RONDA SLASHES BUDGET FOR SEPTEMBER FAIRBy David Eade
Ronda cancelled its Real Feria de Mayo – the oldest in Andalucía – because of the financial crisis. Now the Feria y Fiestas de Pedro Romero will see its budget slashed by 200,000 euros.
The September fair is a major event in the town of the Tajo. Based around the celebrated former bullfighter, Pedro Romero, the fair draws thousands of people to Ronda and is an important revenue earner for the hotels, restaurants and other businesses.
Deputy mayor, Francisco Cañestro, pointed out that the Partido Andalucista – PSOE coalition had cancelled the May fair to create jobs for 108 unemployed people for a three month period. There are around 4,000 jobless in Ronda and the town hall’s social welfare department is facing heavy demands on its resources for help from families in distress –hence the latest cut.
Celebrity bullfightAs befits a fair dedicated to Pedro Romero the town’s famous plaza de toros is central to the celebrations. The bullring belongs to the Real Maestranza de Caballería but the concession for staging the bullfights belongs to the celebrity matador, Francisco Rivera Ordóñez.
The main event on the Saturday is the Goyesca where the bullfighters perform in Goya-period dress and are escorted by the Damas Goyesca. This has attracted in the past both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles and each year the great and good of the political, media and society world attend.
Francisco Rivera always heads his own bill and this year he will be joined again by his brother, Cayetano, who in 2008 did not appear as he had been gored. Number two on the list is Francisco’s good friend Julián López ‘El Juli’ plus Miguel Angel Perera. It’s ‘El Juli’s’ third appearance and Perera’s second and both have had the honour of being carried shoulder high by the crowd through the Puerta de Pedro Romero after previous appearances.
GOING SOCIALIST
Ronda is ruled by the Partido Andalucista under mayor Antonio Marín. It is an open secret that he and his fellow councillors will shortly join PSOE – their coalition partners. This is expected to happen after the European Elections when the PA councillors will become non-aligned and the majority will then sign up with the socialists. Last week Marín opened the new Ronda PSOE office and PA councillors attended the event.
Ronda is ruled by the Partido Andalucista under mayor Antonio Marín. It is an open secret that he and his fellow councillors will shortly join PSOE – their coalition partners. This is expected to happen after the European Elections when the PA councillors will become non-aligned and the majority will then sign up with the socialists. Last week Marín opened the new Ronda PSOE office and PA councillors attended the event.
COMA CASE
The loss of a mobile phone was the origin of a large fight amongst youths in Benaoján that left three of them seriously injured with one in a coma. The brawl started at around 7.00 on the Sunday morning of last week in the camping zone of the local romería at Estación de Benaoján. Amongst those arrested is an 18-year-old accused of hitting the coma victim on the head with a bottle.
The loss of a mobile phone was the origin of a large fight amongst youths in Benaoján that left three of them seriously injured with one in a coma. The brawl started at around 7.00 on the Sunday morning of last week in the camping zone of the local romería at Estación de Benaoján. Amongst those arrested is an 18-year-old accused of hitting the coma victim on the head with a bottle.
I’M OFF
The 21 mayors that make up the consortium of the Serranía de Ronda received a brief SMS message from the mayor of Montejaque to say he was standing down as their president. Miguel Alza has only been in the post since December but says he has been boycotted by some mayors and officials hence it is impossible to do his job overseeing important projects which are vital for the area.
The 21 mayors that make up the consortium of the Serranía de Ronda received a brief SMS message from the mayor of Montejaque to say he was standing down as their president. Miguel Alza has only been in the post since December but says he has been boycotted by some mayors and officials hence it is impossible to do his job overseeing important projects which are vital for the area.
NOT SPORTING
Ronda’s municipal sports stadium will be demolished this month to make way for the new Eroski commercial centre. Mayor Antonio Marín says temporary stands will be placed at the new ‘ciudad deportiva’. This complex is only in its first phase and both the PP and IU have slammed the town hall for poor planning in not having it completed for when the old stadium closed.
Ronda’s municipal sports stadium will be demolished this month to make way for the new Eroski commercial centre. Mayor Antonio Marín says temporary stands will be placed at the new ‘ciudad deportiva’. This complex is only in its first phase and both the PP and IU have slammed the town hall for poor planning in not having it completed for when the old stadium closed.
MORE INDEPENDENCE
The outlying districts of Serrato and Montecorto, which are many kilometres from Ronda town, have now been given more independence. Both villages are already ELA’s given them self-administration status within the Ronda municipality. However now they will have more control over local services, be able to issue work’s licences and also to spend locally the IBI, IAE and vehicles taxes they raise.
The outlying districts of Serrato and Montecorto, which are many kilometres from Ronda town, have now been given more independence. Both villages are already ELA’s given them self-administration status within the Ronda municipality. However now they will have more control over local services, be able to issue work’s licences and also to spend locally the IBI, IAE and vehicles taxes they raise.
NURSERY THREAT
The major project to improve the access road network to Ronda will take 100 metres from the ‘Colores’ nursery school’s playground. It cares for 250 children and has 28 staff and is threatened by a new roundabout leading to the present hospital. The road authority has been asked to modify its plans as it’s feared the children could be endangered by a traffic accident because of the nearest of the new road to the school complex.
The major project to improve the access road network to Ronda will take 100 metres from the ‘Colores’ nursery school’s playground. It cares for 250 children and has 28 staff and is threatened by a new roundabout leading to the present hospital. The road authority has been asked to modify its plans as it’s feared the children could be endangered by a traffic accident because of the nearest of the new road to the school complex.
