Just back review

[joeysoap]

"afaik the Quinta do Lago complex over in the eastern Algarve is still Irish owned and not in Nama"

Is this the one that Denis O' Brien of inital Irish Government mobile phone award fame is involved in ?

The centre in the Ukraine ? is this linked to Quinn - Is he Irish or English ? probably Irish when receiving the dosh and English when has to pay back !!!!!!!!!!!

Yes

Yes ( He tried for bankruptcy in Belfast recently - unsuccessfully as the judge said his main business was clearly in the republic, so yes again.

[widge]

As I understand it the original owners of Oceanico have little or no say it the day to day running of the company. The banks put in their own management.
The reason why there is lilte evidence of any residential activity around the new golf courses is because they had major lisencing problems and had to return deposits to those who had bought off plan.
The Belmar complex in Lagos only got its lisence last year ( 2-3 years late ).
Oceanico are of course not the only one there are many Portuguese companies in the same state like the one that owns Salgados and the Morgado/Alamos courses and associated property developments.

This is true, €5m needs to be spent on fire sprinkler systems and the like before a licence will be granted. However the Irish government offered up €600m of bonds to any aspiring property company who fancies a tilt at it. `i don't know how the auction went but suspect not well.

In the meantime the whole question of golf titles attached to property has been thrown into turmoil as Pestana refused to recognise owners interest at Villa Sol which they bought from the administrator last year.

Suspect that the Algarve is now fully golfed out so no more new courses for a while.

[Ari Gold]

It is, of course, a financial disaster and the village is owned by NAMA the Irish bad bank, after Anglo Irish bank went bust. However, the staff and management are working exceptionally hard to make visitors and members very happy and I think they're succeeding.

Nama (National Asset Management Agency) have hundreds of properties all over the world directly because of reckless lending by a) German banks to Irish banks, b) Irish Banks to property speculators/developers. The mind boggles at the figures and the complicated set up of these properties ( the latest one in the news in Ireland was a shopping centre in Ukraine)and where the are located. Oceanico as just one of many, for which the Irish taxpayer is paying a lot of extra and painful taxes to appease the German paymasters.

afaik the Quinta do Lago complex over in the eastern Algarve is still Irish owned and not in Nama.

Jeez, some of us come on here and visit Carvoeiro to forget about NAMA, Bertie Ahern, Fianna Fail and their ilk.....

this year will be our first in many that we wont be coming over, hopefully by next spring the Tolls & airport will be sorted out!

[PTBUXTON]

Sorry to read this Martin, sometimes bad weather puts us in a wrong frame of mind.

I don't think it was just the weather that brassed him off.

[PTBUXTON]

Totally agree Steve, Martin is entitled to his opinion and I get a little tired of EMM and his pathetic snide remarks about us Brits, now he is bringing the Irish into it.

I agree.

[PTBUXTON]

Blimey,

I've just read Martin's last two posts (this one & the Car Rental post/moan!).

Even though he says he had a great time & is already looking forward to his next trip - I wouldnt like to read his posts if he didnt have a good time!!!!!!

Martin - If that is all you've got to moan about, I really hope nothing really bad ever happens to you!!!!!!!

If you feel that strong about it, its probably best that you go somewhere else - possibly a 5 Star hotel somewhere, fly in by private jet to your own runway, followed by private pick up with complete road closures for all other drivers, just so it makes it nice & easy for you!!!

Get a life man!!!!!!!

Well Lotte don't wrap it up just say it as you feel, however the guy is only expressing his opinion which everbody has a right to do so do one only joking!

[sunman]

it's a pity that some people's reaction to perceived negative comments lead them to insult & deride the writer because actually there is normally some good points being raised.

Those that have been here or visited for some time know that typically the Portuguese reaction to a fall in sales is to increase the price but this time they may have gone too far;

- Martin is right, the tolls and the shambolic introduction of them has been a disaster
- as is the increase in IVA in restaurants & golf clubs in particular

these are commercially catastrophic decisions and like it or not will result in a fall in business for the Algarve

we're on a bad path here folks, I fear for our beloved town

[Lotte]

Brilliant!!!!

I didnt think my little old comments could make such an impression on some people!!!!

I relate you back to several of my earlier posts........yes, there are problems, but the way people continually bang on about it, you'd think that WW3 was just about to happen!!!!!! (I state again.....I just thought Martin went a tad over the top with his moans....thats all!!!)

Lets be a little bit more positive????????

Personaaly, I just enjoy going to CVO, for the Beer, Sun (Hopefully!!), Sea, Sand, Good Food, No Stress, etc etc etc.........lets not spoil it by banging on about things that in the big scheme of things are not important at all.

As I stated before..... I wouldnt like to have to read the posts if anything really bad happened!!!!

Enjoy the Sun & Superbock

PS Come on the Reds on Monday - (that should provoke some reaction!!!!)

[joeysoap]

Brilliant!!!!...........



PS Come on the Reds on Monday - (that should provoke some reaction!!!!)

trying to get Cumbria Sue onside ....

[cumbria sue]

JS
if Lotte is one of us she can't be that bad!!
I've got my shirt, scarf and bobble hat all ready to sit in front of the tv ( ain't I sad )

[PTBUXTON]

Brilliant!!!!

I didnt think my little old comments could make such an impression on some people!!!!

I relate you back to several of my earlier posts........yes, there are problems, but the way people continually bang on about it, you'd think that WW3 was just about to happen!!!!!! (I state again.....I just thought Martin went a tad over the top with his moans....thats all!!!)

Lets be a little bit more positive????????

Personaaly, I just enjoy going to CVO, for the Beer, Sun (Hopefully!!), Sea, Sand, Good Food, No Stress, etc etc etc.........lets not spoil it by banging on about things that in the big scheme of things are not important at all.

As I stated before..... I wouldnt like to have to read the posts if anything really bad happened!!!!

Enjoy the Sun & Superbock

PS Come on the Reds on Monday - (that should provoke some reaction!!!!)

Are we going to pip the Bitter Boys on Monday I truly hope so COME ON YOU REDS!

[EMM]

I am now convinced that there are two Algarves or at least two mind sets among vistors.

The tolls yes its a mess but there is bugger all we can do about it, if you don,t want to pay stick to the 125 and don,t moan about the delays because it was your choice.

IVA, yes Portugal increased the rates , but then so did the UK goverment and others in the same economic state. Just imagine the complaints ( Justifiable ) from the Portuguese who are the real ones suffering at this time not we Northern European visitors if the PT government had said we cannot raise IVA on that luxury sport GOLF which few Portuguese play.
We are still paying around 70 euros 2ball incl buggy NO increase in 2 years so what is the problem.

General prices , if you look around and are not too choosy then eating out is probably a better deal this year than for the past 2-3 adding to which the £ is buying more Euros.
The big supermarkets all have promotions ( not for expensive imported foods I agree ) so shop around.

The days are longer, weather warmer ( no need for heating ) etc etc, so just enjoy your time in Portugal.
The time to be really pissed off is when you are back on the 9-5 grind with little to look forward to until your next holiday.

[cereza]

EMM you may be quite happy to put up with anything thrown at you but many people are not and we shall see how the tourist numbers are affected by the problems. There are plenty of other countries with warm long days, cheap booze and food and a weaker currency who will be trying to make life easy for visitors

[joeysoap]

the vat increase is probably a Troicka (EC/IMF/ECB) condition. Ireland was due to increase vat from 21% to 22% this year and 23% next year, but went straight to 23% instead. Except that they did not increase the rate on home heating oil, electricty or gas. It remains at 13.5% on these necessities. At the same time they decreased the rates on eating out, hotel stays, hairdressers etc (all labour intensive) in order to stimulate demand to 9%. The hotels and restaurants say it is having an effect. (though they would say that would't they?)

In Portugal I understand the increase on most items, golf included, but not really on eating out and definitely not on electricity or gas. 6% to 23% was a savage increase, especially on people living here 52 weeks a year ie mainly Portuguese.

[EMM]

Who knows what the tourist number will finally be this year but i do know that there has been a substantial increase in enquiries and that many owners are now full for the peak weeks.
Portugal continues to be one of the cheapest holiday destinations in the various UK surveys.

But I am sure that some jonah will come on and contradict me.