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Nieves Castro

Reporter

Malaga (1980). Nieves has a degree in Media Studies from Malaga University. She joined SUR in 2002 and now works in the Marbella newsroom.

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recent published articles

27/11/2019 14:34

Local

New Mercedes model launch generated 3,000 overnight stays in Marbella

Although it won't be in the car showrooms until the start of next year, millions of potential buyers have seen details of the new Mercedes-Benz GLB model thanks to opinions and reviews published by 400 journalists and influencers from all over the wo

29/10/2019 16:45

Local

Marbella council to reach out to locals as it draws up new town plan

Marbella council has agreed the process it will follow to write its long-awaited new PGOU master town plan. As part of the process to compile it, councillors want to encourage the widest public participation possible and have decided to build in mech

06/09/2019 10:42

Local

Full steam ahead for Costa del Sol's desalination plant

The tourism business which sustains the Costa del Sol brings with it high water consumption levels. The foreseeable extension of the tourist season into the first fortnight of September means that the Costa del Sol's desalination plant, based in Marb

31/08/2019 11:47

Local

Marbella council to start sponsoring local athletes

The council in Marbella is to set aside funds to support the training of the municipality's elite sports men and women. The main part of t he programme will be the sponsorship of individuals and teams competing in national or international competit

30/08/2019 15:16

Local

Bin men reportedly putting rubbish in stream suspended without pay

Two refuse collectors in Marbella have been suspended without pay as a cautionary measure after recent revelations that they may have been throwing rubbish bags into a stream instead of picking them up. Last week SUR in English reported how locals

20/08/2019 17:59

Local

Councils step up operation to remove invasive seaweed

The Rugulopterix okamurae seaweed, all the way from Asia, which is colonising the fishing grounds of Marbella and Estepona, is seriously affecting not only the fishing sector in both towns, but also the land itself. In the midst of high tourist sea

19/08/2019 19:41

Local

Venus of Marbella to get new eye-catching home off the paseo

The national government's Coasts authority has given the go-ahead for a well-known sculpture in Marbella to get a new eye-catching home. The town hall wants to move the sculpture, know as the Venus of Marbella, from its current location by the tour

26/07/2019 17:24

Local

Contract granted for beach erosion study in Marbella

The regional Ministry for Ecological Transition has authorised Betancourt Ingenieros S.L.P. to start planning solutions to end the erosion of Marbella's beaches. The company has been granted 42,428 euros and a deadline of eight months to carry out

12/07/2019 16:50

Local

Plan launched to create 800 more parking spaces in Marbella

Marbella town hall has launched a plan for the creation of five new underground car parks to help relieve a growing problem across the municipality. A total of 826 spaces are to be created for the use of residents on a rotational basis. The con

17/05/2019 12:11

Local

Agreement reached to repair old Istán road

An agreement has been reached between Marbella town hall and the Junta de Andalucía to jointly fund much-needed repairs to the Carretera de Istán, between the Puente Romano hotel and the Manolo Santana Racquets Club. A plan to repair the road, whi

17/05/2019 11:35

Local

Arab royal families set to head to Marbella once Ramadan ends

Tourism bosses in Marbella are preparing for a strong summer season of business from high-spending customers from Arab-speaking countries. Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, has confirmed to SUR that the town hall has been informed, via different co

25/04/2019 18:53

Local

The council activates its lifeguard service on local beaches

Easter is over and those looking forward to spending some time on the beaches can rest assured that safety measures are already in force. Last week the 'Medios Acuáticos' company assigned its lifeguards to local beaches and set up its first aid an

23/04/2019 20:12

Local

Project to improve dangerous A-7 exits given the go-ahead

Traffic jams or slow-moving traffic have become a constant on certain sections of the A-7 dual carriageway between Fuengirola and Estepona. Residents, professionals and those who regularly use this stretch of road blame this on the number of dangerou

12/04/2019 17:27

Local

British candidate in Marbella mayor's reelection bid

The mayor of Marbella has included a British man on her party's list of candidates in the forthcoming municipal election. Ángeles Muñoz of the conservative Partido Popular is bidding to be reelected and announced her potential team last weekend. D

12/04/2019 13:19

Local

Works almost complete at San Bernabé cemetery

The rooms under construction at the new central funeral parlour (tanatorio) at San Bernabé cemetery, the oldest in Marbella, will be ready for use by May. The 726,308-euro project to demolish and construct the new 376-square-metre facilities inside

15/03/2019 16:47

Local

Central government to fund 75 per cent of Marbella castle repairs

Three-quarters of the funding required for the refurbishment of Marbella castle is to come from the Ministry of Public Works (Fomento), it has been confirmed. The project, with a budget of almost 500,000 euros, will address a number of issues affec

01/03/2019 14:25

Local

Bancosol food bank to occupy new premises

Local food bank Bancosol will return to Marbella after the town hall granted the association the use of municipal premises in the Lomas del Olivar 'urbanisation' to the north of the town. The centre will be used to offer training courses as well as

01/03/2019 13:49

Local

Water supply guaranteed for southern Ojén and northern Marbella

Works got under way on Tuesday to guarantee the water supply to thousands of families in the Palo Alto area, south of Ojén and to the north of Marbella. The project, which has a budget in excess of one million euros, will see two small reservoirs,

15/02/2019 16:47

Local

Vicente de Espona's 'La Danza' is dancing again

On the eastern side of the viewing point on the boulevard at San Pedro Alcántara, a man and woman sculpted from burnished metal dance in the wind; the piece was made years ago by artist Vicente de Espona (1918-1995), who moved to San Pedro in 1971 an

08/02/2019 18:22

Local

Marbella seafront repairs to be ready "in time for Easter"

The council in Marbella has been giving more details of its ongoing plan to spruce up the 15-kilometres of seafront promenade in the resort. A budget of 565,000 euros has been set aside for the work, which is already under way, and 23 council staf

25/01/2019 14:26

Local

Marbella presents virtual assistant mobile app for tourists

Visitors to Marbella now have another tool at their disposal when exploring the town. New mobile app 'Asistente de Marbella', available in both English and Spanish, is an automated chatbot service (nicknamed Venus) that has been programmed to answ

18/01/2019 11:57

Local

Hotel Lima undergoes 2.8-million-euro refit

Building work has begun to convert Hotel Lima in the centre of Marbella from a two-star to a four-star hotel. The building, on Avenida Antonio Belón, is undergoing a 2.8-million-euro refit which will not see the hotel increase in size (in fact it w

11/01/2019 20:38

Local

Marbella council files request for year-round beach gyms

Marbella council has asked the Junta of Andalucía for a licence to install beach gyms, where people can exercise all year round. The four beaches at which the council want to install the gyms are La Venus, Nagüeles, El Cable and San Pedro Alcántar

14/12/2018 13:41

Local

Marbella seafront square gets overhaul

The Plaza del Mar, the open space above the car park and shopping centre alongside the seafront at the western end of central Marbella, has had a revamp. Local residents had been complaining about the poor state of repair and overall neglect. Now the

30/11/2018 11:07

LifeStyle

Cost-free benefits for body and mind

At this time of year, as winter approaches, many of us forget about the beach. That's something of a paradox in a province with such a lovely climate as Malaga with its 180 kilometres of coastline, and even more so if we bear in mind the numerous ben

23/11/2018 12:02

LifeStyle

Pedal Day to raise funds for Sarah, who needs prostheses

This year's Pedal Day, organised to encourage people to take up cycling, will be raising funds for Sarah, an 18-year-old girl from Marbella, who had her hands and feet amputated after suffering sepsis. Her family needs money to buy prostheses. Peda

19/10/2018 16:04

Local

Marbella bus service will be free for residents from 2019

Residents who are registered on Marbella's local population census (padrón) will travel free of charge on the town's local bus service, without exception, when a new bylaw comes into force in 2019. The revised regulations that detail the rights and

10/09/2018 13:54

Local

Sales of luxury goods have slowed this season in Marbella

Businesses providing luxury goods and services in Marbella have reported an end to the steep growth in sales seen in the last few years. Owners of designer boutiques, restaurants, clubs, hotels or firms offering leisure experiences say that their f

17/08/2018 15:29

Local

CCTV starts to go up in Marbella to monitor local crime hotspots

The installation of the long-awaited CCTV system in key crime hotspots in Marbella is under way. The first area to get its round-the -clock surveillance equipment will be the Elviria shopping centre in the east of the municipality. Here 16 cameras

13/08/2018 18:32

Local

Rapid-response squad to combat graffiti damage in Marbella

Councillors in Marbella have announced a plan to fight back against graffiti as soon as it crops up around the resort. The department for Public Works has started a tender process for companies that can rapidly remove the vandalism as soon as it is d

27/07/2018 13:34

Local

"It's the foreign buyer who drives the Costa real estate market"

A real estate price monitoring index is pointing to good news in the property sector on the Costa del Sol and is further proof of the strength of the market. The regular survey by Fotocasa, an online real estate agency, focusses on resale properties,

27/07/2018 12:33

Local

Repairs out to tender for unadopted streets in Marbella

A 3.3-million-euro tender process has been launched in Marbella to carry out repairs to pavements, lighting and street furniture on roads the council does not own but consider important thoroughfares. A recent court ruling gave Marbella permission

27/07/2018 12:31

Local

Marbella council to spend extra 2m on road resurfacing

Marbella council is to spend two million euros on resurfacing worn-out and damaged road surfaces on 45 streets and roads around the town. The work will be finished in next spring and comes on top of a plan to repair 41 other streets due to start in

20/07/2018 12:30

Local

Vandals cause damage to the Real de Zaragoza dune area

Vandals have pulled up parts of the perimeter fence around the protected Real de Zaragoza sand dunes, and the Pro Dunas association says tyre marks from vehicles such as quads were clearly visible on the sand. This is the largest area in the ecolog

29/06/2018 16:32

Local

Marbella tourist office 'not open in evenings or at weekends'

The IU party has criticised Marbella town hall for still not opening the main tourist office on the seafront in the afternoons, evenings and at weekends. The council says it is in the process of recruiting 14 summer information officers

29/06/2018 13:49

Local

Starlite Festival licence approves 5am opening

This year's Starlite Festival, the seventh edition of the event, will start on 11 July and run for 45 days in Marbella, the organiser and the town's mayor announced jointly last week. To avoid disputes over opening hours like last year, which saw

15/06/2018 13:29

Local

Marbella celebrates past and present

It was 11 June 1485 when King Ferdinand the Catholics took the town of Marbella from the Muslims. The walls, the remains of the Alcazaba and the Royal Hospital are all that remain from that era. Horses, men in armour and other costumes of the time, c

08/06/2018 12:32

Local

Revamp of main San Pedro square to take six months

Refurbishment works to be carried out on the Plaza de la Iglesia in San Pedro, a major square in the town centre where both the town hall and the main church are located, will begin imminently, according to sources from the mayor's office. The mode

01/06/2018 13:38

Local

1,000 bottles of liquid will dilute dogs' urine in Marbella

Marbella town hall has introduced a new system to dilute dog urine on local streets. It is recommended that dog owners pour a mixture of water and white vinegar directly onto their pets' urine. The street cleansing department will distribute 1,00

28/05/2018 11:06

Local

Marbella council starts 'bare chest' bylaw process

After collecting suggestions and comments, Marbella council will vote today on the first stage of approving a new set of bylaws to control unruly behaviour on the resort's streets. As reported in SUR in English, the proposals include regulating par

25/05/2018 14:58

What to do

Marbella Print Museum presents Viola as both man and artist

To coincide with the 102nd anniversary of his birth in Zaragoza, the Spanish Print Museum opened the doors to its first single-subject exhibition of the work of Manuel Viola on 18 May. THE EXHIBITION Title. 'Manuel Viola. Obra gráfica y pinturas'.

18/05/2018 14:09

Local

Rafael Amargo dances on top of La Concha for butterfly charity

Rafael Amargo himself took the initiative and offered to dance on top of La Concha, the most famous peak in the Sierra de Marbella at 1,200 metres high, in order to raise awareness for butterfly skin, a rare condition that between 3,200 and 5,000 peo

18/05/2018 12:25

Local

Regional minister urges patience over Costa del Sol Hospital works

Legal proceedings have begun in an attempt to give "fresh impetus" to the Costa del Sol Hospital expansion project, according to the regional minister responsible for Health, Marina Álvarez. Álvarez, speaking at an event during which the hospital w

18/05/2018 12:12

Local

Olympic swimming pool to be built in Guadaiza

Marbella mayor Ángeles Muñoz announced on Sunday that an indoor Olympic swimming pool would be built in the Guadaiza area in response to the needs of swimming, waterpolo and triathlon clubs in the area. Its construction, however, will require the a

27/04/2018 13:28

LifeStyle

Star chefs bring children into the kitchen

Some of Spain's best chefs have joined forces to take part in Chefs & Kids, an initiative in aid of the children's charity Aldeas Infantiles and endorsed by the town of Marbella and the Diputación de Málaga. Martín Berasategui, Ángel León, Eneko Atxa

20/04/2018 20:25

Local

Club Med to revamp iconic Hotel Don Miguel in Marbella

The Hotel Don Miguel, which closed in 2004, will reopen in summer 2019 with a new name and under new management. Club Med-Magna Marbella will be open 11 months of the year and will be an all-inclusive resort, catering for families with new installa

20/04/2018 17:05

LifeStyle

An answer for Chloe

The fight for Chloe's life began eight years ago. Over this time, Jorgelina Borda has visited countless hospitals, laboratories, institutions and scientific foundations in search of a diagnosis for the vicious combination of symptoms that affect her

05/01/2018 11:14

Local

New boutique hotel to open in Marbella old town by the summer

A new boutique hotel will open in Calle Ancha in Marbella's old town by next summer. To be known as Maison Ardois, it will occupy a 16th century mansion that is currently being restored. The 4.5-million-euro property development is being carried ou

04/01/2018 20:36

LifeStyle

A bird in danger of extinction spotted at the Río Verde estuary

In the past few weeks the estuary of the Río Verde in Marbella has been playing host to a new guest which was not only unexpected but is also a remarkable sight in Malaga province: a red-knobbed coot, also known as a crested coot. This bird is a m

15/12/2017 12:09

Local

Marbella gets tough on graffiti in public places

Councillors in Marbella are getting tough on people vandalising public spaces with graffiti. A task force has been set up to blitz clean current graffiti in the town and the Local Police has committed to clamping down on suspects. Officials say th

01/12/2017 13:11

Local

Festive lights now sparkle in Marbella and San Pedro

Thousands of people hit the streets of Marbella and San Pedro for the grand switch-on of the Christmas lights on Thursday. The festive spirit has been taken to a total of 90 streets and 15 squares where the lights will stay on for 38 days in total

30/11/2017 11:05

Local

Christmas lights in Marbella switch on tonight

Marbella's Christmas lights will be switched on today (Thursday) at 8pm in the Paseo de la Alameda. There are 545 lights decorating 90 streets and 15 squares which will stay on for 38 days in total and, as in Malaga centre, will "dance" to music in a

25/11/2017 13:03

Local

San Pedro unveils its 19-million- euro devolved budget for 2018

The town of San Pedro, part of the municipality of Marbella, is celebrating being given its highest budget ever to spend on local initiatives. In Marbella council's 2018 budget, which passed the first approval stage last Friday, San Pedro has been

24/11/2017 14:30

Local

Council seeks millions in EU funding to improve run-down areas

The town hall in Marbella has submitted an application for 15 million euros to the European Union urban development and sustainability fund. The EU is to allocate 189 million euros from the fund to Andalucía and this week local councillors in Marbell

27/10/2017 10:50

Local

Marbella town hall to offer up land for a new school in Las Chapas

Marbella town hall is set to offer up a plot of land in the Las Chapas area of the town to the Junta de Andalucía for the creation of a new school, as confirmed on Tuesday by the Education councillor, Carmen Díaz. The council will offer up a plot o

04/09/2017 12:25

Local

New local government looks for solution to keep Starlite

One of the issues inherited by the new local government in Marbella is to ensure that the Starlite summer concert festival continues to take place in the town. This summer, organisers had threatened to take the 45-night event elsewhere next year afte

25/08/2017 17:14

Local

Policing from the skies of Marbella

Marbella's first paramotor police patrol unit was presented on Wednesday as part of the town's aims to crack down on town planning violations and illegal dumping. The idea was originally floated last year, however there was initial resistance from

04/08/2017 18:24

Local

Council to stop misuse of Real Zaragoza dunes

Tired of beachgoers not respecting the protected status of the Real de Zaragoza dune system, Marbella councillors have decided to get tough. The dunes to the east of the municipality, some of the last untouched ones, suffer as visitors break down b

20/07/2017 20:51

Local

Marbella boulevard project to go ahead despite withdrawn funding

José Bernal, mayor of Marbella, has insisted this week that the project to convert the Arroyo Primero -a dry stream valley that was once the town's showground- into a boulevard and park will still go ahead despite the provincial government withdrawin

03/07/2017 15:04

Local

Sewer main under San Pedro beach to be relocated to stop ruptures

The main sewer pipe running under the western end of San Pedro beach is to be moved inland slightly to stop it breaking up during regular winter storms. For the last two winters, workers have had to rush to carry out emergency repairs to the 80-cen

23/06/2017 16:17

Local

Nobu Hotel set to open inside Marbella's Puente Romano in 2018

Hot on the heels of the opening of Japanese restaurant Nobu in Marbella's Puente Romano Hotel last week, bosses have been explaining their plans to open a Nobu hotel there next year. The exclusive restaurants of Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa are wel

23/06/2017 12:31

Local

Historic mine sealed off to protect ramblers and encourage bats

A piece of Marbella's surprising industrial past has been closed off by council workers in a bid to prevent accidents and encourage a colony of bats to settle there. The entrance to the historic Buenavista mine is on the mountainside behind the tow

22/06/2017 10:14

LifeStyle

The best of Ibiza and Las Vegas in Puerto Banús

Clients who attended the launch of Teatro Marbella last weekend discovered when they passed through the heavy curtains into the restaurant that they were about to enjoy, not only a delicious meal at the elegantly decorated tables, but also an amazing

19/06/2017 16:13

Local

Starlite Festival firms reported for 'building' in quarry auditorium

Environmental prosecutors have reported two companies behind Marbella's prestigious Starlite summer music festival. They say organisers have put in permanent walls and flooring in the outdoor Nagüeles venue used as an auditorium for its concerts by f

16/06/2017 13:07

Local

Policeman accidentally shoots driver in Marbella

A local police officer in Marbella who shot the driver of a car in the early hours of Sunday morning did so accidentally and not out of self-defence. The officer was said to have lost his balance, causing the ready-loaded gun, which the officer had

02/06/2017 10:23

Local

Three men arrested for 'daylight robbery'

Local Police have arrested three men who have been committing armed robberies wearing boiler suits and using a seven-metre ladder as a prop to disguise them as workmen. The thieves, a Spaniard, Bulgarian and a Slovenian, who are all in their forti

19/05/2017 11:58

Local

First 'Stroll with a Hat' is a success in Marbella

Over 70 people took part in Marbella's first 'Stroll with a Hat' event last Sunday. Wearing their finest headgear, a group of hat lovers met to parade around the centre. The idea came from hat-designer Estibaltiz Díaz de Durana and is based on New Yo

05/05/2017 10:54

Local

Fire in hotel sauna sees 300 guests evacuated

The sauna of four-star Hotel Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach was set alight on Sunday, forcing the evacuation of up to 300 guests. Fortunately, 11 firefighters were able to stop the fire spreading, extinguishing it within 30 minutes and all guests w

04/05/2017 14:19

LifeStyle

Half a century teaching catering at Bellamar

The Bellamar catering college was founded in the 60s, during the tourist boom, to answer a need for properly trained kitchen staff to tend to the hordes of visitors that were already descending on the Costa del Sol. The hotel businesses in the cit

21/04/2017 11:30

Local

More youngsters on Costa taking marijuana, says addiction charity

An association in Marbella set up to help drug addicts, Horizonte Proyecto Hombre, is extremely concerned by the number of youngsters who are now smoking marijuana, even if many are only experimenting with it. The practice of taking the substance i

21/04/2017 11:21

Local

Mixed views over new blue lights in Marbella

There has been mixed reaction to the new blue lights on Calle Huerta Chica in Marbella, which were put in place to mark the road, which is now the same level as the pavement. Some neighbours' groups have complained to the town hall that the road "loo

17/04/2017 13:51

Local

Pro Dunas raises awareness of poor beach conditions

Pro Dunas, a group of volunteers dedicated to the conservation of beaches in east Marbella, has alerted the public to the startling damage caused to Real de Zaragoza beach by the winter and early spring storms. The group stated that approximately

22/03/2017 22:06

Local

Beach recovery operation takes a hit from this week's storm

After the sudden burst of sunshine and high temperatures of last weekend, Marbella council, with a budget of 1.3 million euros provided by the central environmental ministry, initiated a project to restore the town's storm-damaged beaches. However, t

17/03/2017 12:48

LifeStyle

Nobu comes to Marbella

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is a worldwide authority among chefs and the owner of a gastronomic empire which includes 34 restaurants across four continents. The man whose formula attracts legions of celebrities (Tom Cruise, Richard Gere and Robert de Niro)

24/02/2017 18:35

LifeStyle

The 'Who's Who' of gastronomy

Chefs, restauranteurs, wine makers, sommeliers and representatives of hospitality schools met on Monday in Marbella to see the presentation of the publication 'Who's Who in Gastronomy, Malaga 2017'. The book is edited by Prensa Malagueña and has near

31/01/2017 17:46

LifeStyle

Tato's canine life saver

Tato's pancreas stopped producing insulin four and a half years ago, and the paediatricians at the Costa del Sol Hospital weren't able to explain to his parents the reason why. The boy, who turned eight years old last December, was later diagnosed wi

17/01/2017 10:31

Local

Marbella council invests in allotment project

Marbella council is working to create the first network of allotments within the municipality. Personnel from the department of sustainability, who are leading the project, are currently searching for suitable plots of land for the endeavour. The