Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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A21 TAXIS
OF TONBRIDGE
DREAM COME TRUE: (L-R) Tom Swift, Michael Fenton Stevens and Verity Rae Martin of Wicked Productions practise their flying skills at Jump In trampoline park ahead of this Christmas’s pantomime Peter Pan at EM Forster theatre. See page 4
New parking charges back business with pay and display on High Street By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk A RAFT of changes has been proposed by the borough council for parking charges next year, which are designed to help local retailers and businesses. Under the plans put forward by the Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board, short-stay and long-stay parking charges in Tonbridge will increase by 10p per hour. But there will be no increase to the 30-minute tariff, which is set at 70p, in order to ‘support local businesses’, and car parks will continue to be free of change on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Robert Styles, the board’s Director, said the level of increase reflects ‘the desire to support the economic sustainability of the town centre’.
The new charges are set to be implemented in April 2020 if they are approved by Cabinet. The last executive meeting had to be cancelled after the debate about the proposals went on too long.
‘A one-hour stay will rise from £1.30 to £1.40, while a four-hour period will go up from £3.80 to £4.20’ A one-hour stay will rise from £1.30 to £1.40, while a four-hour period will go up from £3.80 to £4.20; all-day parking increases from £5.90 to £6.70 – compared to £7.10 in the privately operated railway station car park. One notable change could be on-street pay and display parking
introduced in 18 existing bays at the northern end of the High Street and Lyons Crescent – on the same scale as short-term car parks – ‘to encourage more regular turnover’. The Board will also look at providing additional spaces in the Lower Castle Fields car park after a study found that occupancy is running at ‘at maximum and above’. In contrast, Sovereign Way East was found to be operating at reduced capacity and the long-term future of the site will be reviewed. There could be no more free parking for visitors to Gateway at the Castle ‘based on the constant abuse’ of the facility according to its manager. The
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West Kent College on ‘lockdown’ as man arrested for brandishing axe A MAN has been arrested after allegedly threatening a group of students with an axe outside West Kent College. The incident happened yesterday morning [Tuesday], when a man in a car was seen outside the gates of the college on Brook Street, Tonbridge, having an altercation with a group of students. The assailant is then said to have got out of the car brandishing what witnesses say was an axe. Nobody was hit or injured in the incident, which was reported to the police, and officers attended the scene. The man later handed himself in to police. A student who was at the scene told the Times: “West Kent was on lockdown this morning from around 9.45am until 11.30am. “A man had an axe on the ground. I’m not sure if it was a student or someone trying to hurt a student. She added: “Security went into panic mode, locking everyone in and not letting anyone else enter.” Police could not confirm whether the man was a student, parent or somebody else, but a spokesman said: “Kent Police was called at 9.25am on December, 3, 2019 to reports of a disturbance in a car park at West Kent College, Tonbridge. “It is alleged a man got out of a vehicle and threatened a person with a weapon, described as resembling a small axe.” He added: “Officers attended and a 31-year-old man presented himself to a police station. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and remains in custody.” West Kent issued a statement saying: “The incident was managed in accordance with the college procedures by the staff with the support of the police and no one was injured. “The matter is now being handled by the police.”
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Parking charges Continued from page 1 report notes that no other Gateway in Kent offers free spaces. Mr Styles pointed out: “It is important to note that the annual review of car parking charges in 2018 did not recommend any increases or other changes. “Consequently there has been no increase in any category of parking charges in the borough for the last two years and, for some tariffs such as Residential Preferential Permits, no increase for the last four years.”
Permits The recommendations of the report would generate a gross income of £336,000 a year before costs are deducted for new schemes – which are projected to be between £200,000 and £250,000. Peak-time season tickets around Sovereign Way and Lower Castle Fields could rise by £70 from £950 per year to £1,020 – in comparison to station car park which stands at £1,276; the off-peak ticket (4pm to 9am) would then go up £20 to £290. On-street business permits will also increase from £160 a year to £175. However, permits for carers will be cut in half, going down from £50 per annum to £25. Residential parking permits will increase from £40 to £45, with the introduction of a rising scale of charges based on the number of cars per household e.g. from £40 to £90 for a third vehicle. The board confirmed that concessionary parking will be put in place for the monthly Blood Transfusion Service in the Angel East car park.
TAKING CHARGE OF THE FUTURE The installation of electric charging points and other changes was described as a ‘key feature’ to support the council’s Climate Change Strategy. In July the full council approved a motion aiming for zero emissions by 2030, which called for the borough to become ‘one of the most welcoming places in the country for driving electric and hybrid vehicles’. The council is required to produce an action plan by next May, and the board noted that other local authorities such as Sevenoaks apply discounts to permits for electric and hybrid cars.
CONTACTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 DEPUTY EDITOR EILEEN LEAHY eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 REPORTER ANDY TONG andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk DESIGN/PRODUCTION LEE SMITH lsmith8@markerstudy.com SALES ENQUIRIES GHak@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 779650 FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timeslocalnews timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timeslocalnews
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CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS HERE at the Times of Tonbridge we strive to deliver fair, accurate and balanced reports. When we don’t meet our own high standards we will accept the responsibility and publish clarifications and corrections. If you would like to make a comment on any aspect of the newspaper, please write to the editor at David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TF, or email newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk Markerstudy Leisure is a trading name of One Media and Creative UK Limited registered in England and Wales under company number 5398960 with registered office at 45 Westerham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2QB.
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Tugendhat set to return as MP but Lib Dems look to make big gains THE Conservative candidate for Tonbridge & Malling, Tom Tugendhat, will be returned as MP with 63 per cent of the vote, according to an influential poll taken ahead of the General Election on December 12. The YouGov MRP Mega poll suggests that Mr Tugendhat’s nearest rival will be the Liberal Democrat candidate Richard Morris, who will take 18 per cent of the vote. Labour’s Dylan Jones is set to receive 14 per cent, while the Green Party candidate April Jones could pick up five per cent.
Upswing There is no Brexit Party candidate after Stephen Peddie decided to step down because he did not agree with his leader Nigel Farage’s policy to leave the EU without a deal. The four contenders will take part in the Hustings evening at Tonbridge Baptist Church on Darenth Avenue tomorrow [Thursday] from 7.30-9.30pm. They will answer ‘a broad range of questions’ submitted previously by the public and chosen at random. Entry is free and all are welcome to attend. The YouGov prediction means that Mr Tugendhat will see his support fall by just one per cent from the 64 per cent share of the vote he won in 2017. Mr Jones, who also ran for the seat two years ago, would see his support decrease by eight per cent on two years ago, while the LibDems would be boosted by an 11 per cent upswing. The Greens, who won two seats on the borough council in the local elections in May, would see a rise of just one per cent on their previous campaign. In Tunbridge Wells Greg Clark is expected to retain his seat with 51 per THE Conservative candidate for Tonbridge & Malling, Tom Tugendhat, will be returned as MP with 63 per cent of the vote, according to an influential poll taken ahead of the General Election on December 12. The YouGov MRP Mega poll suggests that Mr Tugendhat’s nearest rival will be the Liberal
Democrat candidate Richard Morris, who will take 18 per cent of the vote. Labour’s Dylan Jones is set to receive 14 per cent, while the Green Party candidate April Jones could pick up five per cent. There is no Brexit Party candidate after Stephen Peddie decided to step down because he did not agree with his leader Nigel Farage’s policy to leave the EU without a deal. The four contenders will take part in the Hustings evening at Tonbridge Baptist Church on Darenth Avenue tomorrow [Thursday] from 7.30-9.30pm. They will answer ‘a broad range of questions’ submitted previously by the public and chosen at random. Entry is free and all are welcome to attend. The YouGov prediction means that Mr
Tugendhat will see his support fall by just one per cent from the 64 per cent share of the vote he won in 2017. Mr Jones, who also ran for the seat two years ago, would see his support decrease by eight per cent on two years ago, while the LibDems would be boosted by an 11 per cent upswing. The Greens, who won two seats on the borough council in the local elections in May, would see a rise of just one per cent on their previous campaign. In the country as a whole, YouGov says Boris Johnson is heading for a majority of 68. The Tories will win 359 seats, with Labour down to 211, the SNP 43 and the Lib Dems 13. YouGov was the only pollster to forecast a hung Parliament two years ago. Its latest results are based on more than 100,000 interviews conducted over seven days.
ALTERED IMAGES: TOM TUGENDHAT’S POSTERS CONTINUE TO BE DEFACED THE electorate of Leybourne have once again been showing their imagination when it comes to the identity of their prospective local MP. In the General Election two years ago the villagers literally defaced Tom Tugendhat’s giant campaign poster on Castle Way, giving him a variety of alternative personalities. Mr Tugendhat tweeted last week: “Last election I ran as Tom Selkirk [sic], Mr T, Mrs T(hatcher), and any number of others thanks to friends in Leybourne. Well, the sign’s up... your call!!” Since then he has been replaced by two knights in Sir Bruce Forsyth and Sir Elton John, a
king, Elvis Presley, and a space ranger, Buzz Lightyear of Toy Story. Other incarnations have portrayed him as Peter Griffin in the cartoon Family Guy, and former footballer turned I’m a Celebrity... contender Ian Wright. Just yesterday (Tuesday) Mr Tugendhat’s official poster in Leybourne was altered. This time it was Dame Judi Dench’s face which was put up in place of the Conservative candidate for Tonbridge & Malling. FACE OFF: Tom Tugendhat’s campaign posters have been doctored by Leybourne residents
Peter Pan flies into town for the panto
Photo by David Bartholomew
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By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk NEVERLAND comes to the EM Forster theatre this year in the shape of Peter Pan with Wicked Productions’ fourth pantomime at the Tonbridge School venue. Last year’s run of Jack and the Beanstalk broke box office records and Wicked’s Tom Swift hopes to have audiences ‘hooked’ once again. Mr Swift plays Smee alongside fellow Wicked stalwart and TV legend Michael Fenton Stevens, aka Sea Dog Sally – and promises all the usual gags, wisecracks and routines. Joining the cast this year is Chris Ellison, well known as DCI Frank Burnside in The Bill, who plays Captain Hook, while David Young is Peter Pan, local talent Lauren Brindley plays Wendy and Verity Rae Martin is Tiger Lily. Kat Portman Smith of the EM Forster said: “We are delighted to be working with Tom Swift and Wicked Productions again to give our audiences a festive treat to remember. “Each year we see generations of families and friends returning, and new audiences coming along to enjoy Wicked’s brilliantly funny and magical family pantomimes. This year’s Peter Pan will be a cracker.” Mr Swift said: “We’re thrilled to be back at the EM Forster theatre for our fourth year with one of our favourite pantomimes. “We can’t wait to bring this hilarious production to the Tonbridge stage and we know after many re-writes of the script that it’s going to be our funniest yet. “With an amazingly talented cast, new songs and bags full of magic, Peter Pan is not to be missed.”
HOOK AND CROOK: Chris Ellison, AKA DCI Frank Burnside in The Bill, plays Captain Hook with David Young as Peter Pan
CHARITIES WILL BENEFIT… This year the two worthy causes that will benefit from bucket donations at the end of each performance are Sustain Foodbank and Taylor Made Dreams. Sustain is a community foodbank that helps individuals and families across Tonbridge who are experiencing financial difficulties. It is estimated that one in five people in the UK now suffer from what has become known as ‘food poverty’. The foodbank was set up at Tonbridge Baptist Church and provides on average 30 food parcels a week, along with personal hygiene and cleaning products, to those referred by care agencies. The money raised will go towards buying items that are needed at specific times of year
such as Christmas and the school summer holidays. The Baptist Church’s Pastoral Minister, Jon Knight, said: “Many of us will have had food available every day of our lives and it is hard to imagine what it must be like for a parent not to be able to feed his or her child enough, or even at all.” Taylor Made Dreams is a Crowboroughbased charity that enables children with life-limiting illnesses to fulfil their ‘bucket list’ of ambitions and spend quality time with their families. Founded by Suzi Mitchell, whose son Taylor passed away aged 15, it also sources and financially supports holistic therapy and counselling.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
NEWS IN BRIEF
Council proposes to change car park rates THE Council is proposing changes to a town centre car park including price increases for short term parking. Torrington Car Park, which is jointly run by the Council and rail company Southeastern, is to have improved lighting as well as a new system allowing motorists to park in any bay regardless of how they paid. The proposal, which is under consultation, will also see the cost of one hour and two hour parking tickets increased from 80p and £1.40 to £1.30 and £2.40, although there will be a £90 reduction on season tickets. The consultation is open until Sunday, December 8 and comments can be made through the Council’s website: tunbridgewells.gov.uk
New year rail fare rise COMMUTERS are to face a hike in the price of a season ticket as rail fares are set to rise on average 2.7 per cent in the New Year. From January 2, those wanting to get to London from Tunbridge Wells can expect to see their annual season ticket rise to nearly £5,000. The price of getting in and out of London will now cost commuters in the town around £4,921, up from £4,792. Commuters in Tonbridge will see a similar price rise with season tickets now costing around £4,481, up from £4,364.
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By Richard Williams MORE than 200 children in Tunbridge Wells could go without Christmas presents this year because of a current shortfall in donations to the Mayor’s Toy Appeal. Last year thousands of gifts were distributed to more than 500 youngsters in Tunbridge Wells, who may not otherwise have received one. It was the largest Mayor’s Toy Appeal since the campaign began in 1989, but this year organiser Karen Collins said more children than ever are at risk of going without this Christmas.
Desperate “Last year we distributed toys to around 520 children but this year we already have more than 550 on the list, that will rise and we have a shortage of toys,” she told the Times. In the scheme, residents are encouraged to buy toys for children and teenagers, which can be donated at various drop-off points around the town and borough. From there, Toy Appeal volunteers have in recent years taken them to their base in Camden Road for sorting before delivery. But Mrs Collins said that this rising number of children at risk of going without this year, means they are ‘desperate’ for more toys, especially for children aged nine and up. “At the moment with less than two weeks to go we are short of toys for more than 200 children and desperately need donations, Lego, LOLs, princesses and football related stuff are the main priorities,” she said. They are also desperate for toys for late
primary and secondary school aged children. That is the 9-17 year old age range for both boys and girls. She said gifts should not be used, soft toys, weapon-type toys or candles. “Children are given three major presents inside a sack, which is topped up with smaller stocking fillers,” explained Mrs Collins. Mayor James Scholes is fronting the campaign, which was officially launched last month following an anxious search for a new home for the charity. Due to the number of children the Mayor’s Toy Appeal aims to help, the charity outgrew its former home at the Big Yellow Self Storage in
PRESENTS CAN BE DONATED AT THE FOLLOWING VENUES: Big Yellow Self Storage Sainsbury’s Local, Mount Pleasant The Camden Centre, Market Square The Town Hall Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery Town & Country Housing Group (open mornings only) Sports Centre, St John’s Road Whirligig Toys, Mount Pleasant Road Pembury Library Southborough Library Alfie & Daisy (Cranbrook) Weald Information Centre (Cranbrook) Weald Sports Centre (Cranbrook) Barsley’s Department Store (Paddock Wood)
TOY STORY Karen Collins says more donations are needed
ANYONE facing Christmas Day alone in Tunbridge Wells is invited by St Augustine’s Catholic Church for a free meal. From 12.30pm on December 25 the homeless, aged and lonely are welcome. The meal is organised by the church but is held elsewhere. For further details call: 01892 522525
200mph bikers jailed
Choir supports radio THE Tonbridge Philomel Singers are holding their Christmas concert on December 7 at Higham Wood Methodist Church, in aid of Tunbridge Wells Hospital Radio. The choir meets for rehearsals on Wednesday afternoons during term time from 2-4 pm in the rehearsal room of Tonbridge Parish Church. They are available to give free concerts to groups and organisations, and welcome a donation to cover costs. For more information contact Julie Penn on 07753 459595 or visit philomelsingers. wixsite.com/website
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Shortage of gifts could see some children go without this Christmas
Christmas Day meal
THREE bikers caught pulling wheelies and speeding at nearly 200mph on the A21 through Tunbridge Wells have been sentenced to imprisonment. Police say video footage of the men shows them undertaking, pulling wheelies and speeding at 190mph in a 70mph zone in April this year. All three riders received prison sentences for dangerous driving with Bob Etttridge, 26, of Dartford, jailed for 10 months, Thomas Hayden, 26, of Greenwich, jailed for six months, and Matthew McLaven of Welling jailed for four months, but his term was suspended for 18 months. All three men were also disqualified from driving for at least two years.
NEWS
Town pays workers the highest wages in Kent By Robert Forrester WORKERS in Tunbridge Wells are paid the highest wages in the county, according to data from the Office of National Statistics [ONS]. The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings shows people who are employed in the town earn a median average yearly salary of £33,969, the most in Kent. In Tonbridge, workers there earn a little less at £31,883 per annum. While employees in Folkstone and Hythe attract the lowest average annual salary in the county at £25,213. The data means hourly pay in Tunbridge Wells is twice that of the National Living Wage, which is currently £8.21 an hour for the over 25s. Tunbridge Wells’ workers earn in theory an average of £17.42 an hour – or £653.25 a week. For those in Tonbridge & Malling, the average hourly rate is £16.35.
Even those in nearby affluent Sevenoaks do not earn as much as Tunbridge Wells’ workers, with the average hourly wage for people working in the neighbouring district at £15.20, which is £29,640 a year.
Entice A local recruitment specialist says the data shows that employers in Tunbridge Wells are now waking up to the fact they need to pay more to entice people away from London. Neil Simmons, Managing Director at
Rare Tunbridge Wells poster sells for twice its auction valuation A RARE pre-war poster advertising Tunbridge Wells as a tourist destination has doubled its estimate when it went under the hammer. The vintage travel art, designed by Kenneth Shoesmith for Southern Railway that depicts an artist’s impression of The Pantiles was expected to fetch between $700 and $1,000 [£550 - £775] when it went under the hammer in New York earier this month.
Collector However, Swann Galleries in New York, which was selling the 40x25 inch rare print as part of a sale of ‘rare and important travel posters’ said an un-named collector paid a total of $2,080 [£1,500] including auction fees when it was auctioned on November 14. Nicholas Lowry, President and Director of Vintage Posters at Swann Galleries said: “After twenty years of conducting auctions of rare and important travel posters it was validating to see the sale turn in the best results in the last three years.” He added that the sale, which saw some posters fetch more than $16,000 [£12,500], saw more than three quarters of the art sell. TN Recruits said: “Having recruited in Tunbridge Wells for the past 14 years, in my opinion Tunbridge Wells has had some catching up to do in recent years and it’s getting there. “Many salaries had been static for some time, particularly for support staff. The high employed/low unemployment situation we find ourselves in, means that local businesses, predominantly made up of SME’s [small to medium sized enterprises], are having to be more competitive to retain and attract good members of staff. “There is also the draw of the bright lights of London being only 50 minutes away on a train along with London-weighting salaries. “I think Tunbridge Wells’ employers are recognising London salaries have traditionally been so much higher but if we can pay a little more than we have been offering, maybe we can entice local people to work in Tunbridge Wells for a better overall work/life NEIL SIMMONS, TN balance.” RECRUITS
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Council to approve essential upgrades to Town Hall following failed theatre project ingress through the roof. ‘The report adds that failing to repair the buildings will see both buildings ‘continue to deteriorate resulting in potential failure of building fabric and service elements and resultant loss of facility’. In order to fund the £1.92million worth of repairs, the Council say they will have to borrow the money, which means they will be left with a £116,000 annual repayment bill, leaving a black hole that will have to be filled by cuts to services before the budget is finalised in the New Year. A spokesperson said: “The inclusion of the new capital schemes required to undertake initial work to the civic site properties will require external borrowing. “The revenue impact of external borrowing is estimated to be £116,000 per annum for 25 years and will require new savings or service changes to be identified prior to approval in February 2020.”
COSTLY REPAIRS The Town Hall and adjoining police station
By Richard Williams THE Cabinet at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is tomorrow [Thursday] being asked to approve nearly £2million in upgrades following the collapse of its £108million civic centre and theatre development. The Civic Site Initial Essential Works scheme is being presented to Cabinet tomorrow as part of the Council’s draft budget for 2020/2021. The scheme has been developed to patch up the ailing Town Hall, Assembly Hall Theatre and Great Hall Car Park, now that the Calverley Square has been shelved – wasting nearly £11million of taxpayers’ money spent on planning the project. The Council voted to abandon its theatre and civic centre development in October. The project
had been blamed for disastrous election results for the local Conservatives last May. Now the Council will have to find another £2million to keep the crumbling Assembly Hall and Town Hall functional while councillors work out what to do with them.
Patch According to the Capital Programme Application being given to Cabinet tomorrow, the Town Hall and Assembly Hall are both ‘in need of some large scale works’ as ‘patch repairs over the last 5 to 10 years are coming to the end of their serviceable life and large scale refurbishments are now required to the roof, the walls, rain water goods and the windows’. Both buildings are currently suffering ‘water
POLICE STATION NOT FOR SALE AS LONG AS ‘PCC REMAINS IN OFFICE’ KENT Police and Crime Commissioner has said the town’s police station will not be sold while he remains in office. The Council first approached Kent Police and Crime Commissioner [PCC] Matthew Scott about buying the station following his 2016 election win, as they felt it would be easier to sell the existing Town Hall and Assembly Hall Theatre if the police station was part of the mix if the theatre project had gone ahead. Opponents to Calverley Square also wanted to use the police station as part of a redesigned civic centre complex. But not wanting to get involved in the political in-fighting over Calverley Square, Matthew
Scott decided to withdraw the sale of the 1930s art deco Police Station. Now, speaking on the General Election campaign trail with fellow Conservative, Greg Clark, Mr Scott said the police station will no longer be considered for sale while he remains in office. He said: “Tunbridge Wells will retain its police station and for as long as I am PCC, Kent Police will not be leaving Tunbridge Wells town centre.” Mr Scott, who is standing for re-election in May, also said four more ‘dedicated, full time’ police officers will be added to Tunbridge Wells’ policing presence, and more officers will also be despatched to rural areas in the borough.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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FLOODING: Church Road in Paddock Wood under water
Southern Water to invest £3million in Paddock Wood By Richard Williams FOLLOWING years of underinvestment, Paddock Wood is to get a £3million upgrade to its sewerage and drainage network. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has earmarked the town in the north east of the borough for thousands of new homes in its draft Local Plan. The Town Council has formally objected to the plan, partly due to the lack of investment in in sewerage and drainage in the area. Around 1,000 homes have already been approved in Church Farm and Mascalls Court Farm, and there are concerns the ailing water system will not be able to cope with the additional demand.
Last month, before Parliament was dissolved, the MP for Tunbridge Wells, Greg Clark, called on the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Rebecca Pow, to hold the water company ‘to account’ if improvements were not made.
Accomodate Mr Clark highlighted Southern Water’s repeated failures within Paddock Wood, where he said flooding and soiled water were perennial issues in the town, and that if the water company could not sort those out, the area would be in no fit state to accommodate new homes.
Now Southern Water has said it is to announce its plans for a new sewer system in the town in the New Year. It is understood the £2.9million ‘comprehensive investment plan’ to upgrade the sewer system will include two new pumping stations and a new pipe network around the town. A spokesman for the water company said: “We’ll be presenting our plans to build a new sewer pipeline around Paddock Wood to the community in the New Year. “This is to cater for future housing growth of up to 1,000 homes and we estimate this work will cost around £3 million. “We’re currently working on the design after which we will be able to confirm our construction plans.” Greg Clark described the announcement as ‘great news’, adding: “It is a tremendous result not just for Paddock Wood but also for around the town.”
Businessman at centre of multi-million fraud investigation attempts to hide documents By Robert Forrester THE Tunbridge Wells businessman at the centre of a multi-million pound mini-bond scandal has taken administrators to court in an attempt to stop them from viewing his confidential documents, it has emerged. Simon Hume-Kendall, the former chairman of London Oil & Gas [LOG], the company that Eridge-based London Capital & Finance [LCF] lent the majority of its money to before collapsing and owing creditors £237million, is taking the administrators of both companies to court. Mr Hume-Kendall, who was also once the chairman of the local Conservative Association and who resides in a mews home off Pembury Road, filed an application for an injunction at the High Court in London last month. The aim of the injunction is to prevent administrators Smith & Williamson from viewing documents he claims are private. Smith & Williamson are attempting to get back the millions of pounds owed to more than 11,500
investors – many of them retirees – after LCF went bust earlier this year. The High court application is being made jointly by Mr Hume-Kendall’s wife, Helen, and says that the documents in question are ‘privileged’ as they relate to conversations with their lawyers.
Declined Smith & Williamson, who described multi-million pound transactions between LCF and Mr Hume-Kendall as ‘highly suspicious’ in their administrators report, have declined to comment on the application. Earlier in the year, the Serious Fraud
Office arrested four men in relation to the collapse of LCF. A fifth man was arrested in the summer. Nobody has yet been charged and the investigation is ongoing. As previously reported in the Times, Mr HumeKendall, along with former LCF boss Andy Thompson, Crowborough businessman Spencer Golding, and Elten Barker from Hadlow Down have all failed to cooperate with administrators. Mr HumeKendall has also declined to speak to the Times when we visited his mews home HELEN AND SIMON near Pembury. HUME-KENDALL
Drop in homeless means Winter Shelter not needed THERE are not enough homeless people in Tunbridge Wells to warrant opening the Churches Winter Shelter this year, organisers say. The initiative, made up of around 35 local churches, has traditionally provided emergency accommodation for rough sleepers during the winter months. But following dwindling numbers of homeless people in the borough, organisers have told church volunteers there is no need to open the shelters this year. Last year, only seven people were found to be sleeping on the streets of Tunbridge Wells during the night of the annual rough sleeper count, and
the Council says they have since rehomed more than 30 homeless people. While they admit a number of rough sleepers still remain in the town, they say these ‘are people who are do not want to accept help’.
Initiative Last year, the Council was issued with of a government grant to help launch its Rough Sleeper Initiative, which has been successful at re-homing people. The Council was also awrded a further grant this year of around £170,000.
Jane Lang from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s housing services, said: “The Council is fully committed to ending rough sleeping in our borough. “We work closely with partner organisations and volunteer groups such as Tunbridge Wells Churches, Porchlight and Look Ahead Care and support a number of different schemes to help rough sleepers find suitable accommodation. “In March 2018 we use grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to launch our Rough Sleeper Initiative project, aimed at working with some of our longer term rough sleepers.”
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Pub brings darts into the digital age By Richard Williams A SPORTS pub in Tunbridge Wells is revamping the traditional game of darts, thanks to two brothers from Crowborough. Cassidy’s in Castle Street is the first bar in Kent to install an interactive dartboard that brings the popular pub game into the 21st century. Manager Zoe Rolandsen says darts has been having a bit of a renaissance in recent years, with more people in the pub keen to play the game.
Brainchild “It used to be that young customers would come in because they wanted to play pool, but we noticed more people of that age group were requesting to play darts,” she said. She added that the sports bar, which has two resident darts teams, wanted to get away from the stale image that accompanied darts throughout the 70s and 80s. Ms Rolandsen said: “This is bringing darts into the digital age.
“You pay £10 for an hour or £15 at the weekend and you can have up to ten players and play a range of different types of games, not just regular darts, but just like at a bowling alley the machine does all the maths for you.” The system is the brainchild of Crowborough brothers Andy and Jonathan Powell of 501 Entertainment. Johnathan Powell told the Times that: “There has been a rising trend in the hospitality world lately for competitive experiences. “People love going out with friends and sharing their experiences on social media. “We have seen mini-golf experiences and other ideas, and we thought we could try this with darts. “You do not have to be a great darts player to play as there are all sorts of games built in for a range of skill levels.” He added: “We have 21 systems installed up and down the country, but we were keen to have one in our local area, so it is great Cassidy’s has installed one. “This is the first one in the area.”
DIGITAL DARTS Play the new interactive game at Cassidy’s
NEWS IN BRIEF
Mountain Warehouse to open in Calverley Road
Town’s TSB safe from bank’s restructuring
POPULAR outdoor clothing chain Mountain Warehouse will be opening of its newest store in Tunbridge Wells this week. Situated in Calverley Road, the 2,200 sq ft store is set over two floors and will be selling a range of value womenswear, menswear, kidswear and outdoor equipment. Mountain Warehouse founder Mark Neale said: “We are delighted to be opening our new Mountain Warehouse store in Tunbridge Wells this December, and excited to share our passion for adventure and great value outdoor gear for all the family with this wonderful town.” The chain currently has over 250 stores nationwide, and 350 stores globally, and serves over four million outdoor-loving customers a year.
THE Tunbridge Wells branch of the TSB will not be closing despite the banking chain announcing a restructuring strategy that will see it shut 82 branches across the country. Last week [November 25], TSB announced it was going to reshape its branch network in 2020, but would not divulge which branches would close until it had spoken to the affected staff. Around 370 roles across the country were expected to go, but the bank has confirmed that the Mount Pleasant Road branch will be unaffected by the changes.
Creaseys wins top rating TUNBRIDGE WELLS accountancy practice Creaseys has been awarded a rating from the latest good employer list. The annual Sunday Times Best Companies Index is based on ratings compiled from a survey sent to employees. Creaseys, who have offices on Mount Ephraim, were awarded a two-star rating, which the Sunday Times said was awarded to businesses ‘striving for the top in workplace engagement and displaying outstanding achievement’.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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Local News
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New Bentley pays a flying visit THE luxury car firm Bentley has been showing off its new model in Tunbridge Wells, several months before it officially goes on sale. Grange Bentley in Dowding Way were displaying the marque’s new iteration of the classic limousine last month. The 6.0 litre W12 Flying Spur, which is touring the UK prior to its release early next year, is expected to cost around £168,000.
Music Visitors who came to see the new model at the branch, which works closely with local charities such as Hospice in the Weald and lends cars to the charity Taylor Made Dreams, were treated to live music from band The Management and an exquisite array of food by Dorset Market Kitchen Co.
CLASS ACT: Staff at Grange Bentley’s local showroom were proud to welcome the new W12 Flying Spur
Another vape store opens as the e-cig industry continues to thrive By Richard Williams A NEW vape store has opened its doors in Tonbridge, joining the already burgeoning number of e-cigarette shops springing up in the town centres, demonstrating that not all retailers are struggling. VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer, opened their 145th store in Tonbridge High Street last month. The new e-cigarette shop joins at least ten others in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge, excluding the dozens of newsagents, petrol stations and other outlets that sell e-cigarettes and other vaping accessories. According to UK Vaping Industry Association [UKVIA], the sector is currently worth around £1billion, a figure they expect to rise ‘exponen-
tially’ as more people turn to vaping, which is promoted as a less harmful alternative to smoking. A spokesperson for the UKVIA said there are around 2,000 vaping outlets in UK, with 69 new stores opening up in high streets in the first six months of 2019 alone. E-cigarettes emit a vapour, often containing flavourings, and nicotine that can be used as a replacement for tobacco products. While there have been concerns about health risks attached for their use, Public Health England say that vaping is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes. VPZ Director Doug Mutter said: “At a time when many businesses are exiting high streets across the country, we are committed to creating jobs and investing in communities throughout the UK, like we are doing here in Tonbridge.”
He said that the new store brings around £80,000 investment to the town and has created five new positions. “Each new store opening helps us to achieve a greater reach, providing us with a platform to engage and educate even more smokers on the benefits of switching to vaping,” continued Mr Mutter. He added: “Vaping represents a huge public health opportunity and the market will continue to grow as increasing numbers of smokers recognise its effectiveness in helping people to quit smoking. “Consumer education is crucial, too, and our knowledgeable staff are always available with advice and support that helps to make it easy for smokers to make the switch and give up cigarettes once and for all.”
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
NEWS IN BRIEF
Estate agent backs foodbank appeal THE local branch of a national estate agent chain is lending a hand to Nourish foodbank this year. The new Director at the Tunbridge Wells branch of Winkworth, Natasha Firman, says the firm’s 55 offices across the country have launched an appeal this week for donations to local foodbanks. Ms Firman said: “At a time when there is so much uncertainty and ‘doom and gloom’, we felt we needed to give a bit more back to the community and help to generate some goodwill over the festive period. “We’re appealing for non-perishable food items and pieces of clothing and toys from both our clients, who are moving home and may no longer need some of these items, as well as the wider local community.” She added they were appealing to local clients, residents and employees for food items as well as warm clothing and toys. The offices will act as a drop-off point for the donations, which they will then deliver to local charities to help communities in need this Christmas. Anyone wishing to donate to Winkworth’s Christmas Foodbank Appeal should contact the Winkworth Tunbridge Wells team on 01892 519600 or email: twells@ Natasha winkworth. Firman co.uk
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Hospital sets up Kids Appeal to help fund vital equipment By Andy Tong TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL is holding its first ‘Kids Appeal’ Christmas campaign to fund lifesaving equipment for young patients and kit for the children’s wards. The campaign, being run by the Charitable Fund of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [MTW], aims to raise £30,000.
‘Local residents, schools and businesses are being asked to wear Christmas jumpers this Friday in exchange for a donation’ The money could be used to buy equipment such as a ‘Baby Pod’ to safely transport sick babies between the Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone hospitals and the Trust’s birth centres in Maidstone and Crowborough. Other options include cardiac Echo ultrasound probes and a cough assist machine, as well as toys and baby mobiles. Local residents, schools and businesses are being asked to wear Christmas jumpers this Friday [December 6] in exchange for a donation to the Kids Appeal. The fundraiser is being backed by the family of a teenage boy with a life-limiting condition who regularly visits Tunbridge Wells Hospital for treatment. Seventeen-year-old Sidney Blundell has con-
genital myotonic dystrophy, which causes progressive muscle weakness and significant breathing problems. He needs help to shift chest secretions and uses a cough assist machine. Now the hospital hopes to obtain one which can be used exclusively by children. A mouthpiece or traFULL SUPPORT cheostomy adaptor is Sidney Blundell with applied to the airway. his mother Emily As a child breathes in, the machine blows air into the lungs slowly. After a short pause, the machine quickly pulls the air out, along with any mucus, imitating the actions of a cough.
Support As the weather becomes colder over the winter, more children are admitted to hospital with respiratory-related illnesses. Sidney’s mother, Emily, from Sevenoaks, said: “Two years ago Sidney was hospitalised and spent six days on Hedgehog Ward, including Christmas Day. “He was so seriously ill that at one point we didn’t know whether he would pull through at
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
New skills for schools on Discovery Day
HELPING HANDS The team of volunteers from Fidelity International
all. It was a really hard time for the family. “But the professionalism and care of the team at Tunbridge Wells Hospital made it so much easier. We are urging local people to do what they can and support the appeal.” Tunbridge Wells Hospital provides a range of children’s services, including a dedicated children’s A&E and award-winning Neonatal Unit. Hedgehog Ward cares for children from birth to 16 within its 23-bed inpatient unit, while Woodlands Unit is an ambulatory and day-case ward with a further 15 beds. Donations can be made by texting MTWKIDS and the amount you wish to donate to 70085 or by visiting the following web page: justgiving.com/campaign/mtwkids
EIGHTY pupils with special needs from five different schools took part in this year’s Discovery Day at the Angel Centre in Tonbridge. The children were able to take part in a wide range of sporting activities, including cricket, arts & crafts, trampolining, judo, non-contact boxing, gymnastics, archery, boccia, yoga and Boxfit. Many of the activities were delivered by local clubs and coaches. The event was organised by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council in conjunction with its leisure partner, tmactive. Discovery Day was sponsored by Fidelity International, which also volunteered 18 members of staff to help run the day. Tonbridge Lions also supported the event and club member Keith Bourne was joined by the Deputy Mayor, Roger Roud, and his wife Pam. Cllr Roud said: “It was a great pleasure take part in this year’s Discovery Day and I would like to thank everyone who helped to make the event such a success. “Seeing the children having such an exciting time with such a great variety of activities to try was lovely. “We were impressed to see how the children wholeheartedly enjoyed learning and mastering new skills.” The children who attended the 2019 Discovery Day were from Longmead Primary School, Hugh Christie School, West Malling Primary School, Oakley School and Bower Grove School.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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PARENT POWER The team behind the big fundraiser
Skinners’ parents host Christmas Fair in bid to raise £25,000 for new library A CHRISTMAS FAIR to rival Salzburg’s finest is coming to Skinners’ School this Saturday [December 7] thanks to the organisation of Brenda Purse and the Parents’ Association [PA]. The event is the school’s biggest fundraising venture of the year and the PA has the ambitious goal of raising £25,000 to provide furniture for the new school library. This forms part of a new building, to be completed in June next year, which will allow the school to expand and accommodate more students. The Christmas Fair allows the St John’s Road grammar school to embrace the wider community in order to enjoy the festive season together in an ideal location close to the town centre. Described as a fair ‘like no other’, it offers more than 70 stalls filling every hall in the school, using its facilities to their full capacity; it runs
from 11am to 2pm. Brenda Purse, the PA’s new Chair, told the Times: “It will be like the Salzburg Christmas Market in the centre of Tunbridge Wells! “But it will be even better as we will have a BBQ, courtesy of dedicated Skinners’ parents, making the best burgers this side of the Atlantic.
Challenge “It doesn’t get better than that!” She added: “Our determination and commitment as a team has enabled us to organise a very special fair that is not only hoping to raise funds to furnish the new library, but to make The Skinners’ School a central part of the local community.” Raffle prizes include an Apple iPad with an Apple Pencil and a Megaboom Wireless Speaker, along with a host of exciting experiences
donated by local companies. These include a family portrait session with professional photographer Paul Barsby, eight personal training sessions at TWPT, and tickets to the sell-out show Disney on Ice at the O2 Arena. The PA is also taking pre-orders for high-quality, sustainably-sourced Nordman Non-Drop Christmas trees from Scotland and Norway, which will be available alongside a wide variety of Christmas products. These include Skinners’ branded Christmas puddings, sourced from the same suppliers used by Selfridges and Harrods, printed with the school crest. There will also be a chance to play Last Man Standing, a massive 30ft x 30ft inflatable challenge with a Top Gear-style leaderboard and an Apple iPad donated by the main sponsor, Andrews Property Group, for the winner.
Instructors and students hit the road for Children in Need relay START YOUR ENGINES The convoy leaves Tunbridge Wells
A LOCAL driving instructor and his family took to the road in convoy when they joined the Big Learner Relay to help raise money for Children in Need. This event, now in its sixth year, features instructors and their pupils covering a succession of short distances across the United Kingdom. Overall it lasted 17 days, during which the drivers travelled over 3,000 miles, passing on a special Pudsey ‘top box’ – the fixture found on top of learner cars – from one vehicle to the next. This year’s marathon effort had a space theme in celebration of the
50th anniversary of the first Moon landing, and ended at the National Space Centre in Leicester on November 15. Two days before, David Johnson of Skills4Driving in Southborough took part in the leg from Sevenoaks to Tunbridge Wells, then swapped the Pudsey box on to his own car. He was then in the lead car with his student Sara for the section from The Hand & Sceptre to the next destination in East Grinstead. David’s son Marc drove another of the school’s vehicles with his mother Suzanne, brother Jack and girlfriend Grace.
The Johnsons’ daughter Katrina and her partner Sam were also part of the convoy, along with other supporters. David said: “It was great to be involved in this event. The community of driving instructors is very inclusive and it was good to work together to raise money for such a worthy cause.” The Skills4Driving crew ran a ‘sponsor a spot’ campaign – with the car covered in brightly coloured stickers. Around 190 instructors and learners took part nationwide, and overall the journey raised £47,240 for Children in Need.
Community News
NEWS
A new chapter in a long history Heathervale House Thomson Snell & Passmore’s head office has moved to new premises. Our new address is: Heathervale House 2-4 Vale Avenue Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1DJ
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
NEWS IN BRIEF
UK students lagging behind counterparts STUDENTS in the UK are continuing to lag behind their peers from tiny European countries such as Estonia and Finland when it comes to maths, reading and science, a study of global education trends has suggested. Asian nations, including Singapore and Hong Kong, continue to dominate the latest triennial Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) report, a survey of 15-year-old students from around the world.
Tragic parking blunder AN 82-YEAR-OLD woman who inadvertently caused the death of her lifelong friend in a ‘tragic’ parking blunder has been handed a community order. Patricia Tulip admitted causing death by careless driving after hitting her 80-yearold friend when she pressed the accelerator instead of the brake while parking. Grandmother-of-six Joyce Nainby was hit by the car door and died ten days after the incident on September 18, 201. Judge Amanda Rippon at Newcastle Crown Court told Tulip she will have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and banned her from driving for three years.
Ferret throwing arrest A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after throwing a pair of ferrets at a vehicle in Harrogate. The 25-year-old was also reported to have used a ferret box to damage a number of cars. North Yorkshire Police said the ferrets are now in the care of the RSPCA.
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Trump insists US wants ‘nothing to do with’ NHS
NATO MEETING President Trump with General Stoltrnberg PRESIDENT Trump has insisted America wants ‘nothing to do with’ the NHS amid claims that the health service could be used as a bargaining chip in post-Brexit trade talks. The US president, speaking in London at the start of the Nato summit, claimed he would ‘stay out’ of the General Election campaign because he does not want to ‘complicate it’.
Reassurances But Mr Trump went on to describe Boris Johnson as ‘very capable’ and said he would be meeting the Prime Minister during the course of his visit to the UK. In a breakfast meeting with Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the US ambassador’s residence in London, Mr Trump was asked if the NHS should be on the table in trade talks. He replied: “No, not at all, I have nothing to do with it. Never even thought about it, honestly.”
National News
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Tributes are paid to 12-year-old Harley EMOTIONAL tributes have been paid to a Harley Watson, a 12-year-old boy who was mowed down as he left school with his friends in what police believe was a deliberate hit-and-run crash. The pupil suffered fatal injuries after a car hurtled into a crowd of youngsters outside Debden Park High School in Loughton, Essex, on Monday afternoon. Two 15-year-old boys, a 13-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy and a 23-yearold woman were also injured, Essex Police said. A 51-year-old man remains in police custody on suspicion of murder, six counts of attempted murder and one of causing death by dangerous driving.
Serious The president added: “I don’t even know where that rumour started. We have absolutely nothing to do with it and we wouldn’t want to if you handed it to us on a silver platter, we want nothing to do with it.” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn published a letter to Mr Trump on Monday night in which he asked for ‘reassurances’ that US negotiators would not look to push up UK medicine prices by seeking access to the NHS for major American pharmaceutical companies. His party has repeatedly claimed that the health service is ‘on the table’ in a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Mr Trump said he could ‘work with anybody’ when asked whether he could work with Mr Corbyn as prime minister, though earlier said he thought Mr Johnson would do a ‘good job’. Leaders including Mr Trump and Mr Corbyn gathered for a reception at Buckingham Palace last night.
He is also accused of six offences of causing serious injury by driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and driving without insurance. The arrest came after detectives appealed to find Loughton man Terry Glover over the incident. The Rector of Loughton, Reverend Chris Davies, spent the morning at the school where Harley was a pupil, a church spokesman confirmed. It came as tearful parents and pupils laid floral bouquets near the entrance to the school. One, from a friend named Edith, said: “Dear Harley, I will miss you so much! Forever be in our hearts. Fly high.”
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William watches military parade on final day of Royal Kuwait tour
THE DUKE of Cambridge watched British troops and their Kuwaiti counterparts storm a building during a dramatic military exercise as his tour of the Middle East country ended. William was an observer as the soldiers threw stun grenades into the premises which echoed to the sound of gunfire, albeit blanks, as they ran inside to confront the enemy. Wearing protective glasses and ear defenders,
the duke had a ringside seat for Exercise Desert Warrior – a type of exercise which would have been familiar to him, as he trained to be an Army officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Under the exercise, British troops train alongside Kuwaitis twice a year for four weeks, in a defence and security collaboration that can trace its origins back to the Treaty of Friendship signed between Kuwait and the UK in 1899. Major Ben Smyth, commander of Malta Company, 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment, hosted William’s visit to the Sheikh Salem Al-Ali National Guard Camp in northern Kuwait. Maj Smyth, whose men are midway through the exercise, said: “As I explained to the duke, defence forms the cornerstone of the UK-Kuwaiti relationship and this is a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate the UK’s enduring commitment to Kuwait. “I explained to him at a company level our key outcome was wanting to improve that relationship and particularly build relations at a personal level. Defence is a small place and you can bump into each other again and again.”
Elon Musk faces defamation trial BILLIONAIRE Elon Musk went on trial yesterday [Tuesday] for his troublesome tweets in a defamation case pitting the entrepreneur against a British diver he allegedly branded a paedophile. The Tesla CEO is expected to be called to testify early in the case in Los Angeles federal court to explain what he meant when he called Vernon Unsworth – who helped rescue youth soccer players trapped underwater in a Thailand cave – ‘pedo guy’ in a Twitter spat more than a year ago. Mr Musk had apologised for lashing out at Mr Unsworth on Twitter after the diver belittled Mr Musk’s efforts to build a tiny submarine to save the trapped boys as a ‘PR stunt’. The tweet, widely interpreted as a reference to a paedophile, was removed by Mr Musk, who disputed that’s what he meant. “’Pedo guy’ was a common insult used in South Africa when I was growing up,” Musk said in a court declaration. “It is synonymous with
‘creepy old man’ and is used to insult a person’s appearance and demeanour.” Mr Unsworth’s lawyers have laughed off that explanation and said his claim was undercut by a subsequent tweet when he said, ‘Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true’, in response to a question about whether he had accused Mr Unsworth of being a paedophile. The lawyers also said he hired private investigators to dig up evidence Mr Unsworth was a child molester, which they never found, according to Mr Unsworth’s lawyers. The cave drama played out for more than two weeks in the summer of 2018 when the 12 boys ages 11-16 - and their soccer coach were trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand. The defence has resisted efforts to turn over financial records to show Mr Musk’s wealth but has stipulated his net worth exceeds $20billion [£10.57billion].
WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF
Mugabe leaves $10million estate FORMER Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe left 10 million US dollars [£7.7million] and several houses when he died in September, according to the official list of assets. Some in Zimbabwe view that estate as far too modest for the man who ruled for 37 years and was accused by critics of accumulating vast riches and presiding over grand corruption. The report by the state-run Herald newspaper yesterday [Tuesday] does not mention any overseas assets, though it is thought that Mr Mugabe had properties in neighbouring South Africa and in Asia. The report added that there appears to be no will and says Mr Mugabe’s wife, Grace, and children will inherit the property in that case.
Typhoon hits A POWERFUL typhoon left at least four dead as it blew across the Philippines yesterday. Typhoon Kammuri slammed ashore overnight in an eastern
province, damaging houses and an airport and knocking out power after tens of thousands of people fled for safer ground. The typhoon blew into Gubat town in Sorsogon province before midnight, then barrelled westwards through Quezon province, ripping off roofs, knocking out power and flooding low-lying villages. It had maximum sustained winds of 96mph [155kph] and gusts of up to 146mph [235kph] as it headed towards a cluster of island provinces and coastal regions south of Manila.
Finnish PM quits FINLAND’S prime minister has said he is resigning after a key coalition partner withdrew its support from his cabinet. Antti Rinne, who took office in June, has faced heavy criticism in recent days over how he dealt with the state-owned postal service whose workers went on strike for two weeks in November. Yesterday’s announcement prompted the formal resignation of the cabinet made up of Mr Rinne’s Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party, the Greens, the
Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland. Parliament will decide on a new prime minister next week.
Greta in Lisbon CLIMATE activist Greta Thunberg has arrived by yacht in the port of Lisbon after a three-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from the US. The Swedish teenager arrived in the port of the Portuguese capital on Tuesday, before heading to neighbouring Spain to attend the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid. Greta hitched a renewableenergy ride from the US, joining an Australian family on their 48ft catamaran.
French retaliation France has threatened a ‘strong riposte’ if the US follows through on 100 per cent tariffs on cheese and champagne. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called the move ‘unacceptable’ after US Trade Representatives proposed the 2.4billion dollars worth of tariffs in retaliation for a French tax on tech giants such as Google.
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The construction industry hits sixyear slowdown
No tears for Boohoo after it sees record Black Friday
BRITAIN’S builders have suffered the longest run of declining new orders for six years as Brexit and election uncertainty keep the sector firmly in contraction, according to new figures. The closely-watched Markit/CIPS UK construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed the volume of new work fell for the eighth month in a row in November – marking the longest phase of decline since 2013. It signalled activity overall in the sector contracted once again last month.
ONLINE fashion giant Boohoo has hailed ‘strong’ sales since the end of August as the UK retailer said it benefited from a record performance across the Black Friday weekend. The company said it is ‘comfortably in line’ with forecasts for the rest of the year, having posted a 43 per cent jump in revenues in the six months to August 31. It added that its recently acquired brands – Karen Millen, Coast and MissPap – have all been ‘successfully integrated’ onto its platform. Boohoo said that initial ranges for the brands have been ‘very well received’ as it will continue to broaden its product ranges as part of its growth strategy. Boohoo purchased the Karen Millen and Coast brands out of administration in August, launching them online in October after administrators closed their 32 retail stores.
Cautioned The PMI recorded a reading of 45.3 for November, up from 44.2 in October. A reading above 50 indicates growth while one below that represents contraction. This was the slowest pace of decline since July, though the PMI reading has shown output falling for seven consecutive months now. Economists cautioned the sector’s performance fuels fears over a difficult final quarter for the wider economy. Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said a 0.2 per cent rise in GDP in the fourth quarter was looking ‘optimistic’.
It has also previously hailed ‘rapid’ sales for the MissPap brand it purchased in March. The fashion business also said yesterday [Tuesday] that both of its warehouses have had a strong operational performance as they gear for the busy Christmas period. Analysts at Liberum said: “That Boohoo has had a record Black Friday is not, in itself, unexpected for a growth company. “However it is pleasing given discounts this year were typically a blanket 30 per cent off for the Boohoo brand rather than last year’s ‘up to 60 per cent off’.” The online retailer has seen its shares lift higher in 2019, recently taking its market value past rival Asos for the first time, on the back of continued rapid growth across its brands. Boohoo also posted an 83 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £45.2million when it reported its first half profits in September.
UPS strike to hit Argos at Christmas ARGOS customers could face more than a fortnight of disruption over Christmas after staff at one of the retailer’s distribution centres voted to strike in a long-running pay row. UPS workers at Argos’s distribution site in Barton, Staffordshire, voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action after a 10-month dispute over pay, the Unite union said. Shunter and HGV drivers at the site have agreed to stage 16 days of strike action from December 16 after the union said a pay claim from March had been “continually disregarded”.
Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said its members have been “treated with contempt” in the dispute, and those working on the site voted 90% in favour of a strike, which will start on December 16 and run until 5.59pm on December 31. UPS said it will put contingency plans in place to “minimise disruption” but is hopeful that an agreement can be reached with frustrated staff. Unite said its members have been waiting for an offer from delivery giant UPS in response to their pay claim since March.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
NEWS IN BRIEF
Cineworld pins hopes on a Star Wars bounce BOSSES at Cineworld are hoping the final instalment of the Star Wars saga, due out later this month, will help the cinema chain see out a tough year for the sector. The weak year means Cineworld is expected to trade below expectations for the year, bosses have admitted. Cineworld, which also owns the Picturehouse brand, added that total sales in the 11 months to December 1 were down 9.7 per cent, including a 13.9 per cent fall at the US box office and 12.7 per cent drop in the UK and Ireland.
Ferguson split closer PLUMBING giant Ferguson has said the demerger of its UK arm Wolseley is firmly on track as the company posted higher profits in the first quarter. The company reported a 9 per cent jump in profit to 451million US dollars [£347million]. The UK Wolseley business – which it said it will be completely demerged next year – saw sales drop 2.2per cent to 541million dollars [£416million]. In September, Ferguson announced plans to split off the UK operations.
Foreign asset figures BRITISH companies have been selling their foreign assets at the fastest rate since the start of the century. The number of outward disposals, where British companies sell off a majority stake in a foreign subsidiary, hit 23 over the third quarter of 2019, data from the Office for National Statistics has showed.
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Letters
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
And another thing… This is the page where you, the reader, have your chance to express your views or comments on what’s going on in our part of the world. We like to hear from you. You can email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk or write to the Editor, Times Local News, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG
Helping to stop plastic usage in our town will be a real victory SHOWING BOTTLE Reducing plastic use can only be achieved together
As I reflect on what was a Liberal Democrat landslide at the Culverden Ward by-election, I wonder what winning actually is. You can’t deny that their campaign was a targeted, well-oiled machine, but their use of the headline: ‘It’s Lib Dem or Conservative here today’ on their polling day literature scared some voters – those who vehemently did not want another Conservative on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – into voting for them, when only last May they had voted for the Women’s Equality Party. This is not sour grapes – I congratulate Justine Rutland for getting a position on the council and I am campaigning for Ben Chapelard, the Lib Dem candidate in this month’s General Election. My thoughts are wider than party politics. In 2017-18, I won the London League in my category for my sport, cyclo-cross, but in 2018-19 I didn’t do so well. During that time, however, I’d been
Leaflets sending wrong message The Lib Dems have been sending far too many leaflets through to houses in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas in advance of the General Election. We have had more than ten, and that is ridiculous because most state the same things. And indeed one of the points they mention is about tackling environmental issues and climate change, and so the contradiction is that this would be helped if they reduced the amount of leaflets, etc. The majority of voters will not be persuaded by a bombardment of paper through their doors. Mark Williams Tunbridge Wells
Refusing to do the job properly Another week, another mess! This week, the collection in my area was refuse and food waste. Amazingly, they arrived on the due date, but the dustmen collected both the food waste bags and the refuse and threw them into the same compartment. Most of my neighbours place even the refuse in bags, so all the dustmen need do is gather the bags, rather than drag bins around. However, they just throw the bags from afar, and so I witnessed one hit the top of the dustcart, burst open and all the stuff went across the road. No attempt to collect.
able to support and encourage other women to join my sport, so I felt very much like a winner. When we define our actions by what is needed to achieve a single objective, regardless of the consequences for others, we can quickly find that we fall short of both our own values and how we would like to be seen by others. For example, we all now see that the world is over-reliant on single-use plastic. The rules of convenience and minimising costs, but ignoring environmental impacts, have led us to this hollow victory. Personally, I have set up a project to reduce Tunbridge Wells’ reliance on single-use plastic, but this is something that we can only achieve together, and so I’m asking people to join the Plastic Free Tunbridge Wells community. We are on Facebook and Instagram @plasticfreetunbridgewells Liz Orr Women’s Equality Party Last week it was the recycling; they arrived a day late but did not collect used batteries as suggested. When asked why no collection, the dustmen gave a baleful look and said it’s not part of their job. So we continue this fiasco. John Pearce Tunbridge Wells
Different perspective on history For the information of Colin Bullen [November 20], the EU has never claimed to have maintained world peace but merely to have prevented war between European states. Secondly, it was not the EU but NATO that interfered in the Balkans by attacking Serbia over Kosovo in 1998. Finally, Labour in 1945 did not gain 50 per cent of the popular vote, but only 47.7, and no single party government has ever won 50 per cent of the popular vote during the universal suffrage era, starting in 1928. Mr Bullen is playing fast and loose with facts in true Brexiter fashion. Brexit itself is spearheaded by ultra right-wingers who are devoid of any integrity between them, and whose previous foreign policy judgements do not, to say the least, inspire confidence – e.g. support for the Iraq war in 2003 and for the Libyan intervention in 2011. James Robertson Pembury
Student voters frustrating locals It is surely an offence against democracy to allow students to vote in the constituency of study – miles from home, rather than their home town? This allows an itinerant population to frustrate the wishes of the permanent locals who are, in all but name, disenfranchised. Why can’t they use postal or proxy votes for their home constituencies? Bonkers! If I lived in Canterbury, I’d take to the barricades. Sam Goodenough Tunbridge Wells
The Barn digs deep for Lifeboats The Barn Pub and Restaurant in Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, recently took part in the RNLI’s annual Fish Supper Appeal with a week of fundraising activities linked to the campaign. General Managers Jan and Philippe Sorak and their dedicated staff arranged a week-long package of events, supported by Claire Cardwell, the RNLI’s Community Fundraising Manager for Kent and Sussex. Jan and Philippe put together a special threecourse Lifeboat menu with ten per cent of the proceeds from the total bill going to the charity. All the profits from jelly shots sold and £1 from each Lifeboat Cocktail also went to the RNLI, and the staff donated their tips for the week, which was extremely generous of them. The event raised a total of £857, a superb amount, so a huge thank you to everyone at The Barn for their wonderful support. The Fish Supper certificate was presented to Jan and Philippe by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Branch’s Chairman, Malcolm Poole. And the charity would also like to thank the public in Royal Victoria Place on November 23 when the collection raised £638.77 to help the RNLI save lives at sea. The RNLI receives no government help and, at a cost of around £180million annually nationwide to keep the lifeboats afloat, the generosity of the public in and around the Tunbridge Wells area is greatly appreciated. Thank you to all our dedicated collectors, too, without whom our collections could not take place. Joan Hamilton-Smith RNLI Royal Tunbridge Wells Branch
YOUR BIG CHANCE… …to let the world know what you would like to see happen in 2020. This New Year we will be publishing letters from readers on their hopes and dreams for the coming year. It can be something personal, political or humorous. It cannot be offensive. Contributions must not be longer than 200 words and must be submitted by Wednesday December 18, 2019. Bear in mind they will be published in the edition available from Tuesday December 31. See the top of this page for the email and postal addresses for your letters
Calverley
Observations on life and more important things
POWER companies often take a lot of stick, and Calverley is amongst the first to moan when the lights go out and the chilled beer starts to warm up in the fridge. Last week the electricity failed and the road outside the mansion had to be excavated. UK Power Networks could not have done a better job in putting things right. They kept people updated every hour and a young lady even knocked on the door offering free food and drinks along with heated gloves, emergency blankets and glow stick to light up a room. She was parked outside in a large van that provided Wi-Fi and a microwave. Most impressive. Calverley got a veggie curry to take away. (It was awful, but it’s the thought that counts.) The icing on the curry was the £75 compensation for power being out for 18 hours. You would not get that if Comrade Corbyn nationalised utilities. Roll on the next blackout.
TALKING of power supplies, here’s a thought. Every morning Calverley hears boasts from gym rats who have been racing for the rowing machines and treadmills to get in an hour of sweat before heading, some unwashed, to the office. What a waste of energy. Literally. Why not harness all that muscle and have the machines wired up so they drive generators and at least light up the gyms? Think wind turbines.
POSING for a family group picture at a big birthday bash the other day, Calverley was taken aback by a casual comment. The family was lined up in descending order with one of the young ladies, a new girlfriend, pondering on where she should stand. It was then a voice piped up: “Just find a place on the end of the line, Sarah, that way we can easily Photoshop you out if you and Andrew split up.” How cruel. Who would want to be a member of such a clan? For the record, it was not that ‘Andrew’, whose mum lives in the house at the end of The Mall.
FINAL thought: How come the year’s biggest sales stunt, Black Friday, can now last up to two weeks? Typical is Lakeland, where it ran from November 12 up to yesterday, December 3. Let’s do the same with Boxing Day. Chin Chin, dear reader
We do our best to publish letters in full. However, the Editor reserves the right to edit any letter. Please ensure that letters do not exceed 250 words
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
EDUCATION
Times
Schoolgirls release first Christmas CD
A group of schoolgirl singers from Kent are aiming high in the Christmas charts as their first festive CD goes on sale. The Benenden Chapel Choir, comprising 36 pupils from the famous independent school, saw their album, Make We Merry, hit the shelves on Friday IN TUNE WITH THE SEASON The Benenden Chapel Choir
THE first Christmas recording by The Benenden Chapel Choir features the singers performing original carols by three of the most highly-regarded contemporary choral composers – David Bednall, Bob Chilcott and Sarah Quartel. The album also features some of the foremost young instrumentalists on the UK scene – London Metropolitan Brass, who trained at the Royal Academy of Music, cellist Rebecca McNaught, and percussionist Kizzy Brooks. Poppy Worlidge, 17, a member of the choir who performs on the CD, said: “The opportunity to capture the magic of our choir in a medium that will outlast our Benenden careers is very special and such an honour.” Clemmie Simpkin, 15, another member of the choir, said: “Not many teenagers get an opportunity to have a copy of their own performance on CD for general release. “We have been waiting for a long time for the final edit and we’re incredibly excited! “Who knows – perhaps it might even be a Christmas Number One album!”
Acclaim If Make We Merry reaching the top spot is unlikely – after all, it faces stiff competition from the likes of Rod Stewart, Children in Need, Robbie Williams, Mariah Carey and the Frozen 2 soundtrack – the choir certainly has a background of success. Its first commercial CD, of David Bednall’s Stabat Mater in 2016, earned critical acclaim,
including an Editor’s Choice award from Gramophone, coverage on BBC Radio 3, and a fivestar review from Choir and Organ magazine. Edward Whiting, Director of Music at Benenden, said: “The response to the first CD was excellent, and if
‘It will be the perfect soundtrack to my family Christmas’ we can get anywhere near that reaction again then we will be delighted. “This is very much the second album we wanted to make. In many ways it’s more accessible than Stabat Mater – it’s more upbeat, involves more instruments, and we think it’s great fun. We hope the listening public agree!” The album was recorded over four days in March in two locations – Tonbridge School’s Chapel and St Dunstan’s Church in Cranbrook – to suit the styles of the different pieces. Headmistress Samantha Price said: “We are incredibly proud of the girls; they have put an enormous amount of work into this CD and they have inspired the younger girls to follow their example in years to come. “It will be the perfect soundtrack to my family Christmas, and I hope to the celebrations of many other families.”
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Weekly Comment
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019 During the General Election we are publishing political columns by all parliamentary candidates for Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge & Malling
Tom Tugendhat Conservative candidate for Tonbridge & Malling
Tom Tugendhat, MBE, left the British Army in July 2013 after a career in which he served on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and as the military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff. As a Territorial Army officer, he worked on everything from those ops to establishing the Armed Forces Muslim Association, and also worked for the Foreign Office. He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015, and was elected Chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in July 2017.
Together we can deliver what our community needs THESE days I spend more time outdoors than normal. It’s not for the cold, but the conversations. I’ve knocked on thousands of doors and listened to people across our community. I’m grateful for the warmth I and those I’m campaigning with have received from so many in Tonbridge and the villages. Next week we go to the polls in a critical election, not just for our country, but for our community, too. We need a strong voice to represent our interests in Westminster and fight for the things that matter to us. We need someone who will put our country, and community, first. Over the past four years we have achieved many things together and I would like to carry on working to achieve change. We’re rightly proud of the exceptional schools in our town. Every time I visit them they get better and I’m pleased to have secured more funding for them in recent years. But they have challenges. Hadlow and West Kent College went through a period of mismanagement but, because of changes to the Educational Administration system, the interests of students came first. Consequently, they have stayed open as the fantastic centres of further education they are. I’m committed to seeing education go from strength to strength, serving everyone in our community.
Our town also boasts a castle alongside the Medway. Both have shaped our community since longboats beached under its walls. Tonbridge has relied on the river – in fact, we wouldn’t be here without it – but it needs careful management. Flooding has ruined homes and lives for centuries, but the Leigh Flood Storage Area protects everyone downstream and, with the improvements coming, more homes and businesses can be confident in the future. We’re also getting investment in our healthcare, school buses, and much more. The new medical centre in the middle of town will serve hundreds every day, and I know how many people rely on transport that gets them to college and home safely.
TOP PRIORITY Students had to come first at West Kent College
Stronger But our town is also international. So many businesses have connections around the world and we need a strong voice on the national stage, and in this increasingly complex world, someone who can influence international affairs, too. Britain’s foreign policy will change fundamentally, irrespective of who wins the next election, and we need to make sure it remembers communities like ours, not just the urban
Nigel Peacock Independent candidate for Tunbridge Wells
centres like London and Manchester. Chairing Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee since 2017 took me around the UK. I reached out to communities because foreign policy is about how we want to interact with the world. I’m committed to support British interests through our work internationally, promoting our rule of law and democracy, not to preach but to defend those values that make us all stronger.
When you go to the polls on Thursday, December 12, remember that you’re voting for someone to speak for you in Parliament and in our national debates, so please choose someone who wants to fight for you. I’m standing based on my record. Together, we can deliver what our community needs, and I want this to continue. It would be a privilege to have your support again.
Nigel Peacock is semi-retired and manages a YouTube channel for an American company. Nigel has lived in Tunbridge Wells for approaching 30 years, and has run his own businesses in the town. He has also been a radio broadcaster on and off since his teens.
Free of party politics I can concentrate on what’s important VOTERS I have spoken to in recent days are not only fed up with the three main parties, but angry. Their anger is directed towards the unseemly antics this year both at Westminster and with our local borough council. Voters are demanding that changes. Independents, by our nature, are not required to follow manifestos written by someone else and with which they often disagree. As your independent MP for Tunbridge Wells, I will concentrate on what’s important for our constituency and the country, free from the shackles of party politics. The beauty of not being tied to a party whip, where I would be ordered to vote this way or that, is as an independent I will be able to vote for the benefit of our Tunbridge Wells constituency. Sometimes that vote would be with the government, at other times against. How refreshing! Our Towns The Tunbridge Wells constituency covers an area stretching from Bidborough in the north-west, to Hawkhurst and Sandhurst in the south-east, plus Paddock Wood and smaller villages where you may live. Our smaller towns and villages are no less important than the centre. I will not ignore you.
A common complaint is that ‘there is nowhere to shop in Tunbridge Wells’, which is a misnomer, as there are hundreds of shops across the constituency. That said, there are too many empty shops and this needs to be addressed. As your MP, I will campaign for business rates to be significantly reduced, helping to revive shops and businesses in our towns. Car parking charges need to be reduced to encourage people to stop longer in the town and spend in our shops. Those of you with longer memories will recall that parking charges were introduced on a Sunday as an ‘experiment’. That experiment needs to be ended, with free Sunday parking restored. Business Brief I have run my own small businesses in Tunbridge Wells over the years and am a great supporter of micro-business. Your businesses, whether you own them or work for them, are the lifeline of our towns, and I will support your business at Westminster in the best way possible. The ‘B’ Word On the thorny subject of Brexit, I voted to leave and maintain that position. We need to recognise the result of the referendum of 2016
BRINGING SHOPS BACK Reducing business rates is a must
and not hold another one because some political parties didn’t see the answer they wanted. The Environment It may already be too late. Politicians everywhere think in five-year blocks of time, up to the next election. As your MP at Westminster, climate change would be one of the top items for me to work on, to reduce our reliance on fossil
fuels and halt CO2 increases. Planting trees is seen by some as the solution. However, trees won’t have a major effect until they mature. In the meantime, we must work to reduce CO2 emissions. Election Day For real change at Westminster, please lend me your vote next week. Thank you.
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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Right royal beauty A mansion visited by The Queen Mother Page 24
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IT’S OPEN HOUSE AT HOLLYFIELDS
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A RUSTIC RETREAT FIT FOR A LADY
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ELEGANCE IN THE TOWN’S ‘VILLAGE’
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Best property buys for...
Skeynes Park
We all love to see homes with the ‘wow’ factor – which could apply to the kitchen, reception room, garden, or something else. Sarah Bond homes in on specific aspects that make these properties well worth a look…
£2,975,000
The HALL...
Lingfield Road Edenbridge GUIDE PRICE
CONTACT • Savills, Sevenoaks • 01732 789700 • savills.co.uk A glorious Grade II-listed country mansion dating from 1840. Fascinatingly, the house has an extensive documented history, including previous occupants. One of them was The Hon Patrick Bowes-Lyon, who leased it in 1901 and was the uncle of the late Queen Mother. She is reputed to have visited Skeynes Park en route to the races at Lingfield. What a lovely stop… MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST
n Generous entrance hall with chequered marble tiled floor and an attractive staircase
n Drawing room with fireplace and French doors to garden
n Dining room with fireplace and French doors to garden
n Sitting room with outlook over courtyard n Library with fitted bookshelves and cupboards n Bespoke fitted kitchen/breakfast room with roof light, dresser cupboard and four-oven Aga
n Recreation room (formerly a barn) featuring a fireplace with wood-burning stove and vaulted ceiling with exposed timbers
n Sauna n Orangery n Master bedroom with en suite, dressing room, fireplaces and window seats
n 7 further bedrooms, one en suite, plus a family bathroom
n Indoor pool with electrically-opening roof and sliding doors to terrace
n Delightful gardens and grounds, including tennis court, kitchen garden, woodland, paddock, ponds and a lake
n Quarter of a mile drive and double garage n Planning permission for extra shower room n In total about 14.4 acres
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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The PRICE…
The POOL…
Broomfield Bells Yew Green GUIDE PRICE
£400,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk A modern end-of-terrace village house spread over three floors, close to Frant railway station.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST ■ Living/dining room with doors to garden ■ Fitted kitchen ■ Top floor master bedroom with en-suite shower room ■ 3 further bedrooms and a family bathroom ■ Garden with an area of deck, a level lawn, and a bin store
Forest Road
Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE
£1,000,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk A detached 1930s double-fronted home in an elevated position with views and a wonderful south-east facing garden with pool. MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST
■ Through reception room with brick chimney breast feature and doors to garden
■ Dining room with brick-built fireplace and doors to:
Hollyfields Hawkenbury Road Tunbridge Wells
OPEN HOUSE EVENT Sat Dec 7 10am-6pm
PRICES FROM
£550,000 CONTACT • Hollyfields Sales & Marketing Suite • 01892 888650 • hollyfields-hawkenbury.co.uk Berkeley Homes are holding an Open House event this Saturday, December 7, from 10am to 6pm, at their Hollyfields development, opposite Hawkenbury Recreation Ground.
■ Conservatory
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST
■ Through kitchen/breakfast room with leaded
■ Attendees will be able to explore a dressed three-bedroom home and see what life is like on the environmentally-friendly development
light windows and door to patio
■ Integral garage (not suitable for cars and now used as workshop/utility room)
■ Master bedroom with vanity basin and shower ■ 3 further bedrooms, two with vanity basins, plus a family bathroom
■ The house includes an open-plan kitchen/ dining area, a living room with traditional bay windows, and three double bedrooms, and has views across landscaped grounds
■ Swimming pool
■ Furniture pieces from the showhome collection are available for buyers to select for their own homes
■ Driveway providing parking for
■ Opportunities available through Help to Buy
■ Garden with patio, lawns and sheds
multiple cars
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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‘The original part of the house was built in 1485 when it formed two cottages, but it was purchased by opera singer Lady Elizabeth Campbell in the 1960s and turned into one substantial home’ (CURRENT OWNER)
A wonderful woodland cottage lying opposite an RSPB reserve AT A GLANCE BROADWATER LODGE BROADWATER FOREST LANE ERIDGE ■ A rural Grade II-listed detached character cottage with potential ■ One portion built in the 15th century ■ Attractive replacement timber casement windows ■ 4 reception rooms ■ Study ■ Traditionally-styled galley kitchen ■ 2 ground floor WCs, and a cellar ■ 5 bedrooms ■ 2 bathrooms ■ Beautiful gardens to four sides, including a paved courtyard and wooden garden chalet ■ 2 driveways providing parking for numerous vehicles ■ 2 detached garages with rooms over, one a double arranged in an L shape with two faux stables and a store ■ Set in around 5 acres, much of it woodland full of wildlife
OFFERS INVITED £1,250,000 CONTACT • Fine & Country, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 701900 • fineandcountry.com
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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AT A GLANCE GUILDFORD ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS n Arranged over three floors n No-through road close to Grove Park, Calverley Grounds, station, High Street and Claremont School n Period features include high ceilings, sash windows, exposed floorboards, picture rails, wood panel doors and fireplaces n Sitting room with bay window and bi-fold doors to: n Family room, open to: n Contemporary kitchen with bi-fold doors to garden n 5 bedrooms n 2 bath/shower rooms and WC n Spacious cellar n Networked Cat5e cabling for 1Gb multimedia streaming n Integrated speakers in kitchen and first floor bathroom n Enclosed courtyard garden
Stylish terraced townhouse perfectly placed for two parks and the station
GUIDE PRICE £930,000 CONTACT • Knight Frank, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 515035 • knightfrank.co.uk
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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MEET COMIC ADAM PRESTON
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GRIN AND BEAR IT Peter Pan’s cast in rehearsal
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Shaping up for a panto that’ll have you hooked
The Assembly Hall’s panto this year is Peter Pan. Launching its run on Saturday, December 7, the Times gets an exclusive preview of the cast in rehearsals… For 2019 The Assembly Hall will be putting on their production of Peter Pan. Starring Paul Bradley (Holby City’s Elliot Hope), Quinn Patrick (Tunbridge Wells favourite dame), Lloyd Warbey (Disney’s Art Attack), Sarah Jane Buckley (Hollyoaks), and Holly Atterton (Nick Junior’s Go Go Go) it promises to be a spectacular family show full of fun, fairy dust, flying stunts and pirates galore. Directed by the Assembly Hall’s JJ Almond and produced by Martin Dodd for UK Productions audiences will enjoy embarking upon a magical journey with Peter, Tiger Lily, Tinker Bell, the Lost
Boys – and Captain Hook as they set sail for Neverland… “Prepare for out-of-this-world flying effects, galleons of laughter and the hungriest of crocodiles,” says JJ Almond from his rehearsal studios where these exclusive pictures were taken. “Tunbridge Wells is guaranteed yet another year of spectacular sets, dazzling costumes and side-splitting comedy!” Peter Pan runs from Saturday December 7 to Sunday January 5 at the Assembly Hall. For further info visit assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
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A
Arts & Culture
DAM Preston’s day job working at The Trafalgar Way, a heritage organisation where he does content creation - and occasionally dresses up as a 19th Century naval officer to do ‘Horrible History’ style shows – is a bit of a contrast in terms of what he likes to get up to in his spare time: “I write comic novels and put on stand-up shows under the banner of my company Village Idiot Comedy,” he explains. Ten years ago Adam started performing standup on London’s open mic scene. “Typically you would get ten comics doing five minute sets, so I saw thousands of acts. I jotted down the names of good ones and started running my own nights. Some of the comics who came are now pretty famous - people like James Acaster and Sarah Pascoe.”
Brilliant
Just for laughs Ahead of the Village Idiot comedy night on December 6 its organiser Adam Preston tells Eileen Leahy why he decided to stage a series of stand up events to put a smile on the faces of local comedy fans in village halls
When he moved back to the local area word got out that Adam knew more than just a thing or two about stand-up. “I was asked to help organise a fundraiser for The Weekend@Brenchley event and that went so well we did another sell-out show the following year - with over three hundred people in a marquee.” Adam launched Village Idiot Comedy a short while later and now regularly does shows in East Peckham and Pembury as well as the original Brenchley show for which he gives 10% of the profit to charity. Adam’s also started organising the odd comedy corporate gig too all under the Village Idiot umbrella in local village halls. “Village halls are these under-used gems of venues and when you bring professional entertainment to them everything comes together,” says Adam. “With the Village Idiot bar, clever lighting, a full house, a brilliant comic - it soon starts to feel like the best little comedy club on earth. “I am very lucky to have a brilliant technician called Martin Eyre as professional sound and lighting are essential for a successful show. I also like doing the marquee events and next
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September we are going to really push the boat out in Brenchley - it’s going to be a proper pop-up comedy club. I’m also in talks with The Forum at the moment about doing something in late April 2020.” The most important thing, Adam adds, is the quality of the acts: “A good stand-up invites you into a unique comic universe. Presence, timing, the ability to improvise - all of these things come from lots of live performance. The acts I get are often just about to break through. At one of my first local shows we had Robert White who then came second on Britain’s Got Talent. Last year in Matfield we had Jessica Fostekew who has just done Live at the Apollo and is starting to appear on TV panel shows.” He goes on to say that as his need for acts expands Adam tends to get the comics to tell him which acts they love. “Trevor Loch recommended Joey Page for my last Brenchley show and he blew the roof off! I had a cancellation for the recent Pembury show and Tom Ward stepped in - and he was absolutely amazing.” So what’s in store for his December 6 show in East Peckham? “We’ve got the hilarious Gareth Richards who I knew on the open mic scene. He is now well established and tours with Frank Skinner, but we’ve also got an emerging talent called Tom Mayhew who is about to do a solo show at the Soho Theatre in London.” For all of his Village Idiot shows Adam has four acts and says he likes to ‘aim for variety’. “It is a great formula for a night out because for most of the audience it is practically on their own doorstep. I get great feedback after the shows - usually ‘please come back!’ “I am looking into doing a Tunbridge Wells Comedy Festival - my dream booking would be someone like Micky Flanagan. He’d sell all the tickets in a few minutes!” Tickets for the East Peckham show on the 6th December are available at villageidiot comedy.com. Adam’s comic novel The Peppered Moth is available at amazon.co.uk
B A R . R E S TA U R A N T. R O O M S . C AV E . G A R D E N Serving great food in a beautiful setting, we are the perfect place for your special occasions.
T: 01892 618854 E: hello@themountedgcumbe.com W: www.themountedgcumbe.com
Come and try our warming winter menu and have a glass of wine by a gorgeous open fire.
The Common, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 8BX
For more details please email, call or pop in and see us!
Opening Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-11pm Thurs-Sat 11am-11.30pm Sunday 12-10.30pm
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Food Service Times: Mon-Thurs 12-3pm 6-9.30pm Fri-Sat 12-9.30pm (3-6pm Light Menu) Sunday 12-8pm (4-8pm Light Menu)
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Going Out
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goingout 7 days of activities
WEDNESDAY Make it up as you go along with A Pair of Four for their Christmas Special in The Sussex Arms Basement. This is the last gig the prolific improvisers will be performing this year and it promises to be filled with festive flights of fancy. Tickets are £8 in advance or £9 on the door. To book, go online to twforum.co.uk
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
By Jerome Bowman
His Dark Materials) stars, and his performance as the self-absorbed character has been critically praised. Tickets cost £18 and can be bought online at picturehouseuckfield.com
FRIDAY The Close-Up Show is back at The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks. The intimate magic show is held in the bar, where you will get to see incredible THURSDAY sleights of hand. Watch coins, cards and your Pull up your lederhosen and give Bavarian own belongings disappear before your eyes without the aid of alcohol. Featuring Chris Curling a punt at the SKATE Ice Rink in Calverley Wood, Abel Megyes and James Pritchard, Grounds. Known as Eisstockschießen in the show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost German, this is a centuries old sport that £19.50 from stagsevenoaks.co.uk hasn’t aged a bit. Work with your team Young gun Tom Lucy, podcast to get as close to the target as you can. Head to the Apple & Cor for hot food or extraordinaire Jarlath Regan, the Polar Bar for a winter-warmer. and lanky Yorkshireman Tom A session costs £50 to book and Wrigglesworth will all be at the you can bring a party of between Christmas Comedy Club in two and eight people. For more Trinity Theatre’s foyer, and information and tickets, visit you can enjoy a threeassemblyhalltheatre.co.uk course festive menu. Noel Coward’s farcical Food will be served satire Present Laughter from 6.30pm and the will be screened at Picture main event kicks off House in Uckfield at 2pm. at 8pm. Tickets cost This new NT Live production £37.50 if you would from The Old Vic retells the like to dine or £20 story of Garry Essendine, a without a meal. vain caricature of Coward For more details, himself, as he struggles as well as other with his narcissism and the dates, visit MO SAFFAF emptiness of fame. Andrew trinitytheatre. Join Mo at The Sussex Arms Scott (Sherlock’s Moriarty/ net for some Comedy Tapas
DON’T POUR WATER ON THEM See Gremlins at the Odeon this Friday Ready to fill the nightmares of a whole new generation of children, Gremlins (1984) is returning for a special screening at the Odeon at 8.45pm. This black comedy Christmas film tells the story of the Peltzer family and their unexpected holiday pets – which turn out to be more than a handful. The film’s devilish sense of humour and its mischievous critters have made this a classic. Tickets cost £11.75, with concessions available. To book, go to odeon.co.uk SATURDAY To celebrate Tunbridge Wells Library’s temporary move to Royal Victoria Place, they are holding a family fun day from 10am-1pm. There will be lots of free activities, including face painting, badge making, a museum object handling and craft session and a chance to meet the library lion. All aboard for the Santa Specials from Eridge
Station today and tomorrow, courtesy of The Spa Valley Railway. From now until December 24, you can join the omni-present, multitudinous and infinitely old hierophant of the holidays, Father Christmas, for a scenic train ride through the countryside, and he will be handing out gifts to the best behaved of his acolytes. Children can also visit Santa in his grotto at Tunbridge Wells West Station, and everyone’s ticket includes a mince pie. To book, visit spavalleyrailway.co.uk This is the final night you can join the theatrical group Get Out Of My Space for another immersive dining experience. This time they will bring A Christmas Carol to life. Starting at 7pm, and held in The Beacon’s Grand Pavilion, the production is based on the light-hearted and playful adaptation by Patrick Barlow. A full Christmas Dinner is included in the ticket price, which is £49. To book, go to gooms.co.uk
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Going Out
POLAR EXPRESS All aboard for the Santa Specials on The Spa Valley Railway
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FAME… is not all it’s cracked up to be for Andrew Scott in Present Laughter at The Picture House
SUNDAY Featuring MC Konstantin Kisin, Esther Manito, Neil O’ Rourke, Michael Akadiri, Mo Saffaf and headliner Scott Capuro, the Comedy Tapas Christmas Special starts at 7.30pm in The Sussex Arms. With a line-up of up-and-coming comedians and veteran funny persons, you will be sure to enjoy the atmosphere. Tickets cost £6 and can be booked online at twforum.co.uk MONDAY You can see the amazing light show at Bedgebury National Pinetum until December 30. The park is illuminated by colourful light displays, including a vortex tunnel and hundreds of colourful
Life&Times
PICK OF THE WEEK:
water lights. To keep yourself warm for the journey, grab a mulled wine or hot chocolate, and there are traditional Victorian fairground rides for the children to enjoy, too. To book tickets, go to bedgeburypinetum.org.uk
A PAIR OF FOUR At The Sussex Arms
TUESDAY Join the Secret Art Parties for a masterclass in painting Snowy Pine Tree by Akseli GallenKalella, whose expressionist work is considered important to the Finnish national identity. The class starts at The Trading Post at 7pm. Tickets cost £40 a head and include a drink, nibbles and one-to-one support. For bookings, call 01892 871684 or visit secretartparties.co.uk
Christmas at Hever Castle
THINGS MAY GET HAIRY At the Trinity Theatre Christmas Comedy Club
Hever, Nr Edenbridge Wed-Sun until December 8, then daily from December 9-24 (check website for timings) There’s more Christmas than you can shake a jingle-bell at in the castle grounds, with activities including an interactive Alice and Wonderland themed trail, a husky meet and greet and vintage fairground stalls. The whole castle has been decorated, and welcoming log fires and twinkling trees are waiting in every room. You can also take the children to see Father Christmas, who will be waiting in his log cabin in the snowy forest to give each child their gift. For more information and to book, visit hevercastle.co.uk
GruB & LIquOr Christmas 2 Courses £22.99 3 Courses £25.99 Includes a glass of fizz
Christmas Lunch from £17.99 Buffet party menu £12.99 Includes a glass of fizz
dj & disco party every weekend in December
Book christmas dinner by the end of october and receive a complimentary bottle of prosecco for every 6 guests
function room Available for large parties
new years Eve Cocktail party 31st december
01892 457899 hello@grubandliquor.co.uk 9 nevill street, tunbridge wells, tn2 5ru
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Life&Times
Going Out
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
live music With Paul Dunton
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his week’s many excellent gigs start tonight [Wednesday] with the superb Echobelly at The Forum with support from India Atwell Fraser. Plus Charlie Rivers is at The Grey Lady with support from Rob Picazo and Harry Whitty, and blues fans can enjoy Jimmy C & The Blues Dragons at The Anchor Inn, Sevenoaks. On Thursday night, The Forum Winter Sessions continue at the Ice Rink in Calverley Grounds with Son of Kirk, The Ackerleys and Shep, and Low Island headline The Forum with support from Dead Ceremony. My top picks for Friday include The Management Duo at Delaney’s Restaurant and acclaimed pianist Grant Sav at the Hotel du Vin. For a rocking alternative feast, Deadthrone
The must-read guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead… paulduntonandguests.com
are at The Sussex Arms Basement with support from Grievance, Wovenlung and Modes. For jazz enthusiasts, I highly recommend The Man Overboard Quintet at The Masonic Hall, and folk fans are in for a treat with the internationallyrenowned Seth Lakeman at the St Edith Folk Club, Kemsing. On Saturday night, Kharma & The Devil are at The Beau Nash, Shine are at The Royal Oak, The Patinas are at The Bedford, and Into The Blue are at The Grey Lady. Festive concerts include Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at King Charles the Martyr Church on Saturday, and Penshurst Choral Society’s Carols by Candlelight at St John The Baptist Church and The Orpheus Male Voice Choir at The Opera House on Sunday.
THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Charlie Rivers, Rob Picazo Trio, Harry Whitty Friday Project 5 Saturday Into The Blue Sunday Hannah Richards, Andy Evans, Kerrie Fuller
THE MASONIC HALL St John’s Road Tickets at twjazzclub.co.uk Friday The Man Overboard Quintet
THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM The Common Tickets at twforum.co.uk Wednesday Echobelly, India Fraser-Attewell Thursday Low Island, Dead Ceremony Saturday Gentlemans Dub Club
DELANEY’S RESTAURANT Camden Road Free entry, music from 8.30pm, booking advised on 01892 528626 See delaneyskitchen.co.uk Friday The Management Duo
THE ANCHOR INN High Street, Sevenoaks Free entry, music from 8pm till late Wednesday Jimmy C & The Blues Dragons
THE NEW TELEGRAPH CLUB Priory Road, Tonbridge Music from 7pm till late Friday George Ezra Tribute
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ICE RINK Calverley Grounds Music from 7pm Thursday Son of Kirk, The Ackerleys, Shep
ST EDITH FOLK CLUB Kemsing Tickets available at stedithfolk.co.uk Friday Seth Lakeman
EM FORSTER THEATRE Tonbridge School Tickets at emftheatre.ticketsolve.com Thursday & Friday Christmas Spectacular with Tonbridge School’s Big Bands, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, School Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Kent College/Tonbridge School Chamber Choirs
THE PAMOJA HALL Sevenoaks School Tickets at thespacesevenoaks.co.uk
THE ROYAL OAK PUB Prospect Road Free entry, music from 8pm till late Friday Acoustic Friday Saturday Shine
Charlie Rivers
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Friday Crash into Christmas with Sevenoaks School Jazz Ensembles THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Free entry, music from 8pm till late Saturday Kharma & The Devil KING CHARLES THE MARTYR CHURCH Nevill Street Tickets available at kcmtw.org Saturday Bach’s Christmas Oratorio directed by Steven Devine THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Free entry, music from 8.30pm Information at thebedfordtw.co.uk Saturday The Patinas TRINITY THEATRE Church Road Information at trinitytheatre.net Sunday 12noon The Christmas Sessions (foyer performance) THE OPERA HOUSE Mount Pleasant Road Tickets at rtworpheusmvc.org Sunday Orpheus Male Voice Choir ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH Penshurst Tickets at penshurstchoralsociety.co.uk Sunday Penshurst Choral Society presents: Carols by Candlelight
HOTEL DU VIN Crescent Road Music 7pm-9pm, bookings 01892 320749 Friday Grant Sav
THE TOAD ROCK RETREAT Upper Street Free entry, music from 8pm till late Tuesday Fran McGillivray Trio
THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Tickets available at twforum.co.uk Friday Deadthrone, Grievance, Wovenlung, Modes
THE PUNCH & JUDY St Stephens Road, Tonbridge Free entry, music from 8pm Tuesday Fate The Juggler
Life&Times
Food & Drink FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
A healthy approach to eating well for life Tired of fad diets and on a mission get healthy for life Jesse Fuller decided to join his local Slimming World group. Here he tells the Times why it’s changed his life – for good – without having to sacrifice his love of food
I
’VE always struggled with my weight from a young age but the transition of moving up into secondary school was when I knew I felt much bigger than my fellow pupils. My school uniform trousers didn’t fit me and I just felt really self-conscious and had very low selfesteem. As I went through my teenage years my weight was going up and down dramatically, which I found really hard to deal with. I used to turn to food for comfort but being young I lacked a knowledge of the best foods to eat so the pounds piled on. By the time I got to 20 years old I was the biggest I had ever been. I stood on the scales and was horrified to see how big I had become, weighing almost 20 stone at the age of 20! It was a big wake-up call which led me to trying to lose weight by cutting food groups out but that wasn’t very successful as I always felt restricted. One day a friend at work mentioned she’d joined a Slimming World Group and was shouting from the roof tops about it as she said she could still enjoy all of her favourite meals, like burgers and chips and chicken curry, and yet she still lost weight. I had to find out more so I joined our local Slimming World group in Tunbridge Wells in May 2014. It did take me a good month to pluck up the courage to head along there – mainly due to my perception that ‘men’ don’t do slimming clubs. But I knew I needed help and in a way it doesn’t matter if you’re a
even the biggest of appetites and encourages people to fill up on unlimited amounts of satisfying foods such as meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruit, eggs, pasta and much more. Meals like curry and rice,
man or a woman, we all have our own weight issues! I joined weighing 19 stone 2lb and within the space of a year I’d achieved my ultimate target of 12 stone, meaning I’d loss of 7 stone 2lb by 2015.
newly graduated Slimming World Team Developer - has been incredible. I would never have thought I’d be in this position as I only joined a local club to improve my health but the opportunities this has led to have been endless. Once I achieved my target weight four years ago I could see how rewarding it was for my consultant to be able to help change so many members’ lives each week. I just had that feeling that this was something I could do too!
Happier
THEN AND NOW: Jesse Fuller has lost seven stone in one year lasagne, Sunday roasts and even fish and chips are not off limits, you just have to balance things out and employ the Food Optimising strategy. My transformation from a member to a Slimming World consultant - and now a
In a nutshell every Slimming World group helps members achieve long-term success through a great support network and healthy lifestyle changes, all done around Food Optimising. This is a unique and healthy eating plan which satisfies
I trained at the Slimming World academy in Derbyshire last year doing diplomas in nutrition and the psychology of weight management. Since then I have left my full-time job and recently undergone a training scheme to become a team developer and am now managing a team of consultants in Tunbridge Wells. Since Joining Slimming World I have learnt so much about myself and how Food Optimising the Slimming World Way can make such a difference to life – and your health. Since losing weight my confidence has rocketed and I feel so much happier in myself and my appearance. Throughout my journey I’ve met so many inspirational people who are now close friends for life and that it just priceless! Jesse runs two groups one every Friday evening at St. Phillip’s Church in Birken Road at 5.30pm and one on Saturday mornings at St Barnabas Primary School on Quarry Road at 8.30am and 10.30am.
SANTA’S GROTTO
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Make Christmas extra special with a visit to Santa’s Grotto at Salomons Estate
l be open The Grotto wil : 10am - 4pm on th December Thursday 19th ember Friday 20 stDec ember ec Saturday 21nd D ember Sunday 22 rd Dec ecember Monday 23 D
Santa will be bringing some seasonal cheer to Salomons Estate as he opens up his cosy Christmas Grotto! Come and meet him and his hard-working elves as they take up residence in the beautiful grounds of the estate. To book call 01892 515152 or visit www.salomons-estate.com/events/whats-on/ EST ESTABLISHED
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Homity pie Serves 4 Ready in about 1 hour n Low-calorie cooking spray n 600g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes n 100ml vegetable stock n 1 onion, finely chopped n 1 carrot, finely diced n 2 celery sticks, finely diced n 3 garlic cloves, crushed n 6 spring onions, sliced n 200g frozen peas n 200g baby spinach
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
n 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley n 2 large eggs, lightly beaten n 1 tsp mustard powder mixed with 1 tsp water n 25g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, grated Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/ gas 7. Spray a medium baking dish with low-calorie cooking spray. Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan for 12-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to the pan and add the stock. Mash until smooth, then set aside. Spray a large, non-stick frying pan
with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Fry the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spring onions, peas and spinach, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Add the parsley, eggs, mustard mixture, mashed potato and half the cheese. Season and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish, smooth over the top and evenly scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Divide between 4 plates to serve.
Bakewell pear strudel Serves 6 Ready in about 1 hour n 4 firm Conference pears, peeled n Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus juice of ½ n ½ tsp almond extract n 2 level tbsp custard powder n 2 x 45g Jus-Rol Filo Pastry Sheets n Low-calorie cooking spray n 10g flaked almonds n 2 x 175g pots Müllerlight Cherry yogurt, to serve Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grate the pears into a sieve and leave to drain for 5 minutes. Press to squeeze out any extra juice, then tip into a bowl. Mix in the lemon zest and juice, almond extract and custard powder until well combined, then set aside. Line a baking tray with baking paper and lay a sheet of filo on top. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray, then top with the second filo sheet. Turn the tray so one of the long sides is nearest to you. Starting 2-3cm in from this edge, spread the pear mixture in a rectangle shape, leaving a 5-6cm empty filo border along the remaining 3 sides. Fold the filo border over the fruit from both shorter sides, then, using the baking paper to help you, roll up from the side nearest you, so the last turn is just pastry and the join sits underneath. Spray the top with a little more low-calorie cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp, scattering over the flaked almonds halfway through cooking. Leave the strudel to stand for 10 minutes before slicing into 6 and serving with the cherry yogurt. All recipes are taken from Slimming World’s collection. Join your local Slimming World group or sign up online for even more recipes, guidance and support. To find your nearest group, visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000. ‘Slimming World’ is a registered trademark of Miles-Bramwell Executive Services, trading as Slimming World. Images: Slimming World/Kate Whitaker, Gareth Morgans ©Slimming World 2020 www.slimmingworld.co.uk
Food & Drink
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Books
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
The bookcase… This week’s bookcase includes reviews of The Age Of Anxiety by Pete Townshend and Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
BOOK OF THE WEEK
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Published in hardback by Viking, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now
9/10
The quietly poignant follow-up to Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel, Olive Kitteridge. However, you needn’t have read the original (or watched the show) to enjoy it. A collection of stories, Strout uses the brusque, imperious Olive as a coat hanger on which to drape tales of Crosby, Maine. Olive is getting old, has succumbed to a new husband (who, strangely, she rather likes) and busies herself with being nosy, interfering and abrupt. Her interactions with others, in their pure ordinariness, are piercingly tender and touching – from her accosting a famous poet, to visiting a woman dying of cancer. Some are also just amusing – take the couple who, following an infidelity, watch TV side by side on separate televisions, with a strip of duct tape separating their lounge in two. Witty, dark and astute, this is a gentle but fascinating novel, and makes you consider what could be going on between other people. (Review by Ella Walker)
The Age Of Anxiety by Pete Townshend
Published in hardback by Coronet, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available now The Who’s legendary guitarist and songwriter debuts his first novel, a work over 10 years in the making. This deeply articulate book centres upon Louis, an art dealer who narrates the book, and his rock star godson Walter. Louis’ wonderfully descriptive and witty narration guides you through multiple layers of characters and mythical hallucinations
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
in a fantastical story that certainly does not baulk at dark and adult subject matter. Accompanied by love, sex and drugs, music is unsurprisingly at the novel’s heart and frequent references to rock history will delight ardent fans of Townshend’s earlier work. Initially conceived as an opera, there are musical and operatic themes throughout, but what should please Townshend is the intriguing success of Age of Anxiety as a standalone work of fiction. With plans for an accompanying opera and art installation too, it may not stand alone for long. (Review by Edd Dracott)
7/10
NON-FICTION
Slaves Among Us: The Hidden World of Human Trafficking by Monique Villa
Published in hardback by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, priced £15.95 (ebook £10.60). Available now
8/10
Slavery is illegal everywhere, yet in her passionately written and illuminating book Monique Villa explains how “never in the history of human beings have there been so many slaves”. Conservative estimates put the number of men, women and children trapped in a cycle of modern exploitation at 40.3 million, but most experts believe it’s far more. Woven through the book are the first-person accounts of three people who were enslaved. Their words are harrowing, in places almost unbearable to read, but there is hope too – in the courage shown by survivors, and in the chapter on solutions that shows what we can all do to fight back. Surprisingly, this book is an accessible page-turner as well as being a shocking eye-opener. (Review by Noreen Barr)
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Finding Chika by Mitch Albom
7/10
Published in hardback by Sphere, priced £14.99 (ebook £9.99). Available now Mitch Albom has a very specific ability to extract moments of joy from tragedy. He did it in his breakout book, Tuesdays With Morrie, and he’s done it again with Finding Chika. But instead of celebrating a long life, he celebrates a much too short one - that of Chika Jeune. Born in Haiti, Chika came to Albom and his wife Jeanine’s CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
Permanent Record by Mary HK Choi
Published in paperback by Atom Books, priced £7.99 (ebook £4.99). Available now Working nights in a Brooklyn bodega (the New York equivalent of a newsagent), Pablo has dropped out of college, quit talking to his mum properly and is trying to kill his terrors over the major credit card debt he’s managed to rack up. Then popstar Leanna Smart walks in, and, just as snack-obsessed as he is, they fall into something like love. Choi’s dialogue sparkles as the pair try to carve out space for themselves, and the the Korean-American YA author nails the breathless, jittery dread that can envelop you as
Books
orphanage in Haiti after her mother’s death. But then, aged five, she was diagnosed with a rare and inoperable brain tumour. Albom brought her to America to seek treatment, and the book follows the efforts he and Jeanine go to, to try and save her, giving them a new perspective on what is important. This is a sentimental and spiritual novel, while also being frank, incredibly upsetting at times and very moving. But somehow, despite the pain and sadness, what you remember is how surprisingly funny and hopeful it is - and Chika too. (Review by Ella Walker) a result of spending too much time sucked into social media. Her descriptions of Pablo’s crippling inertia are strikingly relatable. If you’re trying to work out what you do next - whatever stage of life you’re at - you’ll race through this. (Review by Ella Walker)
8/10
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BOOK CHARTS HARDBACKS 1. The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliams 2. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy 3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney 4. Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay 5. Blue Moon by Lee Child 6. The Body: A Guide for Occupants Bill Bryson 7. Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John 8. Tall Tales and Wee Stories: The Best of Billy Connolly by Billy Connolly 9. Behind The Mask by Tyson Fury 10. Private Eye Annual: 2019 by Ian Hislop (Compiled by Waterstones)
PAPERBACKS 1. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley 2. No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg 3. Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver 4. Frostheart by Jamie Littler 5. The Dinky Donkey by Craig Smith 6. This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay 7. How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy by Julian Baggini 8. La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One by Philip Pullman 9. The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith 10. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Compiled by Waterstones)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON FICTION) 1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Aatha Christie 2. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 3. The Body: A Guide For Occupants by Bill Bryson 4. Behind The Mask by Tyson Fury 5. 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense: The Most Intriguing Scientific Mysteries by Michael Brooks 6. Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay 7. Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse by David Mitchell 8. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman 9. Where the Light Gets In by Lucy Dillon 10. The Pigeon Tunnel by John Le Carre (Compiled by Audible)
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travel
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Travel
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Winter sun, sand and surfing in Oualidia – the little-known
oyster capital of Morocco Away from the African hotspot’s busy cities and bustling medinas is a beautiful bay which provided Lauren Taylor with a luxurious, tasty and adventurous break
F
LAVOURED with a squeeze of lime and a touch of vinegar, its shell suitably gnarly and its contents glistening under the early winter sun, the oyster I’m about to shuck on a near-empty Moroccan beach is about as straight-from-thesea as it gets. Barely out of sight a few hundred metres away, shells cling to sticks poking out of the surface of the lagoon, where they’ll stay for two years before the plumpest molluscs are purified in a small farm building on the beach opposite. While travellers will be well aware of the North African country’s sticky lemony chicken tagines or ras el hanout spiced lamb, oysters may come as a surprise. Yet Oualidia – nestled on the Atlantic coast between Casablanca and El Jadida – is known as the ‘oyster capital of Morocco’, and one of only two regions farming them in the country.
Flavourful
TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! One of the two pools at La Sultana Oualidia
“The taste is slightly different to French sea oysters,” Nabil El Bahri, Duty Manager at La Sultana Oualidia, the area’s only luxury hotel, tells me. “The salt is different and the tide goes in and out, so they spend six hours a day out of the water.” The taste is different; flavourful but delicate. The beach – our lunch spot under a canopy – curves into the distance, meeting a natural break creating the protected and picturesque Oualidia bay, fringed with generous golden sands and a raised sandbar in the centre, where gentle waves roll and sizeable Atlantic waves break against the rocky ridge. I feel like I’m now privy to a well-kept secret of Morocco’s coast; it’s quiet, unspoiled and feels
A TOWERING TREAT La Sultana’s indoor pool and spa
‘Fishermen scatter to handpick spider crabs and razor clams, as well as the vibrant green wild samphire now peeping through the seawater pools’
very undiscovered by European tourists – unlike the hippy town of Essaouira and sprawling seaside resort of Agadir. Once a traditional fishing village, Oualidia is becoming increasingly upmarket thanks to wellto-do people from Marrakech and Casablanca escaping to their blue-shuttered, whitewashed holiday homes on the weekends. But you still won’t find beachside bars with plastic chairs or rows of paid-for deck chairs on the sand. At least, not yet. It’s out of season in November, but even the winter temperatures are warm enough, particularly for a more active break canoeing, surfing or fat-tire biking along the shore.
Culture FIRST-TIME SURFER Lauren Taylor
Is it usually so quiet here? “At this time of year, yes. In summer it’s too busy,” says Youness, a waiter, who works at the hotel. “This is the best time of year here, and March and April.” The shoulder seasons combine the best of what this unique corner of Morocco has to offer – the guarantee of good weather without sweltering heat, no crowds, and a vastly different culture – all less than three and a half hours from the UK. Across the water, gold-painted crumbling ruins remain of Morocco’s royal family’s kasbar from the 50s – when King Mohammed V declared this the first royal beach. Five-star La Sultana has royal connections too (the king’s mother has stayed here three times), but its glamour isn’t ostentatious. Tucked subtly into the curve of the
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Travel
BAY WATCH: Laguna Oualidia
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much of the red crop, and many families sold up and moved on. These days, the lagoonside lands are most likely to be filled with rows of carrots and turnips. “Cormorant!” Nabil points. And soon the banks are awash with storks and egrets. The protected lagoon has a rich ecosystem, with 400 species of bird coming to feed in autumn and spring. Further along, flamingos balance in salt marshes mid-migration from Spain to sub-Saharan Africa.
Surf
SHELL WE? Oysters on the beach lagoon. There’s also a traditional hammam spa – an experience not for the shy – but rigorous exfoliation and silky argon oil combine to achieve great results. Each of the grand-beyond-belief rooms has its own large private terrace complete with an
£3 £1 2 c £ 7 hi 65 ch ld p ild ren er re 1 ad n 2a u 5 an nd lt d un un d de er r
lagoon, a pier lined with twinkling lights reaches out into the water – where a local catch of bream, squid and monkfish is barbecued and served up on white tablecloths after sunset. As the tide retreats mid-morning, fishermen scatter to handpick spider crabs and razor clams, as well as the vibrant green wild samphire now peeping through the sea water pools – all staples on the hotel restaurant menu. As much as possible is sourced on their doorstep. Also on site, organic herbs and vegetables grow in the kitchen garden (a picturesque spot for a Moroccan mint tea, brewed with copious amounts of sugar and traditionally poured from a height to create the very important foam top), and chickens lay eggs for breakfast. It wouldn’t be true luxury without an infinity pool, which falls away into the view of the
Sit back, relax and enjoy Christmas Day in the stunning surroundings of Bewl Water. AMUSE BOUCHE SPRING ONION, SMOKED CHEDDAR BEIGNETS Beetroot aioli (GF available) (V) STARTERS MAPLE SMOKED DUCK BREAST Pickled walnuts, clementine, watercress and pistachio salsa verde (GF) (N) SMOKED CHERRY TOMATO AND CREAMY BURRATA TART Crispy basil, pine nut pangrattato (V) (GF available) (N) CHILDREN’S FRUIT STICKS With a strawberry coulis (V) (GF) (DF) 01892 890000 www.bewlwater.co.uk – info.bewlwater.co.uk Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent, TN3 8JH
outdoor daybed and hot tub to sink into as the sun sets, palm trees framing candy colours spread across the sky. With only 12 rooms, there’s a genuine feeling you’re being looked after; each guest is even handed a Moroccan smartphone with Nabil on speed dial for any assistance. There’s something about Nabil’s love and enthusiasm for this place, and its locallysourced food, that’s really pure. It runs in his blood; his grandmother farmed the lands just the other side of the property, and agriculture is still most people’s livelihood here. This side of Oualidia is best experienced as part of a guided bird safari by an expert (that’s Nabil) meandering up the 12km estuary. “When I was a boy, it was all tomatoes growing here – you could smell them,” he says. A problem with yellow fly in the 90s wiped out
Morocco is, perhaps, more famous for its surf than storks, though. Safi, an hour from here, is considered to have some of the best waves in Africa, but the gentle undulating waves inside Oualidia bay are safe enough for beginners. It’s my first time surfing, and Medhi, a laidback 24-year-old instructor from Surfland Surf Camp, greets me with a fist bump and declares: “It’s easy!” Over the next hour and a half, he persistently gives me a push on to each wave, encouragingly yelling: “Stand up now! Bend your knees now!” And sometimes: “No, not like that!” He’s determined he’ll make a surfer of me yet. We almost have the waves to ourselves, bar a couple of local surfers giving me a wide berth. Even being splashed repeatedly in the face with salty water can’t dampen the life-affirming exhilaration of riding (even the smallest of) waves in this unassuming little pocket of the world. HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Rates at La Sultana Oualidia start from £354 per night. Rates at La Sultana Marrakech start from £289 per night for a Prestige Room lasultanahotels.com A lesson at Surfland costs from 250MAD (£21) pp. EasyJet flies to Marrakech from London Gatwick, Manchester and Belfast, with return prices starting from £68.48 pp. easyjet.com
Please call 01892 89000 0 or visit www.bewlwa ter.co.uk for more info rmation or to book
at Bewl Water
MAINS ROASTED FREE RANGE TURKEY Chestnut stuffing, pancetta wrapped chipolata, seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, turkey jus (GF available) (N) SPINACH, WILD MUSHROOM AND PUMPKIN WELLINGTON Herb and pink peppercorn sauce, seasonal roast vegetables, roast potatoes (GF available) (V) DESSERTS WARM CHRISTMAS PUDDING Brandy butter and crème Anglais (GF available) DARK CHOCOLATE TART Toasted Italian meringue, espresso Anglais (GF available) Tea/coffee with mini mince pies
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Life&Times
Motors
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Motoring News
Wednesday December 4 | 2019
This week… Good safety move What’s up? service A new dream SUV
We must learn the ‘Dutch Reach’ to protect cyclists THE majority of drivers haven’t heard of the ‘Dutch Reach’, a year after the government revealed plans to add it to the Highway Code. Research by the AA Charitable Trust found that 71 per cent of women and 58 per cent of men had never heard of the move, which was popularised in the Netherlands as a way of protecting cyclists from car occupants who open their door into a bike’s path. Between 2011 and 2015, eight people died and 3,108 were injured as a result of these incidents. The move involves using the hand furthest from the door to lean over and open it, which naturally forces your body to turn so you can see if a cyclist is coming. The research found that once people have had the Dutch Reach
explained to them, 62 per cent were in favour of having it taught in all driving lessons, with 50 per cent saying it should be added to the Highway Code. AA Charitable Trust Director Edmund King said: “Harmony between different road users should be the goal for everyone. “Making a simple change to the way you open a car door can have a significant impact on the safety of those on two wheels. “We already teach all our AA and BSM driving instructors this technique. It’s really just down to habit – and it’s a habit we should be trying to adopt. “Putting it into the Highway Code will help to get it into the minds of car drivers and passengers.”
Audi launches a new message service to help e-tron owners AUDI e-tron owners can now message experts if they have any queries about electric vehicle ownership. The new ‘concierge’ service has gone live on WhatsApp, with the aim of assisting with the change from driving a combustionengined vehicle to all-electric models.
Convenience
REACH OUT and look for cyclists
Audi says customers can expect a response to their questions ‘within minutes’ during its operating hours of 8am-9pm, seven days a week. As well as text, they can also send photos, videos and voice recordings to better explain the issue. Andrew Doyle, Director of Audi UK, said: “We fully understand that making the transition to a fully electric car can
potentially give rise to new questions that may not have been considered before, and therefore an appropriately user-focused option was required. “We also know that our e-tron customers are always switched on and appreciate the added convenience its many digital services – such as Amazon Alexa, natural language voice control and the myAudi app – already offer, which is why the e-tron Concierge is an ideal extension of that hassle-free approach to communication outside of the car.” The service has been slowly rolled out to some owners since late September, and Audi says it has already proved popular. Questions have ranged from how to access charging points at Audi Centres to queries about fitting winter tyres.
An ultra-luxurious SUV is on the way
MERCEDES is taking on Rolls-Royce and Bentley with an ultra-luxurious version of its GLS SUV – the Maybach GLS. Styling changes include a redesigned front bumper with a large badge-less grille sitting above a large mesh panel, and it has electronically-activated running boards. The option of a two-tone paint finish is on offer, and either 22 or 23-inch alloy wheels can be specified, while the Mercedes’ Multibeam LED headlight system is a standard fixture. An AMG-derived 4.0-litre, twinturbocharged V8 engine sends its 550bhp and 730Nm of torque to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox, with an additional 22bhp and 250Nm available from a 48-volt mildhybrid system. As a result, 0-60mph comes in 4.7 seconds, with the car’s top speed electronically limited to 155mph. But the biggest changes are on the inside. Among them is a four-seat option, and a plethora of high-quality leathers, while the two rear seats are capable of reclining. The rear row also has a centre console which houses separate climate control functions and an optional champagne cooler. Deliveries should come later next year, and a price well north of £150,000 is a safe expectation.
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Recruitment
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WITH THE
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CODEWORD 3
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5 A B C D E F GH I J K L MNO P QR S T U VWX Y Z 9
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To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
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Codeword:
6
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Numbers are substituted for letters in the crossword grid. Above the grid is the key with two letters solved. Try to complete the first few words to give you more letters, or look for a frequent number that might reveal a common letter. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.
2 1
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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.
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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★✩✩
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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU
DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★✩
CLASSIFIEDS
Life&Times
Puzzles
C R E A K I N G
O P T R E L B W D U C A T E M M E B A B Q O A E E O T T X A J A S P E R M O L I B I P N N A P E R T U R
G A Z A
V AM P E D M E A U R G E S S A H U E A S Y U F E R S K I U F G R U N T G T I R E L U D E D R T E I N C H
Sudoku:
8 7 3 5 9 6 1 4 2
1 9 4 3 8 2 6 7 5
2 5 6 7 1 4 8 9 3
6 3 5 2 4 1 7 8 9
7 4 1 8 5 9 3 2 6
9 2 8 6 3 7 5 1 4
3 1 2 9 6 8 4 5 7
3 8 4 1 5 2 7 6 9
9 4 6 5 1 8 2 3 7
8 9 7 3 4 6 1 2 5
1 2 9 4 7 5 3 8 6
Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue
5 1 2 6 8 9 4 7 3
7 6 1 2 9 3 5 4 8
6 5 3 8 2 7 9 1 4
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Available from 12.30pm n £85.00pp, Childre 50, 12 and under £42. Children under 5 eat free
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Mains
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BALLOTINE OF TURKEY (GF) Stuffed with cranberry stuffing, traditional trimmings & au jus
CITRUS CURED SALMON (GF) Pickled fennel, preserved lemon, char-grilled leaks, crispy shallots & tender pea shoots
SLOW ROASTED STRIPLOIN OF BEEF Rosemary roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables & Yorkshire pudding
CHERRY & AMARETTO CHRISTMAS PUDDING (V,GF) Disaronno amaretto sauce & redcurrants
HICKORY INFUSED KENT DUCK BREAST (GF) Textures of plums, golden beets & parsley gel
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH (V,GF) Stuffed with Blue Murder, spinach & walnuts, roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables
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ONE WARWICK PARK HOTEL
5 8 9 4 7 3 2 6 1
Jigsaw Sudoku:
In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply. Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.
ROASTED COD LOIN (GF) Baked potatoes, winter vegetables, sorrel & white wine sauce
4 6 7 1 2 5 9 3 8
2 7 8 9 3 4 6 5 1
4 3 5 7 6 1 8 9 2
© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
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Sport
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Hundred up for Tunbridge Wells Under-6s RUGBY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ Youth Section has achieved an impressive milestone after the Under-6 age group exceeded 100 registered players. Simon Beamish, the Under-6s head coach, said: “We ensure children are able to develop their foundation rugby skills of ball handling, catching and passing in a friendly, enjoyable and safe environment. “We are a community-based club that relies on the support of dedicated volunteers, and their hard work has paid off with over 100 players registered across the Reception and Year 1 age groups.” Among the comments received from parents, one said: “I think the Under-6s are brilliant, the coaches have all been so fantastic and my son absolutely loves it. On Sunday after training finished he said to me ‘I wish I could do all that all over again!’” Another commented: “I had a few ideas of what TWRFC would do and so far the first few sessions have far surpassed even those lofty ideas. My son gets excited to come each week and is full of smiles once he gets back.” For more details about Tunbridge Wells’ Youth Section go to twrfc.com/youth
GROWING UP FAST The Under-6s with the club’s volunteers
McHugh’s hat-trick lifts TJs back to the top of the table
PHOTO: Mark Sonnex
Barnes 12 Tonbridge Juddians 32
HEAD DOWN Ryan Jackson goes on the charge
Tonbridge Grammar grab two team titles at the county finals NETBALL: TONBRIDGE Grammar School boasted two title-winning teams and a runners-up berth at the Kent Schools’ Netball Finals in Aylesford. It was the first time since 2015 that TGS had been represented in the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19 age groups. Both the Under-14s and Under-16 were crowned county champions, with the Under-19s coming second in their section.
Parents It was a long and challenging day, with 21 rounds being played and all three competitions went down to the final round of matches. Julie Cross, the TGS coach, said: “I am immensely proud of all the students. They showed how important teamwork is and how hard work and commitment to training pays off. “Thank you to all the parents who turned out in significant numbers to support the players and staff. Your encouragement was greatly appreciated and contributed in no small part to the success of all the teams.”
NET GAINS TGS’s three teams at finals day
RUGBY: TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS returned to the top of National Two South with a powerful win on the road, taking advantage of Taunton slipping up at Leicester Lions. TJs started strongly with a well worked try that sent Rory McHugh in at the corner and then a catch-and-drive from the lineout sent Ryan Jackson over for a 12-0 lead early on. The first half meandered, though, as much of the game was played midfield and it wasn’t until Mat Walsh was yellow-carded that Barnes closed the gap with an unconverted just before the break. TJs came out strongly for the second half and breaks by Dave Priest set up their third and fourth tries. The first, from just inside the TJ half, allowed him to spin the ball wide to Murray Galbraith-Lowe, who out-paced the
defence to score. The second break saw Priest crash through and offload to enable the ball to find McHugh again on the left for him and he scored his second try to secure the bonus point. The game was then halted after the referee was injured and had to leave the field on crutches. Barnes scored again to narrow to 12-22 but two more tries from TJs saw them go clear again. The fifth score came from another catch-anddrive by the pack, leading to a second touchdown for Jackson. The final try was a stunning solo effort from McHugh, who popped up in the centre, threw a dummy and charged over to complete his hat-trick. TJs, who are a point above Henley and two above Taunton, are at home to Dings Crusaders on Saturday (December 7, kick-off 2.30pm).
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Wednesday December 4 | 2019
Angels make their point to keep high-flying Rebels out Slough Town 0 Tonbridge Angels 0 FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS carved out a precious point at Arbour Park - only their second on the road this season - in keeping a clean sheet against the second-placed team in the National League South. Late in the game a succession of crosses into the danger zone just needed a touch and all the points would have been going back to Kent. The first half saw the Rebels have the majority of possession with the Angels looking nervous and unable to really get their passing game going. The visitors’ defence was well marshalled by Sonny Miles and offered Slough few genuine chances. In the 23rd minute a cross from the left set up Warren Harris for the home side but he could not convert. Tonbridge came into the game more after half-time with the central midfield pairing of
PHOTO: David Couldridge
By Jim Rowe
D’Sean Theobalds and Christ Tiehi exerting more influence. They were getting the ball out to wide players Jarrod Small and Joe Turner, giving the Slough defence much more to think about as the Angels were able to get behind the rearguard. Slough enjoyed a few moments at the other end with keeper Jonny Henly making a couple of vital saves at his near post, but the Rebels did not look as cohesive as they did in the first period. In the closing stages both teams went for the win and low crosses from Ben Greenhalgh, Theobalds and Small could have led to a winner for Tonbridge. Manager Steve McKimm said: “I don’t think many teams come here and keep a clean sheet. It was a game of two halves from our perspective and I’m very pleased to come away with a point.” The Angels are at home to Billericay on Saturday (December 7, kick-off 3pm).
Sport
Keeper’s red card leaves Rustics in spot of bother Rusthall 1 Rochester United 2
By Andrew Deighton ATHLETICS: MICHELE BRADSHAW achieved a clean sweep of victories to win the Cyprus International Four Day Challenge in the F60 category. The Tunbridge Wells Harrier clocked 28min 13sec in the 6km time trial on day one, then produced another fine run for the toughest challenge, an uphill, multi-terrain 11km race. That meant she extended her lead, which she continued to hold after her first ever half marathon the following day, where she ran 1hr 57min on another hilly route which finished on a soft, sandy beach. The final event was the Paphos 10k, where Michele recorded a time of 47.54 to complete her fourth consecutive age group win and claim the overall title. Meanwhile, there was a strong Harrier contingent at the Kent Veterans Cross Country Championships in Dartford.
BACK ON TRACK President Allan Cheek returns to action
Andy Howey, Dave Hadaway and Chris Potter all ran well to claim bronze medals in the M50 team race, behind the Tonbridge and Medway & Maidstone clubs. Tom Woolley led home the Harriers in the M40 race, finishing 17th. And in the M60 race, which saw the return to cross country action of club president Allan Cheek, the team of Steve Austin (12th) Nick Pierce (33rd) and Peter Richardson (38th) finished in seventh place in the team race. Jillian Holford was 12th in the F35 race and first F45, and together with Ana-Maria Green (first F50) and Sonja King, they finished fourth in the team race, agonisingly missing out on a medal by just one point. Michele Bradshaw finished fifth in the F55 race and was first F60. Louise Hazelton (1:20) and Amanda Smith (1:24) took part in the Downward Devil 9 Trail race on the South Downs. Pru Clements claimed first F45 spot at the Bedford Half Marathon in a time of 1:35, finishing just behind Matt Clements (1:32).
PHOTO: Brendan Kemp
FOOTBALL: AN INTRIGUING top-of-the-table clash was spoilt a minute before half-time when the referee sent off Rusthall keeper Billy Johnson. Johnson had dived at the feet of Rochester’s Harrison Hume and caught the player as he slid out. The referee immediately blew for a penalty, though the subsequent dismissal was harsh. Rusthall’s leading scorer Luke Adams took over in goal and guessed the right way for the spotkick but could only push the ball onto the inside of the post and it went in to give the visitors the lead after a half in which three of their players were shown yellow cards. Rusthall regrouped at half-time with young central defender Robbie Bissett taking over in
Bradshaw wins in Cyprus four times
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RUNNING THE SHOW Reuel Powell-Downey scored for Rusthall
By Rich Smith
HIGH HOPES Rian Bray (left) challenges the Slough defence
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goal and Adams returning to the heart of the attack. Despite being down to 10 men the Rustics dominated from the restart and it was no surprise when they equalised on 50 minutes through Reuel Powell-Downey. However, on 66 minutes Rochester broke down the left and a driven cross was diverted into the net off the head of a defender to put the visitors ahead 2-1. Rusthall worked hard to get back into the game and came close from a corner in the 86th minute when a superb header was cleared off the line. Rochester remain top of the Southern Counties East League Division One but fourth-placed Rusthall have four games in hand on the leaders. The Rustics now visit bottom-of-the-table Kent Football United in Dartford on Saturday (December 7, kick-off 3pm).
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