The first-ever Chinese cultural festival, which opened on Saturday night in Paphos, was continuing on Sunday.

Hundreds of people visited the festival to watch traditional dances and songs from the Chinese group Zilong China Folk Art Troupe.

On Sunday visitors can enjoy more traditional dances and songs, calligraphy, Tai Chi, acupuncture, Chinese massage and traditional foods.

The local chamber of commerce, in a statement said this is the first-ever Chinese cultural festival in Cyprus. Around 500 Chinese nationals live in Paphos.

“Our effort is to promote Chinese culture in order to strengthen the relationship through Cyprus-Chinese business association, which is under the umbrella of the Chamber,” the statement said.

Paphos municipality said it would strengthen relations with the hundreds of Chinese nationals who chose Paphos as their place of residence.

THE official twinning of Paphos with Herzliya in Israel will take place at Paphos town hall on Wednesday.

According to a spokesman for the municipality, the ceremony will take place at 6pm.

“This is the first phase in the twinning process, and an Israeli delegation is visiting our city for this purpose, led by the Mayor of Herzliya, Moshe Fadlon, members of the City Council, academics and prominent businessmen of Herzliya working in the field of new technologies.”

He added that House President Demetris Syllouris, and the Ambassador of Israel to Cyprus, Yael Ravia Zadok, would also attend the ceremony.

Members of Paphos municipal council, along with the mayor Phedonas Phedonos, and other representatives of local government are also expected to attend.

A short cultural programme and open reception will follow the official signing.

The first formal meeting aimed at twinning Paphos with Herzliya Israel took place at the town hall in the beginning of January, said the spokesman.

He said that the respective mayors initially met up ‘unofficially’ in Israel to see if there were possibilities and good prospects to twin the cities. He added that the agreement was of historic importance.’

“Paphos municipality is looking to make a constructive and fruitful twinning agreement, particularly as Herzliya is established in the field of technologies.”

He noted that Herzliya is considered part of the ‘Silicon Valley’ of Israel, home to many high-tech companies, and residents of Herzliya are among the wealthiest in Israel.

“There are established, large and well-known multinational high-tech companies operating in the region, while the city itself has a long experience in this field, through substantial investment and infrastructure,” he said.

He said that the policy of Paphos municipality is to look for advances in this field and establish Paphos as the Cyprus centre for new and emerging technologies.

Phedonos announced that earlier this week, an agreement was made with representatives of Herzliya and Paphos concerning an exchange with students from the technical school in Paphos and two other private centres, for training in technology and robotics.

MAYOR Phedonas Phedonos announced on Friday that the municipality has officially expressed interest for the Higher Hotel Institute (HHIC) to be relocated to his town.

The mayor said he is convinced that his municipality’s bid meets the necessary requirements and specifications set, as already evidenced by the town hosting the European capital of culture next year.

“The town of Paphos is eminently a tourist town,” Phedonos said. He added that it is the town with the most hotel beds, and with the largest number of tourists as 38per cent of visitors coming to Cyprus end up in Paphos.

He added that Paphos has the most five-star hotels, and has an active winter tourist season.

Paphos proposes that the HHIC be housed in a building that will be erected on land owned by the municipality and had been destined for the new town hall.

As regards facilities for the accommodation of students, Phedonos said that they can be built in an adjoining plot for which the municipality has already made arrangements.

“Paphos municipality is ready for when and if the cabinet chooses our town,” Phedonos said.

He added that Nicosia already hosts the University of Cyprus, Limassol has another state institution, the University of Technology, and that Paphos, as the eminent tourist town, should be entitled to host the HHIC.

Phedonos expressed his readiness to cooperate with government agencies and ministries so that the HHIC’s building complex is delivered promptly to the competent authorities and that students could start moving to Paphos.

Following the revival and cleaning up of the town due to infrastructure work already underway, he said, the HHIC would finally put Paphos “in an orbit of progress and growth”.

The HHIC was located in Nicosia, running parallel to the state-owned Philoxenia training hotel, but the hotel industry has been a supporter of the idea that it be moved to a coastal location where tourism is booming.

Paphos shopkeepers are losing patience with delays in reshaping the town

By Bejay Browne

ONGOING works in Paphos are pushing shopkeepers to the end of their rope as great chunks of the old town are currently dug up leaving many areas, including the main shopping street of Makarios Avenue, practically impossible to access.

To make matters worse, a lack of street lighting has seen a spate of night-time break-ins, with local authorities unprepared to help, according to business owners.

The once vibrant centre has become desolate with many shops lying empty. The works in the old town are part of the €60m worth of projects for Paphos, announced by President Nicos Anastasiades last June.

Argyris Alexandreou, 50, has owned and run Aphrodite Jeweller’s in Paphos since 1992. His shop sits on Makarios Avenue, which is closed to traffic- the entire area is being pedestrianised – and dug up; dirt, deep gullies holes, machinery, building materials, granite slabs, and a large number of metal stakes which are protruding upwards and uncovered make a trip to his shop a hazardous experience.

Christos Karouzi of Laona Restaurant

Work in front of his premises, which got underway in January, was due to be completed by August 2, he said, and it is ‘nowhere near’ this stage yet.

He told the Sunday Mail: “It is terrible to attempt to get here, my regular customers who are here on holiday will make an effort to come, but there is no passing trade. “

He said that the handful of tourists who do make it through the ‘assault course’, which was once Paphos’ main shopping street, are shell shocked when they arrive at his shop.

“They can’t believe what is happening, they understand that something has to be done but they don’t understand the way it’s been done. Instead of doing small areas at a time they have destroyed the whole town.”

He said that he has been informed that the area in front of his shop will be completed by the end of the year, but he is sceptical.

“It has to be completed by the end of February at the latest as it will kill us to miss another season. We have already missed out on trade for the whole of this year.”

The jeweller said that there was a lack of communication from the municipality. There is no security personnel in the evenings and there are no street lights.

Alexandreou’s shop was broken into for the first time in 24 years about six weeks ago. Luckily, the perpetrators didn’t gain access, as the shop has numerous security measures in place, but they did manage to inflict a large amount of damage to the front, he said.

“I spoke to the mayor about it but there wasn’t much of a reaction. There is no electricity, there are no lights, they are not prepared to put any security personnel, and you just have to look after your own property that’s it.”

Getting to the Aphrodite Jeweller’s shop is like an assault course

Over a period of three days, at least half of the shops in Makarios Avenue were broken into, he said.

He added that if temporary lighting was installed and a security guard on duty, it would help hugely.

He said that there is no compensation whatsoever for businesses in the area, even though trade is practically non-existent. In fact, they are expected to pay the full amount of municipal and business tax as well as refuse collection for the year, he said.

“No allowances are being made and they are charging the full amount. The landlords want a full rent as well, they are not prepared to take a reduction.”

The municipal engineer in charge of the area said that there had been “a bit of a delay” due to a storm pipe needing to be replaced, and the placement of heavy granite blocks which will make up the paving for pedestrians.

“The granite blocks are very heavy and the contractor has promised they will bring in a new team to complete this. They can of course finish earlier than the contract date, which for the entire area is December 22, or if they finish later, they may face a penalty.”

A worker at the site said although the granite tiles are beautiful and will look great when finished, he pointed out that laying them was back-breaking work.

“They are very heavy and three sets of workers have come and they’ve left. A block is around 100 kilos and they should only carry 25 kilos, can you imagine what this is doing to their backs and bodies.”

Makarios Avenue is full of blocks, bollards and machinery

Alexandreou said that he carefully considered leaving the area but decided to stay despite his patience wearing thin with the ‘hotch potch’ of work and continuous mistakes he said he’s witnessed the contractors make.

“They lay concrete and have to dig it up again, the water board comes and shouts to the contractor, ‘why did you put this here? The electricity board is the same. They are working without plans, there is no design.”

Although he has a gripe with a lack of support from the municipality, he did admit that the mayor, Phedonas Phedonos, visits the site every couple of days to ensure work is moving forwards and ‘keep on top’ of the contractor.

Marios Michaelides of contractor Zemco said that delays in the project were unfortunate and unforeseen and that no- one is to blame. He said that a problem encountered on an integral storm-drain pipe, which showed on the plans and connects the entire area, slowed the project considerably when it was discovered that it was in fact a crumbling outdated mess

“The plans showed a pipe, but it has been there since 1930 and numerous works have been carried out since then which have led to parts of it just not being there. Works carried out by the electricity authority and the telecommunications authority in the past have destroyed the pipe, some areas were completely filled up too.”

Part of the paving has been laid

He said this meant that water was not going into the pipe and surface water was running down the road. He added that the haphazard way in which works have been carried out in Paphos over the last 20 years had led to the complications, and that nobody could have foreseen such problems.

“The architect and team had to study the whole area to understand what diameter of pipe was needed and so on, they then had to get authorisation and funds from the government and then it had to be installed,” he said.

It took two months to reconstruct the pipe and affected not only Makarios Street, but the entire drainage system of the area. In addition, the project is facing other difficulties as telecoms cables and the like, in many places are placed right under the asphalt instead of being buried well below.

“Imagine, with heavy machinery there is a danger of breaking the asbestos concrete pipes they are housed in. These are a very old-style pipes, this material isn’t used anymore and was used between the 1930’s to around the 1960’s or 1970’s.”

He added that the architect and team are having to take a ‘slowly slowly’ approach as the planned works in the area were scuppered by outdated plans of what is going on under the road surface.

Michaelides added that although Zemco will claim for the delay as they are permitted to do, the architect and the municipality will decide how long of an extension they will be awarded.

“Our aim though, is to complete the project as soon as possible and we are bringing more teams of personnel to precipitate that.”

This will be welcome news for Christos Karouzi of Laona Restaurant, a popular stalwart in the area which is tucked down a side street off Makarios Avenue, and serves traditional Cypriot food.

The family-run restaurant has been in operation since 1986 and Karouzi said that the once-vibrant lunchtimes are dead and it’s “terrible”.

“People who are trying to find us have told us that they are using GPS on their phones. It’s difficult for people to walk through the dirt and find us. But as well as lunchtimes, we are open two evenings a week and that is the custom is what is really keeping us going.”

He is optimistic for the future though, if the coming months can be navigated and another summer season isn’t lost.

“There are a couple of new projects close by, which may help bring inquisitive people to the area. Also, I am pleased to see that a number of young people are enquiring about renting places around here. It would be great if they open tavernas or bars, in the traditional style,” he said.

And despite his reservations about the slow progress of the works, Alexandreou, agreed that the project will look fantastic when it’s finished, and much improve the area. He said that as buses would in future, stop next to a parking bay in the old town, which would also encourage visitors to the area.

However, he said that the town will take a long time to recover because after the creation of Paphos Mall, at least twenty per cent of the shops closed, and on top of that, the current upgrading project and difficulties facing those trying to obtain business loans led him to question how shops are going to survive.

“Overall, it’s a good idea but executed very badly, and with no thought of the consequences for the shop keepers. We’re going to have this beautiful area which has been pedestrianised, but half the shops are going to be empty.”

A 36-year-old man from Paphos was arrested on Wednesday after he was reported for allegedly sexually abusing a six-year-old girl.

The girl’s parents reported to the police that their daughter told them what the suspect had done to her while she was with her nanny in his parents’ house on October 13 during a visit.

According to the report, the girl had gone that day with her nanny to visit the parents of the 36-year-old in their home. The six-year-old said that the suspect had lured her into another room of the house, where he sexually abused her.

The 36-year-old, who reportedly admitted to his actions, is expected to be brought before court on Thursday for a remand.

A FLOODLIT Christmas night market which will help to feed needy families in Paphos will take place in December and only a few places for stall holders are left, according to organisers.

Spaces at the event which will take place on Thursday December 8th between 5pm -9pm are limited and over 50 stalls will sell an array of items. As well as ensuring that visitors to the event get into the spirit of Christmas, it is also a necessary way to raise funds for needy families in Paphos, say organisers.

Although Solidary charity which provided a lifeline for thousands of needy people in Paphos over the past few years closed its doors earlier this year as its operation was no longer ‘viable’ due to a reduction in numbers of those needing help,  a number of churches and groups are continuing to offer vital help those in need.

One of the event organisers, Judith Evans, said that there was a high demand and it was necessary to hold the night market in support of the ‘Matthew 25 feed the hungry in Paphos’ project, which is run by the Paphos Christian Fellowship International PCFI.

“Five euros from every stall will go towards Matthew 25 and we are also selling raffle tickets already, which are priced at two euros, all of this money will go to buy food for the needy families.”

Tickets are available from Revival fashion store and an array of raffle prizes have been donated by local businesses, she added.

Evans said that the Matthew 25 project continues to offer support to those in need and help to feed 50 families in Paphos every Tuesday by giving them a bag of necessary groceries. This includes pasta, rice, tinned goods and toiletries.

People may also bring donations of non-perishable foodstuffs to the night market which will be distributed to the hungry, she said.

Stalls will offer all sorts of items including local crafts, books, vinyl records, jewellery, bric-a-brac, cakes and pastries, sweets, homemade preserves; there will be charity stalls, wines, beers, snacks and lots more, said organiser Sonia Stephanou.

“Teas and coffees will also be served, the Zingers will be singing Christmas carols, there will be a ‘jukebox jive’ with DJ Dave and a dance team from Young Stars will be performing,” she said.

The night market will be floodlit and will be held in the large car park adjacent to the main coastal road which runs from Paphos to Coral Bay and in front of Revival fashion store and the Paphos Post newspaper office.

In addition, people who are filling shoe boxes with Christmas gifts for children as part of this years ‘Gift of Love’ campaign will be able to drop them off at the event, as Revival are an official collection point.

There are still a few places left for stall holders, who should contact organisers directly.

The Christmas Night Market on the Paphos to Coral Bay road, Thursday, December 8, from 5pm-9pm.

For further information call Sonia on 26 632 564.

A 23-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in connection with the theft of four hunting shotguns from a Paphos shooting club last week.

The theft was reported last week by a shooting club’s manager. According to the police, the man reported that between 6pm on October 22 and 7.30am on October 23, four hunting shotguns were stolen from the premises.

The 23-year-old was arrested after police collected evidence. Police said the suspect made a number of claims which are being investigated.

AS the summer season ends, efforts to increase tourism for the coming months are being ramped up in Paphos.

The head of the Paphos regional board of tourism, Nasos Hadjigeorgiou, said that along with other stakeholders such as hoteliers, they are accelerating efforts to promote the region until the beginning of April.

“This is the peak promotional period when most of the activities take place,” he told the Cyprus Mail.

With this in mind, from last week the tourism board have accommodated journalists from Denmark, Finland and the UK. They have also participated in a workshop in Ekaterinburg Russia, organised by the Cyprus Consulate there, and the CTO.

“We have also participated in a workshop with the association of Japanese travel agents in Nicosia and we have also hosted eleven British travel agents.”

All these actions were undertaken in just one week, which is usual for this time of year, said the tourism head.

“This week we are finalising our preparation for participation in the annual World Travel Market- WTM-Exhibition in London early November.”

Held from 7-9 November, the WTM, provides an opportunity for the global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business. The event, now in its 37th year and generates more than £2.5 billion of travel industry contracts.

“This is one of the biggest such event in the world, and a good opportunity. We will also soon complete the programme/action plan for the year 2017. Obviously the main highlight for us is the Culture Capital of Europe title and we are also hoping to target markets with good air links and prospects.”

These markets include Israel and France, he said.

Hadjigeorgiou said that overall it has been a good year for tourism in Cyprus and that Paphos has had its share of that success. Arrivals were up, he said, but stakeholders are still focusing on a goal to ease seasonality.

“It’s our main aim to expand the summer season,” he said.

Many other similar actions would be undertaken in the coming months, he said.

“They are very effective and part of a larger attempt in co-operation with hoteliers, the CTO and other stakeholders to increase tourism to Paphos as an all year long tourist destination.”

Paphos police confirmed on Saturday that they have been trying to capture a monkey that has been roaming the town centre the past week but so far they have had little success.

According to media reports, Paphos residents have been reporting the last four days that a monkey is out on the loose in the town’s neighbourhoods, wandering on the streets.

The monkey, which is reportedly more than one-metre tall, was seen in central areas of Paphos.

The head of the Animal Party Kyriacos Kyriacou told the Cyprus Mail that the owner of the monkey, contacted them on Saturday asking to help to capture him.

“The owner said that it is a male 15-year-old Green Monkey, which she had bought from a pet shop,” Kyriacou said.

Sigmalive reported that it had received a call from a Paphos resident on Friday claiming the monkey was in his neighbourhood.

“It is true, we have been receiving calls from people that the monkey was seen in Alexandroupoleos, Kinyras, Alexandrou Papagou streets, but it has been very hard to locate, as he moves from place to place,” a Paphos police officer told the Cyprus Mail.

He added that when they receive a call that the monkey was spotted in a house, or a neighbourhood, by the time officers get there, he is gone.

“Today we had a call from a man saying the monkey was on his veranda, and we asked him not to startle him until officers got there, but by the time they arrived, the monkey had jumped to a tree and vanished,” he said.

Kyriacou said that he is to go to Paphos on Sunday and would find a vet with a tranquiliser gun so that they could try to capture the monkey, with the help of his owner.

He added that if however, authorities ended up killing the monkey because he had bitten someone, its owner should bear responsibility.

Kyriacou referred to recent cases when dogs attacked and injured people and their owners had the dog euthanised.

“It is not the animals’ fault but of their owners. If the monkey is stressed out he might bite someone,” he said.

He said that that his party last month gave Agriculture Minister Nicos Kouyialis their suggestions as regards the ban of imports of exotic animals to the island, but that no progress has been made since.

A 35-year old woman from Greece reported on Saturday that she was raped last week by a 45-year-old compatriot and colleague of hers in their Paphos workplace.

According to the police, the 35-year-old, who lives permanently in Paphos, reported that the 45-year-old had pushed her last Saturday into the toilets of the restaurant they work in and raped her.

The incident reportedly occurred at 5pm when the two had gone to work to begin preparations before the arrival of customers.

Thousands of hunters took to the countryside early on Sunday as hunting season began.

According to Charalambos Pittokopitis, President of the Paphos Federation of Hunting and Wildlife, they expected around 10,000 people to turn out across the district to hunt for partridges and hares.

These would include hunters from other areas where drought has hit the number of partridges, he said. he also said there was an increased number of pigeons in the Paphos district this year, which made the area more attractive to hunters.

Pittokopitis told CNA the larger number of pigeons was due to better game management.

The hunting of hares and partridges is allowed every Sunday and Wednesday from October 30 to December 21 and on Mondays until December 26.

Pittokopitis urged hunters to be cautious and to follow the rules – including respect for people’s property – and to bear in mind there would be extra game fund and police patrols to monitor poaching.

In accordance with the law hunting is prohibited within a 500-metre radius of residential areas, a 200-metre radius from individual homes in the countryside and a 300-metre radius of military installations.

A man was remanded for three days by the Paphos court on Sunday after a female co-worker accused him of raping her in the toilets of the restaurant where they both worked.

The man, aged 45, is suspected of raping the woman, 38 who reported it to the police on Saturday. She said he had forced her into the toilets as they were preparing for the restaurant to open for the evening.

The case is expected, according to the police, to be completed by Wednesday when it will be decided whether or not to press charges.

The court agreed to the three-day remand for police to complete the investigation.

ARREST warrants were issued for two Paphos councillors who failed to appear before the Nicosia district court on Monday as part of an ongoing case against the entire council and the mayor, brought by the owner of a marble factory in the town.

According to one of the defendants, Andreas Chrysanthou, a Paphos councillor, the presiding judge issued arrest warrants for both Giorgos Shialis and Filaktis Constantinides, but due to an intervention by the defendants’ lawyer, she agreed to defer the execution of the warrants until January 16, when all of the defendants, are due to appear again.

“I believe that Mr. Shialis, who is a lawyer was appearing at the Paphos court with a client so could not appear in Nicosia, and Mr Constantinides is unwell,” he told the Cyprus Mail, adding that the judge took a ‘no nonsense’ approach.

Both of the councillors had also failed to attend the initial court action in June, when the entire Paphos council, along with the mayor, Phedonas Phedonos, were formally charged, on 29 counts relating to the destruction of a wall in Paphos. They pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

“The judge noted that she would only grant an allowance this once and that if the councillors failed to appear in January, the arrest warrants would be executed,” he said.

Chrysanthou noted that it took the defendants’ lawyers’ assurance that both would appear at court in January to secure inaction of the warrants.

As well as members of the council and the mayor, Paphos municipality and the contractor who undertook the work are also facing charges.

The legal action was brought by a local businessman, Polys Patatos, the owner of a Paphos marble factory which adjoins the Markideio Theatre in Paphos.

He alleges that the tearing down of a wall, which he says is part of his property, by the Paphos municipality as part of the upgrading works on the theatre and its outside space, is illegal and caused malicious damage. He also said the move put his employees at risk and that demolishing the wall has damaged equipment and his electricity supply.

The defendants are facing charges relating to trespassing onto a property with the intent to cause a crime, causing unlawful damage to property, and conspiracy of undertaking these actions. All the defendants each had to sign a €2,000 bail bond in June.

The case is part of a long-running battle between Patatos and the municipality concerning three pieces of Turkish Cypriot owned land which the businessman was using as part of his enterprise. In the past Patatos secured an injunction on two pieces of the land which prevented any action to be taken at the site by Paphos municipality, as part of the upgrading works. This was then cancelled, as the court found that the businessman was operating on the land without lawfully having the two plots ‘in his possession.’

However, the businessman also legally leases a third piece of Turkish Cypriot owned land, which is licensed by the ministry of the interior, and this is where the wall was situated.

The theatre works are part of massive upgrading project in Paphos ahead of the Capital of Culture 2017 title.

According the spokesman, the Markideio Theatre is also built on Turkish Cypriot land, but with permission, since around 1960.

A Green monkey continued to give Paphos’ authorities and residents the slip despite several attempts to catch it, after it was let out of its cage last week apparently during an attempt to steal it.

The grey-coloured primate was seen in Kato Pervolia on Monday, in the yard of a house, whose owner didn’t get there in time to capture it.

The previous day, 10-year-old Danny was seen wandering on Apostolou Pavlou and Agapinoros Avenues.

Eyewitnesses said they saw it cross the road on Agapinoros and headed towards Apostolou Pavlou where it climbed a tree.

Police officers arrived on the scene but failed to capture the animal.

The state veterinary services and the municipality have installed a cage with fruit inside under the tree hoping to entice the monkey.

The primate was apparently freed when someone tried to steal it from a cage outside the home of its owner last Wednesday.

She says she bought the monkey from a pet shop and has legally owned it for the past 10 years.

The owner suggested the monkey was frightened and that was why it was running.

Animal party chairman Kyriacos Kyriacou said they were helping the authorities in the chase. He told the Cyprus Mail that they provided a special net and advised the owner to be there when its spotted because it was scared and stressed.

However, Kyriacou censured the practice of keeping such animals in cages for years. He also questioned how it had arrived in Cyprus and whether the authorities knew about it or any other exotic creature for that matter.

The law on pet shops, designed to regulate such issues, was still pending in parliament, he said.

Danny the monkey continued to elude capture on Thursday, more than a week after it was let out of its cage in Paphos, apparently during an attempt to steal it.

On Thursday, the Green monkey was spotted and photographed by Cyprus Mail reader Carol at Eden Heights in Chlorakas.

The grey primate has been roaming Paphos since last Wednesday week,  freed when someone apparently tried to steal it from a cage outside the home of its owner.

The owner said she bought the monkey from a pet shop and has legally owned it for the past 10 years.

Police suspect a fire, which broke out early Thursday in a Paphos pub and was put out by neighbours was the result of financial differences.

The fire at the pub, which is situated in Agapinoros street and is owned by two men aged 34 and 36, damaged a pergola before being put under control.

The fire broke out at about 5.20am causing upheaval in the neighbourhood.

The perpetrators however, were not identified by neighbours and managed to escape from the rear of the building.

Paphos CID and fire service officers carrying out investigations at the scene determined the fire was set deliberately.  The perpetrators had doused the pergola in flammable liquid before setting it alight.

The damage was estimated to be about €300.

Police sources said they believed the fire had to do with financial differences the owners of the place have with a local man aged 55.

Ongoing upgrading works in Paphos old town are suffocating many businesses in the area but it’s well worth a trek through the melee of dug up roads to visit Palia Ilektriki as once you enter the courtyard all thoughts of the confusion outside dissipate.

This delightful venue is set in a secluded courtyard complete with a beautiful water feature.

Once home to Paphos’ electricity plant – hence the name – it has been renovated and modernised and contemporary surroundings are enhanced by a warm welcome from Vassos – the chef – and his wife, hostess Vasilia.

Mouth-watering and reasonably priced dishes on the Mediterranean menu are well executed and the experienced chef always uses fresh ingredients. However, Palia Ilektriki is also a haven to enjoy a coffee, a highball cocktail, a beer or a glass of wine with family and friends.

Open for drinks meals and snacks from 10am until around 2.30pm and from 6pm to 10.30pm every day except Sunday, a Cyprus coffee is priced at € 1.50 and a glass of wine at €3. A good selection of wine from local wineries, such as Vasilikon and Tsangarides, start at €12 a bottle.

It’s often the attention to detail that tells all about an establishment and that is apparent here. Savour a gin and tonic (Gordons) at €3.50, or a glass of fresh, crisp Vasilikon wine, €3, and you will be presented with a complimentary plate of olives, tomatoes and cheese to accompany your experience.

Both an outdoor and indoor seating area are comfortable and contemporary and wide umbrellas provide shade from the beating sun.

A curved water feature and outdoor plants enhance the paved courtyard which is lit up at night and machinery parts from the old electricity station are also displayed.

A visit here is relaxing and it has a solid client base of both local Cypriot and expat residents. As its tucked away off the beaten track, tourists that do manage to find it come back time and again.

This may be not be a venue with a view and may be difficult to find on an initial visit but it has a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere, warm and professional service and is a real gem for Paphos. Once found, Palia Ilektriki is never forgotten, it ticks all of the boxes and is one of the best venues the town has to offer.

Palia Ilektriki
Where: 8 Vladimerou Herakleous, Paphos
When: 10.30 am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 10.30pm every day except Sunday
Contact: 26 222157 or 99 452548
Price: glass of wine €3, Cyprus coffee €1.50, gin and tonic €3.50

Extended lifeguard hours, a move that was long overdue, may have been huge factor in saving the life of a 72-year-old Norwegian tourist earlier in the week in Paphos, officials say.

The tourist was saved from drowning on Wednesday due to the quick actions of a boat owner and lifeguards.

According to the head of Paphos beaches committee, Nicos Similides, the holidaymaker was swimming in front of the Olympic Lagoon Hotel in Paphos, when he lost consciousness. Luckily, a boat owner saw the man and took him ashore. He called for the help of the two lifeguards on duty at Sodap beach, which is close by.

The lifeguards administered first aid and the man regained consciousness before being rushed to hospital.

Similides said: “Most of the lifeguards have stopped work as the official end of the swimming season is October 31. The exceptions are at Bania and Sodap beaches.”

Lifeguards at Sodap recently saw their working hours extended from 5pm until 7pm and according to the head of the Cyprus Life Saving Federation, Polis Pallikaros, the beach is now supervised by lifeguards all year round.

Pallikaros said that this incident highlights the need for at least some beaches across the island being manned by lifeguards all year long.

“As it is now November and the end of the summer season most of the lifeguards have stopped work until the new season. There should at least be lifeguards on duty at a couple of the most popular beaches in all of the coastal towns all of the year,” he said.

He added that the government have to agree to extend the summer season and said that this year, after discussions with Interior Minister, Socratis Hasikos, the period for which lifeguards are on duty was increased and more were hired for high season.

“There need to be more changes though to increase their hours, months and number,” he stressed.

However, he added that it’s down to each municipality to ensure that they lodge a request with the ministry if they want to extend lifeguard working hours. “It’s down to them to take this step and it should be done now,” he said.

Similides added that this was the first time that lifeguards were stationed at Sodap beach after October 31 and they would remain there for as long as the weather holds.

Bania- the municipal baths- is the ‘exception to the exception’, he said, noting that it is the only beach in Cyprus which is ‘open’ all year long.

“There is a lifeguard there from 7am for the duration of the morning all year long and the municipality pays for this. We would like these hours to be extended though.”

Similides, who is only responsible for beaches within the Paphos municipality boundaries, said that these two beaches are adequate to cover the needs of winter tourism for the town, but noted that perhaps Coral Bay and a beach in Latsi should also be ‘open ‘ all year long.

He said that Paphos municipality had applied to the government to employ four extra lifeguard for the 2017 season.

“We will have to wait and see what they decide,” he said.

The same two lifeguards involved in the latest incident were congratulated for their swift actions back in July after they saved two men from possible drowning at SODAP beach late in the afternoon, just days after lifeguards saw their working hours extended from 5pm until 7pm after three drownings in the space of a week. One of which occurred just after the lifeguard had left for the day.

A 36-year-old Paphos man was remanded in custody for five days on Friday in connection with possession of 190 grammes of cannabis.

The man was arrested on Thursday after a search of his house found a joint and 20 grammes of cannabis.

Officers subsequently searched the suspect’s yard where they found a box containing 170 grammes of cannabis buried in the ground.

A 55-year-old Paphos resident was arrested Tuesday in connection with an ongoing investigation into a fire that broke out last week, damaging a pub.

An arrest warrant for the man had been pending after testimony implicating him in the case was secured.

Police suspect a fire, which broke out early last Thursday in a Paphos pub and was put out by neighbours was the result of financial differences.

The fire at the pub, which is situated in Agapinoros street and is owned by two men aged 34 and 36, damaged a pergola before being put under control.

The fire broke out at about 5.20am causing upheaval in the neighbourhood and damage estimated to be about €300.

The perpetrator however, was not identified by neighbours and managed to escape from the back of the building.

Paphos CID and fire service officers carrying out investigations at the scene determined the fire was set deliberately.  The perpetrator had doused the pergola in flammable liquid before setting it alight.

Police are continuing investigations.