Blue is the colour! Well that was certainly the case last Sunday as the political party PP pretty much swept the board at the local elections. Was it a surprise? Probably not but the size of the victory I think yes. To take the Balearic Parliament, the Consell de Mallorca, Palma Town Hall, the majority of the island councils and the whole of Ibiza and Menorca was a damning indictment of the ruling PSOE and it’s coalition partners. 

But now the hard work starts as there will I’m sure need to be discussions in various places with the far right Vox party. Who too had a great night at the ballot boxes. How far right they are or become I think remains to be seen. 

I find it funny that two weeks before the elections, all the party’s are out during the wee small hours of the morning putting out their political posters or messages. Which are the rules by the way and each tries to get the best position on lampposts, roundabouts and anywhere else they can be seen. But you never see them rushing to bring them down do you? Let’s face it they’re a bit of an eyesore and not the greatest advert for a tourist island. Why don’t they fine them for not taking down they’re own publicity? 

I’m hoping that the incumbent people are more pro-tourism as I didn’t get that feeling with the last lot. Who seemed hell bent on damaging the number one industry on the island. Make it more sustainable I agree but that can be done much better than just saying we are too busy so let’s not market Mallorca anymore, crazy! I think the tourist tax will stay which once again I’m all for if spent in helping sustainable tourism. There were some very questionable projects where some of the money went during the last eight years. Let’s face it there are a lot more islands and countries bringing this tax in and therefore it’s becoming more and more accepted. 

I hear one of the first things the new regime will do is take away the 80kmh speed limit on the Via Cintura. A very loud cheer erupted when that news was released. I don’t know of anyone who thought this was a good idea. If you do then please feel free to drop me an email. In fact don’t just go into a dark room and have a long word with yourself. 

I interviewed the PP candidate for the Mayor of Calvia on the radio a week before the elections. Juan Antonio Amengual came across as a good man who has big plans for the region. A hotelier himself, he knows the tourist industry and it remains to be seen how he will be as a Mayor. I hope the 10 things that were part of their action plan come together.

Increase the number of local police officers. Create a drone unit for crime prevention.

Enable a public dry dock ramp service for recreational and sport boats and jet skis.

Real Estate Property Tax: To reduce by 10% the tax rate for all urban and rural properties.

Implement measures for a CALVIÀ WITHOUT OKUPAS. We will not charge the IBI to the owner while the house is occupied, we will exclude the “squatters” from access to municipal aid and social rent and we will develop a protocol, in collaboration with other administrations, to return the house to its owner in the shortest possible time.

Create CALVIÀ SPORTS CITY 365, with an integrated Olympic swimming pool.

To promote Calvià as a CULTURAL MUNICIPALITY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, with a network of events with artists that cover the different cultural branches, becoming an international cultural reference.

Develop a Municipal Plan of tourist deseasonalization “CALVIÀ 365”

Develop parking areas in the different areas of the municipality with a shortage of parking spaces.

Promote volunteering among all citizens, especially among high school and university students, towards the elderly.

He of course will have to go into a coalition with Vox in order to govern so let’s see the outcome of those talks. 

I also hope that we will all be given the opportunity to vote next time. It was a disgrace that if we hadn’t registered our right to vote by the middle of January we weren’t allowed to vote this time. Juan Antonio promised me that will change before the next round of elections. 

I wish him well. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

I arrived in Mallorca in April 1990. I was on an Intasun training course for holiday reps at the Guadalupe Hotel in Magaluf. It was my first ever proper trip abroad. Well I’d been over to France on Sally the Viking Line a few times but nothing like this.

I remember there were around 50 of us on the course which lasted a week. Now some didn’t even last the week as Magaluf’s temptations were too much so they were sent home. At the end of the week we were all told where we would be going around the World. I could have ended up anywhere but I was lucky enough to be given Mallorca South with one other Rep. Most holiday reps will tell you that the first place you work is usually your favourite and somewhere that would be dear to your heart. Well that was certainly the case for me. Four years later I’d left repping and joined what was my favourite excursion Pirates. Just under 30 years later I’m still here and enjoying it as much as ever. Although I’m now realising that I can’t do what I was doing even 10 years ago. Something that us Men can’t get used to is seeing someone when we’re not feeling as good as we should do. “I don’t need to see a doctor”, “I’ll get over it”. Phrases which I’m sure a lot of people out there can relate to and I’m one of them. My lightbulb moment was a picture sent to me by one of my sons friends of me asleep whilst supposedly watching a live game of football. Whilst it may have looked funny, it didn’t look great and I didn’t even know I was asleep! 

So I took myself off to the Doctors. Now I have to say Marisa at the Juaneda medical centre in Palma Nova is an absolute star, who will put you at ease straight away. She said, ‘well you’re a little overweight’, good start I thought, so I said I’d like a second opinion, she replied, ‘you’re ugly too!’ No seriously, she sent me off for loads of tests. I didn’t think there were that many tests you could do. Not only that but I’ve been to the dentist which I’m not ashamed to say I completely hate. I had a bad experience when I was younger and it has put me off since. But I must say Howard and his team at The Santa Ponsa Dental Practice have been great with me at the 2 appointments I’ve been to so far. Not sure how I’ll be after two of my two wisdom teeth have to come out though. I’ve even been to see Pedro at the Clínica del Pie or chiropodist to you and I in Santa Ponsa. My trip to Mr Lee the barber probably doesn’t count but as always great service. 

What I’m trying to say here is that Mallorca has a whole load of good professional people that can help you if you’re feeling a little under the weather. I’m pleased to say that barring a few things which can be treated, nothing too  serious right now is wrong with me. So don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help if you think you need it. Fellas, remember don’t just think of yourself, think about your family and friends too. 

Going back to my love of Mallorca and living and working here. Last Friday and Saturday was a perfect example of why I love it so much here. Friday night at Reloaded we welcomed the DJ Charlie Sloth. 

Charlie Sloth is a British DJ, hype man, producer, and TV presenter. He worked as a presenter and presented the daily drivetime show on BBC Radio 1Xtra from September 2012 to November 2017. He hosts the Rap Show and curates playlists for Apple Music. In addition, it was announced that Sloth had signed a deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation in August 2020.

He is also an investor and brand ambassador for AU Vodka. The brand reportedly produces 35,000 bottles per day in a half dozen flavours, which are sold in more than 40 countries and 32 American states. Now as celebrities go he is one of the most genuine I have had the pleasure to meet. 

It’s the second time we’ve had him at the show and the second time he has sold out. Make sure you keep an eye out for all our celebrity DJ’s at Reloaded throughout the Summer. 

Saturday morning I found myself just outside the village of Estellencs on the west coast of Mallorca. My Son was climbing the Puig de Galatzo as part of his school work. Nothing could have been more different from where I was in Reloaded. The West coast is in my mind is the most beautiful part of the island and it’s no surprise that Richard Branson, Michael Douglas and Bob Geldof have places in the area. 

If you ever come to Mallorca I urge to get out and see the island and realise the reason why I’ve lived here for the last 33 years. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

Just before I left to go on holiday, we finished our Christmas appeal on the radio. We’ve been doing this now for quite a few years, trying to make Christmas a little more enjoyable for those that need the help. We just want to say a big thanks to everyone that helped us whether you sponsored a day, you gave us an auction prize, a raffle prize or you did a special event. Also thanks to people that donated toys, food, dog and cat food, clothes, money and those of you that sold or bought a raffle ticket or an auction prize. All the winning raffle tickets were posted on our website and Facebook pages. When it comes to charity our island always steps up to the plate and I wanted to pass on the messages of thanks from all our charities who were very grateful for your help at such a difficult time. 

Nick from Yachting Gives Back said;

Once again Yachting Gives Back is proud and grateful to be one of the beneficiaries of another hugely successful Christmas charity campaign by Richie, Ayesha and Jo, and all at RadioOne Mallorca and their always generous listeners and sponsors.

YGB supports around ten charities all in Mallorca and all helping the homeless, the hungry and other people in need. Your wonderful donations of food toys, warm clothing, toiletries and other essentials have already been distributed, and the funds we receive will enable us to carry on helping the various food banks, soup kitchens and shelters during what is always a tough start to the new year.  

Many thanks to you all and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Nick, Louise, Paddy, Anne and Aila”

Nick also helped us re-house our studio Christmas tree that had been kindly donated by Quentin at Mallorca Christmas Trees. With the help of Paula and Roy who kindly donated the use of their van we took the tree to Es Refugi in Palma. 

Jackie at Age Concern said;

Dear Ritchie & Jo

Once again the Age Concern Team and myself would like to thank you and your team for Radio One’s fantastic contribution to assist us with our very much in demand service of food vouchers for those in need.  Everyones generosity over the years and especially this year is second to none considering the hurdles life has set for us.  

Of course a very big thank you to your listeners and supporters without which we could not provide such a good service as we do, so Chapeau to you all.

One cannot imagine the beneficiaries faces when they receive these vouchers, they are ecstatic.  Any help is welcome when you are desperate.  Unfortunately, circumstances are not improving, so more and more cases are appearing as our population is growing older and life expectancy is extended.

On their behalf and ours we wish you all Seasons Greetings and may 2023 bring Peace, Health, Happiness and Joy to All.

Kindest regards

Jackie Codd Moore, B.E.M.

President

Laura at Fundación Nazaret said;

One more year from Fundacio Natzaret we want to thank you for your generosity of the vouchers, helping to create a more special Christmas for all our boys and girls.

Thanks to your contribution we will distribute illusion to all our children on Christmas Eve.

We say goodbye, but not before thanking you again for your kind collaboration with the Natzaret Foundation and wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year.

Saludos Guiem, Antonia y Laura

Maxi from SOS Animal Mallorca said;

Everybody at SOS Animal would like to thank all the listeners at Radio One Mallorca for your fantastic donation for our shelter which we will use for buying food in December and into the New Year for our dogs and cats which together currently number over one hundred. 

Thank you so much and have a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2023.

Maxi Lange President SOS Animal Mallorca

Thanks again from all of us at the radio station. Ayesha and I are back on the Breakfast show on Monday the 16th of January. 

Enjoy your weekend. 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

Happy Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Three Kings, I think that covers it all! Thoughts now turn to 2023 and what it’s going to bring. One of the most important things for the us in Spain are the 2023 local elections which will be held on Sunday the 28th of May. This is to elect all councillors in the municipalities of Spain and all 1,038 seats in 38 provincial deputations. These are elections that we as Expatriates can vote in. If you want a say in how your municipality is run then my suggestion is you make your vote count. There’s no point in complaining about all the things wrong with where you live if you haven’t made use of your opportunity to do something about it. I imagine if you’ve voted before like me you thought you could rock up to your local polling station on May 28th and cast your vote. Because of Brexit that is not actually the case. 

The right to vote is enjoyed by foreigners resident in Spain whose respective countries allow Spaniards to vote in their elections, under the terms of a Treaty. Currently, these countries are: Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and guess who, the United Kingdom.

In addition, they must meet the following requirements:

• Be in possession of a residence permit in Spain.
• Have resided in Spain, legally and uninterruptedly, for at least five years prior to their application for registration on the electoral roll.
• Be registered on the electoral roll in the municipality of their habitual residence, which is where they may exercise their right to vote.

In addition, nationals of the United Kingdom may stand for election in municipal elections with the same requirements and exclusions as provided for by law in relation to nationals of Spain.

All nationals of the countries with agreements described above must apply for registration in the electoral census of residents in Spain of nationals of countries with agreements for the municipal elections. 

The key thing in all of this comes next, registration in the electoral census and formal declarations must be made between the 1st of December 2022 and the  15th of January 2023! So basically you have just nine days to register for your right to vote regardless of whether you have voted before. Quite why they’ve made such a small window available is not for discussion now but it’s important that everyone knows about it.

Where to submit and complete this form or letter?
If you have received notification from the Electoral Census Office (OCE), you may do so online or by ordinary post.
If not, and in any case, you may present and fill in the formal declaration form at the Town Hall where you live, that is to say, where you are registered.

If you go to http://www.votebaleares.org all the information you need is there. I am planning to interview as many candidates as possible to find out their intentions particularly in Calvia for the next four years. Please spread the word about registering to be able to vote, it is important we all have a right to say how our municipality is run.

Enjoy your weekend. 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

Boxer Liam Jones came on my radar in October last year. My two boys had been doing some conditioning work with a local trainer called Paul Hamilton at the Shambhala Gym in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca. Liam was also training there but even a layman like me could see he was a cut above the rest. Paul told me at the time that he was pretty special and had the potential to be a future champion. 

A bold statement but Paul has extensive knowledge in this field. After a career which took him all over the world competing against some of the best Thai Boxers. Paul began passing on some of his vast knowledge to a small group in a homemade gym in his back garden in England 30 years ago. As time passed and his reputation as a coach grew Paul went on to open DBMA at a new gym on Albert Hill in Darlington in 1998, it was there that he also founded Albert Hill Amateur Boxing Club using his pro-trainer professional boxing licence. 

Seven years ago Paul decided it was time to retire to the sun and he moved to Mallorca with his wife Simone. He couldn’t keep still though, so he kept his hand in doing some personal training sessions and also helping local kids with some boxing classes. Which is where he discovered Liam. 

Liam is from the Rhondda Valley in Wales and has been coming to Mallorca on and off all his life as his parents have a place on the island. He first entered a boxing gym at the age of 11 and his inspiration was watching the Rocky movie. Floyd Mayweather is the boxer he admires the most and he hopes one day to emulate him. He’s a softly spoken guy but don’t let that fool you, this boy can punch. 

He’s had three professional fights in Mallorca so far and he’s won them all. Paul felt it was time to test him even further and applied for a licence to become a British boxer. Liam has been training hard for a few weeks now and has been sparring with Spanish champion José Del Rio also known as El Niño and two professional boxers from the UK.

This is a big step for Liam but Paul thinks he’s ready. It’s a step up from four rounds to six rounds too so the training has been tough. I have to say after interviewing him on the radio last week he looks in peak condition. He is fighting one of the UK’s best journeyman boxers called Jamie Quinn, who’s had over 100 pro fights in his career. Now he may not win many of his fight’s, but ask anyone in the boxing game about him and they will instantly speak his name with due respect and praise. So it’s a good test for Liam who is gradually climbing the boxing ladder.

His fight is this coming Saturday in Oldham and is sponsored by Spanish company Javier James Real Estate, the first Mallorcan company to sponsor a bout at a UK boxing event. Liam is also sponsored by Cardiff Steel, Watches of Wales, Motor Connect, Sam Dry Lining, Rdx and Boxraw.

There’s a good crowd of people travelling from Mallorca to see Liam in action and there’s a lot who can’t make it will be hoping he returns with a victory. Paul tells me there’s a chance it may be shown on You Tube, so keep in touch with him on Social Media for the link. 
Mallorca has a habit of producing great Sportsmen, Rafa Nadal, Marco Asensio and Jorge Lorenzo to name a few. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Welsh born but adopted Mallorcan boxer become a champion of the World.

Sport I would say is probably my favourite past time and for those that know me, it won’t surprise you to know that football would be top of the list. I’m a massive Arsenal fan who’s been lucky enough to see them win the Premier League and FA Cup. Since I’ve been in Mallorca I have become a fan and season ticket holder of Real Mallorca. In fact I would have to say my best moment in football so far would have to be seeing them beat Deportivo La Coruña in the Play-offs to reach La liga. I do of course follow my boys around the island playing football which is where the name Dad Taxi came from. There’s nothing better than watching your own kids playing a sport. 

I do watch other sports too, cricket, F1, Rugby would be ones I look out for but over the last couple of years I’ve suddenly started to watch a lot more boxing. I don’t know why, maybe because I have done some ring announcing and watched some fights live but i’m definitely more interested now than before. I’ve been lucky enough to interview Nigel Benn and his Son Conor Benn, who used to live here on the island. Conor grew up watching Pirates which he always reminds me of when he visits the show. I watched his Dad train once after he retired, he was still frighteningly good then and not someone I would want to step into the ring with. Check the size of his fist in the photo compared to mine. I also did an event with Joe Calzaghe where we did a Question and Answer session with the audience. Known as ‘The Italian Dragon’ Joe was the former two-weight world champion who left behind a perfect 46-0 record when he retired in 2008. Unlike a startling majority of his peers, he has never felt the need to come back, knowing that he had nothing left to prove. 

Many sportsmen find giving up their sport is tough as they are suddenly out of the limelight and in particular boxers find it difficult to adapt. Which is why you see so many of them trying to return after they are well past their best. 

I used to think Tyson Fury was very arrogant and not someone you would instantly like but my attitude to him has changed over the years. I remember him out on the strip in Magaluf a few years ago and he’d become overweight and someone who liked to party. All of a sudden in 2017 he decided that being an alcoholic and taking drugs was not what he wanted to be at the age of 29 and he decided to return to the gym. I also watched a documentary on his comeback and saw him as someone who was still fighting his demons but was also helping others fight theirs too. The rest as we now know is history, he lost ten stone in weight and regained the Heavyweight Championship of the world by defeating Deontay Wilder in a thrilling trilogy. 

Last weekend at Wembley in front of a record 94,000 people he defeated the mandatory challenger Dillion Whyte and decided enough is enough and retired. But has he? 

I can’t believe that he wouldn’t want to become the undisputed, undefeated and possibly the greatest heavyweight of all time and fight the winner of Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk fight which is scheduled for July. If he does retire you have to totally respect his decision but I wouldn’t be surprised if he took that fight. Listening to an interview with the promoter Frank Warren this week, he believes it could make upwards of two hundred million pounds. 

I bumped into Welsh born local boxer Liam Jones last week in Pirates. You may remember I wrote a piece on him and have interviewed him on the radio. His career as an undefeated Professional is still going well. Speaking to his trainer Paul Hamilton this week he told me his next fight may well be in the UK and he’s also scheduled to fight on a televised event in Marbella towards the middle of the year. I’ll keep you posted on how he is doing. 

Take care everyone and enjoy the weekend. 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

How refreshing it is to see everyones faces again after we ditched face masks this week for more or less the first time in two years. It’s long overdue in my opinion and another sign that we are getting back to normality. The funny thing is I don’t know how many times since Wednesday I’ve got out of my car walked away and went back for my face mask. 

More and more businesses are reopening and as long the weather starts doing what it’s supposed to do then we can all start to do what we do best. I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago but with more and more businesses opening the problem of staffing is becoming more acute. After  two years of being on furlough some people don’t want to work anymore. And then if they do want to work it’s not actually during the hours you need them for. The problem will be that the lack of staff will make the service suffer and that’s not good for Spain as a holiday destination. I’ve spoken to many businesses and they’re all saying the same thing. Spain needs to do an employment deal with the UK that works both ways. I am interviewing the UK Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott on the radio on Tuesday May 3rd at 09.30 and it’s a question I need to ask. 

The tourist tax is not the most popular thing this Government has brought in during its time in office. The tax was introduced to help inject funds into conserving the environment and to make tourism more sustainable for the islands ever-increasing population in the high-season. The problem was some of the projects you would have to question if the money was well spent. Now remembering that the island has had two very fallow years, maybe now was the time to take a year out and let the island and its businesses get back on their feet. However if you thought the tourist tax was excessive then listen to this. 

Venice is set to bring in a €10 entry fee from June in a bid to control the number of tourists entering the historic city.

Under a six-month pilot scheme being rolled out ahead of the first full tourist season since before the Covid-19 pandemic, visitors will have to book to enter the Italian city, and pay a fee worth up to £8.30 – depending on how busy the city is on the day.

If successful, the charge could be a permanent fixture from January next year. The scheme will also put a limit on how many tourists enter the city each day.

Venice’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, called the scheme a ‘difficult experiment’ that was ‘the first in the world’ of its kind.

Plans to introduce an entrance fee were first touted in 2018 as a solution to reduce the masses of tourists who visit every year.

While that figure reduced dramatically over the last two years, the recent Easter weekend saw more than 125,000 people flood(no pun intended) back into its narrow streets and famous squares.

English football fans sometimes get a bad rap and in a few cases it’s deserved. This week however one group of fans decided to put their usual rivalry to one side. Step forward Liverpool Football Club. You may have read this week that Cristiano Ronaldo sadly lost his twin Son at birth. During their game with Manchester United on Tuesday the Liverpool fans did their own emotional tribute. In the 7th minute of the game (Ronaldo wears the number 7) all the fans stood up, applauded and sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Class. 

Real Mallorca produced an awful performance at the weekend against Elche where they were rightfully gubbed 3-0. But on Tuesday night they managed to turn that around and defeat bottom of the table Alaves 2-1. They lie two points clear of relegation with five games to go. They play Granada and Rayo Vallecano at home which are winnable but they have Barcelona, Sevilla and Osasuna away which are not easy. I’m hoping that they can survive which is undoubtedly good for local football and tourism too. 

Take care everyone and enjoy your Weekend! 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

Easter looks like it’s going to be positive for the island. Headlines spotted in the Bulletin this week were;

‘Easter flights near 2019 numbers in Palma’

‘85% of Mallorca hotels are open for Easter’

‘Taxi drivers benefitting from Mallorca’s good Easter.’

‘Car hire firms booked out for Easter.’

I’d like to add one that hadn’t yet made it into the news as it was last night.

‘Pirates Adventure sells out their opening night!’

Reports I’m seeing and reading about the summer season are encouraging, so long may it continue. 

One thing I think has helped the numbers is the return of the Easter football tournaments. The biggest is over on the East coast called the East Mallorca Cup. Clubs have arrived from all over the World including USA, Brazil, Japan, Australia, UK and all over Europe. Teams such as PSG, Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich to name just a few have sent squads from their U-11’s, U-13’s, U-14’s and U-15’s. All the teams are staying on the East coast and it’s a definite boost to the local economy. My youngest Sons team are playing at Sant Llorenc Des Cardasser. The stadium was devastated by the flash floods in October 2018, but it has been rebuilt and in December 2020 they hosted Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey. I think my sons team must have been inspired as on Thursday they beat Espanyol 1-0. 

The Santa Ponsa Cup is another tournament being held down in the Calvia region. Smaller than the East Mallorca Cup but still boasting 48 national and international teams. Including, Sevilla FC, Real Betis Balompié, València FC, FC Barcelona, Nàstic de Tarragona and RCD Mallorca. The international teams include Maccabi Petah-Tikvah FC, Bologna FC, SK Sturm Graz and lots of local ones too.

The Mayor of Calvià, Alfonso Rodríguez Badal and the Deputy Mayor for Sports, Eva Serra highlighted the importance of this event in its two aspects, Sport and tourism. The area will receive around 1,000 overnight stays per day over 5 or 6 days. My nephew and his girlfriend are staying in the Rey Don Jaime which is right opposite the ground in Santa Ponsa and it was full of visiting teams. 

I mentioned Atlético Madrid above and I’ve watched them twice over the last week. Once was live last weekend against Real Mallorca, when they hardly managed a shot against a team threatened with relegation. In fact it was probably a good time to play them as it looked like they had one eye on their Champions League Quarter Final against Manchester City. Mallorca ran out 1-0 winners and three much needed points. Meaning they are out of the relegation places for now. 

Watching on TV on Wednesday night, it was a totally different team who were using the phrase “dark arts” to its full potential. They were kicking, punching and even head butting at one point trying to rile the City players. It didn’t work and City went through. I’m sure some sort of sanction will be served on the club because for me their behavior was unacceptable. It does mean though we now have two English teams and two Spanish teams left in the semi-finals. 

I wanted to end this week on the Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz wedding. They and their families have received a lot of stick this week for the extravagance of the event in the wake of the war in the Ukraine and the cost of living crisis in the UK. Why can’t people just be happy for them? It’s not their fault they chose to get married at this time and that they come from very wealthy families. If it was my son or daughter I’d want him or her to have the best wedding I could afford, regardless of outside influences. It’s been reported so heavily because of who they are and the media know it. What didn’t get widely reported at the time was they had asked all guests to donate to CareOrg(which aids relief in Ukraine) in lieu of wedding gifts and that David and Victoria Beckham had pledged £1 million to provide immediate aid to the people of Ukraine. Probably still not enough in some peoples eyes. 

Happy Easter to you all. 

Take care everyone and enjoy the sunshine!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

Summer 2022 is upon us and for those businesses that have been closed and managed to survive for two years it’s a huge relief. Some are already open, some will be opening for Easter and the rest will be open from the 1st of May. Already though there are problems with people getting here and once they are here businesses on the island are struggling to find staff.

It’s been awful for the travel industry over the two years and I’ve seen endless news reports of airports and airlines struggling. But it seems that they’ve been caught off the mark with staff shortages. I totally understand that employing someone is a cost to a company and you don’t want to employ them to do nothing but surely they must have known that Easter would be a busy period? There are questions to be asked here as flights get cancelled and people queue for hours in security. The companies are trying to blame Covid for staff shortages but that can’t be true. It’s a lack of staff in general and I think it’s a hangover of paying people to do nothing on the furlough for the last 2 years. It’s become harder to entice them back into the labor market and with Brexit it’s become harder to employ people from the EU. Flights being cancelled is I’m sure something that airlines don’t want to do but you can bet your bottom dollar that with the price of fuel right now, the less sold and less profitable routes are the ones that have bitten the dust. 

Over here we have a similar problem. I’m already hearing of queues at the airport security both arriving and leaving. The last thing we need after the last 2 years are negative headlines. The Government’s U-turn on unvaccinated Brits this week created more confusion and derision in the papers. Why are they dithering? Let the people come, let us get on with our work and the country will see the benefit. The Spanish unemployment rate is currently around 12% at just over 3 million. Here in Mallorca at the end of February when the furlough ended there were just under 85,000 unemployed. We had the largest drop in the whole of Spain in March which is encouraging from the outside but that hides a lot of the problems. Businesses are encouraged to employ Spanish people which is fine but if they don’t fit the criteria of what you need, what are you supposed to do? Employing Brits without a TIE identity card is impossible, as it is trying to get one, so a lot of people have looked at Ireland. I think both the EU and the UK need to thrash out an agreement on employing each other’s people as right now it’s clearly not working in both senses of the word. It can be done look at what they’ve done for the Ukrainian people, quite rightly by the way. It’s taken a war to show that a compromise can be found. 

Pirates opens next Friday the 15th of April properly for the first time in 2 years. We are quite lucky that we have a lot of loyal and hardworking staff returning and it’s good to have them back. That’s followed by Wednesday and Friday the following week and into May. Prices are cheaper than in 2019 and the show still includes the meal and soft drinks. The doors open at 5pm with the show starting at 6pm. It finishes around 8pm so it’s not too late for the kids no matter where you live on the island. Our Reloaded show opens on Friday April 22nd at 9pm and Gringos Bingo the following Saturday April 30th at 9pm. There are lots of new things to enjoy including our outside terrace for a drink before the show and the bars inside have doubled in size to make our drinks service quicker. I’ve been lucky enough to see the rehearsals and the stuff they’re going to be doing is mind blowing believe me. 

Come and pay us a visit, it will be a pleasure to welcome you all again and believe me you won’t be disappointed. 

Take care everyone and enjoy your Weekend! 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com 

In 2015 Jo from the radio office asked Ayesha and I on the Breakfast Show if we would consider broadcasting for 24 hours for Charity. The challenge was duly accepted and the Radiothon was born. For the first 2 years we raised money to help the Pirates Charity Premiere and their charities. When the Premiere stopped in 2016 we decided to keep the fundraising going by setting up The Jacques Sasson Foundation. Jacques will best be remembered for his invention of the Pirates Adventure show in Mallorca, he employed me in 1994 and this year I have very proudly become MD of the company. In 2019 we decided to extend the hours of broadcasting from 24 to 36 hours starting at 07.00 on Friday morning and going all the way through to 19.00 on Saturday evening. The money that we raise each year is equally divided amongst our chosen charities. 

The following charities have benefitted from our previous Radiothons;

2015:  Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, The Paediatric Ward of Son Espases Hospital, Salvation Army and Shambhala Foundation.

That year we raised, 18,100.20€.

2016:  Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, The Paediatric Ward of Son Espases Hospital, Calvia Lions and Help 4 Heroes.

That year we raised, 24,474.18€.

2017:  Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Son Espases Intensive Care Unit, SOS Animal Mallorca, Fundacion Nazareth and Club Vidalba.

That year we raised, 23,384.60€.

2018:  Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Son Espases Intensive Care Unit, Asociacion Ondine and Feliz Animal Andratx.

That year we raised 14,878.50€.

2019:  Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Son Espases Intensive Care Unit, ASPANOB and ASDICA.

That year we raised 25,363.11€.

2020: Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Son Espases Intensive Care Unit, Yachting Gives Back and Cancer Support Group Mallorca.

That year we raised a then record 30,948.82€.

2021: Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Son Espases Rehabilitation centre for Children, Yachting Gives Back, Santa Ponsa Food Bank and SOS Calvia.

Last year we broke our record and raised a staggering 33,217.02€!

This year our chosen charities are;

Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital

Every day, around 600 children and young people from across the UK arrive at GOSH. Every day, doctors and nurses battle the most complex illnesses, and the brightest minds come together to achieve pioneering medical breakthroughs. And every day is a chance for you to make a difference.

This extraordinary hospital has always depended on charitable support to give seriously ill children the best chance to fulfil their potential. 

Our relationship with GOSH goes back to 2004 from my work with Pirates. I have “run” the London Marathon twice for them raising £10,867.00.  With the donation from last years Radiothon, we are proud to say we have now raised 763,185.10€ and in that time the money has been put to many different projects.

Son Espases

We have struck up a great relationship with our local public hospital in Palma. Our work with them has been in the pediatric department and the children’s intensive care unit. Covid has meant that our project to build a new rehabilitation unit for Children has been delayed but we are close to finishing. The money raised in previous years has helped decorate an MRI scanner and it’s room. The doors of the pediatric ward with cartoon characters. A brand new waiting room for parents with children in the intensive care unit and lots of other smaller projects. We have a meeting shortly to confirm what we can do this year. 

Cancer Support Group Mallorca

Their aim is to help patients, carers and anybody who have been affected by Cancer. By reducing stress, Increasing their sense of control over their own life, Improving their self-esteem, reducing loneliness and providing practical help.

The founder Krista Hyer sadly passed away earlier this year. I interviewed her on many occasions and I admired the extraordinary work she did. With that in mind we feel it would be a fitting tribute from us to include them in our fundraising this year. We are looking forward to working with Bronwen and Rebecca and helping them in any way we can. 

Help For Ukraine 

None of us can comprehend what this country and its people are going through and hopefully this awful war will end soon. When it does there will be an awful of rebuilding to be done and we would like to help with that. 

The total raised in our Radiothons so far is 170,366.43€ and we can only do this with your fantastic support. 

This year we have two targets, one is to pass through the 200,000€ barrier and two if possible is to beat last year’s record total. 

How can you help us to achieve our goals and help our charities?

You can sponsor an hour of the Radiothon and be on air with us.

Challenge us to do something for a donation.

Challenge yourself to do something for donations.

Offer an auction or raffle prize.

Bid on our auction.

Buy a raffle ticket.

Request a song for a minimum of 5€.

Or you can Just Donate!

I’ll keep you updated as we get closer to the event which will start Friday June 3rd and finish Saturday June 4th.

Take care everyone and enjoy your Weekend! 

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.00-10.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance! 

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com