A friend recently told me that La Plaza will be closing on this Sunday. It is scheduled to reopen again on 15 December 2019. I understand that part of the reason for closing is some renovation work. Including increasing the size of the kitchen.
On the recommendation of a reader, Sara G, I have added the phone number for the British Consulate in Málaga to the list of number on the Emergency Numbers page on the site.
Thanks to two readers, Patricia and Paul W for prompting me to investigate this subject again.....
UPDATED - 19 September 2019 - see suggested description of the situation from a reader
Almost a year ago I linked to an article on the Almería 360 site about future improvements to the 409 and 411 motorway turn offs. In the article I mentioned that work was to commence in 2019.
I have now done a bit more research and re-read a separate article here on the Ideal site about the proposed work. I had read the Ideal story at the time but linked to the Almería 360 one. As it had an image of the proposed work. I picked up the 2019 date from the Ideal story.
It appears that perhaps only work on the 411 turn off was scheduled for 2019.
I remember a small piece of work being carried out there earlier this year. With part of the 411 turn off being shut off for a while.
So at the moment all I know is that the design contract for the work on the 409 junction was allocated to a company called Betancourt in October 2018. With the design contract being just under 100,000 euros (for the two junctions I think). The estimated total cost for the two pieces of work is just under 4 1/2 million euros.
So who knows when the work on the 409 junction will start.
Here is an update from a reader.....(19 September 2019) "I believe (but I am not 100% sure) that everything in the 2019 “presupuesto” (budget) was rejected. So then the government had to stand down and there had to be an election in April 2019. As no government has been formed since then there will be no presupuesto. Now there is going to be another election in November. A new presupuesto won’t be agreed until a new government is in place. Consequently, there is no approved budget for the road works."
Comment from me (19 September 2019): The Spanish have a system of devolved government. With budgets being set at various levels For example centrally by the main government (in Madrid). In the regions (ours is Andalucia). Then in the provinces (ours is Almería). Then in local town halls (ours is El Ejido). Finally in the Spanish version of a parish council (ours is Almerimar). So an example here is that the proposed senior school in Almerimar will paid for from the Andalucia budget. On land gifted to the project by El Ejido town hall. I think that in some cases money for a project can come from the budgets of more than one level of government. So my guess is that the reader is correct. That the lack of a central budget for Spain is probably having an impact on this road improvement project.
Read More for a Google translation of the article from October 2018 on the Ideal site.
The article here on the (new) town hall website has the latest information about the proposal for a senior school to be built in Almerimar.
I think that the possible setting up of this school is driving property development in Almerimar. Particularly the building of new houses.
Read More for a Google translation of the article.
Not that long ago I spotted that Taberna B11 had a new chef working there. There was a photo of Juan plus photos of a number of items he had added to the menu there. They were on the Taberna B11 Facebook page.
Talking to friends about this I understand that the new chef has worked in a number of restaurants in Almerimar. In particular, a lot of people remember him as the chef in Gourmet (now MacGowans). They all said they liked the food he prepared.
As you can see from the photo above there is a taster menu event organised for Saturday 28 September. Starting at 9pm. 7 courses for 30 euros.
You can reserve your table at B11 (located in the street down the middle of Porto Fino).
The town hall has announced the launch of their new website here.
You can see the front page of the site here.
Read More for a Google translation of the article.
I recently received the poster above advertising an upcoming charity golf day at Almerimar.
If you are interested in taking part in this event please get in touch. I will pass the contact email addresses for Lawrence & Chris to you privately if you want to enter the competition.
Until now I have made a point of trying to make this site a Brexit free zone.
However the person who contacted me about digital signatures has suggested that I publish links to the following Brexit related information:
Brexit driving permits (In particular about expats living in Spain "You can exchange a valid UK driving licence without taking a test within 9 months of the date that the UK leaves the EU. After this 9 month period you will need to take a test in order to exchange your licence.")
The information may be of use to both UK visitors and residents here.
One thing I spotted myself recently was that it looks like future UK state pension increases for expats living in the EU are not guaranteed.
I read an article about this recently. Coincidentally the article here on the healthcare site linked above suggests the same thing.
It tries to add a positive spin saying that the proposal is to increase the UK state pension for EU expats over the next 3 years. However what is implied is that pension aged expats in Europe may have their pension frozen after 3 years (like expats in some other countries around the world).
I guess that this is something UK Spanish residents who are thinking about topping up their number of UK pensionable years NI payments need to consider.
The site will probably now go back to being a Brexit free zone.
