Category: Playa del Inglés
Latest Gran Canaria News, Views & Sunshine
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 31 March – 2 April 2023
Mar, 2023 |
A glorious first weekend of April ahead and the beginning of the christian Holy Week “Semana Santa”, diligently observed in Spain. There will be many religious acts and processions throughout the week around the island, especially in the capital. Don’t forget it’s also April fools’ on Saturday even though it isn’t a tradition in Spain, there will be those who will take the whimsical opportunity for some hilarity. The Mercado Inglés is on at The British Club of Las Palmas and there is also an authentic Canarian rural fair to visit this weekend in the traditional mountain market town of San Mateo.
Gran Canaria Weather: Yellow Warnings – Up to 36ºC, in the shade, expected on the south, high temperatures with strong winds and calima expected to affect all The Canary Islands this week
Mar, 2023 |
The Spanish State Meterological Agency, AEMET, has issued yellow warnings for heat, calima haze and strong winds this week on the Canary Islands forecasting high temperatures of up to 34ºC expected on several islands. An alert has been issued due to a risk of forest fires on Gran Canaria as the mix of dry weather, strong winds and high temperatures has led to concerns over coming days.
Wild fires Alert on Gran Canaria this Wednesday, with temperatures set to exceed 34ºC in the shade
Mar, 2023 |
Springtime has only just begun and already the temperatures, in the shade, on Gran Canaria have been repeatedly hitting the low to mid-thirties, which brings with it also a rising risk of Forest Fires and Wildfires. Here in the Canary Islands forest fire crews are well versed in tackling an occasional mountain blaze, with alert levels often following the basic informal rule of thumb, the so-called 30/30/30 rule, putting the authorities on alert whenever the temperature is set to rise above 30ºC in the shade, the humidity levels drop below 30% and sustained winds are forecast at faster than 30kmph. Common sense and preparation help the general population to avoid injury in the event of a fire taking hold.
The Canary Guide #WeekendTips 24-26 March 2023
Mar, 2023 |
Plum tree blossoming in Tenteniguada March 2023
It’s the last weekend of March already and Spring is here; winter is behind us and the summer weather is already hotting up on Gran Canaria. The hillsides are in full bloom, particularly up in the mountain summits; it’s Carnival Weekend in Arguineguín and the last of the carnival festivities for this year are happening around the island. With summer just around the corner, clocks Spring forward this Saturday and Sunday night when 1am becomes 2am 🕐. On the north of the island, one of the biggest seasonal trade fairs is happening, gathering produce and people from 11 municipalities, ENORTE will be celebrated in the historic Rum capital of the island, Arucas, this weekend.
Gran Canaria Weather: Temperatures of 31ºC in the shade and slight calima as we head towards a warm spring weekend
Mar, 2023 |
Its a perfect Gran Canaria springtime weekend ahead with light calima sands blowing in from the Sahara, temperatures in the shade of 31ºC, light breezes and blue skies. Remember too the clocks spring forward by an hour this weekend.

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The Canary Guide: Maspalomas Market has moved to Parque Europeo while the new facilities are being built
Oct, 2022 | Community, Fairs & Markets, Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, Sunshine, Tourism
At the start of October the popular Maspalomas Market moved to the Parque Europeo, in the heart of Playa del Inglés. The Town Council provisionally moved the Wednesday and Saturday market due to works due to start on the new municipal market renovation
The Councillor for Markets of San Bartolomé de Tirajana town hall, María Ángeles Rodríguez Vega, held a meeting with representatives of the market stallholders, in which the details were agreed to proceed with the change of location (just next to the “Irish centre”, Aguila Roja) the provisional transfer has gone well, with many tourists now finding the market more easily.
Gran Canaria’s southern tourism heartland announces the removal of temporary “express” terraces
Apr, 2022 | #Tourism0, Economy, Events & Leisure, Local Council, Maspalomas, News, Playa del Inglés
The southern Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has notified catering establishments who are using temporary terraces, put in place during the pandemic restrictions, on public roads, to proceed with their removal. To do this, they will have until Monday, May 2, 2022. This measure is taken based on the Government of the Canary Islands having established the end of restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The extension and installation of terraces on public roads was one of the main measures taken to help the restaurant and hotel industry, where pavements and parking areas were allowed to be occupied, but the Government of the Canary Islands decided to eliminate all restrictions associated with the pandemic, the exceptional situation has ceased to have an effect. This now implies that those businesses that obtained a provisional authorisation for the use of terraces on public roads must begin remove them.
The town hall consistory will communicate with all companies interested in maintaining their terraces, and normalising them under local ordinances, assisting them where appropriate, to be able to carry out the corresponding procedures through the Town Planning Department, so that their proposals can be assessed and approved by the municipal technical services.
With this intention, the Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana wants to continue supporting a fundamental sector for the economy of the municipality and on which a large number of jobs depend.
Editor’s Comment:
One of the many good things to come out of the pandemic was a return en masse to open air dining in many town centres on Gran Canaria and across the islands.
Eating outside is one of the consistent joys of a climate such as ours, and it is with some hope of the community spirit it inspires that we support town halls in easing access to such arrangements for the many local businesses who will clearly benefit from being able to reclaim the streets, from just being simple thoroughfares designed around traffic to being real community hubs.
We’re all for it, as George Michael so famously sang, Let’s go outside!
#EatingOut #AlFresco #LetsGoOutside #Maspalomas #GranCanaria
.:.
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Cabildo invests €880,000 in two projects aimed at reactivating southern commerce and industry in San Bartolomé de Tirajana
Mar, 2021 | Community, Events & Leisure, News, Playa del Inglés, Tourism
The Cabildo de Gran Canaria is to invest €880,000 in two projects in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, creating 70 parking spaces in the San Fernando Open Commercial Zone, and improving energy provision, the environment and accessibility for the El Tablero industrial area.
The Island Council approved a grant of €400,000 for the Ayuntamiento (town hall) to carry out the works on two projects, which will start in June, aiming to resolve one of the main issues with the Open Commercial Zone, by providing 70 new parking spaces along Avenida de Tirajana, between Avenida de Gáldar and Avenida Alejandro del Castillo, which will be added to with areas of trees and street furniture that reduce their visual impact.
The project also includes a charging area for electric vehicles and new lighting that will improve security, with extra beautification.
As for the El Tablero industrial area, the €480,000 grant aims to achieve total accessibility for the space, through the adaptation of pedestrian crossings and sidewalks, the reconditioning of green areas with the installation of irrigation, pedestrian lighting and urban furniture, and the replacement of street lights for more efficient ones, in addition to improvements in signalling and the new charging parking lots. The estimated time needed to complete this work is by the end of this year.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that the El Tablero Open Commercial Area also already has a master plan thanks to a €15,000 grant from the Cabildo de Gran Canaria providing the essential go-ahead for remodelling and also modernising this space.
The mayor highlighted the importance of this commitment to the two projects from the Cabildo for the municipality “because now is when we have to prepare for, when the tourists return, offer them the possibility not only to enjoy our landscapes but also our products and shops” .
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Gran Canaria Weather: Temperatures rising from Sunday afternoon with Calima expected on Carnival Monday
Feb, 2021 | Las Palmas, Playa del Inglés, Sunshine, Weather
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has forecast Calima for this Carnival Monday, February 15, with Saharan winds from the afternoon on the eastern isles of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Graciosa, and by the end of the day the south and east of Gran Canaria.
The weather phenomenon is not expected to produce significant reductions in visibility, however airborne dust will bring an increase in temperatures from the this Sunday afternoon remaining moderately high on Monday and falling again by Tuesday or Wednesday.
AEMET has reported that there will be a southeasterly wind throughout the day and that it could be more intense on Lanzarote, La Graciosa and the north of Fuerteventura, with gusts of between 65-70 kilometres per hour possible, with similar arriving by the end of the day on Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.
Saturday:Cloudy skies to the north and east, with possible light rains. Elsewhere, a touch of cloudy or clear. Temperatures staying much as they have been, night time lows of 13ºC and day time highs of 23ºC in the shade. Moderate northeasterly winds, with some strong intervals on the southeast and northwest slopes. Breezes predominantly on the northeast and southwest coasts.
Sunday:A touch of cloud or clear, with some cloudier intervals to the north during the morning. Minimum temperatures remaining around 13ºC and maximums slightly higher reaching 24ºC gaining moderately at the summits. Moderate northeast winds, more intense on southeastern and northwestern slopes. Inland and at the peaks, during the afternoon winds of around 10km/h from the south becoming predominantly easterly. Breezes along the northeast and southwest coasts.
Monday:The week starts clear this Carnival Monday, with a little cloud. Calima arriving to the islands of the eastern province, Las Palmas, during the second half of the day. Temperatures continuing to rise moderately, lows of 16º and highs of 26º in the shade. Moderate east winds of 35km/h on Gran Canaria, and higher in some places on the north and east of the island, with strong intervals, during the second half of the day inland and in higher altitude areas, increasing on islands to the east, with gusts above 60 km/h possible. Calima likely to leave a layer of Saharan dust, this Carnival Monday, on the eastern side of the province.
Tuesday:Clear, with some intervals of high cloud. Calima, across the eastern province from the early hours of the morning and spreading during the day from east to west, tending to decrease by the end of the day. Temperatures starting to drop, with lows of 16º and highs of 23ºC in the shade. Moderate easterly winds with strong intervals, except inland, where winds will be strong and from the southeast with occasional strong gusts in the early morning and later in the day.
Wednesday:High cloud. Slight Calima haze is not ruled out, which will tend to subside during the day from east to west. Temperatures in slight to moderate decline, lows of 13ºC and highs of 23ºC in the shade. Moderate southeast winds of 15-20km/h with strong intervals inland during the first half of the day, tending to decrease and turn weaker to blow from the northeast from noon. At the summits moderate to variable southeast winds.
Thursday:It is probable that a new Atlantic front will head towards the mainland as we move towards the end of the week, bringing rain to the peninsula. Temperatures starting to increase once more across the Islands, with lows of 13ºC and highs of 24ºC in the shade. Winds from the east, with the southerly component.
Mogán 6 day forecastPlaya del Inglés beach this weekend
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Shopping centre fire brought under control at a motorcycle rental store in Playa del Inglés
Jan, 2021 | Fire, Health, investigation, Playa del Inglés, Police, SUC
Firefighters in Playa del Inglés were deployed this Saturday afternoon to put out a shopping centre fire in a motorcycle rental store at the CC Plaza, on the south of Gran Canaria, according to reports from the 112 Canary Islands Centre Emergency and Security Coordination team (CECOES 112).
#WeCrossMountains
The alarm was raised at around 4:50 pm, reporting a shopping centre fire, at which point firefighters and police officers were activated and deployed, as well as an ambulance sent from the SUC Canary Islands Emergency Service.
At least two individuals are known to have been “mildly affected” in the incident, according to 112. A column of smoke several meters high was visible from various points around the tourist southern tourist zone. It is not yet clear what caused the blaze.
#SUC asiste a dos afectados leves tras un incendio declarado en local de centro comercial en Playa del Inglés #GRANCANARIA. Bomberos San Bartolomé de Tirajana continúan interviniendo en el lugar junto a recursos policiales.
— 1-1-2 Canarias (@112canarias) January 30, 2021
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Spain’s Government Delegate is committed to processing irregular migrants legally and correctly
Jan, 2021 | #TheCanaryMigrantCrisis, Crime, Demonstration, Government, Government Delegate, Immigrants, Immigration, Las Palmas, Migrants Gran Canaria, Mogán, News, Playa del Inglés, Police, politics
Spain’s Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, on Friday strongly refuted Cabildo de Gran Canaria President Antonio Morales’s suggestion that the Spanish State might be trying to turn Gran Canaria into a “prison so that migrants do not reach the continent”.
Pestana repeated his commitment to prioritise repatriations, returns and expulsion for all irregular arrivals who cause problems, or are involved in any type of criminality or violence. He also, once again, made clear that organisers of illegal protest gatherings, such as those that have occurred, or been attempted, over recent days and weeks on the island, will lead to fines or other enforcement measures.
The delegate, who represents Spanish Central Government here on the islands, makes clear that referrals to other regions of Spain have been hindered due to the current restrictions in place to deal with the pandemic response. Now, he pointed out, with improving control of the epidemiological situation “little by little capacities will be increased.”
After meeting separately with the mayors of both of Gran Canaria’s main southern tourism zones last week, where he announced increased deployments of police and Guardia Civil to help reassure the resident populations, Pestana has focused not only on perceptions of crime, but lamented the various increases in expressions of hatred and xenophobic outbursts that have been taking place in some sections of Canarian society. The Government Delegate stressed the importance the Spanish Government has placed on correctly processing migrant arrivals because “the more repatriation capacity we have, the sooner we will advance toward normality and [reduce] the pressure on the island, which has always been a welcoming land”.
Spain’s Government Delegate emphasised that migrants who misbehave will be repatriated, whether it is due to problems in the reception centres, or any type of criminality such as robbery or violence. In direct reference to deportations and detentions in Foreigner Interment Centres (Centros de Internamiento de Extranjeros) Pestana makes clear “Some have been directly repatriated and others have been transferred to the CIEs” facing charges or pending expulsion.
Pestana rejected the spread of “hoaxes and false accusations” pointing out that there are clearly some people who seem to be interested “in hate speech.”
As for the claims of a de facto blockade, made this week by some migrants, and their legal representatives, encountered by those who try to fly to the peninsula using their own resources, Pestana says that “the figures deny it,” given the fact that, of 17,600 migrants who have arrived in the last six months, just 11,500 currently remain on the Islands.
“Gran Canaria is not a prison, that is false” and “we are going to continue working for better management of immigration, with more resources and improvements” said the delegate referring to works planned on the grounds and around the foundations of the CIE immigrant processing centre in Barranco Seco, in Las Palmas, which he described as having “a modular structure that creates stable capacity”, in addition to planned new spaces.
With regard to protests rejecting immigration, he indicated that one had been requested for this Saturday in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, which has had prior and legal communication, reiterating that the leaders or organisers of illegal acts and gatherings are being located and that punishments for illegality will be “forceful”.
Pestana, concluded by reconfirming there will be a “de-escalation in the occupancy of hotel accommodation” as the new spaces are opened.
Editor’s Comment:
In fairness, for most residents on Gran Canaria, it’s been pretty quiet all round, despite occasional disturbances, some isolated cases of clear criminality, and all the noise that has been made by some, who live near to those few hotels who have been providing temporary accommodation, who are fearful of so many strangers.
There is a section of the population who are vehemently against migrants having ever been temporarily accommodated in otherwise empty complexes, and there are some lost souls who would have us believe that there are burning cars in the streets and armed gangs roaming the lawless neighbourhoods, but that simply is not true.
Not at all wishing to belittle anyone’s feelings, which of course must be addressed, and occasionally there have indeed been valid concerns, but there has also been a lot of agitation, mixed messaging and out-and-out fear mongering, sometimes fuelled by questionable local politics. The Spanish Government clearly misread and mishandled much of the last few months, despite all the advanced warnings, let’s hope lessons have been learned.
It is ironic, however, that despite all the demands for migrants to be moved elsewhere, without ever suggesting a valid alternative, and the falsely equating our lack of tourists with empty hotels assisting the Government in ensuring thousands irregular migrants are kept together and not left on the streets without resource, that the security forces felt they needed to deploy extra police not simply to monitor paperless strangers, but in a concerted effort to reassure fearful residents and indeed protect migrants themselves from xenophobic violence.
Let’s hope everything calms down a little now. But we should expect the likelihood of more arrivals, as Winter turns to Spring and the impossibility of trying to monitor thousands and thousands of kilometres of open ocean leads more individuals to attempt the crossing in open boats on Europe’s most dangerous migration route
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First suspect arrested following investigation into violent attack on Monday afternoon in San Fernando
Jan, 2021 | #TheCanaryMigrantCrisis, Community, Crime, Government, Immigrants, investigation, Maspalomas, News, Playa del Inglés, Police
Policia Nacional have arrested a man thought to have been directly involved in the brutal unprovoked attack that took place on Monday in the little car parking area of the Plaza del Hierro, in San Fernando de Maspalomas, on the south of Gran Canaria, official sources have confirmed. The authorities continue to investigate and attempt to locate and identify participants in the brawl which was caught on video by a concerned local resident, going viral across social media, and in local and national press.
The violence on display, in which up to eight people were involved, left one individual on the ground seemingly unconscious after a string of blows, leading to alarm throughout the south of Gran Canaria as well as a range of unsubstantiated assertions, including the claim that one of the victims had died. According to police sources, the attack was over control of the parking area, where the two suspected victims, who refused medical treatment and left the scene on foot, have long been known as “helpers” and are thought to be either disadvantaged or indeed even homeless members of the community of San Fernando.
The swift arrest comes following a security meeting, planned since last week, at which Spain’s Government Delegate committed 40 more police officers and more resources to help allay fears of a breakdown in security on the south of the island connected to the presence of irregular migrants being temporarily accommodated in nearby tourism establishments while awaiting transfer to alternative government camps, for processing and either deportation or asylum application. Mayor Conchi of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana, who organised today’s meeting, has called for calm and encouraged members of the public to report their concerns through official channels rather than sharing unsubstantiated posts on social media.
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Government of Spain and Southern Mayor Conchi discuss security fears expressed on the south of Gran Canaria, and agree an increase in resources for the area
Jan, 2021 | #TheCanaryMigrantCrisis, Community, Crime, Government, Immigrants, Immigration, investigation, Local Council, Maspalomas, News, Playa del Inglés, Police, politics, Tourism
San Bartolomé de Tirajana Mayor Conchi Narváez this Tuesday morning met with the Spanish Central Government Delegation, Policia Nacional, Policia Local to discuss the range of security fears being expressed within the municipality, on the south of Gran Canaria, and agree an increase in resources for the area that includes some of the most important tourism zones, Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés and San Agustín, among other areas that form part of the largest local administration on this part of the island.
As of today, 40 more Policia Nacional from various other municipalities are being assigned to citizen security tasks in the south.
This additional team will collaborate with the Local Police and the Civil Guard. The decision may well have had added urgency this morning, due to images and video shared across social networks, as well as in local and national media, in which three young people are observed in a brutally violent attack in a local car park, on Monday afternoon. In spite of this, Pestana recognised that the perception of citizen insecurity “does not correspond to the data”, referencing the repeated claims of criminality on social media, that bare little or no resemblance to official reports made to the police. Regardless, the importance of ensuring people feel safe has clearly been recognised, and this will hopefully allow for a decrease in unsubstantiated claims, as well as a lowering of the potential for actual crimes being committed.
Anselmo Pestana
Anselmo Pestana highlighted that the migratory flows to the Archipelago experienced throughout 2020 have been highly unusual. In addition, he expressed his faith that the numbers of people temporarily residing in the tourist complexes on the south of the island will before long diminish as they are transferred to the camps set up by the Ministry of Migration in various parts of the Canary Islands.Over the last week transfers to emergency centres in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have been well underway with more to follow as the facilities finalise their preparations, which have taken several weeks to complete.The Government delegate has also indicated that the opening of borders with countries such as Morocco and Mauritania will favour and speed up deportations of those who do not meet an accepted profile of vulnerability.
The security meeting was organised by the Southern Mayor, last week, as part of her coordinated response to serious concerns raised by social media posts, news reports and members of the community expressing increased fears of disturbances and feelings of insecurity. The meeting was attended by the Government Delegate, Anselmo Pestana, the Mayor Conchi Narváez, the Security Councillor, Samuel Henríquez, the Superior Chief of Police of the Canary Islands, Rafael Martínez Lopez, the Commissioner of the National Police of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Eduardo Manuel Caudet and the Commissioner of the Local Police of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Isidro Armas.
Conchi Narváez
The reasons for the safety meeting included the need to directly address the latest altercations reported in the municipality and provide an increase in resources for necessary measures in the face of feelings of insecurity expressed among citizens.
Mayor Conchi Narváez has demanded greater coordination between the administrations and their agreement to proceed with the preferential expulsion of any people who, having arrived in an irregular manner and who are now being hosted in the local area, might then adversely affect public order, as per article 234 of the Spanish Immigration Law. Spain’s Government Delegate, Anselmo Pestana, emphasised that expulsions of those people who have arrived on Canary Islands shores irregularly, are already well under way and that this had not been possible before due to the closures of borders caused by the pandemic.
In addition to taking the opportunity to also meet with the mayor of Mogán, the Government Delegate has committed to transfer an increase in resources, a further 40 national police officers, directly to the Policia Nacional headquartered in the southern municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, to patrol the streets and strengthen citizen security, summoning the administrations, security forces and NGOs that participate in the reception of migrants for a future meeting to ensure better coordination. He also pointed out that the Spanish have already begun the progressive transfer of migrants from the tourist hotels in both municipalities, as other facilities are being prepared and become available.
Hoy me he reunido con Delegación del Gobierno, Policía Nacional , Policía Local y hemos exigido más recursos para San…
Posted by Conchi Narvaez on Tuesday, January 19, 2021
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Curated news stories for English speakers who #LoveGranCanaria The Canary News, Views & Sunshine - Est. 2009