Loulé bank account manager nicked a cool million

euromillions2Police in Loulé have identified and arrested a Banco Popular account manager on suspicion of swindling “more than a million euros from customers.”

The scam has been going on since 2001. The defendant is accused of writing out customer cheques and depositing them in his own bank account and therefore stealing the amounts over a long period, according to a police statement .

Possible new tax regime over UK second homes

cottagePeople with more than one property in the UK could be eligible for a new tax.

If property owners spend more time living in their second home, a change in the rules could force them to pay tax when selling the main family home.

Organic wine producer fined for not using pesticide

whitegrapesAn organic winemaker in France has been fined for refusing to spray vineyard with pesticide.

Emmanuel Giboulot was ordered to pay €500 for not complying with official regulations.

Occupancy rate falls in Algarve’s hotels

4828The average occupancy rate per room in the Algarve was 43.9% in March this year, down 1.7% with income dropping by 4.2%, compared to March last year.

According to information disclosed by the region's hoteliers' association, AHETA, the markets that contributed to the fall in hotel occupation were Portuguese from within the country (-2.0%), Germans (-1.3%) and the Spanish (-0.8). UK tourists were up +0.6% and the Dutch, up +0.4%.

Lagos bridge to be repaired three years after closure

lagoscrestThe Dona Maria II Bridge at the eastern approach to Lagos will finally be repaired after a two year closure, but not until 2015.

Joaquina Matos, the Lagos mayor said that an application for EU funding has been successful and the work could start this summer with an estimated completion date for June 2015. The work has a rather ample budget of €1 million.  

Ryanair justifies ditching its Faro - Lisbon route

ryanairLow-cost airline Ryanair today apologised for cancelling its new Faro to Lisbon service, saying it did not have the right sort of planes available for the service.

"Due to constrained aircraft capacity, we regret that Ryanair is not in a position to schedule the optimum timings and frequencies required on a domestic route such as this and has reallocated this limited capacity from the Faro-Lisbon route to elsewhere in Ryanair’s international network from 23rd April," reads a baffling company statement sent to press today in an attempt to fill the information void left after airports operator ANA announced Ryanair’s plans over the weekend.

Most Brits buy only cheapest wines

vinesMore than half the residents of Britain refuse to pay more than £6 for a bottle of wine.

According to the study conducted by drinks specialist Harpers 54% said they would not spend more than £6 and only 7% say they would pay more than £10.

M&S opening 250 shops outside UK

msMarks & Spencer is planning an aggressive campaign of shop openings outside the UK.

It says it will launch 250 more stores abroad in the next three years, including 20 food outlets just in Paris.