The low cost supermarket Lidl opens its first store on Lanzarote on Thursday 11th March in the Altavista area of Arrecife, close to IKEA.   With many local residents hoping that this will break the existing retail duopoly on the island and herald lower prices for consumers.
The German multinational is already a familiar brand with families in the UK, but this year it has branched out, opening stores across the Canary Islands. According to Lidl’s own calculations, shopping at the chain can save the average family as much as €2,500 per …

Low cost airline Jet2 has rather risibly launched the concept of ‘greener seats’.  Claiming that new lighter seats on their Boeing 757´s, some of which fly to Lanzarote, are lighter – and will therefore use far less fuel whilst providing passengers with more comfort.  As well as helping the airline to maintain low fares. 
In a statement Jet2 claim that “The new seats mean less fuel is needed, helping the airline keep its fares as low as possible”. With each of their Boeing 757´s expected to experience a reduction in weight …

The martial art of Karate will be the focus of a new event based in Lanzarote between 1st and 6th April. The First International Meeting of the Okinagawa Goju-Ryu Karatedo Kyoka (OGKK) will be taking place in Tinajo.
Participants will be welcomed by the Mayor of Tinajo and the programme for the event includes visits to Lanzarote’s key tourist attractions, such as Timanfaya National Park and the Jameos del Agua.  
It is anticipated that 150 participants will attend, with aficionados of the art coming from Belgium, Finland, Russia, France, Japan and Lithuania …

 
A large greenhouse containing more than eight kilos of marijuana has been discovered in Arrecife. Police were called to a possible break-in at a house in the area of the Charco de San Gines. Finding the front door had been forced open, officers checked the building without encountering anybody in residence. Instead, they discovered a home-made greenhouse full of cannabis plants. More than one hundred flowerpots of different sizes were confiscated, yielding more than eight kilos of the illegal plant.  Also found on the premises was a make-shift laboratory containing …

The current spell of stormy weather that has swept across the island has taken its toll on Carnaval festivities.  With the traditional finale of the Carnaval in Arrecife – the Burial of the Sardine – cancelled.  Whilst the start of Carnaval in Puerto del Carmen has been postponed.
High winds and heavy rainfall continue to batter the island – forcing Carnaval organisers in both Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen to alter their plans.  With the Burial of the Sardine in the island capital suspended and the start of Carnaval in Puerto …

The number of passengers passing through Arrecife airport grew by 1.7% during January according to the latest figures released by the Spanish airport operators AENA.  As the eight airports of the Canary Islands handled a total of 2.618.725 passengers last month.  Up from 2.591.235 passengers for the same month last year.
A total of 379,500 passengers passed through Arrecife airport in January  Whilst Gran Canaria recorded an increase in volume of 1.2% in comparison with the same period in 2009, followed by Tenerife South with 687,684 (an increase of 1%),  The …

Asprocan, the Canary Islands banana growers association has launched a new campaign to build awareness of the regions offering, in a market that has historically been dominated by large US companies.
In association with the Spanish government and the EU Asprocan have created a new brand mark – the European Taste symbol – to help promote Canarian bananas (and avocados) across Europe.  And are launching a marketing campaign across key markets such as Germany and Portugal. All of which is designed to communicate the unique characteristics of the platanos from the …

Passing through Arrecife airport in the next month or so?  Then head over to Terminal 2 and catch an exhibition of sculptures by local artist, Francisco Medina Caraballo. Under the title ‘Naturally noble wood’ the pieces are all created from a single trunk or piece of wood and illustrate the intrinsic beauty of this material.
‘It is a bit crazy,’ the artist admitted, ‘that I work with wood on an island where there are no trees’. Caraballo has not been trained in the fine arts, but has a knack at creating …

Severe storms have swept across the Canaries over the last couple of days.  Causing widespread flooding on larger islands such as Tenerife.  And whilst Lanzarote has managed to escape the worst of this weather transport routes to the island have still been disrupted.  With both flight and ferry services affected.
 
Yesterday eleven flights to Lanzarote from across mainland Europe had to be diverted to Fuerteventura – with pilots unable to land on the relatively short strip at Arrecife.  Whilst three inter Canary Island ferries were unable to dock at Puerto Marmoles.
 
The …

Sales of local wine in Lanzarote fell by almost a third in 2009. The decrease meant that only 1.2 million bottles were sold compared with 1.7 million the previous year.
The figures have been calculated by the Regulatory Council that issues the Denominación de Origen labels for wines produced on the island. Whether the situation has been caused by the crisis or a lack of promotion is unclear, but 29% fewer labels were issued during 2009.
It also suggests that the level of consumption in local restaurants declined during the last year. …