The Olive Press is your REAL community newspaper… and here is why:

THE Olive Press really is different.

Born to represent its community, it was set up by a former Daily Mail journalist sick of the bland, turgid English press on offer in southern Spain.

With a team of young, hungry journalists, all trained at the UK’s top NCTJ training centre, News Associates, we do anything but simply translate Spanish news and regurgitate turgid press releases.

Our remit, in fact, is to investigate and report on the stories expat readers really care about.

The Olive Press is the definitive voice for the Costa del Sol’s burgeoning expat population – be it British, Irish or Dutch – and sets out to campaign on their behalf, goes out to meet them and listens to their concerns.

Yes, plenty of them are awkward and controversial, but we are not scared to tackle them.

Take, for instance, our current ‘Smash the spiking’ campaign, supported by the Guardian but criticised by Marbella Town Hall, which denies the problem even exists.

It does… and we will continue shining a light on this horrendous, cowardly crime.

After our coverage of a campaign to end pony carousels in Mijas, town hall officials contacted us to say they would be banned immediately.

Meanwhile our continual exposure of the excesses of corruption in Andalucia… and the appalling treatment of protected green spaces (the Algarrobico hotel, Tarifa’s Valdevaqueros beach and Los Merinos in Ronda etc.), has definitely galvanised its opponents.

Moreover, there is a reason the Daily Mail or the Sun or Times contacts the Olive Press when they need a reporter in Magaluf, someone on the Gibraltar border or a spare hand to ask some tricky questions in Mijas.

Regularly appearing in documentaries, programmes on Spain and in articles on the region, our reporters (mostly) know what they are talking about.

Much of our exclusive Olive Press Ashya King investigation and pictures made it into the English national newspapers.

Again, thanks to our contacts, we were also at the crime scene an hour after Gerald ‘Hatchet’ Kavanagh was slain in Marbella, producing a front page story for the Irish Sun.

And who could forget the coast’s perennial ‘baddie’, international con-man Sir Nigel Goldman? He thought he could escape his debts and the people he conned on the coast, change his name to ‘Howard Del Monte’ and hide out in a quaint Berkshire village.

Not so fast, Mr Del Monte. We found you… and put your name in no less than six National newspapers.

Despite your sickening threats, we will continue to expose you and your ilk from getting away with these sorts of cowardly crimes.

Thanks to our current team of young and energetic reporters we are able to get out and cover the coast; this issue to the opening of restaurant Petit Bistro, to visit the soon-to-be-finished Caminito del Rey and to investigate a heavily criticised animal shelter.

Yes, we are out and about and here to stay. Give us a call or send us an email to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Introducing our team

Jon Clarke – editor

London-raised Jon studied ‘Up north’ in Manchester, before spending many eventful years at the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. In 2001, he moved to Andalucia and launched the Olive Press, shortly after marrying his wife Gabriella, an artist.

Tom Powell – journalist

Born and bred in Reading, Tom studied English Literature at the University of Bristol. A keen Reading FC supporter, he has travelled in Africa, South America and Europe, loves hiking, sports and bird-watching.

Imogen Calderwood – journalist

Immi was an actor before spending a year in Australia and making the switch to journalism. She studied English Literature and Theatre at the University of Warwick and is keen on arts and crafts.

Rob Horgan – journalist

Former London squash champion, Rob moved up North to study English Literature in Hull, financing himself by working in a pea factory. After a Masters on robots in fiction, he sought a job as a journalist.

Jacqueline Fanchini – journalist

The fact she speaks nine languages gives away her international upbringing. Born in California, raised in Belgium and schooled in England, she has a degree in Japanese studies, and has also completed a Masters in journalism at Sussex. She loves cooking and traveling.

James Partington – designer

Originally from Wales, James is the most bona fide expat on the team, having moved to Spain at the age of five. He loves carpentry and snorkelling.

Karl Smallman – web manager

Award-winning photographer in England for 25 years, Karl moved to Ronda a decade ago, where he has since honed his skills as the Olive Press webmaster among other things.

Clive Jacques – consultant

Veteran journalist Clive worked for the Daily Mail in London before working as a journalist in five countries and as editor of 29 publications in Asia and Europe.

A message to advertisers

WITH the newspaper so keenly read and anticipated each fortnight, it means that your advert and association with the Olive Press brings immediate and positive results.

As we keep the ratio of editorial to advertising at around 50/50, you don’t have to pay for a full page, as you would do in some of our rivals, with smaller ads working just as well.

Taking this smaller size, alongside a series of incisive, interesting stories means the reader takes in and considers your offering for longer… and with more seriousness.

Aside from this you will be associating with a business that invests in its editorial content and works hard to promote the best of the coast.

Best of all, we work hard to look after our advertisers and a string of testimonials are proof of this.

With 35,000 printed copies each issue and between 60,000 and 80,000 read online, you can be certain of good exposure.

Please give us a call on 951 273 575 or 665 798 618 to help you get the best for your business.