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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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THIS week we’re joining with the children of St Luke’s Nursery School in Tunbridge Wells to wish all of you - our readers and and our advertisers - a very happy and safe Christmas and a more prosperous New Year. Just as the youngsters and staff at the nursery found a way to overcome the challenges imposed upon us by the coronavirus crisis – they made a DVD of their nativity that parents and family were able to watch with them at home – so we know that the people of our of town will find a way to win through. We’ve already seen that the community spirit is alive and well with Santa poised to deliver gifts tomorrow
night [Thursday] to more than 400 children who might have had an empty Christmas stocking. All of that is thanks to the Mayor’s Annual Toy Appeal. Then there are the donations to the Nourish Community Foodbank that ensures 300 local families will not go hungry over the festive period.
Greater hope There are plenty of other examples of people going above and beyond for the community, such as the awesome efforts of our NHS staff, both frontline and behind the scenes, battling daily literally to keep us alive, plus the
efforts of staff at schools fighting to keep our youngsters safe while continuing to teach. And there are so many other unsung heroes who deserve our thanks. Yes, these are dark days as we struggle to carry on with some semblance of a ‘normal’ life while in the grip of Tier 4 lockdown’but the vaccination programme now underway in our town and our efforts to observe the ‘rules’ mean we will come out the other side. We will go into a New Year with greater hope. So for now, wherever you are spending Christmas, focus on the present, look for the good ... and enjoy the moment!
Next week [December 30] we’re taking a break and will not be publishing this newspaper. We will, though, be back with a special New Year edition on January 6 that you will not want to miss. But for now, from all your team here at the Times, a Happy Christmas and an even better New Year. We thank all of you for your support which we never take for granted. Richard Moore, Editorial Director. PS: Check out the Christmas message on Page 4 from our Bishop ... it’s all about the coded message of the nativity.
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Partners allowed at baby scans as hospital finally relaxes rules
He told the Times: “We appreciate the value of partners being able to attend labour and appointments throughout the maternity journey. “Throughout the pandemic our teams have supported partners to be in attendance for all stages of labour. “We are extending access for partners to attend routine scans in January whilst ensuring the safety of all patients, visitors and our staff during this challenging time.”
LET’S TALK BUSINESS: New corporate joint venture looks to promote Londonbased firms to Tunbridge Wells P10
VIRUS RISE LEADS TO MORE POSTPONED OPERATIONS
SANTA’S COMING TO TOWN: Tunbridge Wells Round Table organise generous food donations for Nourish P12
ON SONG: Students from local schools organise streamed carol concerts to spread festive cheer P22 QUESTION TIME: Test your local - and general knowledge with our annual Times Christmas quiz P23
CONTACTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 DEPUTY EDITOR EILEEN LEAHY eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 CHIEF REPORTER RICHARD WILLIAMS richardwilliams@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 240626 DESIGN/PRODUCTION LEE SMITH lsmith8@markerstudy.com SALES ENQUIRIES RSinger@markerstudy.com | 01892 739763 FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timeslocalnews timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timeslocalnews
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CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS HERE at the Times Local News we strive to deliver fair, accurate and balanced reports. When we don’t meet our own high standards we will accept the responsibility and publish clarifications and corrections. If you would like to make a comment on any aspect of the newspaper, please write to the editor at David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TF, or email newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk One Media and Creative UK Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 5398960 with registered office at 45 Westerham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2QB.
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By Richard Williams PREGNANT women will be able to bring partners to their antenatal scans at Tunbridge Wells Hospital for the first time since March, after NHS bosses issued new rules last week. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [MTW] which runs the Pembury based hospital, had been the only trust in England failing to adhere to guidance that partners could attend routine maternity scans. Like many hospital trusts, MTW had to restrict who could be at births and maternity appointments due to Coronavirus. Since March, thousands of women across the UK have given birth on their own, with tens of thousands more lacking any support during antenatal checkups and scans. The NHS advised hospitals in September that they should make changes to ensure no woman was forced to give birth alone and to enable partners to visit at scans and other appointments. The guidance was not mandatory and MTW was the only Trust to recently report it had not implemented any changes. Miles Scott
Ruth May, Director of Nursing at NHS England, said: “The guide to maternity services makes it clear that women should have access to someone’s support at appointments at all stages of their maternity journey, and we have asked all trusts to facilitate this as quickly as possible, and only one Trust in England [MTW] recently reported that it did not.”
Routine MTW’s policy on antenatal visits state that except for patients under 18 and those with mental health illnesses, partners cannot attend ‘routine’ scans and antenatal appointments due to ‘local infection, and prevention control measures’. Now revised guidance published by the Department of Health last week [Monday, December 14] means all hospitals have to review their rules and make the necessary changes to ensure partners can attend all appointments, including scans. Miles Scott, Chief Executive for MTW, says partners of pregnant women will be allowed into routine scans from the new year.
SOME non-emergency operations and elective surgeries have had to be suspended at Tunbridge Wells Hospital again due to rising numbers of patients with Covid-19. Routine surgeries and procedures were halted in March due to the pandemic but began again at the hospital in July. Now rising numbers of people in hospital with Coronavirus have led to the decision to postpone a number of operations at all four of Kent’s acute NHS trusts: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and Medway NHS Foundation Trust. A spokesman for NHS Kent and Medway CCG [Clinical Commissioning Group] said: “We have taken the decision to postpone some planned, non-urgent operations at hospitals across Kent and Medway due to the increase in Covid patients being treated – urgent treatments, including cancer operations, will go ahead as normal. “We are working hard to ensure we treat as many patients as possible, while ensuring we provide a safe hospital environment. “However, the increase in numbers has meant difficult decisions to prioritise cases of higher urgency. “Patients affected by the decision will be contacted, if patients are not contacted, they should continue to attend their hospital appointments as normal.”
School virus testing rolls out as thousands of pupils stay home By Robert Forrester MORE than two thousand school pupils in Tunbridge Wells were self-isolating last week. As the government attempted to curb the spread of the virus in infection hot spots such as Kent by testing school pupils before the end of term, thousands of children in the area were at home after having come into contact with somebody with the virus. According to the most recent figures published on December 14, there were 2,146 school pupils in Tunbridge Wells – around one in five children – absent that day, many of which were self-isolating. But KCC says that as only 31 out of the 44 schools in the borough sent in absence figures meaning the true number of pupils self-isolating could be much higher. Across Kent, more than 66,000 pupils from the 70 per cent of schools that reported absences to
KCC were off last week, with nearly 40 per cent of school children across the county at home. In infection hotspots such as Swale, which has some of the highest virus rates in the country, less than half of school pupils [48 per cent] in the district were at school last week, with over 7,000 pupils reported to be absent. Unsurprisingly, in Sevenoaks which has the lowest virus rates in Kent, more than 83 per cent of pupils were in attendance, with just 1,174 pupils reported to be absent.
STUDENTS ‘STRONGLY URGED’ TO TAKE PART IN VIRUS TESTS The figures on the number of those absent from school come as KCC ramped up its asymptomatic testing of secondary pupils. Some mobile testing units have already been deployed to specific areas in Swale, Thanet, Canterbury, Dover and Ashford, with other schools earmarked for tests in teh New Year. Where schools have a unit set up, their pupils can access a test on site. For those without a unit, they can book a test via the UK Government portal, using the instructions provided by the letter from their school. KCC Leader Roger Gough said: “We want to make sure as many young people as possible in these areas get tested. Extra Mobile Testing Units are being set up in these areas to make this easier. “We strongly urge every student,
parent/carer and school and college staff in these areas to come forward as the more people who are tested, the better able we are to contain the virus. “If we can break the chain of transmission in this way we can help reduce the number of COVID-19 cases, limit the number of people who might fall very ill, and protect the NHS.” Meanwhile, the government announced that secondary school children will have a ‘staggered start’ to the school term in January, with years 11 and 13 set to go back first with other pupils returning on January 11. Despite a number of reports that suggested that pupils may not go back as planned, Home Secretary Priti Patel said yesterday [Tuesday], she had ‘no doubt’ that pupils will return in January.
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
NEWS IN BRIEF
Teen found hanged in a village garden A TEENAGE boy was found hanging in his front garden in Groombridge in full view of parents and children as they went to a nearby primary school. The 17-year-old, who has not been named, hanged himself from a tree in a front garden at a house in Corseley Road, Groombridge. Police were called at around 8.30am on Wednesday, December 16. A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: “Officers and ambulance crew attended and it was sadly confirmed that the boy had died. “The matter is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been prepared for the coroner.”
Toddler home safe A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy who went missing after he was meant to be spending the weekend with his mother at a Tunbridge Wells hotel last year, has been found in Germany, a judge has said. The search for Emmanuel Biendarra began on December 1 last year, when he went missing with his German-born mother 34-year-old Kristina Nobis. The pair had been due to spend the weekend together at a Tunbridge Wells Hotel, but both had disappeared. His parents were separated, and the boy was living with his father in Kent when he went missing. A family court judge had made an urgent appeal for help finding Emmanuel a month ago, but now says the boy has been located. Mr Justice Peel, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, is overseeing private hearings centred on Emmanuel. He said, at a hearing last Thursday [December 17], that the boy had been found in Germany and was back in Britain.
PCC hints at tax rise KENT’S Police and Crime Commissioner [PCC] has been handed more than £10million to fund a further 145 police officers in the county, but has indicated he may increase Council Tax to pay for more. As well as providing a further £10.1million for policing in Kent, the Home Office has also told PCC Matthew Scott he can increase Council Tax in 2021 by £15 a year, or roughly £1.25 per month for the average Band D property to pay for more officers. Matthew Scott says he welcomed the boost to policing: “I am optimistic that this is a good settlement for policing in Kent. “It will mean that I will have helped deliver over 800 more Police since I was elected in 2016. “ “This has been achieved with the support of local Council Tax payers and working with the Government to make the case for an increase in Police numbers.” The 145 new officers will take the total number in Kent Police to 3,992 by March next year – more than 800 extra when Mr Scott was first elected when there were 2,182 officers on the force. Mr Scott added: “We have more Police in Kent than ever before, and when this next uplift is delivered, we will have 205 more Officers than in 2010. “You have the opportunity to influence where these Officers will be deployed by completing my Annual Policing Survey, which can be found at www. makingkentsafer.co.uk.”
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Choir overcomes restrictions and hits all the right notes By Richard Williams THE annual carol service in The Pantiles went ahead last weekend, following a campaign by a galaxy of stars to ease Covid restrictions for Christmas carols. Choristers had been told singing carols in the town’s iconic promenade would be against current coronavirus rules. But following a campaign by a galaxy of stars,
‘I want to thank everybody who pulled out all the stops to make this happen’ including Julian Lloyd Webber, Aled Jones, Lesley Garrett and the former Archbishop Rt Rev Rowan Williams, rules were relaxed to allow carol services to go ahead. After following stringent safety measures, a dozen choristers were able to take to the bandstand on Saturday to entertain passers-by and raise money for charity. Among them was Michéle Roszak, who has been choir singing in The Pantiles every Christmas for more than a decade, but was earlier this year given a terminal cancer diagnosis, which could have meant it was her last Christmas to sing. Polly Taylor, who runs Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre in Tunbridge Wells was also
ON STAGE Michelle conducting the choir on Saturday among the choristers. She told the Times: “It was wonderful, absolutely amazing. While we could not have the 40 or 20 singers we normally have on the bandstand, it was so lovely to be able to sing for the crowds, especially for Michelle after the terrible year she has had. “I want to thank everybody who pulled out all the stops to make this happen.” The carol service raised around £500 for charity.
Curtain finally falls on pantos... Oh, yes it has By Robert Forrester THE Assembly Hall has cancelled its annual pantomime even before Tunbridge Wells was plunged under Tier 4 Covid restrictions, which will see theatres remain shut. The Borough Council, which owns the theatre, decided to cancel the production of Jack and the Beanstalk after anticipating spiralling virus rates in the region would lead to no tier change last week. It is not the first time the Covid crisis has caused the town’s annual pantomime to be cancelled. The Assembly Hall had planned to put on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs this year by awardwinning Evolution Productions, but that performance was cancelled when the crisis first broke.
VOICES: Bubble colleagues Caroline Neill [left] and Polly Taylor from Pickering
Now its replacement ‘pop-up pantomime’ Jack and the Beanstalk has also had to be called off. Cllr Jane March, the cabinet’s head of Culture, Leisure and Economic Development said: “We had been hoping that things may have turned around but sadly it’s not to be.
Production “I know that the team involved in the production are beyond disappointed that the show is off as they were so looking forward to bringing some Christmas cheer to the audiences.” She added refunds for ticket holders will be processed automatically. You can still watch local panto as EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge is showing a filmed performance (Full story page 40).
TIER 4 NEWS LEAVES SKATERS OUT IN THE COLD Following the Government announcement that moved Tunbridge Wells into Tier 4, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has confirmed that the ice rink in Calverley Grounds will not reopen at all this festive season. Cllr Jane March, said: “This is more sad news when many people are already dealing with the upset of having Christmas plans curtailed by Tier 4 restrictions. “But, we must follow the guidance we’ve been given and do all we can to stop the spread of this virus. It was important to show confidence in the town and we tried to make the ice rink happen. We look forward to things improving and the return of the ice rink for Christmas 2021.” Refunds for ticket holders will be processed automatically. The rink closed on Sunday 20 December and work to dismantle the structure will begin as soon as possible.
Police stop cars crossing town’s border to East Sussex SUSSEX Police have been pulling over cars travelling from Tunbridge Wells to East Sussex as officers ‘stepped up’ patrols to stamp out ‘reckless’ breaches of Covid rules. Motorists have complained on social media that the police have been stopping cars travelling up a number of roads that link Tier 4 Tunbridge Wells and Tier 2 East Sussex, such as the Eridge Road. Places like Crowborough and Heathfield in Wealden are currently in Tier 2, where pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops are allowed to remain open, but residents just over the border in Kent have been told to ‘stay home’ unless journeys are essential. A number of Facebook users have complained that they had been stopped as they crossed the
border, with police quizzing them about the reason for leaving the Tier 4 area. While Kent Police have said they will not target motorist crossing county boundaries, but will ‘police in a sensible, proportionate and fair manner’, officers from neighbouring Sussex Police have taken a more hard-lined approach to those attempting to sneak out of Kent to visit pubs, restaurants or shops.
Breaches When asked yesterday [Tueaday] if the force is patrolling the border, a spokesman for Sussex Police told the Times: “The policing operation around Covid-19 regulations is much greater than just this.
“We will continue policing the restrictions the same way we have throughout the pandemic, by using the four Es – engage, explain, encourage and enforce. Should there be reckless or deliberate breaches of the regulations we can move into enforcement. This is as a last resort.” He continued: “We have stepped up patrols to encourage the public to continue following the rules and you will see us out and about in town centres and shopping areas. “The public are asked to ensure they follow the guidance, only travelling between tiers where it is absolutely necessary and is covered by one of the lawful exemptions. “We continue to ask people to take personal responsibility for their actions and to follow the government’s restrictions.”
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Nativity story delivers a coded message that is easy to miss THE Rt Rev Simon Burton-Jones, the Bishop of Tonbridge, who serves the people of West Kent including Tunbridge Wells, talks of the relevance the nativity story still holds today, especially at the end of this difficult year, as he writes his annual Christmas message for the Times TWO YEARS AGO, Empire film magazine chose the top ten Christmas films of all time. You’re unlikely to guess which film tops the list. It’s Die Hard. And it started one of those huge but trivial online debates. Die Hard is an amazing thriller, but for many, just setting it at Christmas doesn’t make two hours of killing and destruction in a skyscraper very Christmassy. In second place was It’s a Wonderful Life. Third was Elf and fourth place was occupied by the film many now associate most with Christmas: Love, Actually. The films of Richard Curtis always deliver us a particular kind of London. A place full of attractive, witty, caring friends who live in stylish loft conversions on the south bank. Who are always available to drink lattes with you in hipster, brick walled cafes and offer amusing advice on your love life as you regale them with its latest twist. A London where the streets are covered in crisp, white snow unsullied by car tyres and where the pavements are full of generous, smiling strangers who laugh when you bump
into them and make clever and kindly remarks as you pass by. Can someone please tell us where this London is?
Shattered It’s been described as Richardcurtisland, and it’s pretty much how we see the Christmas nativity scene. The stable is warm and cosy. The stars shine brightly in the sky. The cattle are neatly arranged around the baby. Mary has a smile broader and whiter than a youthful Donny Osmond. The hay is inviting like a fluffy pillow. And the shepherds get the first selfies with the baby in the background. The reality would have been very different. Dingy, bug-ridden stable. Perilous birth among farm animals. No post-natal care or wider family on hand. And a paranoid and ruthless leader in Herod, hot on their tails. If ever anyone were entitled to say: I’m a celebrity, get me out of here, it was the Son of God at his birth. There was no pomp and
ceremony for Jesus. No luxury or comfort. He began life downwardly mobile. The nativity story sends us a coded message we easily miss. It’s there for all whose lives are taking a wrong turning, which is so many more people than would have been true last Christmas. Many of our lives are messed up like that stable. The pandemic may well have done this to us. Even if it hasn’t, we are frequently tempted to pretend to others we’re totally sorted when we’re not because we’re afraid they’ll think less of us if they know. If we’re on our knees right now, wondering how we’ll get through Christmas and stay afloat in the new year, I believe God is saying to us: I’ve been there, in the middle of shattered plans. Like James Stewart’s character in It’s a Wonderful Life, we mean more to others than we could possibly imagine. And we are loved by God with a love deeper than the deepest stars in space. Simon Burton-Jones Bishop of Tonbridge
AWAY IN A MANGER Vinehall pupils dressed up to put on their performance
NO ROOM AT THE INN The Mead’s nativity play FOLLOW THAT STAR Pupils from Rose Hill School
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Campaigners’ garden village alternative PROTESTORS that are trying to get the Council to change its mind where it builds 4,000 new homes to meet government housing quotas have proposed an alternative plan. To meet strict housing targets, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has proposed the building of a garden village around Tudeley. The Tudeley project is outlined in the Council’s revised draft Local Plan, which is expected to be is published after Christmas. It will see around 2,800 dwellings built around Tudeley, which currently only has a population of a few hundred.
Brownfield Residents in the area set up a protest group – Save Capel – to attempt to block the development, but so far the Council has insisted they are to press ahead with the garden village. Now, Save Capel say they have hit upon an alternative plan to the Tudeley garden village, which proposes the Council build its new homes along the A21 growth corridor. It is being proposed by developer Castle Hill. Dave Lovell, Chair of Save Capel, said: “Save Capel has never been against sustainable development and has always said the right type of development in the right place was acceptable. “We continue to believe that the Tudeley and East Capel proposals are unsustainable, and both are in the wrong place.” He continued: “We believe that to avoid the collapse of the Borough’s Local Plan the Borough Council has to assess these new proposals. They represent a preferred option for, and have the support of, a large part of the local community. The area put forward by Castle Hill Developments was originally identified early in the Local Plan development process, but was ruled out by Council officials.
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Another neighbouring council’s housing plan set to be rejected By Richard Williams
PROTESTS Campaigners opposing the Tudeley Garden Village last year
TONBRIDGE & Malling Borough Council [TMBC] is set to have its draft Local Plan – the document that outlines where houses will be built over the next decade – rejected. It will be the third neighbouring authority bordering Tunbridge Wells to have its plan returned by the Planning Inspector. Last year, Sevenoaks District Council [SDC] had its local plan rejected for failing to meet strict housing quotas set by central government. Planning Inspectors found that SDC had failed to consult with neighbouring authorities on where it could build additional homes. SDC attempted to overturn the decision in the courts but a Judicial Review into the Planning Inspector’s decision failed.
Concluded Wealden District Council [WDC] also had its plan rejected for a similar reason, having failed to ask Tunbridge Wells Borough Council if it could help with its unmet housing quota. Now inspectors have told TMBC that their plan is likely to be rejected too because it failed to offer to build houses for neighbouring Sevenoaks, which has an excess of Green Belt land. Last month Planning Inspectors had cancelled a meeting to discuss the plan with TMBC citing issues with ‘legal compliance’. Inspectors Louise Crosby and Luke Fleming have now written to head of planning at the Council and said: “Our primary concern in relation to legal compliance and in particular the Duty to Cooperate (DtC) in connection with
our consideration of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Local Plan.” They continued: “There is no evidence that at any time the Council cooperated or even considered cooperating with SDC on a joint review of the Green Belt to understand the comparative quality across the two districts and any potential to amend Green Belt boundaries to fully or more fully meet needs.” The Inspectors concluded: “There is a likelihood that there will be no other option other than to invite you to withdraw the plan from examination rejected.” TMBC Leader, Nicolas Heslop, said he was ‘disappointed’ by the Inspector’s conclusion. He added: “The letter contains what we believe are factual inaccuracies and we will be
challenging these with the Inspector. “The government has acknowledged that the Duty to Cooperate process is simply not fit for purpose, and they have announced that they will be withdrawing it. “Given that we submitted a plan that met our own housing needs in full, we find it bizarre that the implications are that we need to draw up a new plan with the unwelcome consequence of having to provide for even more housing than we have allocated in the existing draft local plan.” Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, which has proposed to meet strict government housing quotas by building a controversial garden village near to Tudeley, in the parish of Capel, is scheduled to publish its draft Local Plan in the New Year.
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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BUSINESS
7
Councillor presses town hall to lobby for better broadband
Markerstudy becomes major insurance provider as it seals a £185million deal
By Robert Forrester
By Jonathan Banks
A TUNBRIDGE Wells Borough Councillor has succeeded in getting the Council Leader to lobby for better internet speeds in the area by getting him to write to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Cllr Dr Linda Hall, one of two councillors who represents Goudhurst and Lamberhurst, says broadband speeds in rural areas in the borough are ‘glacial at best’. While Ofcom, the independent regulator, says broadband speeds should be no lower than 10Mbps [mega-bits per second], residents in Goudhurst and Lamberhurst regularly have to endure download speeds of just 1.39Mbps.
LOCALLY based Markerstudy Group has completed its £185million acquisition of Co-op Insurance. The deal now sees the company as the fifth largest motor insurance provider in the UK. The completion of the Co-op purchase – first reported in the Times last year – sees the start of a 13-year partnership to provide home and motor insurance products under the Co-op brand. It also now makes Markerstudy the UK’s largest Managing General Agent [MGA], with over 1.8 million policyholders. The company says it now has ambitions to strategically expand its footprint through the delivery of targeted
Business Will Devlin, owner of The Small Holding, at Kilndown, a local restaurant and farm using locally grown, organic food, says poor broadband speed is affecting his business. He said: “People often cannot pay for their food via contactless, because of insufficient WiFi. As such, this is a real hamper on day-to-day business, let alone growth. Improved WiFi will enable us to function as a normal business. “I hope local broadband can be improved soon. Local businesses need it and are bursting at the seams to expand. More and more people have had to work from home because of Covid, so the need for better broadband is greater than ever.’ Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Cllr Alan McDermott, has now written to digital minister, Oliver Dowden, to formally press him to improve local broadband speeds in a bid to boost local broadband which will benefit residents and businesses alike.
ACQUISITION Markerstudy now has 1.8 million policy holders following the deal
products to satisfy the needs of its own, as well as the Co-op’s, customer base. Kevin Spencer, Group CEO of Markerstudy said: “This is our biggest acquisition to date and provides us with an unparalleled opportunity for growth.
‘I am delighted to have concluded the deal this side of Christmas. It’s wonderful to have positive news’ “The 13-year agreement gives us access to the Co-op’s 4.6 million active members who will benefit from our investment in technology,
underwriting expertise and sophisticated product development. “I am delighted to have concluded the deal this side of Christmas. It’s wonderful to have positive news to share with our loyal staff after such a challenging year.” Charles Offord, Managing Director of Co-op Insurance Services Limited added: “We’re pleased that this sale has now completed and our 13-year partnership with Markerstudy to create and sell compelling insurance products can now commence.” As a result of this agreement, Markerstudy’s customer numbers will increase by around 1.3 million, and gross written premium [GWP] will be boosted by more than £500 million.
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City watchdog failed savers as firm made £15million a month By Richard Williams THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) failed to properly regulate and supervise Tunbridge Wells investment firm London Capital & Finance (LCF) as it took more than £15million a month from savers before it collapsed, a report has found. LCF collapsed in January 2019 after its bank accounts were frozen by the FCA. More than 11,500 investors lost £237 million when the firm failed. At the height of its activity, the firm was raking in around £15million. Administrators to LCF, which was founded by former Tunbridge Wells Conservative chairman Simon Hume-Kendall who went on to be the company’s biggest borrower, are currently attempting to claw money back by suing around a dozen people connected to the firm. The collapse of the Eridge-based investment company is also the subject of an ongoing Serious Fraud Office investigation. The FCA, which at the time was headed by the now Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has been heavily criticised by investors who lost money in the scandal for failing to regulate the Tunbridge Wells firm. An independent report for the Government of the financial regulator’s actions during the collapse was released last week, and says the FCA failed to both regulate and supervise LCF before it failed. Dame Elizabeth Gloster made nine recommendations to the FCA and four to the Government in her delayed report, which had been due in November. In her report, Dame Gloster says in 2018, the FCA were aware that LCF was taking around
FOUNDER Mr Hume-Kendall and wife Helen
‘We know that the FCA must make faster and more effective decisions’ £15million a month from new investors, and as early as 2016 the watchdog had received allegations of fraud. But she said the FCA was too slow to react. A planned raid on the Eridge-based offices was planned for November 2018, but FCA cancelled it due to fears there may have been firearms on the premises. While the FCA had asked Kent Police to assist in the raid but the force had declined it did not deem the firearms risk ‘significant’. It is understood one of the directors held a lawful shotgun licence. Dame Gloster says the city watchdog must now
focus on improving their internal authorisation and supervision processes. The Government and FCA said they have accepted the recommendations in full. The report comes a week after the FCA said it would now ban the mass-marketing of minibonds. Following the report, the Government said it was committed to launching a consultation in the New Year on the regulation of nontransferable debt securities. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will also be told to prioritise fraudulent online advertising of fake investment schemes to avoid investors being caught out. Charles Randell, chairman of the FCA, said: “We accept all the recommendations that have been made to the FCA and we are profoundly sorry for the mistakes we have made. “The collapse of LCF has had a devastating effect on many investors and we will do everything we can to conclude our investigations as quickly as possible and support the recovery of further funds for investors.” Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, added: “We know that the FCA must make faster and more effective decisions, prioritise the right outcomes for consumers, markets and firms, and reform our approach to intelligence and information sharing. “Our continuing action plan, specifically on our wider transformation programme and high-risk consumer investments, seeks to do this.” He said the FCA would be restructuring its policy, supervision and competition functions under two new executive directors and hire a data chief.
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Unemployment rises as business leaders warn of more to come THE number of people out of work in Tunbridge Wells has risen again, with local business leaders forecasting job losses will continue in the New Year. Figures from the Office of National Statistics [ONS] show that 3,125 people in the borough were claiming unemployment benefits in November, up from 3,065 in October. This time last year, just 1,080 people were without work in Tunbridge Wells, with the pandemic now being responsible for a three-fold increase in that number.
Potentially Across Kent, unemployment has more than doubled since the virus began, with 68,795 people now claiming unemployment benefits. And the head of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce has said further job losses should be expected in 2020, especially when furlough comes to an end, which Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended until the end of April. Jo James OBE, said: “We are going to see a gradual increase at least for the first quarter of next year. “We’re a county of small businesses that don’t have huge cash flow so the government support has been a lifesaver. But at the end of the day businesses don’t want to keep borrowing and can’t keep going at the same capacity staff-wise as they did before. “It’s not a good year for businesses with the coronavirus to contend with. Then obviously those that deal with Europe have to contend with the changes which are potentially coming and the uncertainty of whether we’ll get a deal.” She continued: “It could also take up to a year to roll-out the vaccine, so it’s going to take time for businesses to get back to normal - and then what will normal look like?”
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Business group eyes corporates to help save the town centre By Richard Williams A GROUP of business leaders are campaigning to bring large corporate offices from London to Tunbridge Wells, which they say has all the infrastructure in place to tempt organisations from the city. The #TWWorks group was set up in the wake of the town being plunged into Tier 3 restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, with the intention of finding new ideas to help save the high street. Tunbridge Wells is already home to a number of corporates including insurers AXA and Markerstudy; law firms such as Cripps Pemberton Greenish and Thomson Snell & Passmore; as well as creative agencies Southpaw and Ginger May.
Experienced Ross Feeney, CEO of Tunbridge Wells Together, who is spearheading the #TWWorks Group, said: “As a group, we believe the time is right to attract more corporates to Tunbridge Wells, whether this is for a large regional office ‘spokes’ or to sponsor and support employees’ flexible working requirements post-Covid by paying for local office space for them. “Either way, Tunbridge Wells has all the elements to support businesses growing in the town. “We believe strongly that there is ample opportunity for investors to develop new grade A office space in the area, due to the growing demand for both small office operations and for larger corporates looking to escape Londonpriced floorplates. “Given the year we have all experienced, it has also never been more important to consider better wellbeing and ways to better ‘support local’.” Gavin Tyler, CEO of Cripps Pemberton Greenish says the pandemic has led people to realise the benefits of more flexible working. He said: “Many people have now seen the benefits of a good work life-balance, something we have always encouraged at Cripps. “This may mean people commuting into
End of the year promotions at world’s oldest law firm TUNBRIDGE Wells Thomson Snell & Passmore has announced 11 new promotions as the year comes to an end. Three new partners have been created at the law firm, which this year celebrated its 450th anniversary. Five Senior Associates, one Associate and two Legal Executive Associates have also been created in the end of year promotions. These new roles are in addition to the appointment of two new Equity Partners at the firm in summer 2020, and further reflect the firm’s commitment to growing internal talent organically.
Dedication Joanna Pratt, Senior Partner at Thomson Snell & Passmore, said: “I offer my warmest congratulations on these promotions, which are testament to the hard work and dedication demonstrated by all involved. “This is especially true this year, where we are still in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “As we all continue to navigate these strange times, I am confident our clients will continue to benefit from the diligent, trustworthy legal advice that our lawyers provide.” Thomson Snell & Passmore has been recognised as the world’s oldest law firm by the Guniess Book of Records.
London less regularly and looking for roles where they can work from home or, equally, finding flexible, co-working spaces closer to home. “With big residential property developments like Royal Wells Park, Knights Park and Hollyfield being built over the last five years, more professionals have moved to our town and will be seeking to continue that work-life
‘Covid-19 has brought this issue to the forefront of developers’ minds, as remote working has been embraced’ balance they’ve enjoyed over the past six months. “This will have a positive knock-on effect for our local businesses. Tunbridge Wells Business Park, if approved, will also provide much needed space for businesses to expand, and enable new businesses to set down roots in
Tunbridge Wells.” The group has pointed to some developers who are already considering integrating flexible office space with new residential developments, which bodes well for the town’s objectives. Rupert Home, Development Director at Dandara, said: “We have long considered how mixed-use schemes could work across our South East developments. “Covid-19 has brought this issue to the forefront of developer’s minds, as remote working has been embraced and the possibility that big city offices may be a thing of the past. “We have several large strategic sites in the region and are looking at how flexible workspaces can be incorporated into these residential led schemes.” The groups added that with office rents as low as £10 per sq ft in Kent, vs £52.50 for most areas of Central London, corporates stand to make huge financial gains by taking space in towns such as Tunbridge Wells. For more information about the #TW Works visit: www.tunbridgewells.works
CORPORATE CENTRE Cripps Pemberton Greenish is one of a number of South East firms that choose to be based in Tunberidge Wells
Digitom celebrates a decade in pictures A TUNBRIDGE Wells based production company has celebrated a decade in business with winning a prestigious award. Digitom, which was founded in 2010 was awarded ‘Video Production Specialists of the Year’ in the South England Prestige Awards 2020 and ‘Best Video Production Company – Kent’ in the UK Enterprise Awards 2020. The company creates video and animated content for clients in the private and public sector. Digitom’s founder and creative director Tom Chown spoke of the company’s adaptability: “The variety of work we undertake means no two briefs are ever the same, but we’re very fortunate to be able to trade on our reputation. We have worked with some amazing clients who have then referred and recommend us to their colleagues. “The creative sector is highly competitive. I’ll be honest, when I set the company up in 2010 I just wanted to make films, but I very quickly learnt that to succeed as a small business owner you have to be responsible for everything, from the IT and equipment to marketing and making the coffee. He added: “2020 has been an emotional
roller-coaster. When the first lockdown came the biggest impact was undoubtably the juggling between work and sharing home-schooling with my wife, adapting to the constantly changing guidance and trying to maintain some sense of normality. This year has definitely aged me! My beard’s going grey and I have more wrinkles. I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder on the business – it was exhausting – but we’ve got some really exciting projects in the pipeline for 2021 that we’re looking forward to working on.”
10 YEARS IN BUSINESS Founder, Tom Chown
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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ADVOCATE Logistics UK in Tunbridge Wells represents the freight industry
Logistics UK criticises KCC’s lorry parking clampdown By Robert Forrester A TRANSPORT organisation in Tunbridge Wells has said new powers granted to Kent Country Council [KCC] to fine HGV drivers found to be illegally parking is effectively a ban on rest breaks. Because of the Brexit Transition on December 31, when congestion is expected to see HGVs queue up on roads across the region, KCC has been granted powers to issue £150 fines to any driver deemed to be illegally parked in the region. The authority says they expect inappropriate and illegal lorry parking to potentially be an issue in the areas in and around the M2 and A2, as well as the M20, A256 and A299 in the east of the county. Leader Roger Gough says he is ‘grateful to the UK Government’ for granting the council the new powers, adding: “Though we have worked hard on traffic management plans in conjunction with our partners, we cannot guarantee there will not be a certain amount of freight turned back from the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel or from the Manston or Sevington sites if paperwork is not in order.
“If this is the case HGV’s are expected to return to their base of operation, but it seems more likely they would simply move onto the local road network and wait to become ready – these powers help highlight that this is not acceptable.” However, Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport Association, which is based on St John’s Road in Tunbridge Wells, says the measures will result in drivers being penalised for taking rest breaks.
‘Drivers who are taking short statutory breaks will be exempt from enforcement, and we will work with HGV drivers’ Heidi Skinner, Logistics UK’s Policy Manager for the South, said: “Logistics UK is very frustrated the Department for Transport [DfT] and Kent Country Council have failed to consider the welfare of lorry drivers in this decision. “Access to places to rest is of paramount importance to the workers responsible for
keeping goods moving across the UK and further afield – it is also required to meet their legally required rest periods under the drivers’ hours regulation. “Giving only 12 working days’ notice – the ban is enforceable by £150 fine from 1 January 2021 – is also unacceptable. “The ban is applicable to all lorry drivers – those traveling nationally and internationally – and almost all lorry parks in the surrounding area are at critical levels of utilisation. “DfT and KCC have not provided any solution to the lack of space; we are urging them to withdraw the upcoming ban immediately.” But KCC insist drivers taking ‘short statuary rest breaks’ will be ‘exempt from enforcement’. Simon Jones, KCC’s Director of Highways, said: “Drivers who are taking short statutory breaks will be exempt from enforcement, and we will endeavour to work with HGV drivers to help and encourage them find safe and appropriate locations to park for longer periods. “As such we will be taking a reasonable but targeted approach to enforcement, for example, if an HGV was parked up in an official location and not causing an obstruction or nuisance, we would be seeking not to enforce.”
HR consultant is named as Female Entrepreneur of 2020 AN HR firm in Tunbridge Wells has been named Best Emerging HR Consultancy Firm 2020, and its founder Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2020. ForrestHR won the titles at the SME [small and medium sized enterprises] News Southern Enterprise Awards. Sophie Forrest founded ForrestHR in 2018 to provide flexible HR support to SMEs. Drawing on her 20 years’ HR experience, ForrestHR has seen fast growth, now with six HR Consultants covering London, the South East and West country. Expansion has continued in 2020, launching two new arms to the Forrest brand – Forrest Training Academy, in July, to provide people and skills-based training to businesses, followed by Forrest Health & Wellbeing, a unique holistic programme that provides support for businesses and their employees across all areas of their professional and personal lives. Ms Forrest said: “It’s an honour to have our achievements within ForrestHR recognised by
SME News. In developing the two new sister companies – Forrest Training Academy and Forrest Health & Wellbeing – within only two years we are now able to offer all the services that HR teams and businesses need to look after all their staff needs to enable them to create and retain engaged, motivated, productive teams.
Proud “I am particularly proud that – despite ForrestHR being stretched beyond expectations with the HR implications of lockdown, such as managing furlough – I have been able to keep the launch of Forrest Health & Wellbeing on track and win the endorsement of the West Kent branch of the mental health charity, Mind, to make it available at a time when mental health is being challenged as never before due to coronavirus.” Lucy Adams, training and development manager at West Kent Mind said the charity was ‘delighted’ to have partnered with Forrest Health.
SUCCESS Sophie Forrest
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Camden Road sends some love to its local firms
A TUNBRIDGE WELLS road has been lit up in support and celebration of its local businesses this Christmas. From December 7, window illuminations in Camden Road have been the forefront of a new Covid friendly exhibition and trail for walkers and shoppers to visit.
Appreciation The campaign ‘Love Camden Road’ was led by volunteers from Camden Road community group CREATE (Camden Road Education, Arts, Theatre and Events) and features glass charms artwork by local artist Claudia Weigand in shop windows. The acrylic pieces were cut and designed by Install Archive Director, Lee Regan and put together by volunteers, Fran Preece, Veronica Dorset and Jo McCluskey. The group aims to ‘To create a stronger, happier and more resilient community by bringing people together to actively engage in and benefit from involvement of arts and culture.” The campaign was funded by Royal Tunbridge Wells Together and the Mary Portas Fund. UP IN LIGHTS The window display
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Wednesday WednesdayDecember December23 9 | 2020
Santa collects two tonnes of meals to give foodbank a helping hand By Lottie Bulmer SANTA started his journey around Tunbridge Wells this year a little earlier than normal. Father Christmas and his sleigh have been making the rounds in conjunction with The Round Table’s fundraising campaign for Nourish Community Foodbank. Andrew Mockford, committee member of The Round Table in Tunbridge Wells told the Times: “The first night for Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table’s Santa sleigh went really well, although it was pretty wet. “The people around the Birling Road area were
very big thank you to everyone for their donations.” The Round Table are responsible for the organisation of Tunbridge Wells’ most attended annual event, the firework display in Dunorlan Park which usually attracts around 12,000 visitors from across the county.
It was cancelled due to Covid restrictions in November, but a spokesperson has confirmed that it has been booked for next year on the usual date of the first Saturday of November, although it still remains dependent on Covid restrictions.
“Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table would like to say a very big thank you to everyone for their donations” exceptionally generous and we collected 646kg of food. “We actually managed to fill two vehicles, so this has been a fantastic start and Nourish were amazed at how much food had been donated. “It’s a really positive end to the year, after the disappointment of not being able to put on the Dunorlan fireworks. “We’d like to reiterate that we followed strict guidelines and continued pavement collections. We did not knock on doors for donations and avoided coming to people’s doorsteps.” He added: “We’ve now collected over two tonnes of food for Nourish. There has been amazing generosity from the local residents and Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table would like to say a
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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ROTHERFIELD ST MARTIN VOLUNTEERS [L - R] Alex Howard, Vicky Cheeseman, Alex Cheeseman, and Archie Wilson
New app enables charity to boost food donations for the vulnerable By Millie Sanderson AN EAST Sussex based charity has been able to increase the number of meals it is able to provide to the vulnerable thanks to a Tunbridge Wells supermarket’s food redistribution scheme. Rotherfield St Martin, near Crowborough which provides support to older people living in the community to help prevent isolation and loneliness, is using a new app, launched at the start of the pandemic. The app notifies charities when surplus food is available from the M&S branch in Tunbridge Wells, preventing food waste and providing to those in need. The supermarket has been able to provide over 37,444 meals to those in need across the town and surrounding areas. Vicky Cheeseman, Charity Manager, at Rotherfield St Martin said: “The M&S donations enable us to offer food to our entire community from parents and children on the school run, to vulnerable, older people who are unable to venture to larger shops. “This Christmas, we will be providing additional meals and Christmas goodies to more than 200
older people across our community through our ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ campaign. “From mid-December, we’ve visited 200 older people presenting them with a gift of goodies, as well as stopping for a chat on their doorstep to help combat isolation and loneliness. “After the year we have had, it is so important to connect with people and offer friendship.” Marc Hooper, Store Manager at M&S Tunbridge Wells said: “It’s going to be a Christmas like no other this year and we’re doing everything we can to ensure it’s as easy as possible for local charities and causes to collect meals to feed the people who need it most, particularly as we enter the festive season when money can be a concern for many. “When we have surplus food our absolute priority is for it to end up on someone’s plate, through our charity redistribution programme with Neighbourly. “We’re thrilled that the app has already helped to make such a difference to charities like Rotherfield St Martin and hope to continue to help charities across Tunbridge Wells this season to support our local community and help prevent food going to waste.”
Christmas Jumper Day a boost to hospices A BUILDER’S merchants in Tunbridge Wells has donated thousands for local hospices after staff raised money by wearing Christmas jumpers. The team at Covers Timber & Builders Merchants in Tunbridge Wells donated more than £15,000 to local hospices, including Hospice in the Weald, after taking part in Christmas Jumper Day. Henry Green, Managing Director of Covers, said: “This year has been particularly difficult for charities, so we are delighted to be supporting hospices in our communities once again with our annual Christmas Jumper Day. Staff at the company wore their jumpers to work in exchange for a £2 donation, which the
company topped up with a £5 donate for every transaction at its chain of 14 depots across the South East that day. “Hospices rely heavily on funding to operate, so we hope this latest donation will help make a difference to the vital work they do taking care of patients and their families.” Hospice in the Weald provides 24 hours-a-day care completely free of charge to patients with a terminal illness, their families and carers in West Kent and Northern East Sussex. The charity relies heavily on support from the community to raise the £7 million needed every year to continue providing its vital services.
Garden centre raises money for RNLI A LOCAL garden centre has raised money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution through a remote collection. Blue Diamond Garden Centre on Eridge Road near Tunbridge Wells managed to raise £786.34 to go towards the lifeboat charity.
Appreciation A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “Thank you to everyone for their generosity in these challenging
times and thank you to Manager Adam and hiscolleagues for allowing the collection to go ahead. “The RNLI receive no government help and relies totally on voluntary donations and legacies to raise the approximate £180 million needed to keep the Lifeboats afloat nationwide. The crew members are on call 24/7/365 to help save lives at sea.” A remote collection where the public and volunteers do not come into contact with each other.
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
EU calls for member states to ‘discourage’ Fine for travelling travel from the UK over coronavirus fears to ancestral isle TRAVEL from the UK to the European Union should be “discouraged” due to fears about the mutant variant of coronavirus but bans on movement should be lifted, Brussels has said. The European Commission recommended a joint approach from EU members after individual countries imposed emergency restrictions. The most dramatic action came from France, which closed its border to lorries crossing the Channel, leading to more than 1,500 HGVs being trapped in Kent. The EU-wide approach recommended by the commission would allow essential travel, and transit of passengers should be facilitated. Flight and train bans “should be discontinued given the need to ensure essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions”, the commission said.
A MARQUESS has been charged with allegedly breaking coronavirus legislation after reportedly travelling to his namesake Scottish island. Police Scotland launched an investigation following reports on Monday the Marquess of Bute John Crichton-Stuart and six others travelled to the Isle of Bute off the west coast of Scotland. The marquess has a home in London as well as his ancestral home of Mount Stuart on the island. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Monday December 21 2020, we received a report of a group of people travelling to the Isle of Bute in contravention of alleged breaches under the coronavirus legislation. “Inquiries were carried out and three men aged 32, 62 and 69 years, and four women aged 21, 29, 60 and 90, have been charged and will be subject of a report to the procurator fiscal.”
END OF THE ROAD Truckers queuing in Kent after the French border was closed
Inmate dies at 98
Recommendation EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders said: “Member states should take co-ordinated action to discourage non-essential travel between the UK and the EU.” But “at the same time, blanket travel bans should not prevent thousands of EU and UK citizens from returning to their homes”. Transport commissioner Adina Valean said: “Within the EU, it is crucial that transport workers are exempted from any restrictive measures.” Talks between the UK and France to resolve the crisis at the Channel have included discussions on testing HGV drivers. The EU’s recommendation suggested rapid tests should be used to avoid disruption. The commission said: “Cargo flows need to continue uninterrupted… not least to ensure the
timely distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, for example.” UK ministers have insisted that supplies of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is manufactured in Belgium, have not been affected by the disruption. On Tuesday morning, Home Secretary Priti Patel said 650 lorries were queued on the M20 with 873 at a former airfield site in Manston, Kent, as they were blocked from using ferry routes to Dover and the Channel Tunnel. Ms Patel said the Government is “speaking constantly” with France to achieve a resolution “in both our interests” to get freight moving again. She defended the Government’s handling of the pandemic, insisting on BBC Radio 4’s Today
programme that ministers had been “ahead of the curve” in tackling coronavirus. More than 40 countries around the world have banned flights from the UK due to the mutant variant of coronavirus, which spreads more readily than previous strains. Ms Patel insited ‘there is plenty of food in the supermarkets, adding: “We have fresh produce come in through other routes as well, through air freight and not just through the short straits, so I think we have to just take a balanced approach to this.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and stressed that the risks of transmission posed by a truvk drivers was ‘really very low’.
ONE of the country’s oldest prisoners has died just days before his 99th birthday. Paedophile Christopher Stowe, from Coventry, was jailed for six years last year after being convicted of abusing a four-year-old girl in the 1970s. When he was imprisoned in April 2019, Judge Sarah Buckingham said it was likely Stowe would die in jail. HIs victim had said Stowe’s actions had ruined her childhood. Stowe, who was due to mark his 99th birthday on Christmas Day, died on December 8 after being moved from HMP Birmingham to St Mary’s Hospice in Selly Park in the city. Britain’s oldest prisoner is believed to be 104-year-old great-grandfather Ralph Clarke who was jailed for 13 years in 2016 for sex attacks on a boy and two girls between 1974 and 1983.
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
UK debt pile reaches £2.1 trillion after record November borrowing GOVERNMENT borrowing surged to a record £31.6billion in November as efforts ramped up to support the economy through the second wave of the pandemic, official figures have shown. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said last month’s borrowing – excluding state-owned banks – soared by £26 billion year on year and marked the highest seen in November and the third highest in any month since records began in 1993.
claims to £46.4 billion and 9.9 million furloughed jobs. The ONS said borrowing rose as tax and National Insurance receipts fell by £38.3 billion – or 8.6% – year on year in the eight months to November. But government support for individuals and businesses during the pandemic contributed to a 30% or £147.3 billion hike in central government spending. Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, cautioned the furlough extension and extra Government support could send borrowing ballooning to more than £400 billion this financial year.
‘If the trend of the first eight months continued, the budget deficit would come in around £264 billion’ The latest estimate saw public sector net debt reach a new all-time high of £2.1 trillion at the end of last month. The debt is now double the level during teh finacial crisis of 2008. It means the UK’s overall debt is now around 99.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), which is a measure of the size of the economy – a level not seen since 1962. Borrowing has hit £240.9 billion for the first eight months of the financial year – £188.6 billion more year on year and breaking yet more
Fiscal
ESCALATING: Public sector debt is now double the 2008 credit crunch records. Recent official forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predict borrowing could reach £393.5 billion by the end of the financial year in March, which would be the highest seen since the Second World War. It comes after the Government launched more than 40 schemes across the UK to help households
and businesses through the coronavirus crisis. One of the most costly has been the furlough scheme for workers, which was last week extended again until April 2021. The most recent figures from HM Revenue & Customs showed another £3.4 billion worth of claims were made between November 15 and December 13, taking total
He said: “If the trend of the first eight months of fiscal year 2020/21 continued, the budget deficit would come in around £264 billion. “However, it looks likely to come in significantly higher than this with the furlough scheme now being extended until April and other supportive fiscal measures announced for the economy in the recent Spending Review. “Indeed, if introduced, more support for businesses affected by Tier 4 restrictions could potentially send the budget deficit above £400 billion.”
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Max Mosley’s legal action thrown out Max Mosley’s legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail for sending prosecutors a dossier which suggested he lied on oath has been thrown out by a High Court judge. The former F1 boss claimed Associated Newspapers “cynically and maliciously” reported “bogus concerns” to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that he may have committed perjury at the trial of his privacy claim against the now-defunct News Of The World more than a decade ago. Mr Mosley, 80, said the Daily Mail “set the law in motion against him to further its own regulatory and commercial objectives and not to achieve any proper purpose” and sued for damages for malicious prosecution.
Malicious But the publisher applied to strike out Mr Mosley’s case, arguing that as no “prosecution” had taken place Mr Mosley had no claim against the Mail. In a ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Nicklin agreed and threw out out Mr Mosley’s claim, saying: “The claimant’s pleaded claim discloses no reasonable grounds for bringing his claim for malicious prosecution.” The judge also ordered Mr Mosley to make a payment on account of Associated Newspapers’ costs of MAX MOSLEY £50,000.
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FIVE TIPS FOR INVESTING DURING UNCERTAINTY It may seem easy to remain calm and focused on your long-term financial goals when your investments are doing well. But during periods of uncertainty, with the potential for market volatility, it can be tricky to keep your focus. Here, we look at how you may still maximise returns and manage your portfolio, whatever the future holds.
1. STAND FIRM Periods of uncertainty risk prompting a knee-jerk reaction to sell investments and save in cash. But no matter what crises are endured, as the graph below shows, global markets at some stage undergo a recovery. Selling during a downturn risks crystallising any losses and potentially missing out on a recovery. After all, as the old adage goes, it’s about time in the market, not timing the market, when it comes to long term gains.
3. BE PATIENT WHEN IT COMES TO DIVIDENDS Many of the UK’s biggest companies have reduced or stopped paying dividends to shore up their balance sheets during the pandemic. This could have had a dramatic impact on your income if you are relying on shares for payouts.
Source: Brewin Dolphin
The value of investments and any income from them can fall and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. If you invest in currencies other than your own, fluctuations in currency value will mean that the value of your investment will move independently of the underlying asset. Opinions expressed in this document are not necessarily the views held throughout Brewin
CONTACT:
2. LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES The price of some investments may remain depressed, even with the hope of a sustained recovery from the pandemic on the horizon. However, if you use a wealth manager, they will be using their expertise to seek potential for profit on your behalf. There may be opportunities in specific sectors, such as technology and the companies of the future, as the impact of Covid-19 has changed the way we work and live our lives.
Dolphin Ltd. This information is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. No investment is suitable in all cases and if you have any doubts as to an investment’s suitability then you should contact us. The information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness.
No-one can be sure when companies will restart or increase dividend payments. But if you have carefully invested in those with plenty of cash on their books and the potential for gains when life returns to a more normal state, be patient. 4. CONSIDER READY-MADE PORTFOLIOS It can be tricky to know which mix of investments is best for long-term returns. Plenty of wealth managers offer ready-made investment portfolios across a range of risk spectrums, so you know you have a balanced portfolio without having to do the work yourself. They will have a sensible mix of investments, although ensure you are comfortable with your risk category and what you hold.
Brewin Dolphin Limited is a member of the London Stock Exchange, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register reference number: 124444). Registered office: 12 Smithfield Street, London, EC1A 9BD. Registered in England and Wales – company number: 2135876. VAT number: GB 690 8994 69
Graeme Hayden • Graeme.hayden@brewin.co.uk • Tel. 01892 739580 Louise Shaw • Louise.shaw@brewin.co.uk • Tel. 01892 739580
5. SPREAD RISK During uncertain times, diversification is more important than ever. This means spreading portfolios across a wide range of assets, including cash, fixed interest and shares, across global markets, so that if one area performs poorly, gains elsewhere should make up for it. While volatility and uncertainty may be high in difficult times, markets move beyond this and investors can still benefit from companies with strong balance sheets and potential. No-one can know with any certainty what lies ahead. However, a wealth manager may give you the assurance that events are being closely monitored and appropriate steps will be taken to protect your wealth.
18
BUSINESS
National News
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‘Landmark’ deal agreed to end long-running Royal Mail dispute A DEAL has been agreed to end a long-running dispute on job security, pay and hours for Royal Mail workers. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said it was an ‘excellent agreement’ for postal workers, customers and the company. The settlement includes a two-year pay deal backdated to April, worth 3.7%, plus a one-hour reduction in the working week, said the union. As the business introduces change, there will be no compulsory redundancies and the stated objective of Royal Mail is now one of job creation, said the CWU. Officials said Royal Mail can now introduce changes more quickly with the full support of the union including the development of a 24/7 operation for parcels, and the rollout of new technology and automation.
Vision CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “This is a landmark agreement that means that even in these incredibly difficult times, when members stand in solidarity with their union, it is entirely possible to plan a future that can still benefit workers, customers and the company. “The agreement has also been made possible because of the fantastic efforts of postal workers, who as key workers have kept the country connected and met customer and social needs throughout the pandemic.” Deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said: “For the last two years we have disagreed with the company on their vision of the future in our belief that it was blinkered, unambitious and based on managed decline.
“It would have severely damaged this great public service, threatened the universal service, reduced social inclusion, and cost thousands of decent jobs. “The irony of this terrible year is that it has demonstrated that postal workers are the most trusted provider on the doorstep, that the need for a universal equality of service provider is as real today as it ever was.” Royal Mail’s interim executive chairman Keith
Williams said: “We have a window of opportunity to focus Royal Mail on what our customers want today – an ever-growing need for more parcels, whilst providing a sustainable letters service. “This agreement provides a framework to do just that, but the proof will be in the pudding. “We have been far too slow to adapt in the past and now need to deliver change much more quickly.”
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
38 TEST POSITIVE AT MAIL CENTRE Dozens of workers at a Royal Mail office in Glasgow have tested positive for Covid-19. The postal service confirmed 38 workers at the mail centre in Springburn have contracted the virus. A deep clean of the site, which employs around 1,000 staff, has been carried out. In a statement, Royal Mail said a number of measures have been put in place. A spokeswoman said there are currently 38 colleagues who have tested positive for coronavirus at Glasgow Mail Centre. She said: “We wish them a speedy recovery. We have carried out an intensive clean of the site and have organised additional cleaning of key touch points and all communal areas. “We are keeping the CWU (Communication Workers Union) and colleagues updated. “Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first. “We have put in place a range of preventive measures to protect both our customers and our colleagues.” The spokeswoman added: “We were the first UK company to put in place socialdistancing measures in relation to parcel delivery. We pioneered contact-free delivery. We are temporarily not handing over our hand-held devices to customers to capture signatures. “As well as encouraging good hand hygiene, standard ways of working have been revised to ensure that colleagues maintain appropriate social distancing at all times. “All staff have been briefed about the social distancing measures jointly agreed by local management and the CWU. ”
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NEWS
Education
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EDUCATION Times
Pupils bring the spirit of Christmas courtesy of virtual carol concerts Students at St Gregory’s Catholic School and Beacon Academy have enjoyed singing traditional seasonal songs by streaming them
AT THIS time of year the school calendar is usually packed with festive fairs, staff pantos and the much loved carol concert but like pretty much every other event this year these have either been cancelled completely or had to be remodelled in order to be delivered in a Covid-compliant manner. Such was the case with the latter last week when two local schools, St Gregory’s Catholic School in Reynolds Lane, Tunbridge Wells, and Beacon Academy in Crowborough streamed their carol concerts via the wonder of technology.
Splendid Both schools told the Times that despite everything they have had to contend with this year due to the global health crisis, they were determined to put on their traditional seasonal concert in order to mark the true spirit of Christmas. Mr Sean McQuillan, head teacher at St Gregory’s who streamed theirs through YouTube said: “Over the past few months we have made
SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Beacon Academy students streamed a live carol concert
many adjustments to the operation of the school to enable students to continue their learning whilst keeping them, our staff and our whole community as safe as possible. So I was delighted when our School Chaplain Jane Ireland and Head of Music Jenny Ridley came to me to talk about creating a virtual carol service, which is one of the highlights of the school year. “Staff and students worked very
hard to create a splendid video to help us all start to celebrate what Christmas is really about. I am particularly grateful to the staff in our Deaf Resource Base who taught all of our Year 7 students how to sign ‘Little Donkey’. It’s touches like that that help make all of our students at St Gregory’s feel included.” Meanwhile at Beacon Academy in Crowborough the school’s teacher of music and head of Year 9 Tom
Cryle said their virtual carol concert had been one of the highlights of the year. “Like many recent school events and traditions, our Christmas Carol Concert had to be adapted for 2020 and although we were unable to gather together as we usually would at All Saints Church in Crowborough, we were delighted to celebrate the season and showcase performances from our talented students by bringing this event online for our community to enjoy. “This year, for the first time, we pre-recorded a range of accomplished vocal and instrumental performances from our students and compiled a 30-minute virtual concert which is now available to watch on our website. I would like to thank everyone that has helped to make the concert possible this year, as well as our head teacher, Anna Robinson, and Minister to Children, Youth and Families at All Saints Church, Adam Thrift, for contributing their messages of peace and unity.”
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Best in show
TUNBRIDGE WELLS Grammar School for Girls (TWGGS) have been having lots of fun raising extra funds for their new sports hall. Pupils from the school in Southfield Road were asked by the PTA to take a snap of their pet in a festive setting and enter it into a Cutest Pet Picture competition in order to help boost funds for the hall. “We charged each pupil £3 to enter a maximum of three photographs of their pets,” TWGGS PTA Chair Cliff Kilner told the Times. “There were three different categories: Best Cat, Best Dog and Best Other and each winner received a pet goodies’ hamper or gift voucher.”
Cute He said prizes were sponsored by a local pet shop and vet’s and that overall £250 pounds was raised. The Cutest Pet Picture competition is the latest in a number of fundraising initiatives done by the PTA in order to help contribute to the building of the new sports hall. “Earlier in the year the PTA donated £20,000 from previous fundraisers which included a virtual sponsored walk, a virtual quiz and a Christmas bring & buy sale. This academic year, we estimate we’ve raised upwards of £5k already and that’s down to the students and the huge generosity from their parents and hard work from staff.”
‘TIGGER’: who belongs to Emma in Year 11.
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Times Local News Quiz
NEWS
The Great Christmas Trivia Quiz After this rollercoaster year why not take time to relax and try our fun quiz on all things Tunbridge Wells and beyond. Test out your local knowledge with questions compiled for the Times by Lottie Bulmer. Answers are upside down – no peeking!
General local knowledge 1. What was Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark’s job before becoming MP?
A) Territorial Army Lieutenant Colonel B) Director of Policy C) Stock trader D) Marketing Executive
2. Which is the most expensive town to live in Kent? A) Tunbridge Wells B) West Malling C) Sevenoaks D) Cranbrook
3. How many districts are there in the county of Kent (excluding Medway)? A) 9
B) 13 C) 2 D) 7
4. Which Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop has lit up the town over Christmas? A) Mark Adams Jewellers B) Gabriella C) Burrells Jewellers D) G Collins and Sons
5. How many oak trees does Sevenoaks have? A) Eight B) Five C) Seven D) Three
6. How many years has Greg Clark served as MP for Tunbridge Wells?
A) 12 B) 6 C) 15 D) 9
7. Which Kent town is the smallest in the UK? (based on its population) A) Sissinghurst B) Ayelesford C) Fordwich D) Chillam
8. Which local hotel opened a new warehouse bar decorated by graffiti artist, Hugh Whittaker in October?
B) The Tunbridge Wells Hotel C) The Spa Hotel D) One Warwick Park
A) Hotel du Vin
9. How many years has the Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom entered Britain in Bloom? A) 5 Years
B) 10 Years C) 20 Years D) 25 Years
10. How far away from London is Tunbridge Wells? A) 31 miles B) 30 miles C) 20 miles D) 41 miles
Hugh Whittaker In which hotel’s bar can you find this artist’s work?
COSTLY TOWN? Is Tunbridge Wells the most expensive place to live in Kent?
Greg Clark What did our local MP do before being elected?
Local History
1. Before it was a live music venue, what was The Forum’s purpose? A) Indoor squash court B) Restaurant C) Public toilets D) Leisure centre
2. Which famous author’s father was a pupil and later a teacher at Tonbridge School? A) Jane Austen B) Charlotte Brontë C) Daphne DuMaurier D) Emily Dickinson
3. How is Tunbridge
Wells similar to Rome?
A) It was built in a day B) There was once a colosseum in Calverley Grounds C) It was built on seven hills D) It was once set alight
4. Who first named Kent the Garden of England? A) Queen Victoria B) Henry VII C) George V D) Elizabeth I
5. What is the name traditionally given to people from West
Kent?
A) Men of Kent or Maids of Kent B) West Kentians C) Kent Persons D) Kentish Men or Kentish Maids
6. What was Royal Tunbridge Wells originally known for? A) Its cows B) Its water C) Its air D) Its people
7. Which country’s navy sailed the River Medway to attack the Royal Navy in 1667? A) France B) The Netherlands C) Denmark D) Germany
Classic This famous writer’s father was educated in Tonbridge
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24
NEWS
Times Local News Quiz
Local History continued... PRINCESS MATOAKA Where in Kent is Pocahontas buried?
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
2020 Local Headlines 1. Which developer pulled out its plans to convert the site of the ABC cinema to a retirement complex in September? A) Dandara B) Elysian Residences C) Altitude Real Estate D) Hilden Holdings
2. What type of animals were mysteriously found on the train line near Hildenborough in May? A) Sheep B) Goats C) Cows D) Horses
6. It was the Times’ fifth birthday in March this year, but how many copies had it published? A) 1 Million B) 4 Million C) 500 Thousand D) 6 Million
7. How long did Richard Burrell have a jewellers in the town before he retired? A) 35 Years B) 50 years C) 10 years D) 25 years
3. Which speed limit has Tunbridge Wells High Street been reduced to? 8. Which year were the boroughs of Bexley and Bromley formed from nine towns in Kent? A) 1943 B) 1965 C) 1998 D) 1932
A) 15mph B) 30mph C) 20mph D) 25mph
4. What form of public transport did the Times uncover as not enforcing the new face mask laws in July?
9. In which Kent town is Pocahontas buried? A) Gravesend B) Tunbridge Wells C) Gillingham D) Cranbrook
1. Andy Zaltzman is the new host of Radio 4 programme, ‘The News Quiz’ but which local school did he attend? A) The Mead B) Vinehall C) Holmewood House D) Rose Hill
A) Buses B) Trains C) Taxis D) Planes
5. Which Kent town was voted the happiest place to live in the South East in the results of a 2020 Rightmove survey? A) Southborough B) Cranbrook C) Tunbridge Wells D) Tonbridge
FAMILY AFFAIR Richard Burrell and his daughter Gabby Taylor
8. The Mayor’s Annual Toy Appeal commenced in November again this year. When was it first launched? A) 2009 B) 1979 C) 1989 D) 1999
9. Which restaurant chain’s wall fell down in its Tunbridge Wells branch after it was vacated due to lockdown? A) ASK Italian
QUIZ MASTER Where did this Radio 4 presenter go to school?
B) Pizza Express C) Côte Brasserie D) Vittle and Swig
10. Which Tunbridge Wells park won the second annual Blooming Marvellous photography competition in January? A) Dunorlan Park B) Calverley Grounds C) Grosvenor and Hilbert Park D) Southborough Common
Tunbridge Wells in the pandemic 1. Which local restaurant has been pictured giving food to local hospital staff during lockdown? A) The Warren B) Zorba C) The Ivy D) Wagamama
2. Which well-known fast-food chain caused gridlock along Longfield Road when it reopened? A) KFC B) Burger King C) Subway D) McDonald’s
3. When did the UK first
go into lockdown?
A) May 26 2020 B) March 26 2020 C) May 16 2020 D) March 16 2020
4. Which hotel opened its doors to rough sleepers during lockdown? A) Russell Hotel B) Tunbridge Wells Hotel C) Spa Hotel D) Premier Inn
5. When did asymptomatic testing launch in Kent? A) June B) May C) August D) December
HOSPITALITY Did this hotel open its doors to rough sleepers?
LOCAL HISTORY ANSWERS: 1. Answer C Public Toilets, 2. Answer A Jane Austen 3. Answer C built on seven hills 4. Answer B Henry VII, 5. Answer D, Kentish Men or Kentish Maids, 6. Answer B – It was originally a Spa Town 7. Answer B The Netherlands, 8. Answer B, 1965, 9. Answer A Gravesend, 10. Answer C, Holmewood House in Langton Green B 10 years, 10. Answer A, 41 miles. GENERAL LOCAL KNOWLEDGE ANSWERS: 1. Answer B Director of Policy for the Conservative Party, 2. answer C Sevenoaks, 3. answer B 13: Sevenoaks, Dartford, Gravesham, Tonbridge and Malling, Medway, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Swale, Ashford, City of Canterbury, Shepway, Thanet, Dover, 4. Answer D G Collins and Sons was appointed in 2007, 5. answer A there are eight oak trees now lining The Vine, 6. Answer C, he has served since 2005, 7. Answer C, Fordwich which only has a population of 381 according to the 2011 census, 8. Answer D ,One Warwick Park, 9. Answer
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6. In both September and October, an entire year group from which local school had to be sent home after pupils tested positive for Covid?
A) Tonbridge School B) Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School C) Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys D) The Skinners’ School
7. Which local hospital Trust was recognised in the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2020 for its excellence in the urgent and emergency care award category for its improvements made during the Covid pandemic?
9. On which date was Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge declared part of Tier 3?
A) West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust B) Maidstone Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust C) Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust D) Kent and Medway NHS Trust
A) November 26 B) November 10
10. How many Kent MPs called for Matt Hancock to alter lockdowns to local rather than county level? A) 1 B) 3 C) 7 D) 13
8. Tunbridge Wells had been given the least amount of government funding in Kent to deal with the pandemic. How much was the town given? A) £1,471,060 B) £1,798,000 C) £2,393,300 D) £1,964,678
C) December 10 D) October 26
SELF-ISOLATION Year groups wre sent home from where?
MATT HANCOCK
NEWS
25
2020 LOCAL HEADLINES ANSWERS: 1. Answer B Elysian Residences 2. Answer A sheep 3. answer C 20 mph 4. Answer A buses 5. Answer D, Tonbridge 6. Answer B, 4 Million 7. Answer D, 25 years 8. Answer C, 1989 9. Answer A, ASK Italian 10. Answer B, Calverly Park shot by Katy Corbould
Local Headlines continued...
Times Local News Quiz
TUNBRIDGE WELLS IN THE PANDEMIC ANSWERS: 1. Answer B, Zorba 2. Answer D, McDonalds 3. Answer D, March 16 2020 4. Answer A, Russell Hotel 5. Answer D, December 6. Answer C, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys 7. Answer B, Maidstone Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust 8. Answer A, just under £1,471,060 9. Answer A, November 26 10. Answer C ‘seven MPs’
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
International Headlines American police officers, but how many countries held protests?
MARCUS RASHFORD The young footballer has been campaigning against child food poverty
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
A) 10 B) 30 C) 45 D) 60
8. How much money did Captain Tom Moore raise for the NHS? A) Over £23 million B) Over £32 million C) Over £20 million D) Over £6 million
9. English footballer Marcus Rashford launched his campaign to end child poverty this year following MPs’ decision not to extend free school meals throughout half term, but how old is he?
A) Victoria B) New South Wales C) Queensland D) Tasmania
2. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were retiring from their royal duties this year, but where did they move to in March? A) Spain B) France C) America D) Canada
3. When did the World Health Organisation declare Coronavirus a national emergency? A) 30 May 2020 B) 30 December 2020 C) 30 January 2020 D) 30 March 2020
4. Britain formally withdrew from the
European Union on January 31 this year, but when does the transition period officially end? A) January 1 2021 B) December 31 2020 C) February 1 2020 D) July 4 2020
5. Which European country made public transport free this year?
A) 23 B) 30 C) 25 D) 19
10. Air pollution and Nitrous Oxide levels dropped drastically in the first month of lockdown across the world, but by how much? A) 10% – 15% B) 30% – 40-% C) 45% – 50% D) 60% – 65%
A) Luxembourg B) Germany C) The Netherlands D) France
6. The Olympics were cancelled this year, but which country was meant to be hosting them? A) Australia B) Japan C) Brazil D) Slovakia
7. One of the largest civil rights movements, Black Lives Matter occurred this year, in response to the killing of George Floyd by
CAPTAIN TOM How much money did he raise for the NHS?
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES ANSWERS: 1. Answer B, New South Wales 2. answer D, Canada 3. Answer C, 30 January 2020 4. Answer B, December 31 2021 5. Answer A, Luxembourg 6. Answer B, Japan 7. Answer D, 60 countries and 7 Continents 8. Answer B, over £32 million 9. Answer A, 23 – he was born October 31, 1997 10. Answer B, 30% - 40%
1. Which Australian state declared a national emergency following bushfires at the start of the year?
NEWS
Times Local News Quiz
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Hitting the Headlines 1. Which celebrity duo surprised local boy Tony Hudgell after he walked 10km for charity on his prosthetic legs?
A) Mary-Kate and Ashley B) John Torode and Greg Wallace C) Ant and Dec D) Phil and Holly
2. Former Kent Count County Council leader Paul Carter was awarded what by the Queen this year? A) A Knighthood TONY HUDGELL Who suprised this young fundraiser?
B) The Key to the City C) MBE D) OBE
3. Which Kent hospitals were the subject of Channel 4’s Documentary – Are We Winning the Battle Against Coronavirus?
A) Kent and Canterbury Hospital B) William Harvey Hospital C) Tonbridge Cottage Hospital D) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital
HITTING THE HEADLINES ANSWERS: 1. C, Ant and Dec, 2. Answer A, A knighthood 3. Answer D, Tunbridge Wells Hospital, 4. B, Objecting against transgender athletes competing against women, 5. Answer A, 268, 6. A, It was delayed 7. C, Alan Carr, 8. C, Atul Kochhar, 9. C, £40,000, 10. B, 10th
26
4. Dame Kelly Holmes made headlines this year, but for what reason?
ALL LIT UP How much did this display cost?
A) Objecting against the closure of gyms during the pandemic B) Objecting against transgender athletes competing against women C) Objecting against the postponement of the 2020 Olympics D) Objecting against the closure of indoor swimming pools during the pandemic
5. Nourish Community Foodbank had its highest ever number of referrals before Christmas this year, but how many was that? A) 268 B) 568 C) 368 D) 168
6. What was different about the Kent Test (11+ exam) this year? A) It was delayed B) It was cancelled C) It was shorter D) It was done remotely
7. Which chatty man
visited The Pantiles while filming a BBC programme? A) Graham Norton B) Jonathon Ross C) Alan Carr D) James Corden
8. Which award winning chef was meant to cook at the now postponed 2020 Pub in the park? A) Paul Ainsworth B) Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall C) Atul Kochhar D) Gordon Ramsey
9. To give the town some Christmas cheer this year, how much did the Business Improvement District spend on the new Christmas lights display? A) £15,000 B) £5000 C) £40,000 D) £4000
10. The ice rink in Calverley Grounds was due to celebrate what anniversary this year? A) 2nd B) 10th C) 25th D) 5th
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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Letters
NEWS
27
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
I am writing in response to the announcement made on Saturday December 19 by the Prime Minister placing Kent into Tier 4. We had duly argued previously that Royal Tunbridge Wells not be placed into Tier 3 along with the rest of Kent, due to its low rate of infection in the county, and we had pressed hard for a more localised approach that didn’t penalise our businesses unfairly. Sadly, that hope wasn’t realised and the town’s hospitality sector was forced to all but close, despite Royal Tunbridge Wells having a lower rate of infection than many other towns in Tier 2 areas. We understand that a new strain of the virus is causing a sharp increase in transmission rates, and subsequently the South East is now all in Tier 4. However, it must be acknowledged that the knock-on effect on
businesses in the town is catastrophic coming five days before Christmas in what would arguably be their busiest period. The accumulated effect of Tier 3 and Tier 4 restrictions means that in order for businesses to survive into 2021 and beyond they must be fairly compensated. We are writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask that business rates reform be given priority in the current climate and that the current Business Rate Relief be extended for the 2021-2022 financial year. We are also asking that a compensatory relief package be organised with immediate effect for businesses in Tier 4 areas who are unable to operate. Ross Feeney Chief Executive Royal Tunbridge Wells Together
LOCKED DOWN Non-essential shops in Tunbridge Wells have been forced to close
The Council is here to help The news on Saturday that Tunbridge Wells would be moving into tier 4 is very unfortunate but very necessary given the new variant of the virus and the huge pressure on our health services. I know it is upsetting for people whose Christmas plans to see family and friends have now been cancelled, and equally devastating for those businesses forced to close again with little notice. The Council is there to provide help where they can and the website will be updated with the latest information as quickly as possible. If you need urgent assistance please telephone 01892 526121 or 03000 41 92 92. Thank you all for continuing to play your part by following the rules. I urge you to carry on doing so; it is the only way we are going to regain control over the spread of the virus. The vaccine is being distributed and we will see this terrible time come to an end. I wish everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas and look forward to a brighter new year for us all. Cllr Alan McDermott, Leader Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Border issues could have been avoided For the past six months Kent’s Liberal Democrats have been calling for Covid tests for all drivers arriving in Kent from Europe, or better still, before they depart. Our calls were dismissed. Ironically, there is now a strong likelihood that the French and Belgian authorities will insist on drivers being tested for Covid before they travel to Europe. The Government is under acute
pressure to set up rapid testing units for drivers heading to Dover and the Channel Tunnel. All within the next 24 hours. None of this is straightforward. Operating procedures take more than a few hours to establish. The local Public Health teams will need to agree protocols with their Belgian and French counterparts for the interpretation of test results. And arrangements will need to be put in place to provide secure accommodation for any driver testing positive. The Government could have done this before now for both inbound and outbound drivers. Instead, we find ourselves in another fine mess. Cllr Rob Bird, Lib Dem opposition leader at Kent County Council
These actions leave the UK very near the top of international league tables on climate action. The government’s green ambitions are shared by the Conservative-run Borough Council. According to Friends of the Earth, our borough is already one of the greenest in the country. We have also pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030, a target bettered by only 9 of the 404 councils in the nation. These Conservative-led policies will transform our country and town. I’m sure Green Party supporters are fully behind them and must feel it’s Christmas every day. Cllr Matthew Bailey Cabinet member for Sustainability, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Stop punishing motorists Before moving away I lived in and worked almost all of my adult life in Tunbridge Wells although I still visit for occasional shopping and social activities. Despite Covid, the town centre seems to be dying on its feet. It is little wonder when almost every access road into the town is in need of repair, punitive car parking charges and now almost no vehicular access to the town centre itself between 9.00am and 6.00pm. Instead of punishing motorists the local authority should be actively encouraging people to visit the town centre, I wonder if after all the expense of the new schemes and their proposed purpose the footfall of pedestrians has actually increased. I suspect not. Ian Thomas Former resident
No Green bias in the Times
John Ward Moorhouse has written another peevish letter [16th December] complaining about the number of column inches he perceives the Times of Tunbridge Wells allocates to Green Party supporters. He writes that my advocacy of proportional representation shows a charming and surprising... (thank you, John) but he fails to put forward any reasoned counterargument. Paradoxically, I think that Mr Moorhouse must secretly support proportional representation as he seems to want the Times to implement a kind of PR policy for opinion pieces and letters. Regular correspondent Sam Goodenough appears to share his view.
This piqued my curiosity, so I did a rough tally of 2020s opinion columns and found that 53% were by Conservatives, 13% by Greens, 11% each by Labour and Lib Dems, and 13% Other. So, if there is bias, it evidently does not favour Greens. In response to his other points, I’ve never felt that the Green Party imposes North Korean-style strict orthodoxy on its members and I must point out to Mr Moorhouse (as I have done previously in your pages) that Extinction Rebellion is not affiliated to the Party. Paul Stepto Secretary, Tonbridge & Malling Green Party
CCTV story error I thought I’d make you aware of an error in last week’s story “Fear for residents’ safety after Council votes to abandon CCTV” (9 December 2020, page 2) The story says Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council shares its monitoring with Sevenoaks District Council and there’s likely to be additional costs for us when T&MBC ceases monitoring CCTV. I’m afraid this is not correct. Sevenoaks District Council does not share monitoring with TMBC so their decision will not impact at on our finances. Daniel Whitmarsh, Communication Manager Sevenoaks District Council Pantiles development is inappropriate Christopher Hall is right to criticise the Dandara 1887 Pantiles development; it’s inappropriate on so many levels - levels being one of them: there are too many of them - it’s too tall. I’d have expected one of two things: (a) as a modernist, a daring modernistic cutting-edge design that would stand in sharp and stark contrast to its environs or: (b) a development that was sympathetic to the local and historical architectural vernacular. Try as I might, I cannot find anything Georgian or Victorian, no amusing references subtle or otherwise. What we have is an overlarge and dominating block with no redeeming features; it does not sit easily on the eye. It looks like a hotel, but it’s no Spa. Let’s face it, it’s no Sterling Prize winner, nor even a contender. Edward Baker Tunbridge Wells
Government is the greenest in history John Hurst says the Green Party will not field candidates against Lib Dem or Labour councillors in the May 2021 local elections. I very much hope disenfranchised Green Party supporters will consider voting Conservative instead. The current government is the greenest in history. Renewable electricity already accounts for 40% of supply, and offshore wind power generation is expected to quadruple by 2030. This will produce enough green electricity to power every home in the country. A ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward to 2030. And the government is investing in hydrogenpowered travel, with pilot projects already underway for trains, buses and even aircraft.
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
CARTOON BY PEPPY: (Follow her on Twitter @Peppyscott)
Tier 4 announcement is catastrophic for business
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NEWS
Weekly Comment
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Greg Clark Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Greg Clark was first elected MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. He has held a number of positions in Government, including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He is currently Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committe.
The crisis has revealed the strengths of our community THIS is not the Christmas any of us wanted or expected. 2020 has been a year that has been painful for everyone, and desperately so for many. We will never forget it. We will never forget the people we love who have lost their lives; we will never forget the people whose struggles were made harder to bear by being isolated from family and friends; we will never forget how tough it has been – and is – for people who have lost their job or fear for the future of their business.
Strength But in adversity, 2020 revealed and relied on many of the strengths of our community. The NHS and care workers who didn’t hesitate to put themselves into unknown and potentially dangerous conditions to look after sick and vulnerable people. The people whose work was essential to us getting through the year: our emergency services, the workers in our local councils, shop workers and people in the supply chains who kept us fed; the teachers who taught remotely while often looking after their own children and going in person to make sure key workers could go to work. The phenomenal voluntary response of neighbours supporting each other and joining in with community groups, parish council and charities to find and look after people who
risked being overlooked. The traders, who with grit and ingenuity, found ways to keep going to be there for us when this year is behind us. And all the people who made an extra effort to support them - including this newspaper which gave advertising free of charge to our local businesses. We face a few hard weeks ahead with a new, even more infectious strain of the virus centred on Kent. Our health and care workers are working flat out and are braced for worse. But there is a huge difference from the situation we faced just a few months ago. We now know that the end is in sight. One vaccine is already being given to over 80s in Tunbridge Wells, and it will be likely followed by two more within weeks. The development of multiple successfullytested vaccines in less than 9 months – against a virus that was unknown a year ago – will be looked back on as one of the most breath-taking scientific achievements of our age. However difficult the start, I feel optimistic that 2021 will be a year of relief and recovery. As more elderly and vulnerable people are vaccinated, the pressure on our hospitals will ease. As millions are protected by vaccination, the restrictions on meeting and socialising can be removed. 2021 will feel very different from 2020, thank goodness. But one of the things that I hope will stay with us is a lasting appreciation of things that, before this year, we took for granted.
HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC NHS and Care Workers have worked throughout
How lucky we are to live in beautiful, green place with the natural world abundant on our doorstep. It was so precious and vivid to us last spring and we must continue to delight in it. The real sense of community we have here - not just in the abstract, but in neighbours being prepared to give practical support to our neighbours whenever they needed it. That longing that we all feel right now to go back to enjoying pints at the pub, coffees with friends,
John Hurst The Green Party
family meals at restaurants, seeing a show at the theatre or a gig at The Forum or Local and Live - I hope will translate into an enthusiastic bounce back that will help our local businesses pay back some of the debts they have had to take on during this last year. However awful 2020 has been, we have been lucky to have spent it in Tunbridge Wells, and I hope 2021 will turn out to be a year in which we celebrate everything that we have here.
John Hurst has lived in The Pantiles & St Mark’s since retiring as an engineering manager in 2013. He is Campaign Co-ordinator of the Tunbridge Wells Green Party
Green Party ideas have become mainstream IT’S been a difficult year, and with us going into Tier 4, and the impact of Brexit on Kent becoming clear, it’s hard to think much past Christmas. But there have been subtle movements on the environment during 2020, and if the public continue to press for it, there is a lot that can be done in 2021 to accelerate our journey to a greener future. A lot of the ideas Greens have been promoting have become mainstream. Mark Carney, the last Governor of the Bank of England, is giving a Reith Lecture on Radio 4 today dealing with how we value a sustainable environment, and he highlights that you “can’t vaccinate against climate change”. But curious things are helping elsewhere; perhaps Boris Johnson is now influenced by a more environmentally-minded advisor than Dominic Cummings? Certainly he has declared that “green means jobs”, and launched a 10-point plan, which, whilst it is an unstructured and underfunded list, it is at least an improvement on his record of
voting against every green measure in Parliament. The key for us all will be to keep pressure on the Government to invest and take action in the short- term, and not let a Prime Minister famed for making dramatic promises seem bold about the long-term up to the UN’s COP 26 environmental summit in Glasgow in November, then quietly lose interest.
Revolution The Government’s real seriousness can be judged when the 6th Carbon Budget, which has just been produced by the Committee for Climate Change, comes up for approval. The Budget’s plan sets out the measures - whether technical, investment or by the public - needed to achieve UK net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, and those measures must start ramping up in the next few years. Over time, the investments will produce nett financial returns for the government, and apart from the exciting mix of new technologies to be developed, the job opportunities will be immense
THE FUTURE The government plans to achieve net-zero CO2 Emissions by 2050 in what has been dubbed the “4th industrial revolution”. The Committee’s report predicts a need for some 200,000 new workers to upgrade millions of houses, and many more to build and operate the new power and industrial systems. This will need a quantum leap in education and training not seen in decades, and it will happen throughout the country. Perhaps local
colleges like Hadlow and West Kent could leverage the £4bln training fund to expand, and to train green technicians, giving them a prospect of life-time careers after qualifying? The plan also proposes planting millions of trees. But we have a Draft Local Plan that proposes building on large areas of Green Belt and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; we should pressure the Government to
change the calculation method for the housing targets, as it wouldn’t take much reduction in the numbers to avoid using those designated areas and to save Capel and Ramslye. The need for pressure on politicians is also seen locally, with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s implementation of the Climate Emergency opportunity already off the pace after 18 months; other Councils such as Herefordshire have published their plans to 2030, and Stroud’s strategy is out for public consultation. Last week’s Full Council was presented with a motion to install some electric vehicle charging points, whence it “referred it to Committee for review”, as the song goes. 2021 presents the clearest opportunity to apply that pressure on May 6th, when, via Covid-safe postal ballots, the local elections can produce a fresh Council that will implement green ideas, rather than kicking them into the weeds of the old cinema site. But for now, we wish you a safe and as pleasant as possible a Christmas.
Homes & Interiors
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Interiors
Festive floral tribute The Bloom Foundry’s Lucie Merkl on how to make a homemade wreath
Page 32
Moving on up
Why Tier 4 status won’t stop you buying or selling a home Page 30
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Homes & Interiors
Property Focus NEW S
30
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Benefit claimants unfairly discriminated against by landlords on rental websites By Lottie Bulmer RENTERS who claim benefits in Tunbridge Wells may be unfairly discriminated against by landlords an investigation by the BBC has revealed. According to Kent County Council, 16.9% of households in the borough rent their homes which is higher than the national average of 15.6%, and 4.4% of the population is unemployed. More than 80% of 59,000 listings on property websites such as Spare Room and Open Rent discriminate against people on benefits by stating they need not apply for rental accomodation.
Painful OpenRent founder Adam Hyslop told the BBC: “We know that access to suitable properties for benefit claimants is a real and painful problem, and we want to solve the root causes of these issues. “We’ve raised these issues in Parliament and with industry lobby groups and are working hard to address the root causes as well as trying to combat prejudice by educating OpenRent users. “OpenRent does not ban any group of tenants, and in the past year we have let over 25,000 properties where applications from benefit claimants were explicitly
welcomed by the landlord.” SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson added: “After the July ruling we changed the way SpareRoom works, so landlords can only list rooms as unavailable to
benefit claimants if their mortgage or insurance specifically forbid it. “However, we’ve seen far more rooms still being listed as unavailable than the small number we expected.
“The reality is that there are almost no buy to let mortgages left with those clauses in them, so we’re currently in the process of removing the option to list as unavailable to benefit claimants completely.”
Property market remains open across tiers By Millie Sanderson
ROBERT JENRICK: The Housing Secretary has confirmed the market will remain open
Despite the recent announcement of the new and upgraded Tier 4, the property market will remain open across all tiers. The new Tier 4 restrictions ask residents to stay at home whenever possible except to do essential activities or legal obligations, which includes moving houses. The guidance outlines that: “You may also leave home to fulfil legal obligations, or to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a residential property. “You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should
not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary. “Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings. “Follow the national guidance on moving home safely, which includes advice on social distancing and wearing a face covering.”
Restrictions The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick tweeted on December 19: “Housing market update: the sales and rental markets remain open in all tiers. All
associated activities can continue as before. “Please follow the Covid secure guidance. And use your judgement as to whether it’s necessary right now.” December is usually the quietest month for home-hunting, but traffic starts to rise from Boxing Day onwards. With restrictions being introduced so close to Christmas, it is unsure whether this will have an effect on the traditional Boxing Day boom. Last year, traffic on Rightmove increased by 231% between Christmas Day and January 2. Movers have been advised not to use removal companies unless aboslutely necessary.
Help to buy continues next year New housing development
comes to Tunbridge Wells A NEW development on the outskirts of the town was approved last week. Wealden District Council granted an application to build 159 homes on a piece of land east of Benhall Mill Road.
CHANGES to the Help to Buy Scheme are set to help first time buyers across Kent. A new equity loan scheme will be limited to first time buyers as a replacement for the scheme beginning next year. Brendon O’Neill, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes South East explained: “Starting on 1 April next year, the new Help to Buy programme lets eligible first-time buyers in this area
borrow up to 20% of the cost of a new Persimmon home from the Government. This applies to new homes up to £437,600 in value on many of our developments. “At Persimmon we are registered for the new scheme and believe it can bring home ownership within the reach of thousands who may otherwise have struggled, especially after the unique circumstances we’ve all faced over the past year.
“Across the UK, Help to Buy has already helped more than £270,000 into home ownership, of which four-in-five are first-time buyers. The revised scheme aims to build further on this success.” Introduced in 2013, Help to Buy enabled purchasers to put down just a 5% deposit on a newly built home, with up to 20% of the full cost of the home being funded by a shared equity loan, which is interest-free for the first five years.
Destroyed The land is on the Kent and Sussex border and has proved controversial with residents due to worries surrounding the environment and road usage. Ward Councillor and Committee Chairperson, Johanna Howell (Con)
told the meeting of Wealden District Council planners: “My concern is this; I know that the experts said people won’t turn left [on Benhall Mill Road] but they do. Then they go into the rural network, which is special. “The old farmtracks and all the farmways are very, very special and they hold a whole diversity of habitats and species of wildlife that are slowly, but surely and relentlessly being destroyed.” The new development will include 56 affordable homes.
WEALDEN An application to build 159 new homes has been approved
A present from Winkworth Tunbridge Wells…
0.75% +VAT sales fee* this Christmas As an extra gift this Christmas, Winkworth Tunbridge Wells are providing Virtual Tours FREE during the ongoing government restrictions. Visit Winkworth.co.uk/tw/3dtour to see an example of our virtual tours
Hi, I’m Natasha Firman and I took over Winkworth Tunbridge Wells 1 year ago... and what a year to take on a new business! Despite lockdown in March, I’ve been very lucky - I now have a great team and we have agreed sales on 26 properties since May when the first lockdown lifted. What’s most important is that my clients are happy - please go to Winkworth Tunbridge Wells Google Reviews to see what they are saying about us. And by all means, find me at linkedin.com/in/natashafirman to see my background - the cornerstone of our values is to provide a professional service and to not cut corners, instilled in me through a 23 year long career in real estate. If you are thinking of selling or letting in 2021, then please do call and I hope you will take us up on our Christmas promotional sales fee of 0.75%+VAT, available until 31st January 2021. Giving a little back after such a tough year for everyone! Merry Christmas and a safe and well New Year.
Natasha Natasha Firman MRICS Director of Winkworth Tunbridge Wells
For more information contact
Natasha on 01892 519600 or twells@winkworth.co.uk *Sales fee promotion on all properties over £500,000 instructed by Winkworth Tunbridge Wells before 31 January 2020.
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Homes & Interiors
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Festive flower power
The Christmas wreath has become one of the most popular seasonal decorations to display. But instead of buying one from a shop, local florist Lucie Merkl of The Bloom Foundry shows you how you can make your own
O
VER the years the wreath has hugely transformed itself from just something made of plastic baubles you hang up on your door to being a veritable musthave decoration for the style savvy – and if it’s been crafted by their fair hands then even better. And although we’re only a couple of days away from December 25 this is actually a perfect time if you want to create a floral wreath as it will look fresh and beautiful on the day instead of withered and tired. Here, Lucie Merkl who runs The Bloom Foundry florist and antiques shop on St John’s Road, gives you her step-by-step guide on how to create a showstopper of a seasonal wreath. Usually, the trained florist, who opened her emporium in April 2019, would host face-toface wreath workshops but due to Covid-19 restrictions she has had to resort to either doing them by Zoom which she says have been very successful or selling the kits (£40) from her stunning shop which is a must-visit if you love fabulous florals and unique vintage finds for when you eventually can.
FESTIVE FLORA Florist, Lucie Merkl with one of her homemade wreaths
“The feedback on my online wreath workshops has been very positive. People said how lovely it was to connect with each other and take part in such a mindful creative activity.” “I have been busy this month helping lots of people make stunning Christmas wreaths for their doors. I think via the online lessons we’ve done around 140 kits. They’re not quite last year’s numbers of over 360 but I’m still feeling very pleased with how many people have been able to enjoy a little bit of The Bloom Foundry Christmas happiness this year.
Fun
ALL PICTURES: Rose Bainbridge
“I’ve been working with a number of corporate clients as they held all their Christmas team building online this year. The feedback I have received has been very positive and they all said how lovely it was to connect with each other and take part in such a mindful creative activity. “This is definitely something that I will be expanding to bring the joy of flowers and creativity throughout the year - and not just at Christmas! I have a number of different workshops planned that I’ll be launching in the new year.” Lucie goes on to say that she has also had a number of requests to incorporate some of her antiques knowledge in some way too. “That will be fun as I have been very flower focused lately and I love all of my beautiful finds and sharing their stories with everyone. If you come to visit me in the shop when we reopen, be sure to ask me about my elephant, it’s a very good story, even if she is the only item in the shop not for sale!”
Homes & Interiors
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
33
Your step-by-step guide to making a fabulous floral wreath
TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUL MOSSED WREATH YOU WILL NEED: Wreath ring frame, reel wire, moss, foliage, decorations, ribbon and scissors.
n Take your wreath ring and reel wire. Choose one of the joins on the inner part of the ring and wrap the wire tightly round it in a figure of 8, do this five times. n Next it’s time to moss the ring. Take a handful of moss and make it into a firm oval shape that is wide enough to cover the ring and is about 2cm deep. Place the moss onto the ring where the wire is attached. Wrap the wire tightly around the moss and the ring, leaving 3cm gaps
between each wrap. When you reach the end of the first group of moss add another handful. Keep going until you have filled the whole ring with moss. Don’t worry if it looks untidy it will soon be covered. n Now you are going to prepare the foliage. I like to cut my foliage into 10 to 15cm length pieces, this will give a lovely textured look to your finished wreath. You could use a mixture of foliage or just choose one type. Some to try would be Pine, Holly, Conifer, Tree Ivy, Trailing Ivy or Eucalyptus. n Foliage time. Start by choosing 3 pieces of foliage, lay them on the moss where your wire
currently is, you need one bit at the top, one in the middle and one at the bottom. Poke the stems into the moss slightly then take the wire and wrap it tightly round the stems to hold them in place. Choose your next three pieces of foliage. This will go on top of the first foliage. Leave a 3cm gap then stick the stems into the moss and wire round. n Continue working your way around the wreath placing the next foliage on top each time. When you reach the end you will need to be careful when putting the wire round to not squash the first foliage in the wire. You should now have a fully foliaged wreath.
It’s time to add the decorations and bow! Position your decorations around your wreath to see how you like them best. That could be spaced out or grouped together. If you have wired decorations pass the wire each side of the ring feeding it through the foliage. Gather both ends together on the other side and twist a couple of times close to the moss. Double the ends back on themselves and poke back into the moss. If you have decorations on sticks then just push them through the foliage into the moss where you would like them. That’s it you’ve made your wreath! I hope you enjoyed making it. Please share your creations with me on Instagram @thebloomfoundry. DIY CHRISTMAS Lucie shares her method to make unique Christmas wreaths
52 EDUCATION FEATURE 34
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk
Homes & Interiors
Want less of this......
Wednesday February 26 | 2020
at other elite universities, such as Imperial College, the London SchoolDecember of Economics, Wednesday 23 | 2020 University College London, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Durham, Bath, Bristol, Manchester, York, Warwick, Leeds and Exeter. The large majority of the Upper Sixth achieve their first-choice destination. Last year, for instance, Tonbridge leavers had 100 per cent success rates with applications to Warwick, Manchester and York universities, and success rates of over 90 per cent for Exeter, Bristol, Nottingham, Bath and Birmingham. As in previous years, some students will be securing places on world-leading degree courses Find out more at our Get into inTeaching less traditional‘virtual’ subjects, which will give them a head start in January their chosen careers. information evenings on Monday 4th 2021These & soughtafter courses for 2020 include Real Estate, Thursday 11th February 2021.Aerospace Engineering, Earth Sciences, Sports Management, Marine Biology and Marine Zoology. OXBRIDGE BOYS Tonbridge boys head to leading universities
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Why not train to become one?
And more of this! Then call NOW! universities. A total of 18 Tonbridge pupils have FORSCHOOL ALL YOUR PRINTING NEEDS TONBRIDGE recently been offered places to study at the Web: tonbridge-school.co.uk
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The school’s Headmaster, Training will take place within our partnership of West Kent andJames EastPriory, said: “Securing a place at a leading university, in a Sussex schools. Trained teachers gain the QTS award and a isPGCE: the highly competitive field, a fine achievement, internationally recognised qualification ofrequiring trainedhard teachers. We are an work and dedication. “I look forward following our students’ ‘outstanding’ Ofsted provider and our partnership has toextensive expertise progress at university and in their subsequent in training teachers.
careers, and I am extremely grateful for the contribution they continue to make to the For further details see: www.teachkentandsussex.org.uk, intellectual, pastoral and co-curricular life of twitter: @TeachKandS & Facebook @TKandS.SCITT the school.” A proportion of Tonbridge leavers also choose to Please contact Kelda Dublon by telephone onabroad 01892and 521595 an informal study progressfor to leading universities around the world, particularly in theyour USA. discussion or email contact@teachkentandsussex.org.uk to register Recent destinations have included Berkeley, interest in an event. University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Rice University, the United States Air Force means that many of the school’s departments Academy, the University of Toronto and Hong have played a key part in this success. Kong University. The Our totalschools is made of nine offers from the areup committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children University of Cambridge and nine offers from andWith young people and from expectnational all staff and and Tonbridge School Oxford. competition volunteers to share this commitment. international candidates stronger than ever, it is a High Street All trainee teacher posts are subject to a Tonbridge TN9 1JP great satisfactory achievement that Tonbridge students have enhanced DBS check. 01732 365555 received 162 Oxbridge offers since 2015. admissions@tonbridge-school.co.uk Each year Tonbridge leavers also take up places
Maddisons 340x264 ToTW advert 12.20.qxp_Maddisons 340x264 ToTW advert 12.20 21/12/2020 10:17 Page 1
’ s e l i t n The Pa s a m t s i r Ch t n u H e r Treasu
It has been wonderful to see so many taking part in the Pantiles’ Christmas Treasure Hunt – we hope your children enjoyed finding those hidden robins and eating their chocolate gift! Due to popular demand, the Treasure Hunt will now run until 31st December, and our offices will be open from 10am to 3pm in the post-Christmas week so do pop in to claim your prize. A huge thank you to Taylor Made Dreams and our fellow Pantiles’ Traders, who made this event possible. Christmas will feel a little different for all of us this year. Whatever yours is looking like, Maddisons Residential would like to wish everyone a very restful Christmas. We look forward to seeing you all in 2021! Stay safe everyone...
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Food & Culture
Picture perfect
Meet photographer Paul Sanders
Page 38
A festive feast
Last minute delicious recipes for December 25
Page 42
Panto still coming to town How you can catch Robin Hood and his Socially Distanced Merry Men this Christmas Page 40
37
Food & Culture
arts
38
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Why life through a lens can bring everything into sharp focus ... Next month local photographer, and former picture editor of the Times Paul Sanders launches My Mind’s Eye, a new series of mindful photography sessions, in collaboration with West Kent Mind mental health charity. Here Paul tells Eileen Leahy why he got involved
P
CREATIVE VISION Local photographer, Paul Saunders
RIORITISING mental health has never been more critical than it is now. After months of lockdown, uncertainty, loss, anxiety and stress due to Covid-19 have all taken their toll on many people’s mental health but thankfully there is help out there. West Kent Mind is a local charity that has always supported those with issues surrounding emotional well-being by offering people the opportunity to join a range of different social activities and groups in a supportive, safe environment providing social contact, friendship, and access to peer and professional support. As well as offering groups focusing on sport, gardening, nature and music, West Kent Mind also provide arts related ones too, and as of January 2021 it will be launching a new programme called My Mind’s Eye. The sessions will be run by Paul Sanders, a leading local wildlife photographer and former picture editor on The Times newspaper who started taking pictures aged 14 but has also suffered his own battles with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. “I always knew I that I wanted to work with images,” says Paul. “I first started taking photographs when I was about 14. I used to sneak my dad’s camera out on a Saturday
morning when he and my mum were at the supermarket. From this enthusiastic but secretive start I knew this was the job I wanted.” After working his way up through the regional newspaper ranks which included jobs at The Daventry Express and the Manchester Evening News, Paul joined Reuters in 1998 and then moved to The Times in 2002. By 2004 he was made Picture Editor. “I really enjoyed the role - it was busy
“It’s scientifically proven that being outside in nature is good for you, and being able to focus on something creative is also very good but rewarding. I was responsible for the welfare and safety of a large team of photographers as well as looking through around 20,000 images everyday. Having an incredible team working around the world covering history as it unfolded is a real buzz and then watching people read and look at the work you did yesterday while on the train the next morning was an incredible feeling.”
But sadly after five years or so Paul says that the ‘buzz’ he loved so much started to transform itself into something more negative and sinister which eventually caused him to quit the job he once felt so passionate about. “I left The Times at the end of December 2011 after suffering a nervous breakdown. This was basically due to giving everything I had to the job, working every hour God sent and neglecting my marriage. My imposter complex, that feeling you don’t deserve something or aren’t good enough, literally ate away at me daily until I was suffering with insomnia, extreme anxiety and depression. “My mental health deteriorated to the point that I tried unsuccessfully to take my own life on three occasions, feeling a failure in every part of it and the sense of loss after my marriage break up coupled with then not having the routine of work really played havoc with my emotional well-being.” Paul goes onto say that leaving the fast-paced corporate world of newspapers after having his breakdown eventually led to him rediscovering his boyhood love of getting out in the open air and taking photographs for pleasure again. “Landscape photography became my escape; my quiet place, a time when I could express my feelings without saying anything to anyone,”
SOLACE My Mind’s Eye aims to help people reconnect with the world
Food & Culture
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
he explains. “It is scientifically proven that being outside in nature is good for you, being able to focus on something creative is also very good at relieving stress and allowing self-expression. “Like most men I struggle to talk about my emotions but through my photography I was able to explore the isolation and confusion I was suffering. My therapist was incredible, she tapped into the expression through my photography to help me open up about the battle I was having and as a result I started to recover.” This has led Paul down the route of working as a professional photographer in this particular field and to him also helping to curate the new My Mind’s Eye workshop sessions for West Kent Mind which start next month. “I have run photography sessions for a number of years all over the UK and have constantly talked about the way photography has helped my struggle with mental health. “I have always wanted to build on that with a charity, as I believe it is really important to put back into the world, share your knowledge and support others.” Paul says the idea started to percolate when one of the trustees at West Kent Mind who is a friend of a friend got in touch to discuss photography and their shared experience of mental health battles. “We started discussing the idea of a series of workshops with West Kent Mind as part of the
programme of Community Well-being groups that they offer. I am so excited about this and I really hope that people in the area will get involved. “I will be leading a course of mindful photography sessions designed to help participants reconnect with the world through photography. No previous experience or specialist equipment is required, the sessions are fun and accessible to all, and aimed at working to the strength of the individual.” The My Mind’s Eye sessions are free and will be a mix of online, and if guidelines allow, there
“I have found photography to be my place of solace in difficult times.” will also be a few outside workshops taking place. The first series will run six sessions over 12 weeks, beginning on Tuesday January 19 from 10am-12noon. “The group is open to any adult living or working in West Kent who feels it will positively impact on their mental health,” adds Paul who exclusively works in black and white because he enjoys the simplicity of the medium. “As demand for the limited places is expected to be high, we will be running some short
masterclasses which will be available on the West Kent Mind website and social media channels available to everyone.” In terms of the benefits people will gain from taking part in one of the Mind’s Eye sessions Paul says there are plenty. “Our aim is to support people experiencing mental health problems to improve their quality of life, try something new, meet others and regain some confidence. I have found photography to be my place of solace in difficult times. “The idea is to reconnect with the world through photography, with a focus on being in the moment and engaging with your surroundings but participants will also be able to access expert support from those at West Kent Mind.” The mindful photography workshops are open to anyone, no matter what ability or experience and they can use a smart phone or a camera. “Very simply mindful photography is you, in a location, taking pictures of something for yourself, without fear of judgement or criticism. We rarely give ourselves permission to slow down and appreciate the beauty of a single moment. With many people having access to a smart phone we can now take a few minutes to photograph the scene without drawing attention to ourselves. Just by noticing the things around you and their unique beauty allows you to pause in your daily life, taking time for yourself and empowering you with choice.”
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What is West Kent Mind?
The positive mental wellbeing of people and communities living and working in West Kent is at the heart of what the charity which supports various projects including Paul Sanders’ new photography sessions My Mind’s Eye. The charity provides help and resources to people living with mental health problems to enable them to get well, and to nurture and sustain their mental health. Through a network of counselling services, support groups, training, partnerships and opportunities West Kent Mind equips people with the tools they need to stay well, to maintain their own mental health, and to support others.
The pandemic and mental health n Research carried out by the national Mind
charity with 16,000 people, shows that more than half of adults (60%) and over two thirds of young people (68%) said their mental health got worse during lockdown n Many people developed new mental health problems as a result of the pandemic and, for some, existing mental health problems have got worse n Figures from the Office of National Statistics have found that rates of depression have doubled during the pandemic n Almost one in five adults (19.2%) were likely to be experiencing some form of depression during the coronavirus pandemic in June 2020; this had almost doubled from around 1 in 10 (9.7%) before the pandemic (July 2019 to March 2020) If you are affected by any of the issues discussed in this piece you can call the Mental Health Matters helpline 0800 107 0160 or the Samaritans on 116 123 for 24 hour support. Full details of all the services provided, community well-being and training programme can be found online www. westkentmind.org.uk For more information on Paul Sanders visit www.discoverstill.com
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL A selection of Paul’s trademark black and white shots
Food & Culture
arts
40
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Staging a welcome comeback for panto during the pandemic With the news that Kent is now in Tier 4 over the Christmas holidays one of our local theatres has announced it will be streaming its popular pantomime instead says Eileen Leahy
A
POPULAR PANTO: Wicked have filmed a special pre-recorded version of Robin Hood and his Socially Distanced Merry Men
FTER we entered the second national lockdown last month theatres knew they would miss out on their pre-Christmas audiences but most had hoped that when lockdown was lifted there would be some semblance of normality for December and January – especially when it came to putting on pantos. However, when Kent was then immediately put into Tier 4 due to exceptionally high Covid case rates in East Kent, those hopes turned to fears that we wouldn’t come out of the toughest restrictions before Christmas. Sadly that was confirmed as reality by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock last Thursday (December 17). As a result none of our theatres can now reopen for the foreseeable future. The Assembly Hall said it was sad to cancel its performance of Jack and the Beanstalk but was continuing to promote its spring 2021 programme but the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge however made a surprise announcement saying that their panto will still go ahead – albeit virtually. As of this Monday (Dec 21) pre-recorded performances of Robin Hood and his Socially Distanced Merry Men put on by Wicked Productions can be streamed online
so audiences – and the team at Wicked - do not lose out this Christmas. An EM Forster spokesperson told the Times: “With the announcement that Kent will be staying in Tier 4 we were disappointed to cancel our Christmas panto but the good news is Wicked Productions will still be bringing some much needed fun and panto magic to Christmas with a filmed
‘Wicked Productions will still be bringing some much needed fun and panto magic to Christmas’ version of this year’s laugh out loud show, for audiences to view at home.” The show was performed and recorded last weekend by the scaled back Wicked team and tickets are now available to buy in order to view it online. “While the panto may be socially distanced and filmed to enjoy at home, it is still an unmissable, family festive show packed full of all the slapstick, crazy jokes, and lashings of traditional panto magic that
audiences have come to love and expect from Wicked Productions,” continued the spokesperson. They added that sadly Wicked’s ‘brilliant’ panto dame regular Michael Fenton Stevens will not be performing in the online version. “Our brilliant panto dame Michael has decided for personal reasons not to take part in this year’s show. We will miss him - but fear not as Tom and the Wicked team have packed the show with as much silliness, crazy tunes and festive frolics as usual!” All those who bought tickets to see this year’s panto live in the theatre will be refunded. All proceeds from tickets for the online version of Robin Hood and his Socially Distanced Merry Men will go directly to Wicked Productions in order to support them and their freelance crew. Audiences will also be able to donate to the panto Christmas charities Tonbridge Lions and the Rotary Club of Tonbridge. The filmed version of Robin Hood and his Socially Distanced Men will be available to stream online until Sunday January 3. Tickets costs £21 for one performance and the link is valid between 10am and 7.30pm on the chosen day. Bookings are available online www.emftheatre.com
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Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Time to pass the Port
This week our drinks editor James Viner gives the lowdown on three perfect Ports and a superb bottle of English sparkling wine that’s just ideal for the festive season MADE in northern Portugal and bursting with rich, festive fruit, Port is a magnificent style of fortified sweet wine that’s pure refinement in a bottle and a lovely treat, especially after a year like the one we’ve just had. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 1) GRAHAM’S LATE-BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT 2015 (£8.99, SAVE £5, UNTIL 3.1.21, WAITROSE) A twister of sweet mulberries in a cluster of deep spices, this top-notch, splendid and accessible LBV (aged in cask twice as long as vintage port) is down from £13.99 and an ideal match for your Christmas Stilton. This is a commemorative edition, bottled in 2020, the year which marks Graham’s bicentenary (1820-2020), and a headline bargain at Waitrose. One for dark chocolate desserts, it’s also a whizz with Manchego and Cheddar. Try to finish it up within a month. No need to decant. Alc 20%.
1
2) TAYLOR’S QUINTA DE VARGELLAS 2005 PORT (£25.59-£26.99, WAITROSE & MAJESTIC, MIXING SIX) ‘Single-quinta’ designates single-estate vintage Ports made in non-‘declared’ years. Situated in the hilly and wild eastern reaches of the fortified wine’s home region of the Douro Valley, Vargellas was established in the
early nineteenth century and by the 1830s had gained a name for the excellence of its wines. Lifted floral (think violets) and mint notes give the main meal of velvety black fruit and spice that something extra here. A sensuous wine across every facet, this beauty will age
2 3
gracefully over the next decade but it’s rather alluring now with a jewel-like freshness. Neither particularly sweet, nor remarkably tannic. Bravo! Like vintage Port, it needs to be decanted. Consume within a week once opened. Try it with Cashel Blue, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Saint Agur. Alc 20.5%. 3) FLETCHER’S 40-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT (£34.99, ALDI) An absolute steal given its maturity, this is an evocative, exceptionally decadent, complex, superbly long and resonating aged tawny Port with a powerful fragrance that belies its age. It has an extremely multifaceted array of flavours, from citrus peel, butterscotch, caramel, coffee and raisins to toffee and chocolate, plus ethereal notes of spicy wood and toasted nuts. The finish and aftertaste are utterly magnificent. An exceptional Port to relish during these winter storms. Serve slightly chilled, between 12°C-16°C. Would be wonderful with crème brûlée or a square of decent chocolate. Magnificent stuff! It’s well worth the premium price. No need to decant. Will last up to six weeks if kept in the fridge – if you can make it last that long. A cracking vinous delight.
Food & Culture
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Fizz-tastic Pop a cork on something extra special from West Sussex this New Year’s Eve!
REDFOLD VINEYARDS, AMBRIEL CLASSIC CUVÉE NV, PULBOROUGH, WEST SUSSEX (£28.50-£28.95, WANDERLUST WINE, CORNEY & BARROW & AMBRIELSPARKLING.COM) A glass of refined fizz is always guaranteed to lift the spirits and with vaccines on their way, there is good reason to cheer and toast 2021 with a great bottle of English traditional method bubbles. This gem has elderflower/green apple aromas and flavours of rosehips, summer berries, orchard fruit, baked butter biscuit and citrus. The natural acidity seamlessly threads everything into place resulting in an exceptionally tasty, harmonious drink. Perfect as an aperitif for a small festive celebration or to sip with canapés, fish and chips or seafood. An elegant home-grown option to toast a brighter New Year! Alc 11%. Follow James @QuixoticWine
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NEWS
timesloc FOR EVEN MORE NEWS23VISIT: Wednesday December | 2020
Local News
A taste of Christmas Masterchef judge and now local resident of Tunbridge Wells, Marcus Wareing, shares his favourite festive dishes for December 25
Marmalade and Earl Grey Tea-glazed Ham over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface, and cook for 1½ hours. Turn the heat off and allow the gammon to sit in the liquid for a further 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and leave until cool enough to handle. Strain off the liquid and keep it for soup (bearing in mind it will be rather salty). 2. Once the ham is cool enough to touch, place it on your chopping board and cut away the skin, leaving a 1cm-thick layer of fat intact on the ham. Gently score the fat with crisscross marks to create a diamond pattern. 3. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and line
SERVES: 6–8, WITH LEFTOVERS | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS n 2–3kg middle-cut unsmoked gammon, knuckle on n 1 onion, quartered n 2 carrots, halved n 2 celery sticks n 2 bay leaves n 1 tsp black peppercorns n 4 cloves n 4 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves, or 8 tea bags n 200g marmalade
1. Place the gammon in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves. Cover with cold water and place
Recipes extracted from Marcus Everyday by Marcus Wareing, with photography by Susan Bell (HarperCollins, £25)
a roasting tray with foil. 4. Pour 100ml water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the tea leaves or bags and remove from the heat. Leave to infuse for 6 minutes then strain into a bowl. Add the marmalade to the bowl and mix well. 5. Transfer the gammon to the lined roasting tray and brush it liberally with the marmalade mix (keep a little back to use for a second glaze in the process). Place in the oven for 20 minutes, brush with the remaining glaze and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, until the skin is crisp. 6. Remove from the oven, cover with the foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
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Food & Culture
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
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Quince, Rosemary and Honey Trifle SERVES: 8 | PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING, COOLING AND SETTING | COOKING TIME: 1¾ HOURS n 250g honey n 1 sprig of rosemary n 2 large quince, peeled,
quartered and cored (550g) n 3 gelatine leaves n 200g Madeira cake, diced into 2cm cubes n 25ml dry sherry
Quick Gin-cured Salmon with Horseradish and Parsnip SERVES: 6–8 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS CURING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 10 MINUTES n 10g butter n 1 tbsp olive oil n 2 small parsnips, peeled and
grated (250g) n 25ml milk n 1 tbsp horseradish sauce n 2 tbsp crème fraîche n 150g piece of boneless and skinless salmon fillet n 1 tbsp rock salt n finely grated zest of ½ orange n 25ml gin n 3 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
n 2 tbsp finely chopped dill n sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper 1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the grated parsnip. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for around 5 minutes until golden and soft. Add the milk and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the parsnip to a small blender or food processor. Add the horseradish and crème fraîche and blitz until smooth. 2. Slice the salmon as thinly as possible across the fillet
(against the grain). Lay the slices in the bottom of a shallow dish. Mix the rock salt and orange zest together then rub it onto the sliced salmon. Leave to sit for 10 minutes, then add the gin and leave for a further 10 minutes. Rinse the cure off the salmon under cold running water then pat the salmon slices dry with kitchen paper. 3. Cut the pumpernickel bread into rectangles approximately 6 x 2cm. You should get around 20 slices. 4. Spread the parsnip cream onto the slices of bread. Place a piece of salmon on top and finish with the chopped dill.
FOR THE CUSTARD n 150ml milk n 150ml double cream n 3 sprigs of rosemary n 4 egg yolks n 50g caster sugar n 2 gelatine leaves FOR THE CREAM n 150g double cream n 100g crème fraîche n finely grated zest of 1 clementine 1. Place the honey and rosemary in a medium saucepan. Add 750ml warm water, bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and add the quince. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, until the quince are soft. 2. Strain the quince over a heatproof bowl and pour the liquid back into the saucepan. Return to the heat and simmer for a further 10–15 minutes. Pour the liquid from the saucepan into a measuring
jug – you want 400ml. Return this to the pan, setting the rest aside. 3. When the quince are cool enough to touch, cut them into 2cm dice and refrigerate. 4. Soak the 3 gelatine leaves in a shallow bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. 5. Bring the 400ml of syrup to the boil. Squeeze the water from the gelatine and stir it into the hot liquid until completely dissolved. Strain into a clean, small heatproof container and refrigerate for 1–3 hours until set. 6. To make the custard, put the milk, cream and rosemary sprigs in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer then remove from the heat. Cover with clingfilm and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain,
discarding the rosemary, and pour the infused milk back into the saucepan. Bring back to just below the boil, stirring frequently. 7. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl, whisking as you do so. 8. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over very low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. While the custard is cooking, soak the 2 leaves of gelatine in a shallow bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. 9. Squeeze the water from the gelatine and stir it into the hot custard until completely dissolved. Strain through a sieve, cover and chill in the fridge. 10. For the cream, whisk the cream, crème fraîche and clementine zest together in a bowl until stiff peaks form. 11. To assemble the trifle, place the quince, diced sponge and sherry in your trifle bowl along with 200ml of the reserved quince syrup (any leftovers make a great addition to a champagne cocktail or gin and tonic, by the way). Cut the quince jelly into cubes and add it to the bowl. Mix very gently. Whisk the custard then pour it on top. Finish with the cream and serve straight away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.
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Motoring News
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
Citroen’s latest foray into the EV segment brings a lot of promise – but can the e-C4 deliver? Jack Evans finds out
FIRST DRIVE:
Citroen e-C4
WHAT IS IT? Manufacturers need to acknowledge the electric future we’re heading towards – and while many have been busy bringing all manner of EVs to market, Citroen has remained largely quiet, save for three electric commercial vehicles and a hybrid version of its C5 Aircross SUV. That’s set to change with the e-C4, however. An electric version of the firm’s latest C4, it aims to provide an EV that’s well-suited to daily use. With a decent range and eye-catching looks, it certainly ticks many of the initial boxes, but is it the complete package? WHAT’S NEW? The new C4 is a far more upright proposition than the previous generation car, bringing a more crossover-style appearance. As a result, the e-C4 has a more commanding presence on the road than before, adding a quirky exterior style which we’d expect from the French manufacturer. The same applies to the interior, which combines some elements we’ve already seen on Citroen’s vehicles with fresh, new additions which help the e-C4 to feel far more special than you might think. The C4 is part of Citroen’s multipowertrain policy too. So despite sitting on the same platform, it’s available with the choice of petrol, diesel and – in our case – electric power. HOW DOES IT LOOK? As mentioned, the new C4 is a strikingly different proposition when it comes to appearances, compared with the car it replaces. For starters, it rides far higher up than before, toeing the line between hatch and crossover. It’s still recognisable as a Citroen, of course – that huge front grille is hard to miss – and it’s a design which is bound to get heads turning and tongues wagging. The heavily raked roofline contributes to a sleek overall look, though it does impact over-the-shoulder visibility considerably, and the rear spoiler – situated in the middle of the rear screen – does impede your view out of the back of the car, too. As with many past Citroen cars, some styling touches have come at the expense of outright usability.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The e-C4’s electric powertrain combines a 100kW electric motor with a 50kWh battery pack. Citroen claims that you should get 217 miles from a single charge, while thanks to CCS rapid charging compatibility, an 80% top-up can take as little as 30 minutes via a 100kW charger. Use a home charger and a full charge will take seven hours and 30 minutes. Plus, Citroen is offering a free home wallbox with each new e-C4 – a tempting proposition given the £500 saving it brings. When it comes to performance, the e-C4 is around what you’d expect from a hatchback of this size. Zero to 60mph comes in just under nine seconds, while flat-out it’ll do 93mph. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Citroen has cleverly made the driving experience much like the one you’d get from a ‘regular’ car. Yes, moving away the car remains silent, but the steering and brakes feel far more akin to those you’d find on one of Citroen’s conventionally-driven cars than you’d expect. The steering, for instance, is light – usefully so for city drivers – while the brakes aren’t overly sharp. They don’t regenerate as harshly as with other electric cars, either. The performance is brisk enough, too, but not other-worldly. It feels, in truth, like the kind of acceleration you’d get from a regular hatchback. The ride is comfortable – thank Citroen’s progressive hydraulic cushions for this – at moderate speeds, though despite that setup the e-C4 sometimes struggles to disguise the additional heft of the batteries at slower paces, such as when going over speed bumps. WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? The interior is a great mix of high-end screens and clever layouts. Ahead of you sits a clear and easy-to-read driver display, fitted alongside a sizeable central touchscreen housing all the main infotainment features. The material quality is good in general, though some harsher plastics have been used in areas such as the door cards and around the ventilation controls. The seating position is good and the seats comfortable, though the small gear selector is a touch on the compact size
FACTS AT A GLANCE MODEL: Citroen e-C4 BASE PRICE: £29,180
(including government grant) MODEL AS TESTED: e-C4
Shine 100kW PRICE: £30,130 (including
government grant) ENGINE: Electric motor with
batteries POWER: 134bhp TORQUE: 300Nm MAX SPEED: 93mph 0-60MPH: 8.6 seconds MPG: N/A EMISSIONS: N/A RANGE: 217
and can be tricky to operate, particularly when in a hurry. Backseat passengers will find themselves well catered for in terms of legroom, however that sloping roofline does impede on headroom a fair amount. Taller people sitting in the back will struggle to get comfortable, in fact. However, children and shorter adults will find there’s more than enough space. Then, when it comes to the boot, things look good. There are 380 litres as standard, rising to 1,250 litres with the rear seats folded flat. Plus, as it’s a split-level load area, the car’s charging cables can be neatly stored underneath the main boot floor, keeping them away from your luggage and, in general, freeing up space. WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Given that it starts at a respectable £29,180 after the government’s plug-in car grant, the e-C4 offers an impressive amount of standard equipment. All cars start at ‘Sense Plus’ specification, which brings LED headlights and daytime running lights, that 10-inch infotainment screen (which incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and advanced comfort seats which aid the car’s back-saving measures. Our car came in Shine specification –
which starts from £30,130 – adding a head-up display, live traffic information, dark tinted rear windows and keyless entry. Front and rear parking sensors now come as standard too, as does adaptive cruise control and a heated steering wheel. In truth, though, most will find the standard car’s specification more than enough and particularly attractive given its lower price. VERDICT The e-C4 is a unique proposition in the EV segment as it’s an electric car which doesn’t feel particularly like an electric car. Yes, it’s quiet and refined like only a battery-powered car can be, but the way it steers and brakes is far more like a conventionally-driven car than you might expect. This makes it the ideal car for those wanting to make the jump into electric car ownership. It’s not so detached from the kind of motoring we’ve been used to for decades as to feel alien, yet it’s also fitted with many high-tech features to ensure that it remains exciting. Add that to a sub-£30,000 entry price and a 200-mile-plus range, and you’ve got a car which could prove particularly attractive for those who have been considering an EV but have yet to take the plunge.
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Food & Culture
Books
Wednesday December 23 | 2020
The Spiral by Iain Ryan
Published in hardback by Zaffre Books, priced £12.99 (ebook £9.99). Available December 24 Australian author Iain Ryan starts The Spiral with high intensity, and continues the pace throughout. University professor Erma is shot by an ex-colleague, and after recovering, becomes obsessed with finding out why. Erma’s narrative is interspersed with the mysterious story of a barbarian named Sero, from one of the ‘choose your own adventure’ children’s books she’s been researching. Ryan is skilled at building tension as Erma slowly begins to uncover the truth, but even though Sero’s story eventually links to her life, his sections don’t add much heft. Towards the end, the narrative suddenly explodes from sustained tension into extreme – and arguably unnecessary – violence. A gripping read, but it could do with being slimmed down. (Review by Prudence Wade)
6/10
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
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline Published in hardback by Century, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available now
Ernest Cline is back with the eagerly anticipated sequel to Ready Player One. It follows a similar story arc, but does lack the character development needed to connect emotionally with the players. After skimming through several years in just a few chapters, protagonist Wade Watts is unrecognisable from the down to earth hero of the first novel, and old favourites Aech, Art3mis and Shoto are effectively sidelined. Nonetheless, delving back into the virtual universe of OASIS is a nostalgic delight. Cline packs in even more pop culture references, while a dark vein communicates the cultural shifts from his debut to present day. Most notably, Ready Player Two feels like a gamified case study on the danger of AI and the immortality of tech. Die-hard fans will love returning to Cline’s virtual world, while others might find it falls short of the hype. (Review by Rebecca Wilcock)
The Manor by Jessie Keane
Published in hardback by Macmillan, priced £14.99 (ebook £7.99). Available December 31
8/10
NON-FICTION
Hungry by Grace Dent
Published in hardback by Mudlark, priced £16.99 (ebook £7.99). Available now
7/10
While Guardian columnist and MasterChef judge Grace Dent doesn’t deny that being a food critic is one of the best jobs in the world (you’re paid to go out for dinner!), in her memoir Hungry, she makes it clear that everyone – no matter how well fed – has their challenges. She traces her childhood in
6/10
Eighties Carlisle (a time of Sara Lee desserts and going to the supermarket as a night out) to her London escape, the hedonism of the Nineties, and her journalistic rise. Food and its impact – positive and negative – is both dogged and uplifting throughout, couching the confusion of family dynamics and Dent’s father’s slide from eccentricity into dementia. By turns nostalgic, witty and scathing, Hungry is a jaunt of a read, containing within it hope, joy and sadness. It’ll also make you rather peckish. 7/10 (Review by Ella Walker)
AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION) 1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama 2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen 3. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 4. QI: The Sound Of General Ignorance by John Lloyd & John Mitchinson 5. Greenlights
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Cousins by Karen M McManus
Published in paperback by Penguin, priced £7.99 (ebook £4.99). Available now Karen M McManus’ latest thriller draws you in from the start. Cousins Audrey, Mildred and Jonah – all 18 – are virtually strangers, and they’ve been invited to their grandmother’s prestigious resort to work during the summer holidays and get to know her – and each other – a little better. This is a big deal, because their parents have all been mysteriously disinherited by their grandmother. The trio attempt to unravel the mystery and restore their family – but it soon becomes clear life is a lot more sinister than the glamorous East Coast island would suggest. McManus’ real strength is her witty and sharp dialogue that delivers the plot at a punchy pace. She adds just the right level of detail and character growth to make a thoroughly enjoyable read for teens and adults alike. (Review by Nicole Whitton)
by Matthew McConaughey 6. The Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen 7. Shot Through The Heart by Isabelle Grey 8. Troy by Stephen Fry 9. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline 10. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Compiled by Audible)
The criminal underworld of the East End is common fodder for films, books and TV shows, and The Manor is no different. Upstart kid Charlie Stone becomes boss of ‘the manor’ – his area of London – and his success in security and drugs blossoms until he’s a millionaire living in Essex, with best friend Terry close by. However, things start to go sour in the 1980s when Charlie’s psychotic adopted son Harlan decides he wants to take over everything – including Terry’s beautiful daughter Belle. Everything about the novel is high octane, with money, drugs and sex flowing. However, it does feel like Keane has fallen into the trap of replicating dated attitudes around women and people of colour just because the book is set in the past. Everything feels a bit passé, and you can’t help but hope for a new, different kind of story instead. (Review by Prudence Wade)
8/10
Food & Culture
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SPORTS COVERAGE SUSPENDED Because of restricted local sport due to Covid-19 the decision has been taken, with much reluctance, to temporarily suspend the regular sporting news that would appear on these back pages. Normal service will be resumed soon.
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Numbers are substituted for letters in the crossword grid. Above the grid is the key with two letters solved. Try to complete the first few words to give you more letters, or look for a frequent number that might reveal a common letter. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.
9 2
Codeword:
6
1 4 2 7 3
2 3
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8 7
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
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7 1 4
5 6
8 1
5 3 7
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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.
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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★★✩
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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
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LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS
SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU
DIFFICULTY RATING: ★✩✩✩
CLASSIFIEDS
47
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
F A T E F U L I N P U T
A B L E S P L C P R I P U R A T A C A Z E D E N O S O U V R E F N J R K S OM E N R R R O N G S T W A E E N A N C Y
L I C E D E H O E X A C T D N E S I G N S E A B R I C L R Q A N T A A I W E N C I L D E E A I R E D
Sudoku:
2 7 6 9 8 5 3 1 4
1 5 8 2 3 4 9 6 7
9 4 3 6 1 7 2 5 8
8 9 1 4 7 2 6 3 5
7 6 4 5 9 3 8 2 1
3 2 5 1 6 8 7 4 9
5 8 7 3 4 6 1 9 2
9 5 7 8 3 1 6 2 4
1 8 6 9 2 4 7 5 3
5 1 4 7 9 3 2 6 8
6 4 8 2 5 9 3 1 7
2 7 1 4 6 8 9 3 5
4 6 9 3 7 5 1 8 2
8 3 5 6 1 2 4 7 9
PUBLIC NOTICE
Jota Development Limited
Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence
of Stubby Grove Farm, Bells Yew Green Road, Bells Yew Green, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9BT
UK Power Networks Transport T/A: UK Power Networks (South East) Ltd 237 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 6NP
Is applying for an Operator’s Licence to keep 5 goods vehicles and 5 trailers at the operating centre at Stubby Grove Farm, Bells Yew Green Road, Bells Yew Green, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9BT.
Is applying to change an existing licence as follows:
Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner’s Office.
4 3 9 7 2 1 5 8 6
Jigsaw Sudoku:
PUBLIC NOTICE
Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice.
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To add an operating centre to keep 1 goods vehicles and 0 trailers at: Frant Training Centre, Court Lodge Down Hawkenbury Road, Bells Yew Green, TN3 9AP Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating Centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner’s office.
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7 2 3 5 4 6 8 9 1
© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
Puzzles
Wednesday December 23 | 2020