Times of Tunbridge Wells 8th July 2020

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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UP IN LIGHTS Tunbridge Wells Forum was lit in red on Monday night [July 6] to prompt the government to help arts venues Full story page 2

It’s cheers all round as pubs and restaurants finally bounce back

By Richard Williams

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 01892 526344 TONBRIDGE 01732 355911 SEVENOAKS 01732 460565 PADDOCK WOOD 01892 833456 KINGS HILL 01732 897925

ACROSS Tunbridge Wells pubs and restaurants are toasting the weekend’s reopening that saw many having the ‘busiest night’ of the year so far with restaurants booked up and the town centre nightlife bouncing back.

Since March 23, most bars and places to eat have remained closed or offered a limited takeaway service due to the Coronavirus restrictions.

But after the government announced they could all reopen from Saturday [July 4], many have been preparing to make their venues Covid safe.

A number of places have allocated separate entrances and exits, while table service has become the norm.

Venues have also launched apps, so

people can order food and drinks at their table to reduce contact with staff.

Some locals even reported that it had been their ‘busiest night of the year’.

Ross Feeney, Chief Executive of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, said the

‘The town centre was busy but visitors were sensible and respectful’ grand reopening had been ‘very positive’ for most establishments.

“Feedback has been very positive from both pubs and restaurants.

“Many restaurants were fully booked, albeit at a lower capacity, with many offering table time limits to accommodate as many customers as possible.”

While there were wild scenes across other parts of England, such as in Soho in Central London where hundreds of revellers took to the streets, in Tunbridge Wells most people remained ‘sensible and respectful’.

However, a lively crowd at The Pantiles on Saturday night caused some local residents to take to social media to complain about the rubbish and empty bottles discarded after the night’s celebrations which they referred to as ‘carnage’.

But Mr Feeney added: “The town centre was busy, but in general visitors were sensible and respectful.

“Our hospitality businesses have gone to great lengths to ensure they offer a safe but enjoyable service to returning customers, and it seems

local residents have responded positively to the measures each venue has put in place.

“Our street ambassadors were out during the day, and in conjunction with the safer town partnership we funded taxi marshals in the evening to help ensure people got home safely.

Our general advice about pre-booking tables and taxis was well-heeded.

“We will see more venues and restaurants opening this week and with good weather forecast for the weekend we’re looking forward to welcoming back more local residents.”

Some pubs and restaurants in outlying areas, however, reported slower business with one explaining they’d only taken seven bookings for tables with a score of tables available.

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

this week… Music venue lights up at grassroots lifeline BBC WIELDS AXE: Many of our local radio shows and TV programmes will be dropped in major money saving restructure p6

MUSIC venue The Forum has said it welcomed the government’s £1.57billion rescue package that aims to secure the future of arts venues across the country.

Thousands of organisations at risk of closure across a range of sectors including the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic palaces, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema will be able to access emergency grants and loans thanks to the announcement made on Monday [July 6].

PM Boris Johnson said many of these venues were the ‘beating heart’ of the country.

Safeguard

SHELF LIFE: Popular budget supermarket ALDI has its sights set on another store for Tunbridge Wells p8

He added: “This money will help safeguard the sector for future generations, ensuring arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down.”

The news came on the day The Forum, along with other venues up and down the UK, was illuminated in red as part of the #LightItInRed movement in order to raise awareness of the plight of the arts sector.

Like many live performance venues, The Forum has been unable, legally, to open since March 20, and has taken part in a campaign to convince the

government to help struggling arts venues. This included them joining musicians across the world writing to ask for venues to be supported financially by the government.

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark has also backed the campaign and raised the issue in the House of Commons to prompt the government to act.

Fears for shopping centre as virus slashes rental income

By Richard Williams

CRITICAL SUPPORT: Domestic abuse charity DAVVS receives essential funding to help it through Covid crisis p11 LEARNING LESSONS: Two local head teachers explain how they are supporting students returning to school p14

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TUNBRIDGE Wells’ flagship shopping centre faces an uncertain future after its owners admit that nearly two thirds of rents across all its properties are now going unpaid due to the coronavirus pandemic.

British Land, owners of Royal Victoria Place [RVP], has already slashed more than £1billion from the value of its retail portfolio due to plummeting rental income before the Covid crisis.

Now the shopping centre giant admits in its quarterly figures released last week that it collected just 36 per cent of its advanced retail rent for June to September 2020.

Restructuring Retail rival Hammerson, which owns the Bullring in Birmingham along with malls in France and Ireland, also announced poor shopping centre performance, collecting just 16 per cent of its quarterly advanced rents.

Meanwhile Intu, which runs the Trafford Centre in Manchester and Lakeside in Essex, collapsed into administration last month with mounting debts exceeding £4.5billion.

Like other shopping centre owners, Intu had been struggling before the pandemic due to increased competition from online stores.

The latest quarterly rental figures have sparked fears that retail landlords may now begin to off-load their struggling shopping centres in favour of more profitable open-air retail parks and commercial or mixed-use premises.

While 64 per cent of British Land’s retail stores in England are now open following the easing of Covid restrictions, only the out of town centres are performing well.

“We expect the best-located open-air retail parks to perform an important role in retailers’ reopening strategies, and this was reflected in positive like-for-like sales for out-of-town stores open in England versus the same week last year,” British Land said.

The group is now in the process of negotiating rents with many of its retail tenants on a ‘case-by-case basis’, agreeing waivers of £3million for the next three months in addition to £2million it wrote off in the March quarter.

“This is an ongoing process and so we expect the collection rates for June to improve over the coming weeks,” the company insisted.

During the Covid crisis, British Land, which

also owns the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, had to defer more than £35million in rent.

Government legislation introduced in the wake of the pandemic prevented landlords like British Land from evicting non-paying tenants, and it is feared some of these could either close or fall into administration as soon as these rules are lifted.

British Land, which bought RVP just two years ago, was forced to downgrade the value of its retail estate in May, wiping a billion in value from its £12.32billion estate which fell to £11.16billion.

It has been restructuring over the last two years, selling off many of its retail holdings including 12 Sainsbury’s superstores to Realty Income Corporation for £429million.

Its focus has been on its office and mixed-use portfolio that are faring much better for the company, which has collected 88 per cent of its commercial rents for the next quarter.

British Land declined to comment on the future of its UK shopping centres.

HISTORY OF FLAGSHIP MALL ROYAL VICTORIA PLACE was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in October 1992 after three years of construction.

The leasehold for the shopping centre is owned wholly by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, who earn a ground rent of more than £800,000 a year plus a ten per cent share of RVP’s net income.

Originally managed by Westfield Group, Hermes Real Estate took over full ownership in 2012.

Hermes planned an £80million upgrade to breathe new life into the shopping centre in 2016, featuring a 30,000 sq ft cinema, more shops and restaurants.

But the company sold RVP to British Land for £96million in March 2018, who immediately shelved Hermes’ planned renovation and said it would come up with its own ambitious plan.

But the only investment it has made has been an £11million upgrade to the floor and paintwork as well as converting the empty Ely Court entrance into Central Market, a food arcade.

“The Forum has been an iconic part of Tunbridge’s cultural scene for 27 years and during this time it has hosted dozens of artists and bands which have gone on to mainstream success,” he told the Times.

“Its value as an incubator of local talent should not be overlooked and it is a place that is enjoyed by hundreds of my constituents each week who go there to listen to live music and socialise. I have repeatedly raised with the Culture Secretary the need to support live venues who are not able to reopen because the continuing social distancing rules prevent it.

“I am very pleased that the Government has listened and allocated £1.57 billion to the sector. I will continue to make the case for The Forum and Trinity and other local venues to help ensure they have access to this fund.”

Meanwhile The Forum’s co-owner Jason Dormon said: “It’s been a strange few months. Being closed still involves paying bills, and so far, The Forum has relied on the music community buying lots of branded t-shirts and bags from the website.

We are one of the luckier venues at the moment.”

He added: “On behalf of every grassroots music venue in the UK we would like to take this opportunity to thank every music fan, every artist, every activist, and every one of you, our people, who got this done.”

Council Leader brands Calls to quit an ‘outrage’ THE Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has branded a call for a vote of no confidence in his leadership an ‘outrage’.

A number of councillors have called for Alan McDermott to step down, criticising his leadership throughout the coronavirus crisis.

The opposition parties have written an open letter to the Council insisting it was ‘critical to have leadership that will shape the direction of the borough’ as we come out of the pandemic [see letters page 16].

“What we are asking is that the Conservativeled council and its Cabinet and members start doing the job the public expects and pays them to do, to listen and lead,” they said.

Invisible Labour’s Cllr Hugo Pound [Labour] branded the Conservative Council Leader ‘invisible’ and ‘defensive and afraid of constructive criticism’.

While the Alliance councillors have called for a vote of no confidence, saying: “At this critical time of recovery we need open, honest and competent leadership, or we fear we will be sleep walking into becoming a failed local authority.”

Alan McDermott responded to the criticism by telling the Times: “I fail to understand why in the middle of the biggest health scare in a generation the other parties dare to bring forward petty politics blaming the Conservatives when they agreed to the decisions made.”

He continued: “Portfolio Holders and Officers have been talking to Locate in Kent for many months as I suspect Councillor Pound knows.

They are one of many companies and businesses we have talked to about regenerating the Borough of Tunbridge Wells as well the centre of the town and all comments are gratefully received.”

He said that ‘the call of no confidence is an outrage’ adding: “At no time has any opposition party when asked what they would like to see happen, come up with anything sensible apart from social housing which we are building through our new Local UNDER FIRE Plan.”

Alan McDermott

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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Two and half years jail for drug dealer at RVP AN ALBANIAN cocaine dealer caught supplying drugs from Royal Victoria Place car park in Tunbridge Wells has been jailed at Maidstone Crown Court.

Endrit Cerpja was found with supplies of cocaine, cannabis and £500 in cash when he was stopped by patrols in the shopping centre car park on November 9 last year.

He was also carrying an Italian driving licence. Checks confirmed the 23-year-old was of Albanian decent and the document was false.

After Cerpja was sentenced to two years and six months on Friday [June 3] Sergeant Ed Kavanagh, of the Tunbridge Wells Community Policing Team, said: “Cerpja wanted us to believe that he was the victim; with claims he had been coerced to supply drugs and was the subject of offences relating to modern day slavery.

“This was shown to be a pack of lies and the reality is that he was simply another dealer who wrongly thought he could operate in Tunbridge Wells, without consequence.”

Bus pass rebate PARENTS who invested in a yearly bus pass to get their children to school will be given a £50 rebate, Kent County Council has said.

Due to lockdown and schools being closed, pupils have not been using their Kent Travel Saver, which costs £350 a year.

For customers paying by Direct Debit, payments were suspended at the start of lockdown and the final remaining payments will not now be collected and be cancelled altogether.

For parents who were eligible for the lower cost pass the refund will be £15.

KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport Michael Payne said: “Parents have not had the full benefit of the Travel Saver card as they expected. KCC will be working hard to get these payments completed as soon as possible.”

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Tunbridge Wells County Councillors branded ‘selfish’ after pay rise vote

By Richard Williams

in July 2017 and is linked to KCC staff pay.

But following the backlash to the controversial vote, three councillors wrote to KCC’s head of governance to ask for the extra funds to be kept back.

They are Conservative Emma Dawson who represents Birchington, Barry Lewis for Margate and fellow Labour councillor Karen Constantine for Ramsgate.

SIX county councillors representing Tunbridge Wells are among those facing a backlash after voting themselves a pay rise while many of their constituents have lost jobs or been placed on furlough.

It means taxpayers now pay more than £1.3million to fund County Hall councillors.

Last month at KCC’s Annual Meeting, held virtually, councillors overwhelmingly voted to approve a new allowance scheme that sees all members receive an extra 4.2 per cent.

The vote on June 17 came during the Covid-19 lockdown, which has seen 70 per cent of businesses in the county furlough staff, with many employees having to survive on 80 per cent pay.

The pay rise has been greeted with dismay from local taxpayers. Scores of people took to social media to complain about the decision which they branded ‘obscene’ ‘shameful’ and ‘money grabbing’.

Diane Gibb on Facebook said: “While everybody else is suffering from minute or non-existent wages they vote themselves another pay rise!”

And Hayley Louise Chowdhury branded the councillors ‘Selfish and inconsiderate’.

The vote means councillors at County Hall will see their annual allowance rise from £15,561.94 to £16,217.00 – an increase of £655.

Cabinet members receive even more cash.

KCC’s leader, Roger Gough will see his allowance rise from £66,000 to £70,000.

Councillors can also claim expenses such as taxi-fares, petrol mileage and parking costs.

However, the authority is facing at least a £50million ‘black hole’ in its finances over the next 12 months due to the coronavirus, and it expects to increase Council Tax and cut services.

The cash-strapped authority says the rise in members’ allowances was originally formulated

Cllr Dawson said: “The fundamental reason behind me rejecting my new increase is that I am certainly aware of the current times.

“During the pandemic, many families have been finding it difficult and will be hit hard with job losses, loss of businesses and furloughed on a reduced salary, some may not even be taken back into work.”

All six councillors that represent Tunbridge Wells were approached more than once by the Times for comment on whether they too would send back the pay increase. Only one responded.

Cllr Sean Holden said that the purpose of the vote was to ‘change the scheme’s structure’ and not specifically to put up councillor pay.

He added: “We stopped doing that in 2017 by index linking councillors’ allowances to KCC staff pay; councillors having had no increase for eight years.”

He continued: “I know some people think county councillors shouldn’t be paid anything at all, but I disagree with them. There is a cost to democracy, and I think we should treat those democrats who serve our communities fairly.”

Cllr Holden also asked whether journalists ‘would be offering a voluntary pay cut as some kind of solidarity gesture?’ – all staff at the Times have taken a 50 per cent voluntary pay cut since the pandemic began in March.

CATHERINE RANKIN

PAUL BARRINGTON-KING PETER OAKFORD

Solidarity

NUMBER OF COUNCILLORS SLASHED...

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, which is facing a £5million shortfall in its finances due to Covid, is planning to slash councillor numbers by a third to save money.

Council Leader Nicholas Heslop says he wants to reduce the number of councillors from 54 to 35 to save residents around £100,000 a year.

He said: “At the last local elections, the Conservative Group stood on a manifesto commitment to further lessen the size of the bureaucracy at Tonbridge & Malling by reducing the number of councillors by a third.

“Over a number of years, we have reduced the cost of running the borough council and it is only right that the number of councillors should be addressed too as part of this process.”

Kent County Councillors are voted in every four years, with the next election in May 2021.

None of the other councillors that represent Tunbridge Wells at KCC responded.

They include Paul Barrington-King [Tunbridge Wells East] and Sarah Hamilton [Tunbridge Wells Rural] who now not only receive £16,217.00 in allowances for being KCC representatives, they, along with Cllr Holden, are also borough councillors so are in receipt of an additional £5,500 in allowances from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Deputy Leader of KCC Peter Oakford, who represents Tunbridge Wells North, has seen his pay increase to £50,881.16.

While James McInroy [Tunbridge Wells West] and Catherine Rankin [Tunbridge Wells South] are both deputy cabinet members so could be eligible for an additional £15,998.88 on top of their basic councillor allowance of £16,217.00.

Jail for historic abuse A TUNBRIDGE Wells man who sexually abused a child almost 20 years ago has been jailed.

Jonathan Howard of Huntingdon Avenue was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment, following convictions for offences which took place between March and June 2001.

In jailing the 59 year old at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, July 3, Judge Julian Smith described the impact of Howard’s actions on his victim as ‘lifelong and huge’.

He said: “This has clearly been the cause of much anguish and distress in their life. He does not have a complete comprehension of his actions or their impact. He has failed on occasion to properly grasp and accept his culpability.”

Shielded activity packs TUNBRIDGE Wells Borough Council has delivered activity packs to vulnerable and isolated residents across the borough to help stave off boredom.

The ‘Time In’ activity packs are designed to encourage creative and mental activity and to support wellbeing and engagement as people are isolating from coronavirus.

Different packs have been created to appeal to children, adults and families and include items such as drawing paper, felt tip pens, colouring pencils, glue sticks, seeds, and puzzles.

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JAMES MCINROY

Vandals target hospice charity shops causing £30,000 worth of damages A CHARITY shop that was forced to close due to the Covid emergency has had all its windows smashed by vandals.

Hospices of Hope, which only opened on Mount Pleasant just before lockdown began, was targeted on Thursday [July 2].

It is the third time one of its shops has been attacked by vandals.

Kent Police say over the past month windows have also been deliberately broken at stores run by the Hospices of Hope charity in Tonbridge and Otford.

In the latest incident on Mount Pleasant, several front and side windows were shattered.

Officers believe the damage may be linked to previous offences at other locations. Between June 28 and June 29, windows were broken at a Hospices of Hope shop in Tonbridge High Street, while on June 9 a branch in Otford High Street was also damaged.

The charity has also reported damage to shops in Faversham and in areas outside of Kent, including Bexley and Pimlico in central London.

Hospices of Hope raises money to provide

hospice care in Eastern Europe, and police are not ruling out the attacks could be a hate crime.

Inspector Dave Higham, of the Tunbridge Wells Community Safety Unit, said: “These offences have cost the charity around £30,000 to repair.

“We are keeping an open mind as to whether all of these incidents are linked and the possible

SARAH HAMILTON

SEAN HOLDEN

motive and urging anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to contact us.

“We are also asking nearby businesses, some of which may have recently been closed during the Covid-19 restrictions, to check their CCTV systems.”

If you have any information which may assist the investigation call Kent Police on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/111918/20. You can also contact Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555111 or by using the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

It’s business as usual at hospital but you may have to wait ‘a little longer’

By Andy Tong TUNBRIDGE WELLS Hospital is ‘fully open’ from this week after a range of surgical procedures had to be suspended during the coronavirus crisis.

But patients have been warned that they may have to wait ‘a little longer’ than usual for non-essential operations.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [MTW] was able to maintain urgent treatments for patients with cancer or stroke victims even during the peak of the pandemic.

And it has liaised with independent healthcare providers in order to carry out some elective

operations such as hip and knee surgery at sites removed from the risk of infection at the two main hospitals.

A month ago, the NHS warned that one in six patients might remain on waiting lists until the autumn, while private providers were being asked to perform up to two million procedures.

At the height of the lockdown, hospitals were forced to run at almost half their usual capacity after being reconfigured to avoid contamination.

But in an update last week, the Trust said there were now only eight Covid patients in both its hospitals.

A spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust told the Times: “From [Monday]

July 6 our services will be fully open and the routine activity that was temporarily suspended during the pandemic will restart.

“Thanks to our hard-working staff we continued to maintain urgent and essential services, such as cancer and stroke, throughout the pandemic.

“We also worked closely with the independent sector to ensure certain types of surgery, including hip and knee replacements, were undertaken.”

However, Tunbridge Wells Hospital is unlikely to be running at full strength in the near future because of the need to protect patients from Covid-19 infection.

MTW explained: “To keep our patients and staff safe and prevent the spread of the virus we have introduced additional infection control and social distancing measures.

Infections “As a result, some of our patients may have to wait a little longer for their routine procedure and we would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.

“We are quickly and carefully reviewing these patients to ensure we treat those who have greater clinical need first.”

It is understood that there were eight people in hospital in Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone suffering from coronavirus at the start of this month.

There was concern last week when it was reported that confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Kent and Medway had jumped by 2,000 – less than 48 hours before the pubs were due to

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Elective surgeries are back on at Tunbridge Wells Hospital

County Hall rejects initiatives for new cycle lanes and speed limits

By Richard Williams KENT County Council has rejected more than a dozen initiatives aimed at promoting walking in Tunbridge Wells and will provide just ‘light segregation’ of the existing cycle lane.

KCC was given £1.6million by the Department of Transport to help make active travel easier in the county and asked borough and district councils to suggest schemes in which it could invest the money.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council [TWBC] submitted more than a dozen proposals for the borough, including new cycle lanes, reallocating carriageway space to pedestrians, modal filters – which prevent types of vehicle from entering certain locations – and the removal of parking spaces along the current A26 cycle lane, as well as 20mph speed limits in a number of town centre and residential streets.

However, County Hall has rejected all the proposals, and instead is to only provide the town with ‘orcas’ – a type of rubber divider to improve the segregation of the town’s only cycle lane along the A26.

Schemes that were approved by KCC include improvements to the crab and winkle cycle route,

a trial of a town-wide 20mph zone in Faversham, a school street scheme at Drapers Mill School, a new shared cycle route in Hythe and modal filters and road closures in Canterbury.

The £1.6million Department for Transport funding comes from £70million being invested by government to help restart local economies following the Covid pandemic and make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

If the initial grant is spent within eight weeks, KCC will have access to full funding of just over £8million for further active travel schemes across the county.

This could see a second raft of projects given the green light, including those proposes by TWBC. A spokesperson for TWBC said: “We are still in discussion with KCC about a number of schemes and we look forward to releasing more information as soon as we are able to.

“The light segregation of cycle routes identified

by KCC refers to improving the cycle route along the A26 into Tunbridge Wells. This is a longstanding ambition for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and KCC.” KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport Michael Payne added: “We have to be realistic in that the first round of schemes will not satisfy everyone who has made suggestions, but by concept testing, in a way that has not been previously affordable, we have the chance to encourage more cycling and walking and make our roads safer for all users.

SEGREGATED: Orcas will be placed along the A26

reopen.

But Kent County Council explained that the increase from 6,500 infections to almost 8,600 (7,551 in Kent and 1,034 in Medway) was due to Public Health England including historic community testing data.

County Hall said: “Positive cases from testing in the wider community (also known as pillar 2) are now available at local authority level.

“It is important to note that the additional data relates to individuals who tested positive from the end of March onwards. These are not new cases.”

KCC’s Director of Public Health, Andrew Scott-Clark, added: “The public should be reassured that the levels of testing across Kent have also been ramped up and we would expect to see a rise in the number of cumulative confirmed cases.”

Ashford has the second highest infection rate in the country according to statistics updated on Saturday [July 4], at 981 cases per 100,000 people – behind Leicester (1,068 per 100,000), with previous hotspot Barrow-in-Furness third with 890.

In Tunbridge Wells the rate stands at 378 per 100,000, while in Tonbridge & Malling it is 263 – the lowest in Kent, although Public Health England has said it does not have up-to-date statistics for the borough.

In Sevenoaks the figure is 295, while Wealden has recorded 274.

Across the county the figure has risen to 481 because of the historic data being included, and in Medway 372, with East Sussex at 267.

Nationwide there have been 285,000 cases of Covid-19 with more than 44,000 deaths as a result of a positive test.

Contractor knocks down historic lamppost – again

LAMPED Column felled in the Grove

By Robert Forrester RESIDENTS have criticised a contracting firm for knocking down a heritage lamppost in a local park for the second time.

The Victorian-style lamppost lining the pathway in the Grove was felled by a van being driven by a Sodexo employee. The company is paid to maintain the 1.9 hectare green space.

Now residents fear the lamppost will be replaced by a modern equivalent, ruining the aesthetic of the historic park.

It is the second time Sodexo have knocked down one of the lampposts.

A spokesperson for local community group, Friends of the Grove, told the Times: “In November 2018 a heritage lamp column in a public path near the playground in the Grove was destroyed by a contractor’s van.

“On June 29 it happened again, and another

column was destroyed by the same contractor.”

She continued: “After the first incident the wrecked column was replaced with a temporary one while a heritage design was sourced.

“After an inordinate delay, a permanent replacement was erected, but it was not a heritage design and is incompatible with others nearby.”

Sodexo said the company was currently in talks with the Council about a replacement.

A spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council added: “It is very unfortunate that another lamp column has been knocked over in the Grove.

“Like the previous column, it cannot be replaced like for like as they are not made any more, but it will be replaced with the best that is available and approved for the conservation area.”

The spokesperson said that the cost of the replacement will be met by Sodexo.

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Popular TV programme axed in a BBC regional restructure

By Richard Williams THE BBC has announced a shake-up of regional TV news and local radio in England, which will see one of its popular current affair programmes that is recorded in Tunbridge Wells scrapped.

The broadcaster is planning to cut 450 jobs and is to axe its weekly magazine programme Inside Out, which is recorded across the UK, including at the BBC’s Mount Pleasant studio.

Other changes will see one instead of two presenters fronting 6.30pm regional TV news bulletins, including BBC South East.

The BBC, which introduced a ‘simplified schedule’ on local radio during the pandemic, with single instead of double presenters and a reduction in the number of shows, will now make this change permanent.

The broadcaster said that BBC England - which currently has more than 3,000 staff – must save

New Mayor is set to take the chains of office CLLR JOY PODBURY

£25million by April 2022.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the cuts – which will affect presenters, journalists, technical and operation staff – ‘could have a serious impact’ on the BBC’s ‘ability to represent all parts of the country’.

Helen Thomas, director of BBC England, said ‘difficult decisions’ had to be made on local and regional services ‘created more than 50 years ago’.

Review She added: “We are in the age of the Facebook community group and the WhatsApp neighbourhood chat. We must adapt to better reflect how people live their lives, how they get their news and what content they want.

“We’re going to modernise our offer to audiences in England by making digital a central part of everything we do.”

The BBC said that changes would put ‘digital storytelling at its core’ and it will commission a broader range of TV programming reflecting ‘life across England especially in the North and Midlands’.

The regional editions of Politics England on Sunday mornings will return in the autumn but undergo a ‘creative review’.

SHAKE-UP There will be no more Inside Out recorded at the Tunbridge Wells studio

Southeastern are chuffed at customer satisfaction result MORE than four fifths of commuters that use the train company serving local stations including, Tunbridge Wells, are satisfied with the service, a survey has found.

The results of the Spring 2020 National Rail Passenger Survey published by Transport Focus last week (Thursday, July 2), which was completed before COVID-19 lockdown measures were introduced in March 2020, shows overall satisfaction among Southeastern passengers is at 83 per cent.

‘We’ve invested £80m in improvements including refurbished stations, measures to improve train punctuality and upgraded passenger information systems’

TUNBRIDGE Wells is to get a new mayor this morning [Wednesday, July 8] as the Council holds its first full meeting since the Covid pandemic began.

The virtual Full Council will see Cllr James Scholes step down from the role of mayor of the borough and hand the chains of office to current deputy mayor, Joy Podbury.

Cllr Podbury, is a Conservative representative for Rusthall ward and was elected to the Council in 2015. She is also a member of Speldhurst Parish Council.

It was first thought that Cllr Scholes, who is unique in being the only representative of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to serve a second term as mayor, may have to continue in the role until 2021 due to the Covid crisis which prevented the Full Council from meeting face to face to elect his replacement.

However, following initial ‘technical issues’, the Council is now able to assemble its 48 members virtually.

Fellow Conservative councillor Chris Woodward, who represents Broadwater ward, is expected to be voted in as Deputy Mayor.

Councillors will also approve new committee appointments and discuss the latest crime figures from the Community Safety Partnership at today’s Full Council meeting, which takes place at 10.30am.

This is the company’s best ever spring result, and the fourth consecutive survey to show an improvement in the rail company’s service.

These results follow the Autumn 2019 survey, where Southeastern’s results were the best since 2013.

The report also found that passengers on Southeastern Highspeed recorded 91 per cent overall satisfaction – and the train service remains one of best performing in the country.

Significant improvements have been recorded in every attribute related to the on-board experience, including cleanliness (+4 per cent),

provision of information (+4 per cent) and the level of crowding (+3 per cent).

Satisfaction with on-board security has also significantly improved (+5percent), and satisfaction with the attitude and helpfulness of staff on board and at stations has improved by 9 per cent and 2per cent respectively.

These improvements follow £80million in investment to improve station facilities, upgrade

SATISFIED Tunbridge Wells commuters say the service has improved

passenger information systems, enhance the on-board environment, and introduce free WiFi and upgraded smart tickets.

Southeastern say passenger satisfaction has increased by 13 per cent over four years as a result of this investment, and punctuality has increased by nearly 10 per cent in the last two years.

A Southeastern spokesperson said: “We know these results come at a time when the whole country is focused on tackling COVID-19 “At Southeastern, we’re committed to keeping our stations and trains as safe and clean as possible for passengers, and we’ll continue to offer the best possible service in these uncertain times. We’d particularly like to thank our staff for their hard work over the past few months.

“In 2019 we introduced the improved Delay Repay 15 compensation scheme, and we’ve invested £80m in improvements including refurbished stations, measures to improve train punctuality and upgraded passenger information systems.

“We’ll continue to improve passengers’ experience while travelling with us, and our new franchise contract includes measures to further boost capacity with modern, air-conditioned rolling stock, when the trains become available.”

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BUSINESS

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Local News

CBILS loan has secured consulting firm’s future A TUNBRIDGE WELLS consulting firm has secured its future following a £175,000 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

The loans were introduced by the government to help small to medium sized enterprises with cashflow problems during the Covid pandemic.

Corinthian secured their loan from Santander bank, with the government guaranteeing 80 per cent of the finance and paying interest and any fees for the first 12 months.

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Aldi eyes another Tunbridge Wells store and two others in the borough SUPERMARKET EXPANSION Tunbridge Wells could be getting another Aldi

Resilience The business has started to bring its people back to work from furlough and completed on its new office lease, and the funding has now enabled the company to start digitising more of its processes, improving customer experience and to maintain company resilience.

Corinthian Benefits Consulting was founded eight years ago. It employs 23 people and has helped over 350 small to medium-sized companies create company benefits programmes.

Lee French, Director, said: “This funding means we can look forward and plan for our recovery and growth as a business.

“It has given us the buffer we needed to ensure that we have the best chance possible of coming through these difficult times with a proposition better than we had before.

“Put simply, it means that we intend to recover.”

Craig Carter, Relationship Director at Santander UK, added: “We are pleased to be supporting Corinthian to help ensure that not only will the business survive this uncertain time, but that it can emerge with a stronger proposition than it had before and continue to thrive in the future.”

By Robert Forrester BUDGET retailer Aldi has earmarked Tunbridge Wells as a possible location for a second store as it continues to expand across the UK. Paddock Wood and Cranbrook could also get a supermarket if the company’s plans go ahead.

‘Aldi is growing rapidly, and we are welcoming around a million new customers into our stores every year’ Aldi opened its first supermarket in the town in October last year, on the site of the former Toys R Us store in Longfield Road.

Now, the German retailer has announced plans to open up to 15 more shops across Kent as it continues its aim of increasing its UK presence

from 880 stores to 1,200 by 2025.

Its chief rival Lidl is also opening in Tunbridge Wells and is set to share unit space with Homebase in Broadwater Lane opposite the town’s Sainsbury’s superstore.

As well as opening new stores in towns where it does not already have a presence, Aldi wants to add additional supermarkets to a number of

locations in Kent where it is already operating and has earmarked Ashford, Canterbury, Dover and Tunbridge Wells.

It also plans to open in two other towns in the borough of Tunbridge Wells: Cranbrook and in Paddock Wood.

In particular, the company is looking for freehold town-centre or edge-of-centre sites suitable for development.

Ciaran Aldridge, National Property Director at Aldi UK, said: “Aldi is growing rapidly, and we are welcoming around a million new customers into our stores every year.

“But there are also hundreds of towns across the UK where there is not an Aldi, meaning there are hundreds of thousands of people who can’t easily access the high quality, affordable food our customers love.

“We are willing to explore all opportunities, including developer-led schemes or existing retail units.”

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Discount retailer has expanded to Tunbridge Wells

By Richard Williams WORK has begun on a new B&M bargain store in Longfield Road as the discount retailer reported a 26 per cent hike in sales during lockdown.

The store is set to open in the industrial estate in Tunbridge Wells later this year and is situated next to Hobbycraft in two units previously occupied by Magnet and Comet.

Budget

BARGAIN BOOM B&M’s newest store takes shape in Tunbridge Wells

B&M, which has more than 600 stores across the UK, including a branch in Tonbridge’s Cannon Lane Retail Park, saw group sales jump to £1.15billion over the past three months, as it benefited from 26.9 per cent like-for-like sales growth.

It is one of a number of budget stores that have seen revenues soar during lockdown as their essential services status allowed them to stay open. B&M saw sales leap by 33.7 per cent to £987.8million for the period to June 27.

It said its customer

PUBLIC NOTICE Licensing Act 2003

An application has been made by Toby White of Barmobile LTD for the premises 89 Woodhill Park, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4NP on the date of 07/07/2020 for the licensable activity of Sale of Alcohol (10am-midnight).

Any person wishing to view details of an application may contact the Licensing Partnership on 01732 227004. Any person wishing to make representation about the application should make them in writing on or before 03/08/2020.

Licensing Partnership, PO BOX 182, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1GP licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk http://pa.sevenoaks.gov.uk/online-licensing It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence is £5000.

count recovered during the quarter after an ‘initial decline during lockdown’, as average transaction value also increased.

Simon Arora, chief executive, said: “The group has made a strong start to the financial year, with a particularly strong performance in our UK businesses, and progress now resumed in France after an eight-week closure period.

“However, as outlined at our preliminary results for the last financial year announced on June 11, there are a great deal of uncertainties ahead.

“The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our priority whilst we work hard to continue to meet our customers’ needs in these difficult times.”

Local News

BUSINESS

Awards for housing developer that has eyes on Matfield A FIRM that has just gained planning permission to build new homes in a Tunbridge Wells village has walked away with a two leading industry awards.

Fernham Homes has just received outline permission to build 45 new houses in Matfield, including 18 affordable homes.

Senior Project Managers at the company, Lee Bates and Simon Bettridge have since won Pride in the Job Quality Awards by the National House Building Council (NHBC), for other developments in Kent.

Recognised Lee has been recognised for his work at Fernham Homes’ Empire Park development in Greenhithe, whilst Simon has been acknowledged for his work at the Tonbridgebased housebuilder’s Ellesmere development in Hollingbourne.

The Pride in the Job Quality Awards only recognises sites which are run to the highest possible standards and are consistently delivering new homes of outstanding quality.

Each year it recognises some of the best talent in the sector from hundreds of housing projects.

Lynne Smith, Director of Sales and Marketing for Fernham Homes, said: “For two of our sites in Kent to have received awards is something we are extremely proud of.

“We would like to congratulate both Lee and Simon and their teams for their hard work.

“Only the best sites are considered for the Pride in the Job Quality Awards and are subject to rigorous assessment, so this really illustrates the excellent work that is being done, and the standard of the homes being built.”

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NEWS

Community News

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Brave Tony raises over a million for hospital after watching Captain Tom

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk A FIVE-year-old boy who had to have both his legs amputated has raised more than a million pounds for the hospital that cared for him after completing a Captain Tom-style challenge.

Tony Hudgell, from King’s Hill, completed the 10km challenge on June 30 in front of his supporters at the village’s Pippin Way Green.

He received a personal message of congratulations from the veteran soldier Tom Moore, with whom he has become ‘obsessed’, according to his adoptive mum Paula.

Tony had to have his legs removed because of abuse he suffered from his birth parents when he was a newborn baby.

They were subsequently imprisoned for 10 years after being found guilt of causing or allowing serious harm to a child and neglect.

Tony undertook the 10k challenge after receiving his first pair of prosthetic legs earlier this year - and being unable to attend physiotherapy because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Initially the family were trying to raise £500 for Evelina Hospital in London from sponsorship by family and friends.

But by June 22 he had received over £1,000,000 after his cause was highlighted on TV and shared on social media by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and a raft of celebrities.

Staff from Evelina Hospital came down to see him complete the challenge, along with his class mates at The Discovery School where Tony is in reception.

“There were rather a lot of people there and it was very emotional,” Paula told the Times.

“Tony really enjoyed it, there was music and dancing and cake, it was loads of fun.”

She told how the remarkable story began with the 100-year-old former soldier who captured the nation’s hearts during the lockdown as he

OVER THE LINE: Tony completes his 10km challenge in Kings Hill raised £32million for the NHS. “Tony was quite obsessed with Captain Tom, he has an affiliation with older people anyway,” his mother explained.

“He saw Captain Tom doing his walk - and he was using a walking frame himself at the time.

Tony said: ‘I can do that, it’s the same as me!’ So we set a challenge to walk every day during June.

“We couldn’t get any physiotherapy for him to use his new legs due to the lockdown and this helped to keep us motivated to do a little bit every day.

“At first we got family and friends to sponsor us, just to raise some money for the Evelina

Hospital, and that helped to make Tony want to do it.”

The NHS provided Tony with his first prosthetic legs at the end of February. He had stubbies [foreshortened prostheses] before but he never used them.

Paula said: “These were the first fittings he’s had with feet, which meant that he could wear trainers just like his older brother.

“We were waiting for a block of physio sessions when the lockdown happened and we didn’t want to push him too hard to start with.”

A reporter from BBC South East who had done stories about Tony before came to see him five days into the challenge. “Tony just said the right

things and I think that touched a lot of people’s hearts.

“It escalated from there and got shared and shared on social media. Then we were on breakfast TV and suddenly it got into the hundreds of thousands.”

After the appeal reached the million mark, Captain Moore recorded a video clip saying: “Well done Tony, haven’t you done well?”

His assembled relatives added: “On behalf of Captain Tom and his entire family we are so impressed by what you’ve done, Tony, it’s absolutely incredible.”

Paula added: “We thought we’d get a couple of hundred pounds for Evelina. It’s been our second home over the last few years and we’ve always raised money for it, it’s a no-brainer.

“The hospital staff were absolutely chuffed to bits, the consultants and staff came down for the last walk, it was very emotional.”

Tony is hoping to return to Evelina later this year to have another operation, this time on his hips. “Now that he is walking it is making them stronger, so they will do the surgery,” said Paula.

“Before, they were not going to do it because he wasn’t walking.”

Local MP Tom Tugendhat presented Tony with the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers around the world.

Tom has been trying to persuade the Ministry of Justice to impose stiffer sentences for child cruelty based on the tragic story of Tony as a baby.

He said: “Tony is an inspiration to everyone.

He has captured the hearts of not just our community here in Kent, but of the nation too.

His challenge has allowed him to share just how special he is with everyone.

“It has been a privilege to know Tony since he was so young and vulnerable, and work with his family for many years to get justice for him.”

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/ fundraising/TONYS-10K-WALK

Air Ambulance still needs £1.9m to make up for shortfall AIR Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex [AAKSS] has raised over £1million after it launched an appeal to make up for a loss of income caused by the pandemic - and the additional costs caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

But the seven-figure sum represents only a third of the shortfall the charity is facing due to all its fundraising events being cancelled because of the lockdown.

The air ambulance, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, launched the Coronavirus Emergency Appeal in April - the first time it has had to run such a campaign.

It has annual running costs of £14million to offer specialist doctors and paramedics who can provide critical treatment to patients at the scene of an incident.

Almost 90 per cent of that sum is raised through donations from the public and the work of volunteer fundraisers.

The emergency funding has allowed the AAKSS to remain fully operational during the pandemic, along with a government grant of £140,000 grant.

But AAKSS predicts that it still needs to raise a further £1.9million.

The charity’s chief executive, David Welch, said: “We simply cannot thank people enough for the support we have received so far. It is truly humbling how generous people can be.

“When we launched our appeal, we aimed to raise £535,000 initially to meet the immediate additional costs of continuing our life-saving service during the pandemic and we have

received an amazing response.”

As well as financial contributions, AAKSS has received supplies of Personal Protective Equipment from local businesses, while Jaguar Land Rover loaned it four vehicles and a large supply of oil and AdBlue exhaust fluid was sent

by Moove Lubricants.

“Every single donation, every single gift has helped, and we are so thankful to everyone who has responded so far,” said David.

“Yet despite this, and the contribution from Government, with the continued impact of the pandemic, we still face a significant shortfall of £1.9million.

UP IN THE AIR The Air Ambulance has raised £1million but still needs more

Resources “Last year, we were called out to help over 2,500 people in life-threatening situations across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

“We have an outstanding, highly skilled medical team and we are determined to continue to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients and to continue to run our charity efficiently and responsibly.

“Our priority remains responding to the sickest or most critically injured across our regions in their hour of need.

“Working alongside the South East Coast Ambulance Service and the wider NHS, we are making the best use of our existing resources – our state of the art helicopters, response vehicles and equipment – and the outstanding

expertise of medics and crew to contribute to this national effort by supporting the transfer of critically ill coronavirus patients across our regions, as and when required.

“To secure our future, we urgently need your

continued support. Let’s work together to continue to save lives during this difficult and unprecedented time.”

To make a donation visit aakss.org.uk/ appeal-campaign

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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Community News

Mind’s mental health helpline provides independent support A MENTAL health charity has set up an emergency phoneline to help people cope with the coronavirus pandemic and its after-effects.

West Kent Mind will be running its Community Contact Line throughout July to support those who ‘just want a chat’ with a qualified professional rather than going through the counselling process.

‘So this helpline provides a professional who can just listen - and that might be all that they need. And it’s someone who is not a family member’ The free service will run four days a week - on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - from 10am to 12pm.

Lucy Adams, the charity’s training and development manager, said: “As we all begin to adapt to the new way of living and working over the summer, we hope that those who need support will reach out.

“Our message remains that help is there, ready and waiting. We feel that at the moment people are not reaching out for support. We wanted to give them another option.

“They are feeling overwhelmed, and the ability to have a conversation with

a professional can be powerful. It can really make a difference.

“As a charity, we are focused on early intervention and we want to hear from people who are concerned about their well-being – it is never too early to ask for support.”

She stressed that the service will be independent and free of obligation, saying: “We wanted to offer another way to help, not crisis support or going through a counselling process.

“So this helpline provides a professional who can just listen - and that might be all that they need. And it’s someone who is not a family member.”

“Sometimes you don’t need talking therapy, just an independent ear.

Some people are concerned about confidentiality.”

If required, callers will be given signposts for any additional support that they need - which may include referrals to West Kent Mind’s Affordable Counselling Service.

The helpline has been set up with backing from the Kent Community Foundation, which has money to disperse from its Coronavirus Support Funding stream.

The charity says it would not have been able to offer the service without the umbrella body’s financial support.

The number to call is 01732 647032.

For more information about West Kent Mind visitwestkentmind.org.uk

NEWS

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READY TO TALK DAVSS chief executive Henu Cummins has doubled the helpline’s opening hours

Domestic abuse charity receives emergency funding for lockdown

By Andy Tong THE domestic abuse charity DAVSS has received a grant of almost £65,000 from the Police and Crime Commissioner [PCC].

In total Matthew Scott has handed out nearly £700,000 to 20 services which help the victims of crime across the county.

The awards are designed to help keep the organisations on a stable financial footing after much of their normal fundraising work was curtailed

by Covid-19.

But Mr Scott has focused the funding on domestic abuse because of a rise in the criminal activity during the lockdown as families spent more time together at home. The grants will allow the organisations to run additional support programmes.

Overall, £693,036 will be distributed from two sources, the Ministry of Justice’s Covid-19 Fund (£640,381) and

the PCC’s Covid-19 Fund (£52,655).

Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services, based in Tunbridge Wells, has been given £64,680.

Its deputy operations manager Prem Konieczny told the Times: “There has been a significant increase in domestic abuse in Kent during the coronavirus pandemic.

Isolation “Research indicates the lockdown and prolonged social isolation with an abuser is increasing the risk of domestic abuse by 25 per cent.

“Many victims of domestic abuse are using coping strategies whilst in lockdown with their abuser, and we are expecting a huge increase in referrals when the lockdown is lifted.”

The charity has responded by expanding its volunteer support services via its helpline and doubling its opening hours so that it is now

available from Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.

Mr Konieczny said: “We continue to receive a high rate of referrals despite many victims being unable to seek help while in lockdown.

“It is essential that people experiencing domestic abuse seek the support they need at this difficult time so they can make them and their children safe.”

Among the other local beneficiaries is the housing association Look Ahead, which runs the Colebrook Road hostel in Tunbridge Wells and distributes homeless funding across West Kent.

It received £18,096 while another housing association, Clarion, which runs properties across the region, also received £30,482.

To contact the DAVSS helpline call 01892 570538. Victims are being encouraged to follow #youarenotalone on social media to report abuse and seek help or visit davss.org.uk

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NEWS

National News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Melbourne goes back into Covid lockdown MELBOURNE has had to reintroduce lockdown measures after seeing a spike in new coronavirus cases.

The south-eastern state of Victoria had some of the nation’s toughest pandemic measures and was among the most reluctant to lift its restrictions when the worst of the outbreak seemed to have passed.

But as most of Australia emerges from pandemic restrictions, the virus has resumed spreading at an alarming rate in Victoria’s capital, and the nation’s second-largest city.

Melbourne is buckling down with more extreme and divisive measures that have ignited anger and arguments over who is to blame.

Victoria’s premier Daniel Andrews said the entire city and some of its surrounding areas will be locked down again from Wednesday night under tougher restrictions than were imposed during the first shutdown that started in March.

“We are in many respects in a more precarious, challenging and potentially tragic position now than we were some months ago,” Mr Andrews said.

Brazil President tests positive for Covid-19 BRAZIL’S President Jair Bolsonaro says he has tested positive for Covid-19 after months of downplaying the severity of coronavirus.

Mr Bolsonaro confirmed the test results while wearing a mask and speaking to reporters in the country’s capital Brasilia.

“I’m well, normal. I even want to take a walk around here, but I can’t due to medical recommendations,” Mr Bolsonaro said.

The president has often appeared in public to shake hands with supporters and mingle with crowds, at times without a mask. He has said that his history as an athlete would protect him from the virus, and that it would be nothing more than a “little flu” were he to contract it.

He has also repeatedly said that there is no way to prevent 70 per cent of the population falling ill with Covid-19, and that local authorities’ measures to shut down economic activity would ultimately cause more hardship than allowing the virus to run its course.

ALDI says never to chlorinated chicken Supermarket chain Aldi has vowed to never sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef amid fears they could be imported under a potential UK-US trade agreement.

The food retailer, which describes itself as the UK’s fifth largest supermarket, has ruled out selling the products regardless of any future trade deal.

CEO Giles Hurley said the company would always be “one of the biggest supporters” of British food suppliers.

He added: “We are a signatory to the NFU (National Farmers’ Union) Back British Farming Charter and our entire core range of fresh meat and milk is from Red Tractor-approved farms in the UK. “We will never compromise on the standards or specifications of our products, and that includes a commitment to never selling chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef.”

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Johnny Depp is no ‘wife beater’ court told early in his life, which Mr Depp agreed with.

JOHNNY Depp is not a wife beater and ex-wife In her witness statement, Ms Heard had said The actor explained how he began taking Amber Heard’s allegations of violence are that she recorded their conversations ‘to remind drugs in his youth ‘at a very young age, when it ‘complete lies’, his lawyers have told a court.

Johnny of what he would do when using drugs was not a particularly stable or secure or safe The Hollywood actor was in the High Court in and alcohol because he wouldn’t remember, or home life, and there was quite a lot of London yesterday [Tuesday, July 7] for his libel deny what he had said’. unpleasantness in the house’. case against The Sun newspaper.

He added: “My mother used to ask me to go The 57-year-old star is suing the tabloid’s Unpleasantness and get her ‘nerve pills’ and I think I was around publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) over the age of 11 that it dawned on me that ‘nerve an article which called him a ‘wife beater’ and But Mr Depp said that was not correct, telling pills’ were calming her nerves, so I brought her referred to ‘overwhelming evidence’ he attacked the court that Ms Heard’s later recollection of her nerve pills and I took one and that began his ex-wife Amber Heard during their their conversations would sometimes be (my drug use).” relationship, which he strenuously denies. ‘radically different’.

Mr Depp continued that it was ‘the only way At the start of the hearing Depp’s barrister, He added: “I, at the time, thought that the best that I found to numb the pain’.

David Sherborne, said articles in The Sun made thing to do was to record the conversation, so I Ms Wass suggested that Mr Depp’s fame and ‘defamatory allegations of the utmost retrieved my telephone and brought it to where wealth had given him ‘a lot of freedom’. seriousness’ against Mr Depp, accusing him of we were talking and I said, ‘I’m going to record Mr Depp replied: “The other side of that coin committing serious assaults on Ms Heard and this conversation’, just so that she knew. you are, in a way, forced to live a life of a fugitive.” “inflicting such serious injuries that she feared Mr Depp added: “As was my practice in these The QC then asked about an incident in 1989 for her life”. situations, whenever it would escalate I would when Mr Depp allegedly assaulted a security Mr Sherborne said: “The articles amount to a try to go to my own corner as it were... before guard who asked a group of people to leave a full-scale attack on the claimant as a ‘wife things got out of hand”. party at a hotel in Vancouver, Canada. beater’, guilty of the most horrendous physical The actor was then asked by Sasha Wass QC if The barrister also asked about another incident abuse.” it was true that he ‘found drugs and alcohol’ at a hotel in New York in the early He added: “They are allegations which 1990s, before referring to a comment the claimant absolutely denies, and Mr Depp made in a later media which, at the time of publication, he interview in which he said that ‘some had already publicly denied.” guys go play golf, some guys smash Johnny Depp has accused his ex-wife hotel rooms’. of repeatedly punching him in the face Mr Depp replied that he thought the and severing his finger by throwing a comment was said ‘with some vodka bottle at him. semblance of humour as it is a In one of his witness statements filed ridiculous notion that a grown man as part of his libel case against The would attack a hotel room’.

Sun’s publisher, News Group Ms Wass said: “It is certainly what Newspapers (NGN), the actor said you were arrested for.” ‘rage-filled violent incidents on planes Mr Depp said: “It is ridiculous, yes.” were common with Amber’.

Ms Wass suggested to Mr Depp: “You Taking the stand, Mr Depp was asked are the type of person who, when he

by Mr Sherborne about a recording of a becomes angry and/or frustrated, conversation between the actor and Ms expresses that through violent Heard on September 26 2015. behaviour.”

Mr Depp explained that both he and Mr Depp replied that it was not true.

Ms Heard recorded conversations during The case continues. their relationship.

HEARING: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arriving at court yesterday

No 10 refuses to apologise over PM’s ‘clumsy’ care home remark DOWNING Street has declined to apologise after Boris Johnson provoked anger when he suggested ‘too many’ care homes did not properly follow procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Prime Minister’s comments were branded a ‘real slap in the face’ for care workers by the Independent Care Group, while another sector leader said they were ‘clumsy and cowardly’.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman was asked during a Westminster briefing what the PM had meant by the remarks.

He said: “Throughout the pandemic, care homes have done a brilliant job under very difficult circumstances.

“The Prime Minister was pointing out that

nobody knew what the correct procedures were because the extent of asymptomatic transmission was not known at the time.”

Asked if Mr Johnson would like to apologise or retract the comments, the spokesman said: “As I’ve just set out, the PM thinks that throughout the pandemic care homes have done a brilliant job under very difficult circumstances.”

The Prime Minister’s remarks came after he was asked what he made of NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens’ desire to see plans to adequately fund the adult social care sector within a year.

Mr Johnson said: “One of the things the crisis has shown is we need to think about how we organise our social care package better and how

we make sure we look after people better who are in social care.

“We discovered too many care homes didn’t really follow the procedures in the way that they could have but we’re learning lessons the whole time.”

But sector leaders said the suggestion that care home workers were not following procedures was ‘totally inappropriate’ and ‘hugely insulting’.

Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum, said: “Care homes across the country were dealing with an extraordinary amount of different guidance that was coming out from Government on an almost daily basis.

“So for the suggestion that they were not following procedures as laid out is totally inappropriate and, frankly, hugely insulting.”

The Independent Care Group’s chairman Mike Padgham said the remarks were ‘upsetting’ and ‘a real slap in the face for those workers after they have given and sacrificed so much’.

Newspaper giant to axe 550 jobs AROUND 550 jobs are being cut at Daily Mirror and Daily Express newspaper publisher Reach as part of plans to slash costs.

The group – which also owns a raft of regional newspaper titles across the UK, including the Kent and East Sussex Courier in Tunbridge Wells – said it is cutting about 12 per cent of its workforce under an overhaul aiming to save £35million a year.

It comes after the BBC also announced a major shakeup of its regional news and broadcasting, which will see around 450 jobs go [see page 6].

Reach said it will look to bring together its national and regional editorial teams across its titles in a more centralised structure, while also reducing its local commercial and finance sites and simplifying management.

But it will end the recent temporary pay cuts for all staff, except senior executives and board members, and invest more heavily in its digital operations amid an increasing shift towards online news.

The group did not give details of where the job cuts would fall, but confirmed plans for ‘more focused’ and central operations.

Reach chief executive Jim Mullen said: “Structural change in the media sector has accelerated during the pandemic and this has resulted in increased adoption of our digital products.”

He went on: “To meet these challenges and to accelerate our customer value strategy, we have completed plans to transform the business and are ready to begin the process of implementation.

“Regrettably, these plans involve a reduction in our workforce and we will ensure all impacted colleagues are treated with fairness and respect throughout the forthcoming consultation process.”

Reopening Tunbridge Wells and welcoming you back

G IN

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The Council has worked with partners to help local businesses get ready for reopening. Look out for signs and stickers to help keep you safe and point you in the right direction whilst out and about.

DISTANC L A I

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We are open!

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As more and more businesses reopen we’d like to welcome you back to the borough’s towns and villages.

AP

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Planning a night out?

Now that pubs, bars and restaurants have opened their doors for the first time since March we asked Roz Heaton, Business Crime Manager for the TW Safe Town Partnership, about the new measures you will need to follow when enjoying a night out.

Open?

Check Before

‘A lot of hospitality businesses have reopened or are getting ready to reopen, but it will be a very different night out from what you are used to. The first thing to do, ideally well before you set off, is to check that where you want to go is open and find out if you need to book.

Reduced Capacity

‘Social distancing and safety measures mean that hospitality businesses are operating at reduced capacity so pre-booking is very important. If you haven’t booked and you see there’s a queue you might need to rethink your plans.

Door Staff

‘Don’t be surprised to see door staff greeting you on arrival, they’re there for safety and will ensure you don’t enter premises that are over-crowded. It will help if you’re carrying ID as staff will need to take your details.

Taxis

‘If you want a taxi home please be prepared to be told that you can’t share it with friends as drivers may want to limit the number of people in their vehicles.

‘Finally, have a great time knowing you’re supporting the local economy. It may be a little different but if everyone follows the guidelines there’s plenty of room for everyone to enjoy themselves safely.’

tunbridgewells.gov.uk

TWellsCouncil TunbridgeWellsBoroughCouncil

visittunbridgewells.co.uk

for inspiration and great ideas for your local day out

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NEWS

Education

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

EDUCATION Times

Is the phased return for some secondary students returning to school making the grade for success?

Following the government’s announcement last week that all children will go back to school in September in class and year size ‘bubbles’, Eileen Leahy speaks to two local secondaries about how their phased returns for Years 10 and 12 is going so far…

WHEN the Prime Minister shut down schools in March to help stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus pupils all over the country found themselves having to learn online from a dramatically reduced curriculum.

Those students in Years 11 and 13 who had been preparing to sit their GCSCEs and A Levels were told all their exams would be cancelled as a result of the worrying impact Covid-19 was having on the UK at the time.

The only children left in schools were those deemed to be vulnerable or whose parents were key workers.

SO HOW HAVE OUR LOCAL SECONDARIES COPED WITH WELCOMING BACK GROUPS OF YEAR 10 AND 12 STUDENTS AHEAD OF THE REST OF THEIR PUPILS? SEAN MCQUILLAN, Academy Principal at St Gregory’s Catholic School in Reynolds Lane told

Recovery But in May the government announced that Reception and Years 1 and 6 pupils in the primary sector could return in ‘bubbles’ along with those in Years 10 and 12 at secondary school so they would have the opportunity for face to face time with teachers ahead of sitting their GCSEs and A Levels next summer.

Education minister Gavin Williamson, who announced last week his plans for all children in England to return to school this September, has said that those students sitting exams next year will be doing so a little later in the summer in order to allow more teaching time amid the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Addressing the House of Commons, Mr Williamson said returning to normal educational routines was ‘critical’ to the national recovery.

ST GREGORY’S SEAN MCQUILLAN

the Times that much planning and preparation has taken place over the last few weeks in order to welcome back those students preparing to take exams in the next academic year.

“Year 10 students are all taking part in a one-to-one hour long, academic mentoring

session with a teacher so that we can meet the students face-to-face to discuss, first and foremost, their well-being and then the academic work that they have completed at home during the school’s closure,” explained Mr McQuillan.

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

“Following these meetings we are now moving towards subject tutorials in small ‘pods’ of a maximum of 15 students, targeting specific areas of the curriculum identified in the academic mentoring sessions as being areas of need.

“This way we aim to support students in catching up with those more complex and challenging areas of the curriculum that require direct teaching for better knowledge acquisition and understanding.”

Mr McQuillan went on to say that students in Year 12 have also been provided with similar

AT BEACON ACADEMY IN CROWBOROUGH YEAR 10 AND SOME YEAR 11 STUDENTS ARE NOW ALSO COMING INTO SCHOOL ON VARIOUS DAYS, ALONGSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL COHORT OF KEY WORKER STUDENTS. “We are following government guidance closely,” says the academy’s head Anna Robinson.

“Since secondary schools were directed to offer face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of students in Year 10 and Year 12 from 15th June, parents were surveyed to establish the type of face-to-face support that their children would find most beneficial across their subjects.

“Using these responses, plans and timetables were drawn up and site adaptations made to be able to offer the best quality provision for our students whilst also ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of our students and our staff remained paramount, with stringent safety measures in place.

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk one-to-one mentoring sessions also on a part-time basis, in addition to their remote learning, to provide further academic and pastoral support.

“Year 12 students are also being offered advice and guidance in school for applying to university and writing their UCAS personal statements,” continued Mr McQuillan.

“At the end of last month we extended our provision for Year 12 students to offer subject tutorials in all A Level and BTech subjects with the students’ classroom teacher.”

BEACON ACADEMY’S ANNA ROBINSON

Positivity “We have had over 120 Year 10 and 90 Year 12 students, along with on average 30 core/priority students on both sites.”

Ms Robinson added that this has been a very ‘positive step forward’ for both teaching staff and students.

“As with so many other schools, having a significant proportion of our Year 10 and 12 students physically in school has been absolutely fantastic and such a positive step forward. It is lovely to see each group of students arriving on their allocated day throughout the week, alongside the consistent group of our core students who are in each day.

“From talking to many of them, it has compounded to us what is of course understandable due to everyone’s varying circumstances; that is what a mixed experience of lockdown our students and their families have all had. Some have found it relatively easy and enjoyable to be at home. They have enjoyed being with their parents or carers, their siblings and their pets.

“Conversely, there are others that have found some, or all of the aforementioned a challenge at

times. It has been beneficial to be able to see and support those who have found remote working more difficult and to encourage them to keep going and in addition to be able to highly commend those who have been consistently working diligently since our closure.”

Ms Robinson admits that whilst there was a tangible sense of optimism about being back, for some students, it was definitely going to take time to reconnect with being back in school.

“We all picked up on the slight and comprehensible apprehension about what our school would look and feel like. Thankfully however, we all swiftly found our rhythm in order to take full advantage of the time we had together for face-to-face support.

“Our students that have been in school have all in their own way said that the sessions that they had been in had helped to clarify and consolidate, or kick start them for the rest of the week until they can return for their day, or subject the following week. We continue to monitor how they are getting on.”

Education

NEWS

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Local News

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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

STEPS TO RECOVERY Ambitious vision is required

Now is the time for us to listen and lead DURING the current crisis Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s officers have stepped up and we thank them for their efforts. However, officers don’t exist in a vacuum and need leadership from elected council members.

Providing an ambitious vision for the future supported by bold and clear policies is the job of the elected leadership of the borough council. As we come out of the crisis it is even more critical to have leadership that will shape the direction of the borough.

We all deserve better than this I wrote to the Leader of the Council last week suggesting that we invite ‘Locate In Kent’ to give a briefing to all members. ‘Locate In Kent’ is an organisation whose job is to encourage businesses to move into Kent and they see Tunbridge Wells town as ripe for regeneration and redevelopment. This is very much in line with the recommendation of the crossparty working group of Councillors made in December 2019.

The Leader replied that he will bear my suggestion in mind. There was no attempt to grab the initiative, no acknowledgment of a cross-party positive suggestion, no time scale for progressing it, just “I’ll bear that in mind”. I challenged this reply by sending an email to all the Borough’s Councillors expressing my frustration at this rebuttal.

Part of any Councillor’s job is to scrutinise what the Council is doing. The Local Government Association says ‘for scrutiny to be effective it needs to be seen as a ‘critical friend’ and it is important to identify where decisions could be improved and how to prevent mistakes being made or repeated’.

What did a senior Cabinet member do in response to my email? He reported me to the Council’s legal officer for “misusing Council resources”. He claims that my challenge is ‘bullying and harassment’.

Anyone who has worked recently in a robust business environment will know that challenge and dialogue is actively encouraged as a way of ensuring better plans, more focused action and greater speed of delivery. Regrettably this council is not interested in any of this. What we have now is a Council with no vision, no ambition and no leadership. A Council that is defensive and afraid of constructive criticism.

And a Council whose Leadership Team have been all but invisible throughout the pandemic.

We all deserve more than this.

Hugo Pound, Labour member for Sherwood

Vote of no confidence in the leader The current health situation has exposed weak leadership at TWBC and is in danger of becoming an existential crisis for the whole

As opposition councillors our ability to influence the council’s direction is limited, especially when positive measures we put forward are either killed or delayed.

What we are asking is that the Conservativeled council, its Cabinet and members start doing the job the public expects and pays them to do, to listen and lead.

Alliance, Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors Tunbridge Wells council, which could leave residents without essential services. At a briefing session on 12th June, the Director of Finance warned members that the council’s key services could be taken over by central government unless a recovery plan was made.

There has been no response by the leadership to this imminent crisis.

The Leader is ultimately responsible for: • The suspension of crucial levels of scrutiny on key council capital projects.

• The refuse contract being awarded to a company with a track record of failure.

• The problems with the Amelia Scott project, the details of which are being kept from members of all parties, including the Leader’s own party, just like a previous development.

• The appointment and removal of people from committees on the basis of internal party need, not their skill or ability to run the council well for the benefit of residents and businesses.

• Policy and decision making not originating from elected members.

The Alliance group of councillors is therefore calling for a vote of no confidence in the Leader.

Why now?

At this critical time of recovery we need open, honest and competent leadership, or, we fear, we will be sleep walking into becoming a failed local authority. Other parties may prefer to delay raising these important issues until their election campaigns next year. The Alliance group thinks waiting until next years’ local elections is a disservice to the residents of the Borough.

The new Leader will very likely come from the majority party but needs to be someone who understands the absolute necessity for overview and scrutiny of the Council’s affairs and that policy and decision making should come from the elected members.

David Hayward, Alliance Member, Pembury

The latest EU-UK negotiations passed with ‘no significant progress’ being declared by Michel Barnier. We risk, amidst the chaos of coronavirus, dropping out of the bloc with no deal.

This is extremely worrying for chartered trade mark attorneys like myself as the negotiations themselves have huge ramifications for my industry, as the opportunity handed to EEA [European Economic Area] attorneys in the UK after Brexit has the potential to seriously damage the £2billon UK trade mark industry.

Currently our negotiating mandate would hand a competitive advantage to EEA practitioners by allowing them unrestricted access to the UK Intellectual Property Office [IPO] without any reciprocal arrangements for UK firms. This will seriously damage the UK’s world-leading trade mark industry, and the one in five jobs it supports throughout the wider economy.

This lack of consideration has triggered UK businesses to invest in EU offices and employ EU lawyers, when previously they would have invested here instead.

So ‘taking back control’ apparently now means handing over a significant industry that provides jobs and revenues here in the UK to our European friends. I’m sure the EU is delighted with this free gift that it didn’t even ask for.

Alison Cole, Tunbridge Wells

The Times came out in print last week for the first time since the lockdown started - and was greeted with acclaim by our loyal local readers who admired our positive message and call to arms for supporting local traders in this unprecedented economic situation...

What happened to emptying bins?

It was interesting to read Cllr Hood’s letter about Tonbridge town centre last week. He mentions the overflowing bins and I have to say, coming out of lockdown it has proved a depressing site to see this in Tunbridge Wells too.

Apparently it’s because of the fast food outlets opening up again but then it was never this bad before coronavirus came along.

It seems almost incredible that the streets are largely deserted and yet somehow there is this daily eyesore to contend with. So why aren’t the bins being emptied? I believe the refuse collectors have been among the hidden heroes of this pandemic for the way they have carried on doing their jobs despite the toxic dangers they face every day in collecting household waste like tissues and other hygiene items.

So I don’t blame them for this blight, they are working far harder than most people have been over the last few months. So who should - or could - be doing the job?

Phil Walton, Tunbridge Wells

A trade mark issue gone unnoticed Our government is about to hand a multi-billion dollar present to the EU, possibly without even noticing it!

As a Tunbridge Wells resident, I have tried writing to Greg Clark MP and have not received a helpful response.

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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18

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Weekly Comment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Tom Tugendhat Conservative MP for Tonbridge & Malling

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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.

Thank you to all who have played their part OUR lives have been transformed but thank you to all who have played their part The return of the Times, and with it my regular column, is a welcome sign that some things are coming back after an extraordinary few months.

To say we are returning to normal would be overstating it, and how permanent the new normal turns out to be, depends on all of us.

Since my previous column in March our lives have been transformed.

Many of us will have lost loved ones or know friends who sadly are no longer with us. The fact that Tonbridge & Malling has the lowest infection rate in Kent is testament to the hard work and adherence with the social distancing measures we’ve abided by and is a credit to the support of community groups and the council.

But we couldn’t have done this without the support of our wonderful NHS staff. From the doctors at Warders, Tonbridge Medical Group and Trenchwood, to the acute nurses on the front line at Pembury, and everyone else who works in our health service - thank you for all you have done to keep us safe.

The scale of our response was impressive and shows how much we can achieve when we work together.

By the end of March Tonbridge School was operational as one of the first Coronavirus Assessment Centres in the whole country. I was pleased to help get emergency supplies from Taiwan to keep us all safe at the very start of the

pandemic too. We all did what we can to help those in need.

I wanted to take some time in this column to reflect not only on what our medical staff have achieved, but also on what we have achieved as a community.

Separated The Coronavirus Community Hub, run by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, and Kent Growth Hub, run by the County Council, have enabled everyone affected to be able to access the support they need. Whether it be getting access to generous grants for your business, being successfully supported through the Job Retention scheme, or simply having food delivered to your home, we’ve all relied on each other to keep us safe during this difficult time.

In the past few months, I’ve been helping many more people than usual. I’ve heard some heart-breaking stories of people being separated from family and friends, and for those abroad when the virus hit this was particularly concerning.

From New Zealand, to Cambodia and Columbia, people from our community needed repatriation and I was delighted that, eventually, we managed to get everyone home. Holidays of a lifetime turned into arduous journeys home under the most difficult conditions.

But it’s not just travelling from abroad which has seen transport options change.

FIRST Tonbridge School was one of the UK’s first operational Coronavirus Assessment Centres Here in Tonbridge we’ve seen the opportunity to invest in our local infrastructure, capitalising on the increase in the number of people cycling and walking. I’m grateful to everyone who completed my Walking, Cycling and Safer Roads survey last month.

It builds on the multi-million-pound investment made by the Government in sustainable transport measures, and Kent County Council’s willingness to invest this funding locally.

The results were useful and also extremely interesting. Reducing speeds to 20 mph and improving cycle infrastructure were the most

Carol Mackonochie Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

popular.

I trust KCC will listen to what we want and prioritise these measures, over those such as pedestrianisation of Tonbridge High Street which were more divisive.

Some of the changes over the past few months, such as more cycling and walking, I hope will be permanent.

Others, such as the need for so much emergency medical care, we hope to see the back of. But we can look back with pride at the role our town has played in countering the pandemic. Thank you to all who have played their part.

Cllr Carol Mackonochie is the cabinet member responsible for Communities and Wellbeing at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. She has been a Conservative councillor for Capel ward since May 2016.

It’s been a challenge but we’ve risen to the occasion THE Covid-19 pandemic created some huge challenges for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC). But I’m pleased to say the Council, helped by the local community, rose to the challenge.

At the start of lockdown, we prepared for a rapid increase in emergency accommodation for rough sleepers and the homeless. Our partners – The Russell Hotel, Town and Country Housing, hostels and private providers – worked amazingly hard to help us meet demand.

Amongst others, 48 rough sleepers were given emergency accommodation and fed from donations.

The Assembly Hall Theatre was transformed into a Wellbeing Hub, with redeployed Council staff preparing and distributing more than 400 food parcels to shielded and vulnerable residents around the borough.

The Hub also launched a 7-day-a-week helpline that received over 1,300 calls. Advice and signposting were given on the assistance available from us and from other agencies such as Kent County Council (KCC), charities and a borough-wide network of volunteers.

Over 150 outgoing calls were also made to help those facing social isolation issues.

In May our new TWSocial.co.uk website went

live, offering interviews with local people, information about services and some excellent local music to keep the mind busy and ease feelings of loneliness.

The Council also helped the local economy by distributing funds from central government.

We paid out Business Rate Grants totalling £27.2million to over 2,000 small businesses and charities in the local area.

HUB: The Assembly Hall was transformed to help the community during lockdown

Campaign The local voluntary and community sector has experienced an exceptionally challenging time.

But we were able to help here too, launching the ‘Lend a hand’ crowd-funding campaign and raising over £10,500 shared between the Nourish Community Foodbank, Age UK and Mental Health Resource.

(If you would still like to donate it is not too late. You can hewlp some excellent local good causes attunbridgewells.gov.uk/fundraising).

So what will we be doing going forward?

Our housing department is very focused on finding longer-term solutions for rough sleepers and the homeless. We are working with housing providers and landlords to find permanent

homes.

Demand for our Coronavirus helpline has fallen. So, from 31st July, it will be absorbed into our normal Contact Centre (01892 526121) and available during normal office hours. The 24/7 KCC Kent Together helpline (03000 419292) will remain open.

Our libraries will soon start to reopen.

Southborough Library will be the first, opening for a “reserve and collect” service as from 13th July.

We got through the crisis thanks to some amazing support from businesses and volunteers across the borough. This included huge donations of food and ready meals, use of delivery vans, prescription deliveries and even dog walking. TWBC staff have worked amazingly hard throughout, so I thank them all.

Finally, if you have a local hero the TWBC Love Where We Live nominations are still open.

Find out more at www.LoveWhereWeLive.co.uk

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

WITH THE

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Page 22

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NEWS ON TOWN DEVELOPMENTS

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JUST A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY

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EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk PropertyFOR Focus

Property Focus NEWS

Is the government building up hopes – or fears – for the future of development?

Boris Johnson has announced plans for the most radical reforms of our planning system since World War II. So what does this mean for the property sector and how will it impact our high street asks Eileen Leahy LAST week the Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a raft of radical measures to overhaul the traditional planning system in order to make it easier to ‘build better homes where people want to live’.

In addition to this the government’s aim is to also help kick start the construction industry and to create jobs in order to as Mr Johnson said to ‘build, build, build’ Britain out of a looming post-coronavirus recession.

So what do these reforms mean?

Well firstly developers will no longer have to go through the usual and often complicated and lengthy planning application process in order to demolish and rebuild empty residential and commercial buildings – as long as they are being used for new homes.

Interestingly property owners can now convert a much wider range of commercial buildings into homes without requiring planning approval for the change of use. Prior to the PM’s plans being unveiled last week this was always a solid requirement.

Under the new legislation property owners will be able to build additional space above their properties without planning permission, subject to neighbour consultation.

LOCAL PLAN There will be less red tape to turn empty shops into office

Government ministers are saying that these measures will breathe new life into town centres by quickly creating houses and flats in high streets.

Although this recent announcement stated that developers would still ‘need

If anything, we need to be creating more conference space and flexible working spaces to enable people to work more flexibly, not losing space for residential development to adhere to high standards and regulations, just without the unnecessary red tape’ many industry experts are concerned.

Paula Higgins, CEO of HomeOwners Alliance commented: “Worryingly, there was no mention of the government’s long-standing commitment to legislate for a New Homes Ombudsman to address poor quality new build and lack of consumer redress when things do go wrong.

“We – and many other organisations

– have concerns. Homes yes, but not at the expense of high streets.”

Ross Feeney, CEO of Tunbridge Wells Together also stressed that this is perhaps not the greatest news for traditional shopping areas.

He told the Times this week: “We understand the government’s desire to get the economy moving, but relaxing permitted development rights is not the way to do it.

“We have seen that there has recently been a shift towards home working and working closer to home.

“We cannot afford to lose more valuable office space to residential redevelopment. Our town centre needs office-based businesses (and those who work in them) as they are valuable part of our economy.

“If anything, we need to be creating more conference space and flexible working spaces to enable people to work more flexibly, not losing space for residential development.”

Ms Higgins from HomeOwners Alliance also expressed concern over the quality of conversions: “Reforms that enable the converting of a wider range of commercial buildings into homes could lead to poor-quality housing.”

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

KICKSTART The government wants to boost construction in the UK

n o t a e h e h t p u n r Tu t n u h y t r e p o r p r u yo h t i w r e this summ rty e p o r P J M K

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A beautifully presented 2 double bedroom purpose built apartment, situated close to the town shops and mainline station. Accommodation comprises ; Communal hallway leading to front door, entrance hallway with ample storage cupboards, two double bedrooms, stylish bathroom, spacious living room, dining area and modern fitted kitchen. Communal gardens, allocated parking and single garage. EPC C. RE

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An extremely well presented detached family home with garage and driveway, the accommodation comprises; Lounge, dining room, newly fitted kitchen with crushed glass worktop, conservatory, downstairs shower room, 4 bedrooms and upstairs family bathroom. Well maintained garden with raised paved patio area and lawn with areas of planting with mature shrubs and plants. EPC D.

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Best BuysFOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

This week’s best property buys…

Since estate agents were told they could start selling properties again after the government eased lockdown measures the housing market has experienced a bounce – both in terms of buyers and sellers. Here are our top picks of what’s currently on the local housing market Snape Barn, Snape Lane Wadhurst, East Sussex GUIDE PRICE

£1,200,000 CONTACT Jackson Stops, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 521700 This is a stunning 15th century Baronial Hall located in a very tranquil rural position boasting 1.6 acres. As well as being secluded and private, the property is surrounded by delightful gardens. There is also a pond and a few woodland walks nearby. Ideal for a family who enjoy all the trappings of history and the countryside.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST:

n There are four bedrooms in this characterful home n Plenty of appealing period features including exposed timbers, flagstone flooring and oriel windows n Downstairs, the main reception area is a stunning double aspect room open to full height (25’) n In addition to this you’ll find a utility room, kitchen/diner, sitting room and a study which can also be used as the fourth bedroom if so desired n Upstairs there is a master bedroom which has an ensuite shower room n The remaining two bedrooms upstairs are also double n There is also a wet room located on the second floor n This 15th century property is set in attractive formal gardens and enjoys a secluded position n At the turn of the 20th century the Snape House Estate was owned by Sir George Barham, founder of Express Dairies n Snape Barn was linked to the main house by a covered was as the Baronial Hall

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Best Buys

Move

WITH THE

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Luxury apartment

London Road, Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE

ÂŁ890,000 CONTACT Maddisons Residential, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 514100 An extremely spacious and sophisticated 2/3 bedroom penthouse apartment set within a contemporary development in the heart of Tunbridge Wells. This fabulous example of open plan living, has light filled accommodation and benefits from a secluded private roof terrace and 3 secure underground parking spaces.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST:

n A beautiful 2/3 bedroom penthouse apartment adjacent to the High Street n Over 1500 sq. ft. of well-appointed sunlit living accommodation n Impeccable finish throughout n Open plan kitchen/diner/sitting room with vaulted ceiling n Sytlish, well-configured kitchen with quartz worktops and high end appliances n Air conditioning is installed throughout the main living area n There is also a state of the art sound system and Hive heating installed n Private terrace with westerly aspect overlooking the common n Three allocated parking spaces and storage facilities n Fabulous location with every amenity within easy reach n Tunbridge Wells station is just a short walk away making it ideal for anyone having to commute to the capital

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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ARTS & CULTURE LIFE & STYLE FOOD & DRINK MOTORING SPORT and MORE...

IN PRINT AND ONLINE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK timeslocalnews.co.uk

xxx Pretty as xx a picture

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Page xx

Visit Fairfax xxx xx Gallery Page xx Page 26

CRACKING THE CODE TO SUCCESS

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LOCAL MUSIC SCENE’S FUTURE

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WHY NOT GET AWAY FROM IT ALL?

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TONBRIDGE ANGELS STRIKER DIES

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Out & About

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out&about 7 days of activities

By Eileen Leahy

WELL GROOMED Peacocks are popular residents of Groombridge Place

Due to social distancing guidelines only a limited number of tickets will be allocated each day and the attraction will be open between 10am and 4pm and the gates will be closed promptly at 5:00pm.

Book tickets at www.groombridgeplace.com ART IS EVERYWHERE The Fairfax Gallery is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year so what better time to pay this artistic gem on The Pantiles a visit? Running until September 8 you can see a wealth of work from over the past two decades plus on display.

NAISSANCE II

Since the weekend more of our favourite places have reopened.

Here’s where to go this week...

GORGEOUS GROOMBRIDGE PLACE This magnificent country estate reopened last month and is now promoting tickets at a special reduced entry price of just £5 per person. This special admission will be in place until it is safe to open the remainder of the attractions at Groombridge Place.

Visitors can enjoy the wonderful countryside setting and all the beautiful walks along the canal path and throughout the Enchanted Forest.

Picnics are also allowed in the picnic fields, but visitors will need to bring their own seating or picnic mat.

The property’s amazing birds of prey displays will also be included with admission. There are two displays every day, one at 12 noon and the other at 3.30pm. The birds of prey displays include impressive owls and raptors from all over the world together with a fascinating commentary about each of the birds.

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

The gallery’s owner Andrew Fairfax says: “The last quarter-century has seen many challenges to the tradition of gallery viewing; the rise of the internet, a worldwide recession, and most recently a global pandemic. Yet we remain firm in the belief that galleries offer the best way for clients to view paintings and sculpture in their truest form.”

One of the works of art you can see hanging in the gallery is the one pictured by Mary Jane Ansell and entitled Naissance II 22 x 22 inches Oil on Aluminium Panel. See www.fairfaxgallery.com Another local gallery well worth visiting is

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Out & About

Of course all our local parks including Dunorlan and Grosvenor and Hilbert are now open to the public – with social distancing in operation – so there’s plenty to enjoy without having to pay or book. And last week many galleries, cinemas and museums reopened so as they start to put on events post lockdown we will report on them.

CAPTURE THE CASTLE Scotney Castle has a long and rich history dating from 1137 and holds some interesting stories about the last inhabitants of the castle, the Hussey family, as well as a former Prime Minister too.

Scotney Castle’s garden is like a landscape painting with drama and romance. From a stunning vista of the old castle glimpsed through a swathe of rhododendrons and azaleas in spring to colourful reflections in the moat throughout autumn. It really is a landscape with drama and romance and always a joy to visit. Like all

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season ticket holders back to see its salvias and spring trees dotted around its seven acres.

It is proceeding slowly in terms of welcoming back more visitors and is placing well-being and confidence at the heart of its plans.

Curator, William Dyson told the Times: “All of the visitors we have spoken to (at a social distance) have been thrilled to be able to come back to the garden they love. They have also been encouraged by how safe it feels and how few people are in the garden.” For further info please visit www.greatcompgarden.co.uk

RICH HISTORY Scotney Castle

the Artspring one on Tonbridge High Street.

This artist-run gallery brings you a collection of high quality work from local emerging and professional contemporary artists who are specialists in their disciplines including paintings, printmaking, photography, digital art, ceramics, glass and jewellery. See www. artspringgallery.co.uk

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National Trust properties visitors will have to book a slot in order to visit so ensure you go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk to see the relevant details for Scotney and other NT places of interest in Kent and Sussex.

FLORAL TRIBUTES Pashley Manor in Ticehurst is usually buzzing with plenty of exhibitions around this time of year. In addition to its famous rose and tulip festivals it also hosts a wonderful sculpture event every summer too.

And although things are very different this year, for obvious reasons, the good news is you can still visit its gorgeous grounds – all 11 acres of them – most days of the week. Just visit www. pashleymanorgardens.com for the most up to date details on opening times and what you can access and when.

Another garden well worth a visit albeit a little bit further afield is Great Comp in Sevenoaks.

It reopened last month welcoming its annual

reception@salomons-estate.com

TRANQUILITY Gardens at Pashley Manor

PARKLIFE There’s plenty of green space to explore

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Music

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by Paul Dunton

Noteworthy progress but is it enough to save our music industry?

LOCAL & LIVE Last year’s free live music event in Tunbridge Wells but the future of grassroots music is threatened

Times music columnist Paul Dunton discusses how the government’s new rescue package for the arts world will be a lifeline for gig venues

‘All musicians have to start somewhere and that normally means your local venue or club’ measures and begin the road back to recovery, music and arts venues are sadly at this time not able to follow suit.

The reality is it could be a very long time before we see ‘normal’ live performances again with the public present. Up until now live streaming performances via platforms such as Zoom, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook from the safety of people’s homes has been the only outlet for performers.

Often these performances are heavily reliant on donations from viewers, so whilst the live streaming is undoubtedly a positive alternative during these times, it certainly doesn’t compare to the certainty of ticketed, physical gigs, concerts, festivals and venue hires, which are the lifeblood for the entire live industry.

Not forgetting all the thousands of recording studios, music teachers, record labels and publishers who have all collectively been massively affected by the effects of Covid-19.

The music and arts industry contributes close to

a quarter of the UK’s economy and has been on the brink of collapse, with other countries around the world taking steps to inject vital funds into the music and arts sectors. So it is brilliant news to hear that the UK government have just agreed a £1.57 billion rescue package for venues across the UK. This is a very significant sum of funding, but this money will have to be spread far and wide when you consider all the theatres, festivals and arts venues it has to reach, I can assure you, the funding will soon dissipate very quickly.

Many high profile musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Radiohead frontman Thom York have all written open letters to the government appealing for help to save the music and arts industry from inevitable collapse.

“All musicians have to start somewhere and that normally means your local venue or club” The Music Venue trust has done an incredible job campaigning tirelessly to create awareness and raise support, particularly for the plight of grass roots music and arts venues such as our very own Forum.

And it is of course these grass roots venues that are perhaps the most important of all. Without them there is no first step on the ladder for any performer, no one just walks out to a packed Wembley stadium or Glastonbury Pyramid stage or Royal Albert Hall for their first live gig.

You have to start somewhere and that normally means your local venue or club. From a Tunbridge Wells perspective this rescue package should hopefully see music and arts venues including The Forum, The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Trinity Theatre and The Assembly Hall Theatre receiving sufficient funding to survive these troubled times.

There is hope for the future, long live arts and culture in Tunbridge Wells and all over the world.

May it return in all its glory soon!

PHOTOS: Nigel Martin

L

IFE in lockdown has been tough to deal with in so many ways but for the arts and music world it really has been absolutely devastating.

Since lock down began in late March there have been no physical gigs and concerts, no festivals and all arts venues have been forced to close. With many businesses now able to reopen following the easing of certain lock down

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arts

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Arts & Culture

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How one local escape room company cracked the code to its survival post Covid lockdown Clue Cracker opened last summer and ran a hugely popular escape room business but then the coronavirus hit and it saw its future on the brink. Eileen Leahy talks to co-founder Katie Thornton about how it defied the odds to survive the Covid crisis and its how its adapted

W

HEN the country went into lockdown on March 23 due to the Covid pandemic, businesses all over the UK feared for their future.

One of those was Clue Cracker, a successful escape room venture based at The Shuffle House on St John’s Road in Tunbridge Wells.

Having only opened eight months previously in July 2109 with its first game Jail Break, Clue Cracker quickly established itself as on the area’s most popular escape rooms, attracting visitors from as far flung as Dubai and Australia.

It was started by husband and wife Ben and Katie Thornton, along with Shuffle House owner Ismail Refet and local theatre producer Tom Swift, in order to offer residents the chance to participate in a fun game where a team of players aims to discover clues, solve puzzles, and carry out specific tasks in a limited amount of time in order to break out of the escape room.

Clue Cracker’s debut game was Jail Break and it went down so well that it soon became Number 1 on things to do in Tunbridge Wells, gaining over 150 five star reviews on Trip Advisor.

GREAT ESCAPE [Left to right] Ismail Refet, Katie, Ben and Tom Swift

Thanks to its success the Clue Cracker team soon found themselves in the fortunate position of being able to develop a second game, Diamond Dogs, and also acquire a second premises, just over the road from The Shuffle House.

“The idea was to expand the new place into a real destination attraction, which would contain a further four escape rooms,” explains Katie.

“We picked up the keys on March 11, proud as punch and ready to start building at the earliest opportunity – but then the country went into lockdown.”

“Around the same time we were due to launch a second escape room game Diamond Dogs – an epic jewellery heist. But we suddenly found ourselves in a position where we had refunds to hand out, self-employed staff to let go, rent to pay and no foreseeable income. Not to

thinking caps on and began developing a series of online Escape Games.

“We started with a not for profit, free online game called The Disappearance of DJ McDee for TW Social, an online community website created by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to support socially isolated people during lockdown.

“This was followed by three more games: ‘Escape from Extinction Island ‘Fairground Felony’ and ‘The Haunting of Harlequin House’.

“At first we thought it would be a side hustle, something to keep myself and Ben sane during lockdown, especially being seven months pregnant at the time! But little did we know the online games would go down a storm - and not just in the UK. Customers from all over the world have played them including some in Australia, America, Canada and Japan.”

‘We picked up the keys on March 11, proud as punch and ready to start building at the earliest opportunity – but then the country went into lockdown’

Attraction

ESCAPE ARTISTS Ben and Katie Thornton

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mention a new property sitting empty: the future looked bleak.“ Yet despite all the odds stacked against them, Katie says that the Clue Cracker team did not let a worldwide pandemic and possible bankruptcy dampen their spirits.

“We began applying for all of the grants released by the government including business-rates relief and rent holidays. Anything that was available we tried to get it.

But sadly, like many businesses, we kept falling through the net as we hadn’t been trading for more than a year.”

However Clue Cracker were determined not to become another business lost to Covid-19 so the creatives put their

Katie says that to date they have sold 700 online games in the space of three months. Clue Cracker was also chosen for the Online Escape Game Olympics, where they had 65 participants across 18 nations playing in one evening.

However although the games cost £9.99 each, the team soon realised this was not going to be enough financial support to keep Clue Cracker afloat so they had to think of other means to ensure their survival.

“During this time we contacted Cllrs Mark Ellis and Peter Lidstone - who is an Escape Room fan - advising them of our situation and requesting their help. Cllr Ellis kindly told us about a new top-up grant provided to assist small businesses who had missed out on previous grants.

“We returned to the laptop, not feeling too hopeful, aware that this was our last chance to save our business and applied. Two weeks later, we received an email to say we had been successful applicants. This was the best day in three months,” smiles Katie.

“Thanks to the wonderful work of the officers in the council who fought to get this money allocated and save local businesses, we finally had the help we needed.”

And now Clue Cracker, like a number of other leisure businesses, has reopened, welcoming back its first customers last Saturday (July 4).

Katie says participants will be able to enjoy both the original game Jail Break and also the new Diamond Dogs one at The Shuffle House all with the correct social distancing and safety guidelines in place.

“We now have longer gaps between games to allow for a thorough deep clean, masks, gloves and sanitizer at the ready. And only group bubbles of up to six are permitted,” Katie states.

And as for progress on the new premises Clue Cracker has acquired, Katie says that work has already begun on transforming the space into four exciting escape rooms.

“We have begun the build in the new property and very much hope to have another game open in August. We already have the theme and let’s just say it will be a jungle exploring, temple finding, boulder dashing adventure!”

For further information or to book visit www.cluecrackergames.co.uk Tickets cost from £17pp and the Clue Cracker event space is open from Wednesday – Sunday

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food

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Dishing up some delicious ideas for family mealtimes Local foodie Adam Shaw runs the popular At Dad’s Table healthy eating blog and Instagram account which boasts over 30K followers. Here he reveals his experience of life in lockdown, trying to keep his family healthy and himself motivated in the kitchen...

I

’M not sure how qualified I am to talk about keeping my family healthy during lockdown as I’m writing this accompanied by some sweet chilli crisps and a glass of red wine. But I’ve had a really long day working, getting owned by my toddler and trying to look after my newborn baby so a glass of wine and crisps is just what I feel like. I guess that’s the point though, with 12 weeks down and some people facing another eight weeks until their children return to school we are all just doing what we can to get through relatively intact.

Like so many people I started lockdown full of good intentions.

We’d go for a jog every day in the park, we’d do some sort of arts and crafts daily, I’d limit screen time (I know, yeah right!), we’d cook together every day and these few strange weeks would pass in no time. Instead, I think the last 12 weeks have been some of the best but hardest weeks I’ve ever had.

Pretty early on, my food planner went out the window. We had good days where I’d cook delicious food with my son and he’d eat everything, and then we had bad days where he wouldn’t touch a thing and storm off wanting to go to bed early. We also

had ‘meh’ days where everything would be just ok. And I guess that’s ok too.

So, by this point we are all fed up of lockdown aren’t we? Well to keep you on track for just that little bit longer here are my top tips for staying inspired in the kitchen:

Avocado 1. Keep it fun and simple: Mental health is everything at the moment.

Making and eating food should be fun and if it’s not, step back. Let someone else take over, serve food that’s super quick to make or have a takeaway for a few nights. No one needs more pressure at the moment.

2. Cookalongs and classes: There’s so much free content out there at the moment, from kids cookalong classes to tips and tricks from Michelin starred chefs. Have a look around, see what you can pick up and maybe even try doing some classes online with your kids.

3. Pick a theme and run with it. Will your kids eat avocado and cheese quesadillas? Then next week try putting some chorizo and red peppers in, then some chicken or prawns and so on. Before you know it you’ve got yourself a regular quesadilla night.

4. Add something new to your basket.

With delivery slots like gold dust in the first few weeks I did a full supermarket shop for the first time in ages. Why not pick up items you’ve never cooked with and just start experimenting. I bought mackerel for the first time during lockdown, now my son and I love it.

5. Shop local. From amazing butchers, fishmongers, farm shops and pick your own we really are spoilt for choice in this part of the world.

My son has seen where food comes from and picked his own fruit and vegetables, and this has added so much to his awareness around food.

6. Packed lunches. I’ve actually loved making packed lunches for our walks around the area. All food tastes better when it’s a picnic so don’t be afraid to throw in some unfamiliar foods or extra veg alongside their favourites.

7. Get baking. No not banana bread or sourdough, I’m talking about making veggie or fruit packed muffins or scones as a great way of getting in some extra dairy and nutrients. Quick to make and totally freezable.

8. Pre-made foods. Give everyone a break and if your kids love fish fingers and chicken nuggets then embrace it.

We do one mealtime of each once a week, adults included!

Adam’s easy recipes to keep you going and one special date night recipe Wholegrain vegetable and cheese muffins These are absolutely perfect to eat on the go or on a day out. Tasty muffins full of healthy veg, wholegrain flour, milk, cheese and yoghurt that are so good for the whole family. Make dozens then take one out of the freezer on your way out and enjoy it for lunch.

Ingredients n 300 grams wholemeal flour n Three teaspoons baking powder n 2 courgettes, grated n 2 carrots, grated n Large handful of frozen peas n Large handful of sweetcorn n 3 eggs n 200g cheddar, grated n 4 teaspoons Greek yoghurt n 50ml olive oil n Butter, to grease Method 1. Set the oven to 180 and grease a muffin tray with butter 2. Mix the courgette, carrot, peas and sweetcorn in a bowl. Stir in the yoghurt, olive oil, egg and cheese. Mix well.

3. Sieve the flour and baking powder over the mixture and mix for a final time. Divide into 12 portions and place in the muffin tray 4. Cook for 25 minutes before removing and allowing to cool Change it up: Literally any vegetable works well here.

Add some cooked bacon if you want meat. Swap the eggs and yoghurt for cashew milk to make it vegan and add in some vegan cheese.

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Chocolate covered strawberries Ready in literally 4 minutes this is such a lovely, family-friendly dessert that everyone can get involved with (especially toddlers!).

Ingredients n 200g chocolate (milk, dark, white, up to you!) n 1 pack of strawberries n Desiccated coconut Method This literally takes five minutes to make. Melt the chocolate in a bowl above a pan of hot water. Line a tray with baking paper. Dip the strawberries one by one in the chocolate, lay on the baking paper, sprinkle with the coconut and whack in the fridge to harden up for half an hour. That’s it!

Change it up: Play around with fruits. I find blueberries work quite well. Mix different chocolate, add a few waves of white chocolate to dark chocolate

Avocado and cheese quesadillas This is such a lovely, family-friendly meal. Make a load of them, plonk them in the middle of the table and just dive straight in! I’m using wholegrain here plus there’s loads of lovely protein, calcium and vitamins from the cheese and avocado. Also quesadillas are so versatile, the fillings are limitless. Top tip: use a pizza cuter to slice.

Ingredients n 1 pack of wholemeal tortillas n 2 avocadoes n Around 200g grated cheddar cheese n Coriander, lime juice Method 1. Mash the avocadoes together with a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lime.

2. Spread the mixture lengthways down half of a tortilla, then top that half with grated cheese and fold the tortilla over 3. Heat in a pan until the cheese has melted then cover with coriander and demolish Change it up: Add some ground chicken, chorizo or prawns for extra protein. Works well with roasted peppers, mushrooms, pineapple too!

And one for date night when the kids are in bed...

Roasted cod, lentils, cherry tomatoes and parsley oil

I love how professional this dish looks when it’s only really cod, tomatoes and lentils in a bowl! One of my favourite dishes and so nourishing. Lentils are also such a powerhouse food and great for little ones to play with.

Ingredients n 2 cod loins n 1 can of lentils n A decent handful of cherry tomatoes n 1 onion n 2 cloves of garlic n 75ml stock n Lemon, parsley, olive oil Method 1. Roast the cod under two slices of lemon for a maximum of 10 minutes at 180 2. Meanwhile dice the onion and garlic and cook on a low heat.

Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the pan along with the lentils 3. Dice some parsley and mix it into a few spoonfuls of olive oil.

4. Spoon the lentil mix into a bowl, top with the cod and drizzle the parsley oil over Change it up: Hake or monkfish would work here. A pork chop would be nice instead of the cod but I’d then make a chimichurri sauce instead of the parsley oil. Some chorizo diced into the lentils would be pretty tasty Folllow Adam Shaw AKA At Dad’s Table blog at www.atdadstable. com or on Instagaram @at_dads_table

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travel

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VIEW FROM THE TOP Northumberland National Park

Travel

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Go on an adventure to some of the

UK’s most stunning beauty spots Domestic travel is set to be busier than ever this summer. So why not escape the bustle by avoiding the obvious destinations and heading to one of these beautiful and remote places says Sarah Marshall

H

OW often do we dismiss the easy option? Regarded as being ‘too close to home’, domestic holidays are frequently overlooked in favour of more exotic escapes; shelved for a later date, because we can go any time.

But lockdown has taught us even local travel has value, promising just as many pleasures as other parts of the world.

As restrictions ease, hotels and attractions are preparing to open in the UK and Ireland, and it’s likely many

‘Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to the obvious honeypots.

For those prepared to search a little harder, these are some of the quieter, more remote locations to explore on our shores’ holiday-hungry travellers will hit the road.

But there are fears a rush of numbers could ruin the experience, with concerns of overcrowded beaches and overrun national parks.

Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to the obvious honeypots. For those prepared to search a little harder, these are some of the quieter, more remote locations to explore on our shores.

NORTHUMBERLAND NATIONAL PARK The title of least-visited National Park in the UK, is an accolade to be proud of in these crowd-dodging times.

Even better, with only 2,000 residents, the 405-square-mile Northumberland National Park is the least-populated protected beauty spot, too.

Sat below the Scottish Borders, it’s spliced by Hadrian’s Wall, and neighbours Kielder Water & Forest Park, a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, where stars sparkle like gems. A sprawl of woodlands, STUNNING Ireland has some breathtaking scenery

streams and a rocky gorge, College Valley is one of the most remote areas to explore.

Sleep in 14th century surroundings at Langley Castle (langleycastle.co.uk; 01434 688 888) where doubles start from £94 per night.

HAYLING ISLAND, HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND Even though it’s only a short hop across a bridge to this island offshore from Portsmouth, life slowly unfurls in its own holiday bubble.

A popular seaside resort in the 1930s, it

still has several great value holiday parks.

A funfair and golf course provide man-made entertainment, although farmland and nature trails occupy most of the secluded spot, which is a haven for bird life.

Highlights year-round are the Blue Flag beaches and breezy Solent water, ideal for sailing and windsurfing.

A three-night caravan stay (sleeps six) at Parkdean Resorts Holiday Park (parkdeanresorts.co.uk; 0330 123 4850) costs from £199.

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WEST HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND A tumble of rugged mountains and glassy lochs largely unfettered by human habitation, the Scottish Highlands is the UK’s wild corner.

Popular spots Ben Nevis and Glencoe will inevitably attract crowds once restrictions start to lift, but retreat to Assynt and Coigach in the West Highlands and there’s no-one around.

Waves crash against sea stacks and golden sands along the coast; inland, the remote mountain Suilven rewards climbers with astounding views if they make an ascent.

Wilderness Scotland (01479 420 020; wildernessscotland.com) offers the six-night Wilds of Assynt tour from £1,625pp (two sharing), starting and finishing in Inverness. Departs August 1 or September 26, 2020.

CEREDIGION, WALES Imagine having the idyllic beaches and captivating wildlife of Pembrokeshire all to yourself? It’s possible in neighbouring Ceredigion, which shares the same superb scenery.

With no motorways and few rail links, it’s harder to reach, but the journey along winding countryside roads is an adventure in itself - and well worth driving once Wales is more accessible to visitors.

Walk the Ceredigion Coast Path, looking out for resident dolphins in the waves below, or explore the sandy beach at National Trust-owned Penbryn. Close to rural coastal village Llangrannog, Great Tree House is a six-person holiday cottage specially adapted for those with disabilities and limited mobility. Book it for a multigenerational break. Quality Cottages (qualitycottages.co.uk; 01348 837 871) offers seven nights in August from £1,706 per week.

ISOLATED Beaches don’t come quieter than in Pembrokeshire

WICKLOW WAY, IRELAND Most tourists are tempted by Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, but a quieter and no less pleasing option would be a hike along one of the Republic’s greatest walking trails, the Wicklow Way. Dublin day-trippers often head to sections straying from the city, but venture a bit further and any sign of human footprints

‘Rockingham Castle is a fine example of Norman architecture, while Rutland Water and Rutland Water Nature Reserve offer options for water sports and wildlife viewing in the otherwise land-locked region’ disappear. Explore the ruined monastic city of Glendalough, or marvel at the dark waters of Lough Tay, dubbed the Guinness Lake. Wilderness Ireland (wildernessireland.com; +353 (0)91 457 898) offers a six-night Hiking The Wicklow Way tour from E1,870pp (two sharing).

DURHAM HERITAGE COAST, ENGLAND When it comes to sunny summer breaks, crowds tend to head south, but with temperatures across the UK rising this year, it would be a mistake to leave other areas in the shade.

Although often associated with its industrial past, the northeast has a wild, unspoilt coastline. Set in the village of Murton, OYO The Village Inn (oyorooms.com) is offering doubles from £30 per night in July (originally £54).

RUTLAND, ENGLAND Best known for its Birdfair in August, England’s smallest county has all the elements of a quintessential countryside break: picturesque trails, quaint pubs and historical attractions.

Rockingham Castle is a fine example of Norman architecture, while Rutland Water and Rutland Water Nature Reserve offer options for water sports and wildlife viewing in the otherwise landlocked region. Visit the fairy-tale Normanton Church, which appears to float on water when the reservoir is full. The Wisteria Hotel (wisteriahotel.co.uk; 01572 722 844) in Oakham, which completed a £150K refurbishment, has rooms from £65 per night.

COASTAL FUN Beach huts on Hayling Island

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Motors

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Motoring News

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

This week… n Citroen’s new C4 n Motor Show return n Ford’s 2050 plan

Citroen reveals new C4 and electric e-C4 CITROEN has revealed its latestgeneration C4, bringing a fresh new look to the model alongside a new electric powertrain option.

Having previously been teased in images released in June, this is the first time that we’ve seen the new model in full.

In stark contrast to the previousgeneration car, the new C4 has been raised up to give it a more commanding presence on the road, while the interior boasts more technology than before while still delivering the same level of comfort offered by the car it replaces.

The interior is dominated by a 10-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system, while a special tablet holder has been

integrated into the area ahead of the passenger, allowing them to comfortably view their devices while on the move.

The e-C4 utilises a 50kWh battery which, Citroen claims, will return up to 217 miles between charges. It joins conventional petrol and diesel options which will be revealed in more detail later on.

Summer A range of advanced assistance systems have been incorporated into the car’s design, and production will be starting after the summer, with deliveries across Europe expected after that and orders expected by September.

ADVANCED A raft if driver assits have been promised

Ford sets a 2050 carbon neutral aim FORD has revealed plans to be carbon neutral across its global operations by 2050. The American car giant also revealed it is on track to meet its goal of having all manufacturing plants powered by 100% locally sourced renewable energy.

In Europe, this has already been achieved at all facilities in the UK, Cologne in Germany, and Craiova in Romania.

Renewables

London Motor Show set to return in 2021 following its Covid hiatus THE London Motor Show has announced its return in 2021 with a three-day event in Battersea Park.

Following a run of annual shows between 2016 and 2019, the show has taken a year off in 2020, but will return next year between July 16-18.

The show will focus on technology, electric and hybrid vehicles and luxury brands, with classic cars and more affordable city cars also represented.

Organisers say visitors will be able to get up close to the vehicles on display, as well as interact with companies showcasing new technology, such as those related to safety, electric powertrains or driverless cars.

Displays will also include virtual reality racing and the chance to meet motoring legends and influencers.

Alec Mumford, chairman of The London Motor Show, said: “The last four

years of shows exceeded all our expectations. The event has been a continuing success for both us as organisers and our exhibitors.

Exhibitors “We are very much looking forward to welcoming new and returning visitors and exhibitors alike to Battersea Park in 2021 where we already have some very special exhibits lined up.

“The current situation has shown us what we need to do to prepare for any eventuality and we have factored scalable measures into our plans that enable us to incorporate any necessary guidelines into the show. We have the benefit of a big space in a greenfield site with plenty of room and designed the show so that everyone can get the best experience out of their visit”.

To achieve its carbon-neutral status, Ford is aiming to remove the same amount of carbon as it introduces through manufacturing. It hopes to achieve this by focusing on three areas that account for 95% of its CO2 emissions - vehicle use, its supply base and the company’s facilities.

However, it acknowledged that there would be challenges to face, such as customer acceptance of new powertrains and the availability of renewable fuels.

Bob Holycross, vice president, chief sustainability, environment and safety officer, said: “We don’t have all the answers yet but are determined to work with all of our global and local partners and stakeholders to get there.”

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Books

The bookcase…

Life in lockdown has given many the chance to fall in love with reading again. Here’s our pick of this week’s top tomes to enjoy…

FICTION

The Disaster Tourist

by Yun Ko-Eun Published in hardback by Serpent’s Tail, priced ¬£12.99 (ebook ¬£5.99). Available July 2

8/10

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

Published in hardback by Doubleday, priced ¬£16.99 (ebook ¬£8.49). Available July 9 Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing is usually faultless - in her 2008 novel American Wife, based on Laura Bush, for instance, she spans a lifetime and a relationship with incredible, memorable detail and nuance.

And while in Rodham she once again turns to the business of being a woman in politics, this three-part rumination on what might have happened had Hillary Rodham not married Bill Clinton,

A bizarre but intriguing slip of a book, The Disaster Tourist will make you feel rather content with the prospect of staycations for the foreseeable.

Yona Ka is an expert in making disaster zones into engrossing tourist destinations, until she speaks out about sexual harassment at work and is then sent to the sink-hole ridden island of Mui. Only the place is rigged, and getting out alive becomes increasingly difficult. Korean author Yun Ko-Eun’s prose is spare and unnerving, focussing in sharply on the mundanity and minutiae.

It is easy to feel that nothing is really happening, but the plot slowly becomes firmer as moral ambiguities around where we like to travel, and what we like to gawp at, and feel energised by, build up. Curious, if perturbing.

(Review by Ella Walker) NON-FICTION

The Prison Doctor: Women Inside by Dr. Amanda Brown

Published in hardback by HQ, priced £8.99 (ebook £4.99). Available now

7/10

It’s hard not to feel desperately sad when reading accounts from Dr Amanda Brown, a GP in Europe’s largest women-only prison.

She relays first-hand, heartbreaking stories of women who live from sentence to sentence - for whom a spell inside is preferable to life on the streets or being abused. But we also see incredible instances of

BOOK CHARTS AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION) 1. Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

lands a little flat.

It’s a fascinating premise, and the first part - when Bill is very much in the picture and cheating on her - is lively, charming, and affecting.

But as their paths diverge in this alternate reality, Hillary’s life politically expands, and the lawyerly descriptions and the smallness of her social interactions become dryly academic.

The third act does pick up pace, especially when Trump entersm and Rodham is smart and considered, but it needs a shot of wit and pizzazz.

(Review by Ella Walker)

7/10

Five Go Absolutely Nowhere by Bruno Vincent Published in hardback by Quercus, priced £8.99 (ebook £3.99). Available now

7/10

determination to break this cycle, and how important a nonjudgmental face is when rock bottom beckons.

Dr Brown lays bare the health and social challenges facing these women with brutal honesty, shining a particular light on being a mother behind bars, and prisoners trying to come off drugs. This book leaves you feeling that many women in prison are also victims of abuse, and asks whether more needs to be done to help.

(Review by Jemma Crew)

2. Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene 3. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri 4. The Tales of Max Carrados by Ernest Bramah

Another instalment in the Enid Blyton for Adults series, this time, Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy are stranded on their beloved Kirrin Island when the COVID-19 lockdown is announced.

Chaos soon ensues as they try their best to follow government guidance and do nothing at all - a counter-intuitive behaviour for the five crimebusters.

The series documents defining milestones with tongue-in-cheek satire, all rested atop a heavy slice of Blyton nostalgia. This book follows the same established formula, and includes plenty of familiar moments from the pandemic: the confusion over what lockdown means; panic over food supplies; early morning PE sessions with Joe Wicks; etc.

As in the rest of the series, other characters from Blyton’s world make appearances. However, the joke never really takes off. It provides an unusual keepsake but not much more.

(Review by Nicole Whitton) CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Perfect Shelter by Clare Helen Welsh, illustrated by Asa Gilland Published in hardback by Little Tiger Press, priced £11.99. Available now

Talking to children about someone they love falling sick will always be terribly difficult. This thoughtful story book may not take the worry and hurt away, but it will definitely help young kids better understand, and even articulate, their feelings around such an upsetting situation.

The Perfect Shelter sees two little girls building a den together, until the elder sister becomes poorly. The younger sister struggles with her parents’ sadness and her sister being unwell, all the while missing their den.

The cadence makes it a little difficult to read aloud at points - some of it is lyrical, where other sections jar - but it’s a comforting read, and refreshingly author Clare Helen Welsh doesn’t provide solutions or promises. The message is to enjoy the now, and Asa Gilland’s illustrations are busy, bright and suitably uplifting. (Review by Ella Walker)

5. Natives by Akala 6. The Green Mile by Stephen King 7. The Monster Collection 8. Becoming by Michelle Obama 9. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 10. The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgley (Compiled by Audible)

7/10

CODEWORD 4

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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.

1

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17 26

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Codeword:

3

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★✩✩

2

4 3 8

2 6 5

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.

1

6

5 8 3 8 2 4 5 9 6

4

4 1

8

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

1

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LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS

SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★★

CLASSIFIEDS

Life&Times

Puzzles

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.

Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue

G Y P S UM H O E E E S R E E M E R S T E M O M I S M I M I P R EWA R T R B E N V I E D F X O L I D I P R I M S N O R A I NWA S G E L E Q U I T Y S

I P L G E A C O L C O S A J T E E T R

H O P O S T U R A P T E D O R S I L T I A Z Z R Z I O K E

Sudoku:

4 2 9 3 7 5 1 8 6

8 5 1 4 6 9 2 7 3

3 6 7 1 2 8 4 9 5

7 9 3 2 4 1 6 5 8

2 8 5 6 9 7 3 1 4

6 1 4 5 8 3 9 2 7

5 4 6 7 1 2 8 3 9

1 2 7 3 8 4 9 6 5

3 5 4 8 2 1 7 9 6

4 9 6 7 1 2 8 5 3

1 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 2

Jigsaw Sudoku:

6 4 9 5 3 7 2 1 8

2 3 1 4 6 8 5 7 9

5 8 2 6 7 9 3 4 1

7 1 8 9 5 6 4 3 2

DO YOU HAVE BULGING OR UNCOMFORTABLE VEINS THAT HURT OR MAKE YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED? W

ith a quarter of the UK population suffering from various vein disorders, Bella Vou, Pantiles Clinic in Tunbridge Wells is now offering patients a quick and easy fix to the common problem of varicose veins that can cause pain, bulging veins, spider veins, swelling, swollen legs and skin ulcers.

D R MO FA RIS

Apart from the uncomfortable side effects, unsightly veins can cause sufferers to lose confidence and self-esteem but all those problems can go away with a simple one-hour, minimally invasive laser therapy procedure called Endovenous Thermal Ablation.

“There is an initial consultation to review the patient’s symptoms while a colour Doppler ultrasound will be performed to map the cause of the varicose veins and exclude deep vein thrombosis,” said Dr. Mo Faris, a leading Interventional Radiologist performing cutting edge vascular and minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures.

The Endovenous thermal ablation treatment is minimally invasive and highly effective treatment for varicose veins. The method deploys thermal energy to directly close the problematic vein and destroy them from the inside.

BEFORE

AF T E R

diagnosis of other conditions like fatty liver or thrombosis. They may also be associated with areas of thread veins on the skin.

Early symptoms for varicose veins include discomfort, pain, swelling, swollen legs, heaviness, fatigue, burning, throbbing, itching of the skin, skin changes, skin ulcers and cramps.

Looking to talk to an expert about varicose veins before committing?

You’re in luck.

A free Facebook Live event for people wishing to learn more about varicose veins or thinking about varicose vein surgery will take place on Thursday 9th July 1pm - 2pm. Facebook/bellavou This is an event designed to give you information about varicose veins, various treatment options and what the current evidence for the various treatments are.

Anyone who suffers from varicose veins and wants to understand more about their condition and what options they have, should join us.

No surgery is required and the entire procedure can be performed in less than an hour under local anaesthetic.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 01892 257357

Treating them quickly is imperative and could lead to an early

OR EMAIL EVENTS@BELL AVOU.CO.UK

B EL L A VOU MA RKET HOUSE, 45-47 THE PANTIL ES, ROYAL TU N BRI D G E W E L L S TN 2 5 TE

W W W. B E L L AV O U . C O . U K

9 3 2 8 5 6 7 4 1

8 7 3 1 9 5 6 2 4

9 6 5 2 4 3 1 8 7

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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Sport

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Wednesday July 8 | 2020

Time to take the plunge and open swimming pools TRISWIM IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk SWIMMING: TONBRIDGE Swimming Club has

written to local MP Tom Tugendhat expressing its ‘utter exasperation and disappointment’ that swimming pools were left off the government’s list of leisure industries allowed to reopen last Saturday [July 4].

Club chairman Keith Roshier said: “While hairdressers, pubs and overseas travel will reopen next week, swimming at your local pool will not.

“This is despite the industry’s governing body, Swim England, producing extensive guidelines in consultation with Public Health England.”

Swim England has released five separate pieces of extensive guidance on the required protocols for clubs, swimming community, pool operators, swimming lessons and public use.

Tonbridge Swimming Club is supporting Swim England’s #OpenOurPools campaign, which includes a national petition with more than 50,000 signatures.

“The petition is calling on the government to rethink its decision and announce a date when pools can reopen as a matter of urgency,” said Keith.

The club’s letter to the MP for Tonbridge & Malling coincided with a similar message from the operator of Tonbridge Swimming Pool, tmactive, which is run by the borough council.

The chief executive of tmactive, Martin Guyton, said on the pool’s Facebook page that they were ‘surprised and disappointed’ that pools were left

TriSwim was open water swimming club set up

by Laura Ansell in 2016 and is still operating during the lockdown and beyond, while public swimming pools remain closed.

LUCKY DIP Club members enjoy an open water swim at Haysden in Tonbridge

It currently offers two picturesque natural venues, Haysden Country Park in Tonbridge and Chipstead Lake near Sevenoaks.

There are lifeguards on shore and in ‘safety’ kayaks, and they are all connected by radio.

Swimmers have to sign in and sign out, and their medical information is checked.

off the list.

He said: “It seems to me a great irony that the government has been championing the importance of physical activity during lockdown and yet has seen fit to open pubs and hairdressers in advance of affordable community leisure facilities that promote health and well-being.”

Performance A long list of competitions have had to be cancelled during the lockdown, including the British Swimming Championships in April, which double as the Olympic Games trials, and the National Summer Meet at the end of this month.

The Tonbridge club is concerned that missing

‘I want to test myself and see how high I can play’ RUGBY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS are saying farewell to one of the best players to have worn the club’s shirt in its 90-year history, Mike Hathaway.

The club’s loss will, however, be Tonbridge Juddians’ gain. The 27-year-old flanker is moving ten miles up the A21 to play for TJs, who have been promoted to National League One next season.

Mike has been a front-line worker in the battle against the coronavirus in his role as a clinical lead respiratory physiotherapist at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

A passionate and fierce competitor and an influential player, in his five seasons in the First XV he has received the Anthony Clarke Memorial Award and two Player of the Year accolades as well as being voted Players’ Player of the Year.

He is the tenth Tunbridge Wells player to make the switch from St Marks to The Slade over the past decade, following in the footsteps of Will Thorpe, Charlie Harding, Dan Bettice, Peter Binham, Luke Giles, James Gwinnett, Jon McMahon, Toby May and Murray Galbraith-Lowe.

As he makes the step up in terms of competitive action, we look back on his 21 years at Tunbridge Wells RFC. Describe your rugby CV? I first started playing rugby in the minis at Tunbridge Wells in the Under-6s. Both my brother Tom [also a former First XV player] and dad Paul [former player and head coach] were playing and I wanted a taste. I then played right through to Under-17s. I represented Kent from Under-13s to Under-16s and was also very proud to have been a First XV player at Skinners’ School.

Ongoing shoulder injuries meant that I did not play rugby whilst I was at university, but this gap also renewed my passion for the game and I have been thrilled to play First XV rugby for the Wells during the last five seasons. I have also been a member of the Kent County squad for the last

three years.

What are you earliest rugby memories?

Playing for Tunbridge Wells in the mini festivals at Cobham and London Irish wearing thick cotton navy and white checked Wells colours.

Who are your biggest rugby influences?

As a flanker, I used to love watching players like Lewis Moody and Richard Hill. They had no respect for their bodies and did the hard work but I can’t say they really influenced me. I know it sounds corny but the biggest influence has to be my old man.

Confidence He coached me from a young age as a junior and then into the Colts at St Marks. My mum will testify that we certainly didn’t always see eye to eye as a coach and player but hindsight is a wonderful thing and he is one of the best coaches that I’ve worked with.

He certainly instilled the key basic skill sets, encouraged me to be a ‘heads up’ rugby player and showed the importance of having a good knowledge of game. He still watches now and I always value his opinion and perspective.

I think I have to also give a huge amount of credit to Simon Whatling [First XV head coach), as well as Dave Allen and Aston Croall over the last couple of seasons. They added a huge amount to my game, pushed my physicality and skills. They instilled a sense of confidence in my own game and re-emphasised the importance of a good work ethic.

All coaches have different ways of going about their business, but these three have all been brilliant at bringing out the best in players. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with them as a player and will miss that environment. I have to give those guys a huge amount of credit and couldn’t value their input enough.

Who are the best players you have played against……and with?

five months of training will affect performance and that swimmers may miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime.

Keith said: “The club has recently received messages from some parents whose children have decided to drop out of the daily virtual land training on Zoom as has they have hit a ‘brick wall’ after finding out that the pools are not opening.

“For some children this was the outlet they were looking forward to, as they have no training routine and no school until September.

Parents say they are really struggling.”

The club is working closely with local pool providers to ensure that strict new training protocols are in place that ensure social distancing and reduce contact with surfaces and other swimmers.

Some of their members have independently taken up open water swimming by joining TriSwim, which offers a variety of outdoor venues across West Kent.

“Swimmers have booked themselves into individual time slots and are enjoying the opportunity to be back in water again, whilst adhering to social distancing rules and swim safely in a lifeguarded environment,” said Keith.

“Meanwhile the club hopes the government and its advisers take time to re-read the detailed guidance provided by Swim England and make a decision to re-open pools as soon as possible.”

Against: [England international] Elliot Daly whilst he was at Whitgift School – ridiculously quick and brilliant footwork.

With: Harry Sloan [ex-Skinners’, England Under-20s, Harlequins and now at Ealing in the Championship]. He is a big and physical centre yet has so much time on the ball. At Wells it’s Nick Doherty – that boy can do some outrageous things and it has been brilliant playing with him from school rugby to seniors at the club. It’s safe to say I’ll miss packing down with him for sure.

What are your favourite memories?

The Intermediate Cup Final [56-14 victory over St Benedict’s in 2016] at Twickenham is obviously up there. However, for me the 100-minute game against Chingford in 2017 for promotion to Level 5 was amazing. The final whistle went and I burst into tears; I was both exhausted and relieved!

Even more so as I had been playing injured since Christmas. In one sense I was glad it was over, but also thrilled that we had the win and the promotion after our collective hard work.

Why are you moving to TJs? I hope to earn regular First XV rugby at TJs and just try and see if I can compete at that level. To be honest, I have been thinking about playing higher for the last few seasons but have enjoyed

playing with this close group of players and with such a great coaching set-up.

I couldn’t justify making the move until now but I feel that I am at the stage where I want to test myself further and see how high I can play.

Having been selected for Kent the last three seasons, I have had a small taste of both playing with and against players at Level 3 and 4.

National One will be a big step up again, but I didn’t feel out of place in the county set-up and want to see what I can achieve. There had been interest in recruiting me for a few seasons and with their finally securing promotion, I felt it was too good an opportunity to turn down. Let’s hope I can force my way in for selection.

Having grown up playing at the club from Under-6s and having had a lot of success in the First XV over the last five seasons, it was a tough decision to move, and not one taken lightly. The close-knit player group and strong community atmosphere at club will be sorely missed.

I have had great experiences on and off the pitch and certainly hope to finish my playing days back at St Marks. However, there are times when you need to push the boat out, roll the dice and and keep challenging yourself, so let’s see what happens.

Go to triswim.org.uk

PHOTO: Bruce Elliott

By Graham Withers

Swims cost £7 and you must be a member to take part. A season’s membership, which lasts for 24 weeks, costs from £24 for over-16s and £75 for families with two or three children under 16.

UP UP AND AWAY: Mike Hathaway has played at St Marks since the Under-6s

Wednesday July 8 | 2020

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West Kent’s juniors keep on running to help NHS workers FOOTBALL: A TEAM of junior footballers has raised almost £1,500 by taking on a 70-mile run ‘virtually’ during the lockdown.

The West Kent Under-13s have donated the money to the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Charitable Fund.

Players, coaches and parents were set the challenge to run the equivalent distance of a route which started in Tunbridge Wells and stopped off at some of the capital’s most famous sporting landmarks before ending at the Olympic Park.

Over the course of five weeks the team clocked up an impressive 1,483 miles between them, raising a total of £1,451.

GROWING IN CONFIDENCE: Monarchs juniors Tommy Barlow, Mack Crawford, Angus Currie, George Davies, Ethan Gillespie, Sam Hartmann, Sam Judge, Ethan Mathers, Zach Olette, Finn Page and Toby Sambrook were mentored by seniors David Judge, Nick Page and Scott Crawford.

Men against boys but new Monarchs take the crown HOCKEY: A REVAMPED Monarchs men’s team at Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club gained promotion last season after concentrating on youth development.

The squad included more Under-17 boys than it had done for several seasons, along with a core of three or four older players.

They went on to take the senior men’s Kent Open Premier C title after winning 13 of their 15 games before lockdown - and losing only once.

A similar arrangement has seen the formation of a Royals team for girls, who also gained promotion at the first attempt.

The renewed focus on young players at Tunbridge Wells comes after the club set up a Junior Academy two years ago.

This consists of around 45 players, both boys and girls, selected from age group teams from Under-13 to Under-16.

The Monarchs and the Royals have been designated to help bridge the gap between the Academy and the senior sides.

The Academy is run by David Judge and Martin Rohan, and David was also player-coach the Monarchs last season.

He said: “At the start of the season I asked the adults who would play this season where they thought the boys might place in the league.

“This team narrowly avoided relegation last

season so it was mooted that a mid-table level would be a good achievement.

“I then made the bold proclamation that I saw no reason why we couldn’t win it. There were some raised eyebrows but this was immediately followed by real buy-in and a commitment to making us the best side we could be.”

In 2018-19 the boys took the West Kent Under14s league title and went on to win the Kent Under-14 Cup against the winners of the East Kent Under-14 League, Folkestone.

The Monarchs were set up around defence, operating a constant press that started with the forwards. They conceded only 16 goals in 15 games - while scoring 62.

David said: “The hockey has been eye-catching.

We retain possession, turn out, transfer from side to side, probe and upgrade to a shot or a corner with regularity.”

He continued: “The adults gained an enormous amount of pleasure at seeing their changed expression after 20 minutes of vainly running around trying to get the ball from us.”

Francis Bridgeman, club captain, added: “The majority of the youngsters from last season we expect to push on up to form the core of our 2nd XI. Then a new crop who played a few games last season will be stepping into the shoes to keep the development process going.”

Supported They achieved the feat by running around their gardens or on treadmills. Some of them completing the challenge in just seven days.

The team’s manager, Josh Smith, said: “From a personal perspective, I’ve had several generations of family relatives working in and around the NHS. “So I know exactly how much of an outstanding job they are doing during these unprecedented times.

“Words are simply not enough to thank them for all their hard work and determination to ensure this pandemic does not get the better of us.”

The Trust has supported the squad in the past when some of the players have suffered injuries and the squad wanted to return the favour.

Twelve-year-old Tom Underwood from Tunbridge Wells took part in the run alongside his father Andrew Underwood.

Tom said: “I wanted to get involved with the virtual run around London so that I had a goal

ACHIEVING GOALS Tom Underwood and his father Andrew during lockdown and to have something to do every day. It was also a great way to keep my fitness up whilst there was no football.”

Dad Andrew added: “It was a great motivator to get outdoors - the challenge seemed like a lot at first but day by day my confidence improved and I believed I could complete it.

“Every time that Tom and I ran together was a high point, and that’s something I intend to continue!”

Five-star forward Marchant dies aged 72 FOOTBALL: FORMER Tonbridge Angels striker Barry Marchant has died at the age of 72 following a short battle with cancer.

Barry arrived in Tonbridge in 1969 from neighbours Tunbridge Wells, where he had played as an amateur.

He stayed for four seasons and scored 29 goals from 92 starts before signing for Dover in 1972 for a £500 transfer fee.

A HANDFUL Barry Marchant scored five goals against Barry Town

He subsequently also played at Ramsgate and Folkestone before returning to Tunbridge Wells in 1975. In March 1971, appropriately against Barry Town, he scored five times in a 6-0 win over Barry Town, and went on to be the club’s leading scorer that season with 14 goals.

Barry, who was renowned among supporters for his long hair and bushy sideburns, worked as a postman.

Cricket is back!

Your Cricket Specialist - now open 7 days a week We look forward to seeing you soon Bats • Equipment • Bags • Balls • Bat Care • Clothing Accessories • Teamwear • Hockey • Gift Vouchers Kent Cricket Direct Ltd, 150 London Road, Southborough ,Kent TN4 0PJ TEL: 01892 516195 • WEB: www.kentcricketdirect.co.uk