DEFIANCE IN BARCELONA

The city of Barcelona made headlines last year; as the capital of the region of Catalonia it was the focus of political upheaval following a referendum calling for independence from Spain. However, last August the city was the scene of a terrorist attack in the heart of its most popular tourist thoroughfare, La Rambla. The resulting violence killed 14 people with many more suffering serious injuries.

I have visited Barcelona many times over the last 50 years and have a great affection for the city, so I was greatly affected by the tragic scenes on TV which had followed similar attacks in London.

London and Barcelona also have something more positive in common – the Ace Café. What started out as a transport caff on the North Circular has become a bit of a global franchise, with