents share would not be half but a third

16 Can I speak directly to a notary to effect separation of property Does the separation of property prevent a spousersquos debts imping-ing on the other spouse Under communal propery can anyome seize assets such as a house to get the 50 If so what rights does the other spouse have concerning the houseOf course you can go directly to a notary Note that without a marriage contract to invalidate a claim of separate property each spousersquos debts are their personal responsibility unless the obligation was incurred to meet the ordinary needs of the family in which case either can answer for the debtor spouse

The answer to your second and third question will vary de-pending on whether there before the change of matrimonial an obligation arising under a community depending on the nature of the proprietary solution or debt Dower

If the separation of property was only agreed and signed af-ter the debt debt arose then Community property rules will apply and the common answer ldquoin any caserdquo concerning the obligations of the two spouses or of one with the otherrsquos con-sent (art 1367 of the Civil Code) This also applies if the debt was incurred by one spouse in the cases listed in art The DC 1365 and when the debtor spouse is a merchant and all marital property may be required to answer for their debts if the other spouse gives consent or acquiescence The latter is understood as granted when a partner is practicing a trade with your knowledge - consent is assumed but if op-position is expressed in both cases consent may be revoked In these cases the debtor spouse responds first with their private estate If not enough the creditor may request the seizure of marital property and may require the debtorrsquos con-sort to pay the debts from the assets held by the debtor in the community property which then leads to its dissolution The truth is that just as the Civil Code establishes a presump-tion of equality and communal property in respect of the es-tate of marriage in Article 1361 the debts incurred during the same does not give them the same treatment But it is clear that the legislature did not intend the prejudice of credi-tors by a change of regime that is only learned when itrsquos too late to enforce credit But the spouse is protected from debt that clearly did not benefit them and their homes are rarely forfeited unless the debt was shared

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 55: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Antiques QuizPicture A1) From what country does this saucer come

2) Who was on the throne in the UK when this saucer was made

Picture B3) What French phrase is used to describe the colours in this type of Chinese Decoration

Picture C4) What liquid was this bowl made to serve The answer is in the picture

5) From what country does this bowl come

Picture D6) Which English Fac-tory commonly used a Crescent Moon for its Mark

A

B

64 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

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Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 56: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Answers 1) England 2) George IV 3) Famille Verte 4) Tea 5) Worcester 6) China 7) Japan 8) Kutani 9) Nine Valleys 10) Easter

C

Picture E7) From what country do these saucers come

8) What word is commonly used to to describe this type of Porcelain pottery from this country

9) What does the word answer to question 7 translate to in English

10) During which Holiday is the next Antiques Fair at Canor Teulada

D

E

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

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Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 57: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

6 ndash Tuesday 21st (cont)

ldquoMrs Tiller ndash the lamb ndash when would you like me to deliver itrdquo The butcherrsquos small round eyes stared over a pair of half-circle spectacles as he lowered his head and tucked his dou-ble chin into the top of his blue-striped apron ldquoIrsquom terribly sorryrdquo said Ann swal-lowing her panic ldquoThere has been so much extra stuff to freeze ndash vegetables from the garden I just havenrsquot room for it after all Can you hold it for me please just for a week or sordquo On Thursday Eddie would be taking the children to his parents for one of their long weekend visits They went two or three times a year she never accompanied them It was supposed to be lsquoa real rest for mummyrsquo according to their Grandma but what she really meant was that she could have her son all to herself again They were not really on bad terms she and her mother-in-law but they had a fragile relationship that they both knew would stay cordial only if not tested by close proximity Cathy and Christopher adored their grand-parents and were so excited by the coming trip they didnrsquot appear to be aware of anything strange in her be-haviour not that they were likely to do so at seven and five years old Ed-die too was preoccupied with his job and plans for the weekend but per-haps reflected Ann sadly he no longer

loved her was not concerned enough to sense her deep distress She was suddenly mindful again of her surroundings Mrs Hoskins the Butcherrsquos bustling kindly wife stood transfixed behind the counter and was staring at her openly concerned In the dimness of the small village shop with its crowded tin-heavy shelves Ann nervously swept back a wayward strand of fine hair from her eyes and tried in vain to tuck it behind her ear She suddenly felt overwhelmed The air was thick with vegetable odours rising from the wire trays careless-ly stacked which tripped feet and snagged tights Like an automaton Ann took what was being pushed at her and heard the woman say ldquoThis will really do that cold of yours some good you poor thing your nose is quite redrdquo It was a packet of loz-enges ldquoAnd here have a tissue for your eyes ndash streaming they arerdquo Mr Hoskins was retreating to his lair at the rear of the premises Ann wondered what he had replied to her request He was probably an-noyed To hide her confusion she was glad to admit to a cold and added the cure to her basket She mopped her face and threw the tissue in the bin as she went out into the street She must get a grip on herself and not give any-one else reason to remember her be-haviour as odd She couldnrsquot afford to draw attention to herself in this way

not before she had got rid of the body At home after putting away all the groceries Ann sat in the spare bed-room gazing at the girlrsquos clothes She would have to dispose of them ndash but how It was odd that she had never con-sidered Joyce a threat to her marriage but from the way Eddie always spoke of her how could she possibly have guessed It was shocking to discover that ldquoGood Old Jordquo his secretary had the looks of a fashion model assured and beautifully groomed Inevitably her mind again retraced the events of the past twenty-four hours Yesterday had begun normally enough Her neighbour Jenny came in early for Annrsquos shopping list as she did every Monday On Fridays Ann did the same for Jenny It suited them both to cut down on trips to Reading It saved petrol and more importantly if delays occurred because of heavy traffic at least one of them was still at home to take care of the four children after school Their two houses shared the narrow lane to the road and they joked that if only one at a time was driving out and about the other would not have to reverse a mile to allow free passage As always they had coffee as they went over the required items Many things were cheaper in town than in the village shop but as far as was rea-sonable they liked to support the lo-

A Poisonous Shade of Greyby copy Mai Griffin 1997 2008 2013

Part three of our serialised Thriller see Issue 1 on www5Wsbiz to start the book from the beginning

In Deathrsquos dark realm where none of us may strayThe light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey A Glimmer glimpsed beyond a heartrsquos endeavourWhere lost souls wander in their dark forever Anon

66 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 58: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

cal traders so things were added or crossed off and new lists made Their two fami-lies shared a comfortable re-lationship altogether Jennyrsquos twins were only five but they got on well with Cathy and

Chris who assumed the role of lsquobossrsquo unopposed It was a pleasant associa-tion without being too intimate Too much lack of privacy would have been unwise for people living in such close proximity but the four adults were also good friends Annrsquos whole life was comfortable and well-ordered or so she had thought until now She was utterly devastated by the appall-ing revelations and subsequent events after Jenny drove away As she sat on the bed contemplating Joycersquos beautiful clothes her senses reeled again as sickeningly as they had when she came round after faint-ing the day before crushed under the weight of the girlrsquos body She would never forget those wide mad eyes staring through her into death The once beautiful face inches from her own was distorted ndash smeared with vile coffee-coloured froth The shin-ing scarlet lips were curled back over pale gums in an agonised fixed snarl The girl was unmistakably dead Screaming uncontrollably Ann had pushed herself free and fled blindly to the bathroom where she was violently sick She had no concept of time as she cleaned herself up and showered her mind mercifully blanked out what had just happened ndash unable to cope with the revulsion When she emerged in a state of trance-like calm Ann was almost con-vinced shersquod had a terrible nightmare she would find everything normal again The scene of devastation and the corpse in the sitting room brought her speedily to her senses Staring at the twisted figure on the floor Ann groaned aloud despairingly What could she have done She had not been certain that anything was wrong with the coffee God only knew what poisonous substance had been intend-ed for her but it had caused the girlrsquos gruesome death She was not hypocritical enough at that juncture to feel sorrow at her ri-valrsquos fate ndash it served her right justice

had triumphed the biter bit Good grief was she losing her mind She should be working out a plan of action not spouting clicheacutes Her first instinct and firm intention had been to ring the police She actu-ally got as far as dialling but realisa-tion slowly dawned that her husbandrsquos sordid affair would become known and for goodness sake it must have been a miserably cheap affair She always did the household accounts and Eddie kept little money for him-self ndash just cigarette money as he put it Joyce judging by what she said had obviously seduced him with little private suppers No not suppers they would have been lunches Eddie was hardly ever late home in the evenings Something else the girl said came back to her she had waited for her visitor to go so that they could be alone She must actually have been hiding when Jenny left It was now patently obvious She had come to commit murder She was sure to have provided herself with an alibi and must also have been careful not to be seen in the immediate vicinity so she wouldnrsquot have come by car thereby attracting attention in a small village She had been barking mad but not necessarily stupid The more Ann considered all the angles the more the conviction grew that she was right ndash nobody else on earth knew that Joyce had been here It followed therefore that the best way of dealing with the ghastly situ-ation was to keep it quiet Because Ann felt no responsibility for the womanrsquos demise ndash and hoped by concealing it to keep her marriage and home intact ndash she had set about her task with determination and effi-ciency A glance at the clock told her that time was on her side could it be merely two hours since Jenny left No one was due back for lunch and casual callers were few the long stony road put people off Ann suspected that even the postman waited until he had enough mail to make the trip worth-while So she could count on being undisturbed until the children or Jen-ny returned after four-o-clock First she had dragged the dead girl to the cloakroom and thrown after her

all her belongings handbag gloves a shoe that had fallen off in the hall as a leg caught in the doorway and an embroidered lace handkerchief which had fallen near the window and was almost hidden under a chair She left the body on the tiled floor then while worrying what to do with it she tackled the sitting room The tray had been overturned leav-ing a mess of milk sugar and coffee that looked daunting but fortunately none of the crockery was broken Ann was amazed to realise how childishly pleased she was that it had survived intact already more mundane things were taking precedence over the un-real disclosures and events of the last few hours from which she felt curi-ously detached On her knees as she scrubbed the carpet odd things Joyce had said floated through her mind how could she accept that he had been thinking of leaving her Eddie was so considerate and they had always talked easily to each other She wouldnrsquot believe it Joyce had obviously schemed to take Eddie away and when she failed this had been her last resort ndash murder The contemptible creature had been insane She had wanted Eddie at all costs but Ann could understand why and was equally willing to go to any lengths to keep him If she had known of the affair might she even have con-templated drastic action herself Even murder She shuddered she could not answer honestly What of the future With Joyce out of his life Eddie was sure to forget her in time Ann would win him back Was she really dowdy Had Eddie implied that she was or even told his secretary that he had an unattractive wife Such a betrayal seemed completely out of character but she wondered how well did she really know him after all When the room was restored to its usual neatness Ann had surveyed it with satisfaction Quite surprising-ly there was no messy evidence of Joycersquos death throes all that bubbling brown mess Ugh She shuddered ndash it had been difficult to focus her atten-tion Knowing the carpet wouldnrsquot dry for hours she decided to explain it by saying she had over-watered a pot

68 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 59: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

plant To support this she had moved one to the coffee table and wet the soil until it could hold no more Water brimmed to the edge of the container and she reflected that Eddie wouldnrsquot dare to criticise he often nagged her about forgetting to water the damn things then shersquod had the presence of mind to water all the others too At last there had been no excuse for putting off what she most dread-ed She forced herself to return to the grim scene in the cloakroom with everything necessary to conceal the body She could not bury it clothed it would make it too easy to identify although with any luck it would nev-er be found Three hours later stripped naked Joyce lay firmly bound in black mulching plastic ndash bought for the strawberry bed in a moment of enthu-siasm but never used The actual stripping was a merci-ful blank in Annrsquos memory Sickened by the horror of it all her mind must have slipped a cog and operated on automatic through most of the ordeal Her first plan had been to hide the body temporarily under the firewood piled in the garage The logs wouldnrsquot be needed for months so there was no fear of Eddie moving them but whichever way she tried it was im-possible to stack them tidily over the oddly shaped bundle Had she been able to straighten the body out it would have been easier to wrap but it refused to co-operate and finally it had been simpler to bend it In retrospect with a commendable air of detachment Ann felt that shersquod done a good job It was a smaller par-cel than she had dared hope in spite of the yards of plastic Had Eddie been in a position to comment she smiled grimly he would say it had ob-viously been wrapped by the owner of a sticky-tape factory with no faith When the logs slipped yet again Ann had to pause to regain her breath She was badly out of condition for coping with such physical exertion She was soaking wet with perspiration and had the horrific thought that it would be four or five days before she could dis-pose of the body properly Somewhere she had heard that if someone died in what was called lsquofull

fleshrsquo they burst andhellip Leaning weakly against the freezer she had also realised that in very little time the body would smell the garage was always faintly warm ndash probably because of the freezer ndash the freezer The solution to her dilemma it was certainly big enough and only half full Stocks had dwindled far too low but a visit to the cash and carry always resulted in parting with more money than they expected so she had been putting off the trip Before revulsion overcame her Ann emptied it completely and had heaved the black bundle into the cabi-net There were sufficient packages and boxes to hide it completely still leaving enough space overhead to re-place the wire baskets holding smaller items Ann had finally closed the lid with relief All that remained to do was to col-lect up the clothes hide them some-where and clean the cloakroom no problem it was fully tiled A side door gave direct access to the kitchen from the garage and as she hurried through to tackle the distaste-ful chore she had noted with satis-faction that she still had a good two hours left to prepare for the return of the family Satisfied at last that all was sparklingly clean Ann had packed the clothes into an old suitcase and pushed it under the spare room bed With no time to do more than re-move all the labels and burn them in the lavatory bowl Ann regretted hav-ing no a furnace or even a fireplace

she could have burned the lot hat bag shoes too A bonfire was out of the question Even if she waited until the week-end to light one she couldnrsquot hope to cover the traces well enough to escape Eddiersquos eagle eye Later standing at the kitchen sink she turned on the hot tap and washed her hands again hellipwould they ever feel clean Looking over the field to-wards Jennyrsquos house lsquoFar Acrersquo she reflected on their good fortune be-ing in such a lovely quiet spot ndash just the two properties built at the same time by a local speculator There was no danger of other dwellings spring-ing up The farmer wouldnrsquot part with more land which was why it had ap-pealed to them Country born Eddie enjoyed the decent sized garden and space to breathe fresh air Standing there alone the peace was almost tangible and she couldnrsquot bear the thought of losing it all Slowly Ann had discerned some-thing in the garage behind her mov-ing ndash scraping then she distinctly heard a faint cry and three sharp me-tallic raps Her raw already frayed nerves could take no more in her imagination she saw red talons tear-ing through black plastic to scratch and tap on the icy freezer wall and with an anguished shriek of terror she collapsed in a dead faint onto the tiled floor

to be continued in our next issue

Canrsquot wait for the next instalment

The book is on Kindle and as a

paperback on Amazon

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 60: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

70 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 61: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

We all have little secrets but keeping the secret and avoid-ing others finding out about it ndash that is a skill for those discovering what it is ndash that is a joy And so it was with the Blytheton Gang six little boys growing up together who were in no way grown-up and one of them had a secret Every Wednesday after school had been sacrosanct for weeks ndash the gang meeting ndash always held in Derekrsquos gran-dadrsquos shed but one Wednesday Thomas shocked them all This would be his last week ldquoWhat Why You canrsquotrdquo came from the other five ldquoAre you going awayrdquo queried Curly ldquoPoor Thomas ndash his mum and dad canrsquot pay the rentrdquo That was Sweaty ldquoItrsquos your dad isnrsquot it Hersquos left your mumrdquo Wally guessed ldquoDo you not like usrdquo asked Eck with the beginning of a tear He needed to toughen up ldquoI am joining a Secret Societyrdquo declared Thomas his cheeks flushing ever so slightly Wow A Secret Society That sounded so much better than just being in a gang ldquoCould we join toordquo asked Sweaty eagerly ldquoOh no you can only join if you have a big sisterrdquo Thom-as explained condescendingly being the only one who had

a sister ldquoWhere do you gordquo Jacko wanted to know ldquoI canrsquot tell you that It wouldnrsquot be a secret place then would itrdquo stated Master Thomas Watson confidently feel-ing very important

The next Wednesdayrsquos meeting was bad Thomas was sore-ly missed ndash and so were the sweets Mr Watson his dad owned the little sweetshop in Main Street and each gang member benefited from Thomas being one of them Mr Watson knew them all well and gave them extra sweets for their pennies when they visited his shop Normally on a Wednesday Thomas had brought along a big bag of free sweets which were shared but with no Thomas ndash no sweets This was serious How could they encourage Thomas back They saw him every day but he was resolute The lsquoSecret Societyrsquo had him hooked The third Wednesday without Thomas Sweaty had an idea ldquoWhy donrsquot we find out where he goesrdquo he said ldquoIf we discovered that then it wouldnrsquot be a secret any more and hersquod come back ndash with the sweetsrdquo No one disagreed with that in fact they were enthusiastic So the following Wednesday instead of being in the shed

Secrets by Mac Black

To understand the man - meet the child

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 62: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

72 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

they would hide in the garden opposite Thomasrsquos house and follow him to wherever he went for his lsquoSecret So-cietyrsquo So on Wednesday five pairs of eyes were peering through Mr Murdochrsquos hedge at the house door directly opposite Mr Murdoch lived alone and was still at work He would wonder when he returned why the ground was well trampled at the hedge The door on the other side of Blytheton Road opened and out stepped Thomas He looked around furtive-ly They ducked down quickly and tried not to giggle Thomasrsquos sister came out as well She was seven a year older than her brother ldquoHurry up Mummy or wersquoll be late againrdquo the boys heard her shout and out came Mrs Watson The boys gave each other a knowing look His mum and sister must be members of the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo too ldquoWhat if they go for a busrdquo Jacko hissed in Sweatyrsquos ear Oh no-one had thought of that Sweaty only shrugged his shoulders but it was ok they started walking in the direction of the town It was hard work for the five boys dodging behind fences and hedges and dustbins so as not to be seen Then the main road was reached and there was no more cover available They watched from round a corner as Mrs Watson reached out her hands on either side taking Thomasrsquos hand in one and his sisterrsquos in the other and together they crossed the road They had arrived ndash and went straight in the entrance of St Jamesrsquo Church Hall The eyes of the little watchers sparkled Success ndash

they now knew where the lsquoSecret Societyrsquo met ndash but they couldnrsquot stop at that What happened in there Crossing the road was not easy but they followed the Green Cross Code and in no time all five were outside the entrance to the hall They could hear music from a very out-of-tune piano They could also hear a female voice shouting numbers in time with the music ndash obvi-ously a special secret ritual There was no guard on the door ndash now that wasnrsquot very clever ndash so there was noth-ing to stop the five peeping in through the swing doors to see ndash the secrets And there was Thomas moving about daintily with ten girls who were learning to dance A Secret Society indeed Next morning at school they all talked to Thomas ldquoCan I have the next dancerdquo asked Jacko ldquoDo you need a tutu for your Secret Societyrdquo asked Wally Curly and Eck danced around together in front of him ldquoWouldnrsquot you like to come back with us ndash Twinkle-toesrdquo asked Sweaty His mother was very annoyed at him refusing to return to the dancing class His dad just smiled ndash he thought it was a Sissy thing anyway and gave his son extra sweets for his pals Twinkletoes as he then became known rejoined the old gang ndash that now had a new name too ndash The Real Secret Society

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 63: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

74 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 64: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

U P Publications Ltdwwwuppublicationsltduk wwwamazoncoukshopsuppublications

wwwuppbookscom wwwwriteknowhowcom

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 65: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Behind the scenes

76 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

Over 17 years of faithful reportingLocal newsLocal views

Local Advertisers

Your VoicePublished by Derek and Sue leBreton

wwwgrapevinespaincom

member of

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 66: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

MABC Directory - Our Members representAdam Simmons and Associates

Anglo InfoCatalunyaCaixa

Antiques ReviewCopi Shop

Digbyrsquos Bar Javea ParkEasy Flatpax

Ground Up MagazineGaile Griffin Peers Business Consultant

Jacksons Contables SLJacksons Administradores SL

Jacksons Chartered Accountants Ltd UKJavea Photos

Spectrum Financial AdvisersLawns In SpainNotary Xabia

Marina Alta Business ClubMike Peers

Peri Pera Cafe Javea PortPeter Hoffer

Peter Williamson MA MScPhoenix Computers The Sign Shop JaveaRabbit FX Currency Exchange Glenn Tullett

Richard Griffin PeersRicor Solicitors

RTNSolar in Spain

Solana Casas Solana Spanish PropertiesSt James Place Wealth Management

Fontana DesignThe Grapevine Magazine

The Sign Shop JaveaU P Publications Ltd

Tuxedo HireUK TV 4 U

Wising UP Online

Clubs AssociationsThe Art Association Javea (email)

Writers Authors ArtistsAndy CrabbChris SinclairMai Griffin

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 67: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

When any organisation has an AGM the committee has to work hard

Members have to be informed and provided with print-outs of the agenda and the minutes of the last AGM

In our case we had to worry about arranging a lunch which meant sending out menus noting everyonersquos choic-es making table plans and providing place-names lsquoNo problemrsquo I know you are thinking However we were also simultaneously entertaining a VIP from London Arrangements had to be made for our guest speaker to be interviewed by the Press and for him to broadcast lsquoliversquo on Bay Radio The term lsquoguest speakerrsquo is peculiarly apt because we were honoured by the presence of Nigel Evans MP ndash Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons UK You may actually have heard him on Bay Radio on Saturday February 2nd

He made a very good impression on everyone especially our members who were able to meet him at lunch He an-swered all the many varied questions put to him with much good humour and without hesitation

I accompanied our Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers when she went to meet Nigel at Valencia Airport and we had plenty of time to get to know him on the drive back to Jaacutevea ndash but more of that later

There was one topic in particular that as a Branch of Con-servatives Abroad we are very keen to promote voter registration

With the issue of European Membership in the news it is more important than ever for expats to register if they still have a vote

If this applies to you please consider the following

EVEN IF YOU INTEND TO ABSTAIN If you are NOT registered to vote not voting doesnrsquot mean anything ndash it makes no statement and doesnrsquot count be-cause no-one knows you exist If you do register your vote then both voting and abstaining count It tells all Parties that we are here and CAN speak up if we have to This is an apolitical issue ndash as changes to our EU membership will affect all UK ex-pats

Accounts of Nigelrsquos visit appeared in local newspapers in-cluding the RTN Euroweekly Costa Blanca News and the Grapevine and we are very grateful for the coverage that they and Bay Radio gave as it was an opportunity to pro-mote the need for voting regististration

As his visit was very short and full of engagements Nigel did not have much time to relax After lunch on Saturday Gaile and I managed to drive him around the area while it was still daylight He was keen to see the Pueblo and the Fishermenrsquos Church in the Port He was very impressed and declared his intention of coming back here for a holi-day as a one-day stay was certainly not enough to do jus-tice to the area The tour had to be cut short as we were due to have dinner with the rest of the committee at nine-o-clock We did eventually reach home before 1am which was just as well because Gaile and I were due to return Nigel to Valencia on Sunday morning picking him up at 830 am It was a real pleasure to do so as he is excellent com-pany and any fears we may have had about entertaining a stranger were soon dispelled We had asked a lot of him packing so much into one day but he coped with enthusi-asm and made the occasion fun for us all If I still had a vote he would have it without a doubt

Behind the sceneswith M G

78 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 68: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

NOTES FOR APPLICATIONAS AN OVERSEAS VOTERDID YOU KNOWbull 25 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseasbull At the end of 2007 just 14000 expatriates were registered to votebull Last year 198000 Britons left the UK to live overseas all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election

COMPLETING THE FORMYou will needbull The address of where you were last registered in the UKbull The date you were last registered in the UKbull Your Passport number

You will have to find someone to support what you say in your declaration He or she can be anyone who

bull Is aged 18 or overbull Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a ldquoBritish Citizenrdquo and lives overseas bull Knows you but is not a close relative (husband wife parent grandparent brother sister child or grandchild)

If you left the UK before you were old enough to register you will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and information about the parent or guardian whose registration you are relying on

NOMINATING A PROXY VOTEIf you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help For help appointing a proxy vote

please contact Lesley Taylor lesleytaylorconservativescom 0044 (0)20 7984 8015 or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on wwwconservativescom

RETURNING THE FORMSend to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the constituency where you were last registered To find the address of your Electoral Office visit wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas and insert your postcode from your last address in the UK

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONIf you require further information or assistance in registering as an overseas elector you can contact Lesley Taylor Or visit wwwconservativesabroadorg or wwwdontleaveyourvoteathomecom or wwwaboutmyvotecoukoverseas

CONSERVATIVES ABROADwwwconservativesabroadorgPromoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party both

at 30 Millbank London SW1P 4DP

If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit wwwconservativesabroadorg

Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region Our own website is wwwjaveaconservativesorg

2013 Events25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - LondonApril - Visit to the Campello Caves and the Turron Factory - coach and lunch included

To find out more please contact the Branch chairmanjaveaconservativesorg

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled
Page 69: 5Ws Magazine Issue 3 2013

Back Issues available fromwww5WsBizFREE

80 | 5Ws Issue Three 2013

  • _GoBack
  • Untitled