Times of Tunbridge Wells issue 9, April 29th 2015

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

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Page 17

Page 62

WHAT MAKES A CRAFT BEER? Page 54

New plans imminent for Father Christmas World

Public consulted over 2015 event at Salomons Estate PLANS for another Father This year’s plans were put on Christmas World at Salomons display during a public consultation Estate have been unveiled and are evening at Salomons last week. due to be submitted to the borough Representatives from the borough council for approval within the council and Speldhurst and next week.

Rusthall parish councils were given Organisers put in a planning the opportunity to ask questions application last and make year which was comments along turned down with residents We were keen to after objections and local share our plans from some local business owners. residents. were told with local residents They Potential that visitor traffic problems numbers for any and councillors caused by event were ahead of submitting 2015 visitors to the unlikely to exceed attraction were them to Tunbridge 19,000. cited as one Around 30 Wells Borough area of major people attended concern. the event.

Council The event was Nick Moore, subsequently Group Commercial scaled back by Salomons and a Director of Markerstudy Leisure, the smaller version, which did not company behind the attraction, said: require planning permission, “We were keen to share our plans successfully went ahead. with local residents and councillors In the weeks leading up to ahead of submitting them to Christmas 19,000 people visited Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Salomons. No traffic problems were reported.

Turn to page 3

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HAPPY FEET IN ANTARCTICA Page 66

INSIDE PEOPLE

Family and friends gather at James Wallington’s funeral

PAGE 3

ELECTION

Candidates’ views on immigration

PAGE 5

GATWICK

Airport campaign ‘sneaky and underhand’

PAGE 7

PEOPLE

Taylor’s legacy to help sick children

PAGE 20

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2 � NEWS

WEATHER THE WEEK IN VIEW

WEDNESDAY

COOL, CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS APRIL 29 2015

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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Pollution: moderate Visibility: moderate Humidity: 82% Sunrise: 05.36am Wind: 21 Sunset: 20.17pm

THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

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SATURDAY

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SUNDAY

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Waving the flag on St George’s Day

PATRIOTIC Guests raised more than £13,000 at the St George’s Day lunch

MORE than 150 businessmen and women gathered at the Spa Hotel to celebrate St George’s Day and raise money for the Pickering Cancer Drop in Centre in Tunbridge Wells.

An auction and a raffle ended with £13,800 being handed to the centre’s co-founder Polly Taylor.

She said: “These guys are absolutely amazing and we’re so grateful for what they do. The latest lunch means that in the last three years they have raised £34,000 for the centre which is run entirely by volunteers and helps more than two thousand people every year.”

The annual lunch is organised by a group of local business people known as the Exiles.

It’s David v Ben in another council chamber conflict Tory leader and Lib Dem in angry ‘blackmail’ argument • By Julie Rae

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

13OC CONTACTS

EDITOR SIMON FINLAY simon@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576042 DEPUTY EDITOR ELEANOR JONES eleanor@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 HEAD OF SALES JOE STONER joe@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779624 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 GENERAL INQUIRIES newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timesoftunbridgewells timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timesoftw

AS SURE as night will follow day, it seems, Tory leader David Jukes and his Liberal Democrat arch enemy Ben Chapelard will exchange blows each time they meet in the council chamber.

Accusation, recrimination and point scoring echoed around a full meeting of members last week.

Against the background of a long running dispute between the two, Cllr David Jukes, used his opening announcements to call Cllr Chapelard’s previous accusation of blackmail ‘uninformed’.

At February’s full council meeting the Lib Dem claimed that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was ‘blackmailing’ Southborough Town Council over the closure and use of the Royal Victoria Hall and substantiated his claim by reading out the dictionary definition of the word blackmail.

As Cllr Jukes advised last week’s meeting that regarding the RVH the memorandum of understanding had been signed to move the Southborough Community Hub plans forward he said: “Cllr Chapelard

Cllr Chapelard

Cllr Jukes

accused the council of blackmail. I think he’s now well aware that his accusation was uninformed.”

As the council chamber erupted in laughter Cllr Chapelard made no response to the Tory councillor’s comment.

During member questions the two once again locked horns when the Lib Dem attempted to get to the bottom of another long-standing issue between them.

Cllr Chapelard asked the leader how much the 2010 valuation of the cinema site by real estate management company CBRE cost?

In answer Cllr Jukes said: “It’s taken an officer considerable time to dig out these

historic documents…Again, I’ll come back to the point I’ve made numerous times at these meetings. Cllr Chapelard is more than welcome to come and see me and talk about the cinema site.

“Sometimes I think he’s going to go on Mastermind with the cinema site as his specialist subject.”

Cllr Chapelard asked: “Do you not think it would be wise to spend a proportion of that money getting a valuation for the site now that it’s back on the market rather than wasting £22,000 of resident’s money on the hoardings?”

Cllr Jukes said: “In a word, no.”

In a pre-emptive strike, Cllr Jukes provided his Lib Dem colleague with the answer to a question he has yet to ask. He said: “To save Cllr Chapelard asking me another question at the next council meeting and to save money and officer time I also investigated the cost of the CPO and the advice we had from CBRE came to £13,533.”

The leader of the borough council ended their heated exchange when he said: “We’ve spent a lot of time and money proving ourselves wrong. There no point in proving yourself wrong Cllr Chapelard.”

IF YOU HAVE A STORY WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. Contact details above

EDITOR’S COMMENT

16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU

CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS HERE at the Times of Tunbridge Wells 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, 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU, or email newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Markerstudy Leisure is a trading name of One Media and Creative UK Limited registered in England and Wales under company number 5398960 with registered office at 45 Westerham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2QB.

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QUOTE UNQUOTE

“In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man.

If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister

Wednesday 29th April 2015

THE deaths of 800 migrants off the Libyan coast in recent days has prompted a flurry of activity among the leaders of the EU member states, seeking the best possible solution to the issue of people smuggling.

Thousands of poor, desperate souls have died in that stretch of the Mediterranean in recent years and the EU has paid little but lip service to the problem.

It seems a trifle late in the day to start getting tough on a global criminal enterprise of such slick sophistication.

With a British general election due on May 7 and other European premiers sensing political embarrassment, the issue of human trafficking is suddenly a pressing priority.

But it won’t be for long.

Arguably, the two most attractive countries to migrants and their traders in Europe are Italy and Great Britain, but not necessarily in that order.

That is why the Times asked the candidates for their views on the EU response and how they believe the issue can best be resolved.

You can read their responses on page five.

Their opinions are both interesting and thought-provoking.

All are agreed people smugglers should receive the toughest sanction in the courts.

Others advocated overseas aid to countries from which the migrants flood.

Kevin Kerrigan, of Labour, was honest enough to say that we cannot pretend there is an easy solution.

In fact, there is no solution while the smuggling of humans is as, if not more, profitable than running drugs or guns. Where there is demand, the criminals will provide the supply.

People smugglers and their agents still operate openly in Calais where around 2,000 people from every corner of the world

wait to take their chance to board a lorry bound for the UK. The death of 58 Chinese nationals found dead in the back of a lorry in the Eastern Docks in Dover in 2000 should have been the alarm to the rest of Europe. Yet within weeks, perhaps days, the smugglers were back in business.

Little was done then and even less is being done today.

Don’t pretend that there will not be another horrific tragedy involving the passage of migrants once the political heat dies down and the election is over.

As the independent Graham Naismith candidate told the Times: “This is a political football this week…but will the politicians be quite so eager to deal with in on May 8?”

Well, we shall find out.

Simon Finlay, editor

LOCAL NEWS �

Father Christmas World: public questions answered

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Having outlined our plans for Father Christmas World during the meeting, we were delighted that the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.”

Tony Hartman, 54, who lives beside the Salomon’s Estate in Speldhurst Road, said he felt no impact from last year’s event.

The married father of three, who runs the Wild at Hart pest control company, said: “I really haven’t got a problem with Father Christmas World and the traffic had no impact on us along here.

“We have spoken to people who went to the event and they said their kids were gobsmacked at how good it was.

If it brings something new to the area and creates jobs, it has to be a good thing, in my view.”

Research carried out by the organisers showed more than 40 per cent of the visitors had travelled from Greater London, Sussex and Surrey or beyond.

The attraction was completely sold out in the week leading up to Christmas Eve. A local newspaper’s online poll of more than 400 readers found by a large margin that the borough council was wrong to turn down the application for last year’s event.

More than 66 per cent thought the council was incorrect to reject the original scheme while 33 per cent agreed with the authority’s decision.

These are the key questions arising from the public consultation meeting and the organisers’ responses: Q. Why are you seeking planning permission for FCW this year?

A. We require temporary ‘change of use’ planning permission as we would like to run the event at a different location on the estate using existing buildings.

Q. Will FCW 2015 be better than last year?

A. Yes, having successfully run this attraction in 2014 and gained insight into ways in which improvements can be made, we aim to build on this achievement by reproducing Father Christmas World on a similar scale but with added theatre and performance.

Q. Will Father Christmas World be open for the same duration as last year?

A. No, we will be reducing the number of operating days by 20 per cent in 2015.

Q. Will the number of visitors to the event increase?

A. This year, we are aiming for 19,000 visitors to FCW. In 2014, 11,500 booked to see Father Christmas, while a further 7,500 visited FCW during the festive period, enjoying all the other elements on offer at the attraction and on Salamons Estate.

Q. Will there be any traffic disruption from visitors to FCW? A. Last year, a strong traffic management plan was implemented which was very effective and we intend to replicate this in 2015.

Q. How will you control the numbers of people visiting Father Christmas World?

A. All bookings will be made online via the website and customers will book onto timed tours throughout the day. This will provide us with accurate, advance, daily capacity figures.

To keep up to date with news and plans for Father Christmas World log onto www.fatherchristmasworld.co.uk

More than 200 pay respects to tragic father of four James

Poundland heads for town centre – but which premises?

PACKED Family and friends outside All Saints’ Church

• By Julie Rae MORE than 200 family and friends of the father killed at his workplace filled the church for his funeral on Monday.

James Wallington, who worked as a refuse collector for Cory Environmental Ltd, died following fatal injuries at the company’s recycling centre in North Farm Lane on Monday, March 9.

Family members paid tribute to the devoted father at All Saints’ Church, Crowborough, where his mother Iris Wallington’s memories of her son were

read by friend Pat Hoyle.

She said: “James was born in Tunbridge Wells in 1970. He attended Claremont Primary School and then Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys. He acted with Tunbridge Wells Operatic and Dramatic Society, travelled to Austria with the school and played football for Foresters.

“James was always fit and healthy but had numerous accidents. His words were always ‘I will survive’.

“Sadly earlier this year his life was ended tragically by someone else.

“He will be missed by his mother and father and all his family. So James we say goodbye and rest in peace.”

Mr Wallington was father to seven-year-old George, Joe, 12, and 15-year-old Maisy. He raised stepdaughter Sophie, 21, as his own child.

The 44-year-old was born in Pembury and raised in Tunbridge Wells, living in Somerset Road at the time of his death following a divorce from his wife Carly.

Mr Wallington’s sister, Nicole, who flew in for the funeral from New Zealand, was unable to speak the words she had written so her husband John Huddleston spoke for her.

He said: “Dear James, I thought 2015 was going to be the year of new beginnings. I wanted to

3

POUNDLAND is advertising for staff in Tunbridge Wells, the Times can confirm – but it is not yet known where the store will be.

The budget chain wants to recruit a manager and an assistant manager for a branch in the town, although bosses refused to disclose its location or opening date.

The news comes three weeks after the Times ran an April Fool’s Day article stating that a discount retailer, the fictional 98p Store, was to open on the former cinema site.

The manager’s job description, on Poundland’s website, reads: “Success? Now it’s in your hands.

“We’re talking empowerment. Giving you the autonomy and freedom to build your store’s success.

“All the time, you’ll create a friendly, family culture in which colleagues trust and respect each other. One team working together to create amazing value for our customers. That way, people enjoy what they do. Yes they work hard, but it goes hand-in-hand with having fun.”

The assistant manager’s job description is the same, although this also offers ‘career progression’.

A spokesman for the chain said: “Poundland doesn’t comment on store openings.”

acknowledge the bravery you’ve shown in the last couple of years and the pain you’ve been through.

“It’s criminal it’s now been cut short. None of us can understand why you have been taken away from us.”

As his voice broke, Mr Huddleston added: “Today is the day we begin to move forward without James in our lives. When you might come into contact with his beautiful children, please show your support for them and encourage them to make the right choices.

“He has gone to join many other friends who have died far too young. You are their guardian angel now.”

Canon Andrew Cornes described the Chelsea supporter as a man who ‘loved fun’.

He said: “Iris said to me ‘he was always smiling’.

And for many people those blue eyes as his face came into a smile were captivating.”

Mr Wallington’s coffin was carried out of church accompanied by Gerry and the Pacemakers’ You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Donations were made at the service to the Tunbridge Wells street pastors and the Kent, Sussex and Surrey air ambulance.

David Squelch, 48, from Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood was charged with Mr Wallington’s murder and is next due to appear in court on May 27.

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4 � ELECTIONS 2015

Is politics fit for purpose?

AS FOREGONE a conclusion as it might seem on paper in the parliamentary election on May 7 here in true blue Tory Tunbridge Wells, any new member to the House of Commons can easily be sucked into the ‘Westminster bubble’.

Former political reporter KENT BARKER asks whether our Westminster parliament is in anyway fit for purpose…

IN THEORY, anyone can enter the ‘palace’ of Westminster in order to lobby their MP or sit in the Strangers’ Gallery and watch proceedings in the commons chamber below.

In practice, it’s extremely difficult to get through the layers of security. But if you do, finally, manage to make it as far as the central lobby, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d gone through a wormhole into an alternate dimension.

It’s not just Barry’s ornate building nor Pugin’s utterly over-the-top ‘gothic revival’ interior design.

It’s not just the statues of long-dead monarchs, nor the mosaics of patron saints of the four nations of the United Kingdom. It’s the dozens of morning-coated functionaries scurrying about like Lewis Carroll’s White Rabbit. It’s the black rods, serjeants-at-arms, trainbearers, principal doorkeepers and all the other utterly anachronistic officials.

To some this may be charming. British eccentricity,

based on centuries of history and tradition as befits the ‘mother’ of parliaments (not that mothers are especially welcome in this parliament). But I think it has a corrosive effect on those that most matter – our elected representatives.

When you go to the polls on May 7 (assuming you do) you probably imagine you’ll be voting for a member of the human race who can think and behave independently and who will represent your views without fear or favour. How wrong you will be. Your MP will be sucked into the extraordinary world of Westminster to become an automaton, swiftly losing pretty much all touch with reality.

To start with he or (possibly, but pretty unlikely) she will seldom see daylight. From their office probably in Portcullis House, they will use an underground passageway to traverse Bridge Street to the ‘palace’.

Once there, they’ll get lost in two miles of corridors and 1,000 rooms. They’ll dine in one of the 28 food

outlets and drink in one of the eight bars.

When I was working in the press gallery, MPs had to don a collapsible top hat to make a point of order during a debate and the speaker wore court dress and wig.

But officials wearing fancy dress and a ‘school uniform’ for members is not the worst of it. The real problem is the inward-looking bubble in which they are trapped. It’s often referred to as the Westminster ‘village’. And just outside the main St Stephen’s Entrance is the village green. It’s actually called College Green, a narrow strip of grass between Westminster Abbey and the various media offices in Milbank. There, television cameras congregate and members are drawn as if by powerful magnets.

I’ve often seen uninvited politicians, desperate for exposure, sidling up to producers or reporters claiming to have been booked for an interview but not able to remember by which channel! We used to expend a few minutes of tape just in case they’d stick the knife into their party or leader. Usually they were just appallingly sycophantic. (Though the late Tory MP Sir Julian Critchley gave me a memorably excoriating interview on the downfall of Thatcher).

But generally it’s a cosy old-boy arrangement with ministers whispering bile to political correspondents on ‘lobby’ (anonymous) terms in the hope of climbing another foot up Disraeli’s ‘greasy pole’. And because they exist in such close proximity, occasionally mass hysteria takes over and they rush around like demented chickens looking for journalists to hand them a knife for selfdecapitation. Hacks usually refer to it as a ‘febrile’ atmosphere and it’s something to behold. Great for selling newspapers or increasing TV audiences, but pretty poor for the democratic process.

So why not make some radical changes? Build a proper parliament, designed and fit for purpose.

Reform the hours MPs sit (say 9-5 Tuesday to Thursday), provide proper childcare facilities.

Give them decent offices and efficient, paid-for, secretarial support. Abolish the confrontational two-sided chamber and substitute a modern circular assembly room with seats for everyone who’s elected. They managed it in Scotland. They do it in Brussels and Strasbourg. Let’s return some dignity to British politics.

If you want a really radical idea, make voting secret and abolish whipping. Then, and only then, might it actually be worth our while turning out to the polls.

Oh, and you can pay for my reforms by opening the old palace up to tourists!

A-Z OF THE GENERAL ELECTION A is for apathy, of the voter variety. Despite Tunbridge Wells having one of the higher voter turnouts in the country, one in three still does not bother to head for the polling stations.

B is for BBC Radio Kent’s Never Mind the Ballots evening election programme at 7pm.

C is for Clark, Greg. Currently sitting on a thumping great majority of more than 15,000. The big question is whether Ukip’s Colin Nicholson can live up to the prediction made by Electoral Calculus, the online polling website, of coming second and nudging the hitherto main rivals, the Lib Dems, into fourth place.

D is for democracy, defined as a ‘system of government by the whole population or all the members of a state, typically through elected representatives.’

pages today, the former MP Greg Clarke refused E is for election. Parliamentary, borough, district, town and parish polls are taking place on May across to engage in a telephone interview on the subject unlike the other five candidates in the Tunbridge Britain.

Wells parliamentary seat.

F is for frit. Coined by former Prime Minister J is for Jukes, David. The Tory leader of Tunbridge Margaret Thatcher to describe an opponent as Wells Borough Council who will be contesting the ‘scared.’

Speldhurst and Bidborough ward alongside Ukip’s G is for the Green Party, which is expected to Will O’Shea, Lib Dem Jacqueline Prance and Labour’s perform well at the general election, largely at the Ann Tyler. Mr Jukes is a shoo-in. expense of the LimDems.

K is for Kevin Kerrigan, the Labour candidate at the H is for hospital. The NHS has become a key general election. There have been some predictions battleground across the country and this the Labour Party might do rather better than they constituency, with Tunbridge Wells Hospital, will be might have expected in a place like Tunbridge Wells, a focus for keen arguments over waiting lists, cuts, possibly at the expense of the Lib Dems. He is staffing and A&E responses fighting on living standards, the NHS and housing I is for immigration, the so-called ‘i-word.’ On these issues.

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L is for Liberal Democrat James MacCleary who is a smart operator who works as a strategist for his party. According to his literature, the poll will be ‘a close fight’ between Lib Dems and the Tories but local observers are not so sure.

M is for Marie Jones, the Green Party candidate, who knows she has no chance of coming even within spitting distance of the Tories. However if she takes a sizeable proportion of the Liberal Democrat vote – as is expected elsewhere in the country – it will have been a successful campaign.

N is for Naismith, Graham, independent candidate.

He is attracting quite a following with his dry asides and witty one-liners. Very anti-political and certainly deserves to fare better than he is likely to on poling day. Next week, O – Z.

ELECTIONS 2015 �

Tackling the thorny issue of illegal immigration

5

GENERAL ELECTION 2015: THE CANDIDATES

PARTY

CANDIDATE

� CONSERVATIVE

Greg Clark

� LIBERAL Democrat

James MacCleary

� LABOUR

Kevin Kerrigan

� UKIP

Colin Nicholson

� GREEN

Marie Jones

� INDEPENDENT

Graham Naismith

THESE ARE THE LOCATIONS OF THE POLLING STATIONS ON MAY 7

ILLEGAL immigration has been thrust into the election spotlight in recent days after the deaths of 800 migrants whose boat they were being shipped in sank off Libya.

Here in Kent, the issue has been in the news for almost two decades. The tragic loss of life has prompted an international outcry and a hastilyconvened response by EU member states.

We asked all six candidates’ views on the subject of illegal immigration and how to deafeat the evil of people-smuggling.

Here are their responses…

JAMES MACCLEARY, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT, SAID: “I was

angry when they scaled back the rescue missions last year.

I felt it was short-sighted and likely to cost lives. What James has happened has been MacCleary absolutely tragic.

What worries me is that it takes these deaths of all these poor people for it to be put on the agenda.

“The EU does not have a response because the member states are not prepared to be brave and take a unified stance on this.

“It is not realistic for us to pretend that we can build a wall around a country and that these people will not continue to try and get in.”

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE GRAHAM NAISMITH SAID:

ON L STIVE AG E

“This is a very hard subject in the light of such a terrible tragedy. We have been too lenient in the past on illegal Graham immigration and it’s not Naismith something that can be easily regulated on.

“If we wanted to stop or disrupt people trafficking we could have a system which is far more proactive. But stopping the demand for people traffickers’ services will take far greater international will than shown so far. Foreign aid could help.

“This is a political football this week because of the awful tragedy but will the politicians be quite so eager to deal with it on May 8?”

UKIP’S COLIN NICHOLSON SAID:

“This should not just be Italy’s problem but all the countries’ responsibility.

We need to ask ourselves Colin how we solve the issues Nicholson before they come to Europe but we need to be toughest on the people traffickers.

“You can often only deal with the ones you catch and they must be given the highest penalty. Preventing smuggling in the first place is better than dealing with the end result.

“I wish there was a simple answer but there isn’t. What we do know is that there are some undesirable people who take advantage of this situation and they have to be a target.”

LABOUR’S KEVIN KERRIGAN SAID: “We

St Matthew’s Church

The Function Room, Royal British

Southborough Community Centre

Legion

St John’s Methodist Church Hall

Hawkhurst Sports Pavillion

St John’s Methodist Church Hall

Sandhurst Village

St Philip’s Day Centre

Speldhurst Village Hall

St James’ Church Hall

Brenchley Memorial Hall

The Salvation

Matfield Village Hall

Army Hall

Capel Village Hall

United Reformed Church Hall

Arnold Cooke Hall

St Mark’s Church Hall

Horsmonden Village Hall

Claremont CP Primary School

Lamberhurst Memorial Hall St Andrew’s Church Hall - (Winter Hall)

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE GREG CLARK REFUSED OUR REQUEST FOR A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BUT SENT THIS STATEMENT:

Marie Jones

“The tragic scenes that we have seen in the Mediterranean have been sickening. A number of important actions are needed: rescuing the victims of these crimes; go after the human traffickers who are running this wicked trade and throw the book at them and, with other countries, use our aid budget to promote stability in the countries from which people are fleeing.”

St Barnabas Hall

Langton Green Village Hall

have got to provide a basic humanitarian response and I was not in favour of Kevin withdrawing the rescue Kerrigan ships in the way it was done last year. More people have been dying since they stopped the rescues last year.

“People traffickers profit from poor people’s misery and we should all work together to defeat it but at the same time not pretend it’s an easy solution.”

Greg Clark

Hall

Bidborough Village Hall

Day Centre Dowding House Pembury Village Hall Pembury Baptist Church Goudhurst Parish Hall Kilndown Village Hall

GREEN PARTY MARIE JONES SAID: “It’s a

global problem. The biggest thing we can do is to try to go straight to the source of the problem - that is the community that is suffering by giving international aid and trying to resolve conflicts.

“We cannot know how many people have lost their lives trying to escape persecution, conflict or famine in the way we have seen in recent days.

“Some of their situations are so appalling that they are prepared to risk their lives and those of their children to get away from it.”

The Tiger Who Came to Tea ���� The Times

Based on the book by JUDITH KERR

SUNDAY 3 MAY & MONDAY 4 MAY Box Office 01892

���� Mail On Sunday

530613 assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Wednesday 29th April 2015

6 � LOCAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Pembury firm secures exhibition business A PEMBURY events firm has bought the rights to Kent’s biggest business exhibition.

Revolution Events acquired the Kent 2020 Vision series of shows from BSKCiC, having already managed them on its behalf for the last four years.

The purchase puts an end to doubts about Kent 2020 Vision Live’s future.

It is the largest business to business event in the south east and celebrates its tenth anniversary on May 13.

Revolution had already expanded the event to the point where it no longer needed an annual subsidy from BSK to go ahead.

Solar plans granted A PLANNED solar park near Tunbridge Wells have been granted by the borough council.

The park will be installed on Capel Grange, situated southeast of Five Oak Green and west of Paddock Wood, and is expected to power around 1,780 homes in the surrounding area.

These proposed plans by West Coast Energy have been recommended for approval by the planning officer, and the 13.2 hectare development has also received backing from Capel Parish Council.

Agency special award A TUNBRIDGE Wells estate agency has been recognised for its customer service with a special award.

Freeman Forman, based in the High Street, won the coveted gold award in the South East (Kent) region category at the Estate & Letting Agent Awards 2015 (ESTAS).

The firm is part of Countrywide plc, the UK’s largest estate agency and property services group.

Social housing provider cannot enforce a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on hard drugs Addict ‘neighbour from hell’ took an 18 month legal process to evict • By Simon Finlay THE housing association which fought an 18 month battle to remove a ‘neighbour from hell’ has admitted it cannot implement a zero tolerance policy on drug use among its tenants.

The admission comes after one such social housing provider was forced to secure an antisocial behaviour injunction to remove Jason Kirby after residents suffered noisy latenight visits to his flat, vandalism and reports of drug use.

The court order was made in October 2013 but Town & Country Housing was not able to recover the property in court until this month after Kirby admitted the antisocial aspect of his tenancy would be unresolved while he has substance issues.

Tunbridge Wells County Court heard how Kirby’s home became a magnet for noisy visits, evidence of drug use, wanton vandalism and other antisocial activity, often in the early hours of the morning.

Residents felt frightened by Kirby and his associates, particularly a single mother who lived opposite Kirby in Bridge Court, Medway Drive.

A spokesman for Town & Country said: “It’s not as simple as having a zero tolerance to drugs; it is not a way you can work with people as a housing association.”

A statement released by Town & Country Housing said: “Town & Country Housing play a positive role in working with those tenants who want to address their substance use.

“We recognise that those experiencing drug or alcohol problems can exhibit anti-social behaviour, they can also be vulnerable to other people who engage in criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in their home and neighbourhood.

“We work closely with partner agencies to ensure that people are given the best chance to succeed in maintaining their recovery and their home by linking our tenants to local support services. However there may be circumstances that the tenant fails to engage with the support services and fail to sustain their tenancy

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After his successful eviction, a statement by Town & Country said: “This case was a true reflection of dynamic partnership working.

With the support of the Police, Community Safety Unit and residents we were able to bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

The group has 9,000 social housing properties across Kent with 5,000 in Tunbridge Wells.

District commander Chief Inspector Dave Pate said: “Kent Police has carried out enforcement action in the Medway Drive area on a number of occasions in response to concerns over antisocial behaviour.”

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Instead the provider must find ways of mediating and resolving issues involving tenants in spite of the problems they cause other residents.

One resident said: ““There was a lot of drug use going on and people knocking on doors at all hours of the night trying to get to his house. That was happening anywhere between 10pm and 5am.

“There were also a lot of problems with vandalism. There were holes through the walls and people scratched death threats towards him on the walls. People were sleeping in the hall ways when he was here.

“The woman who lived opposite him, who has since left, had the most problems. People were kicking on her door throughout the night.

She was a single-mum living on her own there and she had a really hard time.”

THERE is high demand for the borough council to find housing for the homeless, a council meeting heard last week.

But responsibility for antisocial behaviour lies with the landlords and tenants.

Questions were raised about the council’s duty of care when considering the ambience of existing residents when putting homeless people in to a block of flats.

Cllr Lynne Weatherly told the meeting: “There are consistently high levels of homeless demands and we work with a wide range of landlords and letting agents to try to find accommodation for families.

“We have a team who make sure that tenants are not in breach of legal requirements and make families aware of their obligations to their neighbours.

“Beyond that the key responsibilities rest with the tenants and landlords.”

to an acceptable level which results in Town & Country Housing having to take legal action.

“In the case of Jason Kirby, a key focus for us was to make sure that the other residents were supported. CCTV was installed last year at the request of residents, and the damage was repaired and redecorated at Bridge Court.

“While antisocial behaviour is a common problem for many housing associations, this was a particularly unusual case which has resulted in a number of new processes and procedures being put in place.

“This case also enabled us to identify ways to improve value for money and believe we are one of a few housing association to introduce DIY injunctions.

“The typical cost of an injunction using solicitors can

vary depending on the nature of the case, however we have now been able to create a process for a fraction of the cost and achieves the same outcome.

“Many housing associations need to have teams of officers dealing with high levels of anti-social behaviour.

However, at Town & Country, we have a team of housing managers who manage our homes and deal with general anti-social behaviour and one specialist dealing with more unusual or high level cases.

“We regularly work with and visit other housing associations, especially in London where serious cases are more common, shadowing their staff, sharing best practice and finding out new ways to tackle antisocial behaviour.”

Queen Victoria portrait goes on display A GIANT picture of Queen Victoria has been unveiled in Royal Victoria Place.

The portrait, a community art project commissioned by the centre in 2013 to mark its 21st birthday, is made up of more than 3,000 photographs, submitted by members of the public, taken from the RVP’s archives or taken by artist Helen Marshall at local businesses, schools and groups.

It was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Tunbridge Wells mayor and mayoress Cllr Julian and Mrs Anne Stanyer, and deputy mayor David Elliott, at a ceremony on April 21.

RVP marketing manager Marc Burchett said: “It was amazing to see this project which has taken almost 18 months finally unveiled and able to take pride of place at Royal Victoria Place. Already within the first few days since it went on public display, it has created a lot of interest and it’s great to see the reactions of shoppers when they see their own photo or that of someone they know. We are so proud of what Helen Marshall has created for us and this

artwork will enable us to provide a legacy for the future with a link to the proud royal heritage our town enjoys.”

LOCAL NEWS �

7

Gatwick leaflets ‘underhand’ - say campaigners

EXPANSION What Gatwick could look like with two runways

Airport warns west London residents of extra noise from Heathrow • Julie Rae GATWICK leaflets warning west London residents of extra noise from Heathrow are an ‘underhand’ bid to secure an extra runway, according to campaigners.

The airport was due to distribute 400,000 fliers stating that 683,000 people and 362 schools would be affected if Heathrow won the battle to expand, compared to 36,000 people and 15 schools.

But campaigners claim another runway at Gatwick would affect far more people than the airport suggests, and that its bosses are now turning communities against each other in their bid to win.

Dominic Nevill, of East Sussex Communities for Control of Air Noise, said: “Millions of people would be affected by a second runway.

“Overall the leaflets are a cheap trick.

They’re underhand and a bit sneaky. It’s frightening.

“They’re part of a flawed strategy and it’s not right, especially as all the communities around the airport object to the expansion. It would be a disaster

for the southeast if Gatwick were to get a second runway.”

The two airports are vying to be chosen by the next government for expansion, to increase flight capacity in southeast England Richard Streatfield, of the High Weald Councils Aviation Action Group said: “I’m dismayed Gatwick have decided to try to turn one community against another in Frank their bid to get a second runway.

Foster “They’ve given up trying to persuade the communities around Gatwick because every single local council except East Sussex County Council has voted against expansion and they’re now trying to persuade people around Heathrow that a second runway at Gatwick is a good idea. They’re trying to use others to get their way.

“The point is that it’s dishonest to suggest that imposing excess noise levels on one group of people is better than imposing it on another.”

A Gatwick spokesman said: “We issued a leaflet because we do not think communities around Heathrow have been given the facts about the huge and direct impact expansion will have on them. We have always been open with our

neighbours – we accept more people will be impacted by noise if Gatwick expands and this is why we will offer an industry leading noise insulation scheme and direct cash compensation.

“The leaflet uses Airports Commission data and shows which areas would be affected by expansion at both airports.

The contrast is stark and shows that 20 times fewer people would be impacted by noise if Gatwick expands.”

Heathrow spokesman Marianna Panizza said: “Our plans deliver vast economic and social benefits while reducing Heathrow’s negative impacts, and have been developed by listening to other communities. As a result over 300,000 people could be taken out of the airport’s noise footprint with expansion.

“In addition, we are proposing a £700 million schools and homes noise insulation scheme which goes above and beyond government policy. With the potential to create up to 70,000 new jobs, it’s clear why the majority of local people back expansion at Heathrow.”

Election hopefuls oppose expansion A SURVEY of local parliamentary candidates by Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GAAC) showed many of them opposed Gatwick’s expansion, citing reasons such as noise, the environment and infrastructure.

All 11 Conservative candidates in the seats around Gatwick were against a new runway, as were all the Green and Ukip nominees.

Almost all the Lib Dems opposed expansion, except the candidates for Crawley

and Horsham, while half Labour candidates were for, half against.

At national level, Labour and the Conservatives say they will wait for the Airports Commission recommendations.

The Green Party opposes any new runway as does Ukip, which supports greater use of Manston Airport in Thanet.

Last year’s Lib Dem conference defeated a resolution supporting a Gatwick runway and the national manifesto reflects this, although this position could change should the Airports Commission produce strong enough reasons to support it.

STAR BUY

Wednesday 29th April 2015

8 � LOCAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Avoid being taken for a ride in business THE Federation of Small Businesses is hosting a talk that could prevent entrepreneurs from being ‘taken for a ride’ in commercial sales.

Next month’s networking meeting will feature a talk from Tunbridge Wells-based businesswoman Denise Barnes entitled ‘Seller Beware – one woman’s road to ruin’.

It tells of her attempt to sell her estate agency chain and she hopes it will help prevent other business people being taken for a ride, and provide a warning to any entrepreneur considering selling.

The event will be held at the Olive Stores at the Hop Farm in Tonbridge on Tuesday, May 12 from 6-7pm and is open to FSB members and non-members. Tickets cost £5 for members and £10 for non-members from www.fsb.org.uk/kentandmedway.

Dream holiday winner cannot believe her luck EXCITED Gina Li with Mervyn Willard of Baldwins

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A SINGER described as ‘one of the great blues men of our time’ by Jools Holland and ‘The finest R&B guitarist and singer in the UK’ by The Blues Magazine will perform at Sankey’s this Sunday.

Big Boy Bloater’s one man show, with guitars and looper, will be supported by Alex Roberts, a Dorset-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

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THE winner of our dream holiday to St Lucia is taking a very special person on the £4,200 luxury beach break.

Gina Li won the seven-night all-inclusive stay in the beautiful 4.5* Rendezvous boutique hotel with Baldwins Travel Group, Kuoni and the Times.

The delighted 23-year-old from Tunbridge Wells said: “I’m going to take my mum with me because

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TEENAGER who was intending to deal cannabis has been given a prison sentence.

Alex Jacob Underwood, of Nevill Terrace, Tunbridge Wells, was found with the class B drug at Bellfield Road, Pembury, on February 5.

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with intent to supply. On March 27, west Kent magistrates sentenced him to 56 days in prison, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

she deserves a luxury holiday and she’s never been on anything like this before.

“We’re both so excited. Neither of us has ever been to the Caribbean. This will be such a treat for both of us.

“I still can’t believe I’ve won. I hardly ever enter competitions and I’ve never won anything this big. I’m really glad I entered.”

Rendezvous is an all-inclusive couples-only resort fronted by two miles of beach as well as two pools, a man-made river, two restaurants and three bars.

Miss Li added: “Thank you to Baldwins Travel Group, Kuoni and the Times for giving me the chance to win this amazing holiday for me and my mum.”

Investment fund is what the business community needs Lord Digby Jones backs the Times’ £5m Kent scheme

LEADING British businessman Lord Digby Jones has voiced his support for the Times of Tunbridge Wells Investment Fund and believes it is “precisely what the community and people need”.

On the £5million fund, which is designed to help limited companies from start-ups looking for seed money to businesses needing cash to expand, Lord Jones of Birmingham said: “What great news! This is precisely what the country, the community and people need!

“The nation has to earn its way in the world before politicians are let loose spending the stuff and this initiative gets to grips with the core issue: harnessing innovation and understanding risk.”

Lord Jones served as Director General of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and was Minister of State for Trade and Investment under the last Labour government. He sits in the House of Lords as a crossbencher.

The Dragons’ Den-style fund was launched by this newspaper, working with a group of high net worth individuals, at the beginning of March and has already attracted a number of applications from across the county.

Anyone interested in applying to the fund needs to send a full business plan in writing, with a covering letter. Suitable candidates will be invited

SUPPORT Lord Digby Jones backed the investment fund

to pitch their ideas to a group of high net worth businesspeople.

HOW TO APPLY Applications and business plans must be received

by July 1 2015, after which a shortlist will be chosen to present their ideas to a panel of experts. Funding to those selected will begin from autumn 2015.

Successful applicants will be followed during the course of the next 12 months through the pages of this newspaper or sister publications such as So Tunbridge Wells magazine.

They will be required to take part in any other PR or promotional activity to help profile the fund and must also agree to mentor other successful applicants should the scheme be carried forward into another year.

Applications for funding will be considered by a panel of principal investors or their representatives. The process will involve equity investment, although the investors reserve the right to use other financial structures. Funds will be released as the business demands and in line with an agreed structure. There is no limit on the amount of funding to any individual business.

Those interested in applying for funds should send their full business plan together with a covering letter about themselves and their company to: Times of Tunbridge Wells Investment Fund, 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU. Applicants must be 18+ and operating a limited company within the boundaries of the county of Kent. All business plans will be received and reviewed in strictest confidence.

LOCAL NEWS �

Six days of summer first class cricket coming to Tunbridge Wells in July TUNBRIDGE Wells will host a six-day festival of cricket this summer with a temporary stand being erected to deal with the expected surge in spectator numbers.

It will be the venue for three Kent Cricket fixtures for 2015 with the Nevill Ground hosting Natwest T20 Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup cricket in July.

Funding has been secured for the extra seating, making the operation of the shorter forms of the game viable.

The festival will attract visitors from around the county and beyond as well as followers of the local club game.

The stand has been underwritten by local businessman Freddie Cook, long-standing West Kent co-chairman of the Lord’s Taverners, the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity.

Mr Cook said: “I was saddened when the festival was retrenched last year and was determined to ensure that the festival was maintained and in fact restored to its former glory.

“For the good of cricket throughout west Kent, boys’ and girls’

SUMMER County cricket at Canterbury participation, the work of cricket charities like the Taverners and the vibrancy of Tunbridge Wells, it is important we have a full cricket festival.”

Tunbridge Wells Festival will open with a NatWest T20 Blast fixture against Glamorgan at 5.30pm on Friday 17 July and close with a 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup game

against Essex, in their guise as the Essex Eagles, 10.30am, Sunday 26 July.

The games will bookmark the Festival week either side of the already confirmed LV= County Championship four day match against Essex (Sunday 19 July – Wednesday 22 July), starting at 11am on each day.

Kent Cricket CEO Jamie Clifford

said: “We are very pleased to be bringing back a full cricketing programme for the 103rd Jamie Clifford Tunbridge Wells Cricket Festival, and are indebted to a very generous local supporter for making this possible.

“My hope is that we can now use this continuity regarding 2015 as a springboard to secure the ground for many years to come.”

Tickets for the individual matches will go on sale in March 2015 but cricket followers are able to purchase a ticketing package now to cover entry to any of the six days of the festival and Kent’s fixture against Australia in Canterbury.

The Kent Cricket Six Pack allows entry to any six days of cricket desired, at a discount rate (£95 Early Bird until 31 December 2014, then £105), plus the opportunity to purchase six tickets per day at the Australian match in advance.

9

NEWS IN BRIEF

Three day food fest in The Pantiles plaza THE Pantiles Spring Food Festival will once again take over the plaza at the heart of Tunbridge Wells for three days in May. The line-up of shopping and entertainment will run from Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17 in The Pantiles. For more information www.pantilestraders.co.uk

Driver’s two-year ban A DRIVER caught at more than double the legal alcohol limit has been banned from the roads for two years by local magistrates.

Ian Ridger, of Woodhill Park, Pembury, was stopped in a Ford Fiesta on the Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, on January 24. The 43-year-old gave a reading of 170mg alcohol in 100ml blood, the legal limit being 80mg.

Ridger pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Prayers for migrants TUNBRIDGE Wells Borough Council opened its full members’ meeting last week with a prayer for the families of illegal migrants who perished in the Mediterranean as they were smuggled to Europe.

Remembering the 800 immigrants who drowned off Libya on Sunday, April 19, councillors bowed their heads and were led in a prayer of remembrance, tolerance and compassion.

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10 � NATIONAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Chaos on Southeastern ‘wild west’ services RUSH hour trains from London descended into chaos, days after Transport for London boss likened Southeastern services to the ‘Wild West’.

Services from London to Tunbridge Wells were cancelled and commuters waited on trains after signal failure in the Tonbridge area on Monday, which prevented services from travelling through Tonbridge station.

The misery came less than week after Sir Peter Hendy told Management Today: “On Southeastern the trains are like the Wild West. They are awful.”

Ian O’Flynn was among the commuters who vented their frustration on Twitter, writing: “Southeastern calling this a ‘service’ makes me laugh. As the TfL boss said: ‘awful and like the Wild West.’”

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “There were two cancellations and delays of up to 30 minutes.

“Southeastern apologises for any inconvenience caused to passengers.

“We are really proud of our frontline teams and the work they do every day helping hundreds of thousands of passengers. It is disappointing Peter Hendy’s comments do not reflect their dedication and hard work.”

Kai’s Kitchen

IN LAST week’s Times, we ran a review of Thai restaurant Kai’s Kitchen.

We reported that the venue did not have an alcohol licence but this is not the case.

The Times is happy to clarify this.

Ventriloquist Keith Harris dies after battle with cancer Tributes paid to a ‘wonderful father and husband’

VENTRILOQUIST Keith Harris, famous for his act with his puppet duck Orville, died yesterday aged 67.

His agent Robert C Kelly said Harris, whom he described as a ‘thoroughly decent man’, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and became ill again in January.

He said: “I spoke to Keith most days, whether we had business to do or not. I think I laughed every single time we spoke.

“Keith was not only a technically great ventriloquist, he was also a gifted mimic and an extraordinarily funny man both on stage and off.

“Perhaps even rarer than that in showbiz, he was a thoroughly decent man, a great friend and a wonderful father and husband.”

Mr Kelly said Harris, who died in hospital in Blackpool, spent his last months ‘at his second home in Portugal, taking walks along the Blackpool seafront and sitting in the park eating ice cream and watching the world go by’.

Harris, who married four times, had

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‘DECENT MAN’ Keith Harris has died aged 67

three children.

He entertained generations with his sidekick Orville, a bright green duck who wore a nappy, and a monkey called Cuddles.

At the height of his fame, he was a regular on Saturday night television and put on private performances at birthday parties for Prince William and his brother Harry.

His 1982 single with Orville, I Wish I Could Fly, was a top five hit and sold more than 400,000 copies.

Among those paying tribute were singer and broadcaster Aled Jones, who said: “Sad to hear of the death of Keith Harris – sending best wishes to his family and friends.”

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Very sad to hear that Keith Harris has died after a battle with cancer. Brought joy to my childhood.”

Man charged over death of university student

McCanns’ libel payout

A MAN has been charged with the murder of former Hugh Christie technology student Billy Mankelow.

Richard Danter, of Queens Road, Leeds, appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning. The 31-yearold spoke only to confirm his personal details.

Mr Mankelow, from Tonbridge, died on LOVING SON Sunday, Billy from injuries Mankelow thought to was left for have been dead sustained in an assault.

The 20-yearold, who was studying social sciences at the University of Leeds, was found under a railway arch in the early hours of Saturday morning.

He underwent surgery at Leeds General Infirmary but doctors were unable to save him.

A statement released by Mr Mankelow’s family read: “We are devastated by the tragic loss of our

A FORMER detective has been ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to the McCann family following a libel case in a Portuguese court.

Goncalo Amaral had been on trial over claims he made in a book and a documentary that Gerry and Kate McCann were involved in their daughter Madeleine’s disappearance in Praia da Luz on the Algarve.

In a written verdict, a Lisbon court agreed Amaral should pay Mr and Mrs McCann 250,000 euros (£179,000) each in damages and it banned further sales of his book The Truth Of The Lie. Madeleine was three when she went missing from her family’s holiday apartment on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

Mr Amaral, who led the initial investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, released his book three days after the case was closed in 2008.

He later took part in a documentary for Portuguese television in which he claimed Madeleine was dead, that there had been no abduction and the McCanns had hidden her body.

Giving evidence at Lisbon’s Palace of Justice last year the couple spoke of their ‘devastation, desperation, anxiety and pain’ over the claims.

loving son Billy and are now asking for privacy at this heartbreaking time to allow our family to grieve.”

Police are appealing for anyone who may have been near the arches, in the Swinegate area of Leeds, at the time to come forward.

Detective Inspector Mick Jackson from British Transport Police said: “I can confirm that the man found injured under a railway arch near Leeds station in the early hours of Saturday has since sadly died in hospital.

“Our thoughts are with Billy’s family at this difficult time.”

Police have asked for anyone who was near the railway arches in the early hours of Saturday morning and saw anything suspicious to call 0800 405040, text 61016, quoting reference 47 of 25/04/2015, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

NEWS �

Cameron: Sturgeon is ‘selling a false dream’ to the Scottish people PM accuses SNP leader of holes in her separatist case DAVID Cameron has accused SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon of selling a ‘false dream’ of separation to the Scottish people, predicting it would fade over time.

The Prime Minister admitted that the parties which believe in the union would have to fight hard and conceded he could see there was a nationalist appeal.

But he added: “I think this dream will fade.”

He told BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour: “My view is she’s selling a dream, but it’s a false dream. She’s selling the dream of separation.

“I can see there’s a nationalist appeal, but I profoundly believe we are so much better off as a united kingdom.

“Sometimes in politics, dreams and visions can be terribly exciting and enthuse people.

“But when you go to the numbers ... there are huge holes in her case.

“I think this dream will fade, but it’s going to take time and the parties like mine that believe in the UK are going to have to fight very hard.”

Asked whether he could see Ruth Davidson,

leader of the Scottish Conservatives, in overall charge of the party, Mr Cameron said he did not want to put a limit on her ambition, adding: “I think she’s extremely effective.”

At the suggestion he is pragmatic rather than a dreamer, he said: “The practical things I care about ... may be down to earth and practical, but I’m deeply passionate about them and I think they’re the things that matter the most.

“Just because we are not ideologues ... don’t think we don’t care massively about the future of this country, the families in it and the security for people we want to deliver.”

The Tory leader was also asked to justify going to Saudi Arabia after the death of King Abdullah to pay his respects.

He said: “I don’t agree with the Saudi approach on many of these issues.

“When there are cases of human rights abuse for instance we raise them with great vigour.”

But he insisted the relationship mattered in light of the shared aim of stability in the Middle East.

FALSE DREAM Nicola Sturgeon has ‘huge holes in her case’, according to the PM

11

Clegg sets out his coalition conditions DAVID Cameron or Ed Miliband will have to hold an emergency budget within 50 days of the election agreeing to key Liberal Democrat demands if they want a coalition deal, Nick Clegg said.

His red line would effectively veto Tory plans to cut £12 billion from the welfare budget, or impose a timetable on Labour to deal with the deficit.

Mr Clegg would insist on extra tax raised from the wealthy, although he stopped short of saying a mansion tax would be a deal-breaker in any talks with the Tories.

He said: “Whether we are in government with Labour or the Conservatives, we will pin them down and force them to put their cards on the table.

“David Cameron, Ed Miliband – the Liberal Democrats won’t let you bluff your way through. We won’t let you risk our economic recovery.

“There will be no deal if there is no stability. No coalition without coming clean with the British people.”

The budget will set out detailed tax and welfare plans. Remaining savings will be detailed in a review in autumn 2015.

The Lib Dem leader said there were three ‘big principles’ behind his budget: a timetable to ‘wipe the slate clean’ by dealing with the deficit, a rejection of balancing the books ‘on the backs of the working-age poor’, and ensuring ‘those with the broadest shoulder’ make an extra contribution.

Mr Clegg’s speech at the National Liberal Club in central London followed the decision to start setting out terms the Lib Dems would demand in any deal.

He has already declared that a commitment to increase the education budget to keep pace with rising prices and growth in pupil numbers will be a ‘no ifs, no buts’ red line.

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

12 � NATIONAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

A JUDDERING HALT? The PM warned Ed Miliband’s leadership could affect the economic recovery

Apple boosted by 61m iPhone sales APPLE has announced more strong financial results, having sold more than 60 million iPhones in the first three months of the year.

The company’s continued surge in China meant 61 million Apple smartphones were sold, contributing to a revenue of 58 billion US dollars (£38 billion), and net profit of 13.6 billion dollars (£8.9 billion).

The firm, which said the results were a second-quarter record, also sold four million Macs.

Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We are thrilled by the continued strength of iPhone, Mac and the App Store, which drove our best March quarter results ever.”

The Apple Watch, the firm’s first wearable device, went on sale last week so is not included in the results but analysts believe it likely more than two million have already been sold.

Home incomes to fall AVERAGE incomes are set to fall over the next five years whether the Conservatives or Labour lead the new government, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has concluded.

Having studied the parties’ manifestos, and Liberal Democrat plans, the economic think-tank said the Tories would cut taxes but also cut benefits. Labour would protect benefit spending but increase taxes to pay for it, while the Lib Dems would plot a middle course.

The IFS said: “With significant deficit reduction still to come, households can expect tax and benefit changes over the next Parliament to reduce incomes, on average.”

PM warns voters of ‘instability’ DAVID Cameron has warned voters not to take Britain’s economic recovery for granted when they go to the polls next week, as the latest official figures showed the pace of growth slowing.

Labour seized on the worse than expected figures from the Office for National Statistics, which showed growth in the first three months of the year dropped to 0.3 per cent, to say the government’s claims of having ‘fixed’ the economy were wrong.

But on a campaign visit to a factory in north London yesterday, Mr Cameron insisted the

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

said: “It was great to have Paddington back after all these years. Paddington is such an iconic character and it’s great to see that kids of today seem to love him just as much as we did.”

slowdown underlined the need to stick with the government’s economic plan.

“They show we cannot take recovery for granted, we can’t take our growth for granted,” he said.

“While you see insecurity and instability all over the world causing us difficulties, don’t vote for instability here in Britain.”

With nine days to go to polling day, he said a Labour government led by Ed Miliband committed to increasing tax and spending while imposing new regulation on business, could bring the recovery ‘juddering to a halt’.

“All this, in my view, is at risk in nine days’ time. With me you know what you get, you keep the plan, you keep the growth, you keep the jobs, you keep the security. With him what are you going to get?” he said.

“If he goes on a borrowing spree, interest rates will go up and that will hit businesses, that will hit families. If he goes on a spending spree, taxes will go up, that will hit businesses, that will hit families. If he goes on a regulation spree, that will stop investment, that could bring our economy to a juddering halt.”

Customers are ‘ready for digital-only banks’ Online services are due to launch in the UK later this year • By Martyn Landi DIGITAL-ONLY banks are set to launch in the UK this year, and consumers are set quickly to accept them as part of daily life, according to new research.

The first digital-only banks, including Atom and Starling, will have no branches on the high street or telephone services, as all transactions will take place online or via mobile devices.

According to research from digital financial services software provider Intelligent Environments, one in three believes such accounts will outnumber traditional ones within five years.

The uptake may be slow at first, as while consumers seem willing to acknowledge the move online, only one in eight said they would switch this year, and more than half those surveyed said they would not switch as they did not like the idea of not being able to speak to a person when they had a problem.

David Webber, managing director of Intelligent Environments, said: “Digital-only banks are in a strong position to cause major disruption to traditional providers when they launch in the UK later this year.

“Our research shows people believe these new providers will offer superior online and mobile services.

“When taken together with lower operating and efficiency costs naturally incurred by not having branches, digital-only banks will be in a very competitive position indeed.”

The firm’s research suggested the rise of mobile and internet banking has made people more open to the idea of digital-only providers.

When the Apple Watch launched last week, it did so with a banking app from Barclays, and Apple Pay – the technology giant’s mobile payment system which uses the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch into contactless payment cards linked to a bank account – is to launch in the UK this year.

Existing banking apps such as Barclays Pingit already enable users to transfer money using a mobile phone number, while Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat all have systems in place which enable mobile or digital transactions between users.

“However, digital-only banks do not spell the end for traditional branches,” added Mr Webber.

“As our research shows, many UK banking customers still like the personal touch.

“In-branch services are highly valued by a significant proportion of the population, while others have voiced concerns about not being able to speak to a customer service representative in person if they had a problem.

“In fact, traditional providers have a fantastic opportunity now to improve their digital and mobile services, and to focus on providing a superior in-branch experience for their customers.”

GLOBAL NEWS �

Helicopters bring aid to the thousands injured in Nepal

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Weather and landslides block roads to remote communities HELICOPTERS have criss-crossed the skies above the mountainous Gorkha district in Nepal, taking the injured to clinics, and emergency supplies to remote villages.

More than 4,400 people across the region were killed in Saturday’s magnitude-7.8 quake.

The little town of Gorkha is being used as a staging post for rescuers and supplies. Some villages were reachable only by air after landslides blocked roads.

Some women who came off the helicopters were crying in pain, three days after they were injured.

Sita Karki’s broken and swollen legs had been tied together with hay as a makeshift splint.

“A wall fell and knocked me down. My legs are broken,” she said.

On Tuesday, the wind rose and sheets of rain began to fall, as Geoff Pinnock, of the UN’s World Food Programme, was leading a convoy of trucks north.

“This rain caused a landslide. I can maybe get one truck through and risk driving on the dirt, but I think we’ll have to hold the materials back to try to get them out tomorrow by helicopter,” he said.

Rebecca McAteer, an American physician who rushed to the quake zone from the Nepal hospital where she works, said: “In some villages, about 90

per cent of the houses have collapsed. They’re just flattened.”

But the timing of the earthquake – near midday, when most rural people are working outside – meant most villagers were spared when buildings collapsed, she said.

Thomas Meyer, an engineer who accompanied Ms McAteer to the villages, said: “This is a long-term emergency. This will need major attention for the next five years. People have nothing left.”

Across central Nepal, including in capital Kathmandu, hundreds of thousands of people are still living in the open without clean water or sanitation.

The United Nations said it was releasing 15 million US dollars (£9.8 million) for quake victims. This will allow humanitarian groups to scale up operations and provide shelter, water, medical supplies and logistical services, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Citing government figures, Mr Haq said an estimated 8 million people have been affected by the quake in 39 districts, and more than 1.4 million need food assistance, including 750,000 living near the epicentre in poor quality housing. Some 8,063 people have been injured, and tens of thousands are believed to be homeless.

Ferry captain sentenced to life THE South Korean ferry captain responsible for a disaster that killed more than 300 people has been given an increased sentence of life in prison.

A district court in November had sentenced Lee Joon-seok to 36 years for negligence and abandoning passengers in need, but acquitted him of homicide.

Victims’ relatives criticised the verdict at the time, saying it was too lenient.

Lee’s sentence was increased as the Gwangju High Court convicted him of homicide charges while upholding most of the others leading to his previous conviction, said a court statement.

Lee committed ‘homicide by wilful negligence’ as he fled the ship without making any evacuation order although as captain, he was required by law to take measures to rescue passengers.

“For whatever excuses, it’s difficult to forgive Lee Joon-seok’s action that caused a big tragedy,” the court statement cited the verdict as saying.

The appellate court sentenced 14 navigation crew members to prison, from 18 months to 12 years. In

November, they received sentences of five to 30 years.

Lee and the 14 crew have been the subject of fierce public anger as they were among the first rescued from the Sewol on the day of the sinking last April.

Most of the victims were teenagers on a school trip.

Lee has said he issued an evacuation order. But many survivors said they were repeatedly ordered to stay on the sinking ferry and that they did not remember any evacuation orders before they escaped.

In November, the district court supported Lee’s claim to have made an order and said there was not proof he knew his escape would cause the loss of life.

But the appellate court overturned that, saying Lee did not take other steps to save passengers that he should have taken had he issued an evacuation order.

The court also said two of the 14 navigation crew acknowledged there was no order and that loudspeaker broadcasts asked passengers to stay inside even as Lee fled.

A year after the sinking, 295 bodies have been retrieved, but nine are missing.

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14 � EDUCATION

Axing school police means safety is now a major priority for our year six children

ORGANISER Martin Carter

• By Sarah Bond AN ANNUAL event to educate hundreds of west Kent primary school children about keeping themselves safe in the big step up to secondary school is running at Salomons Estate this week and next, the biggest such event in Kent.

It has become all the more important for both pupils and schools since the county’s 12 specialist schools police officers were scrapped in December as part of £50million police budget cuts, with another £20million of cuts to come.

They have been replaced by three PCSOs engaged specifically to work on e-safety in primary schools. Secondary

schools are not covered and neither are other issues and crimes.

Kent Police formalised the roles of officers in schools in 1996 with specialist training.

The officers provided an opportunity for early intervention with children on issues such as drugs, knives, online safety, guns and the consequences of crime, and were seen as vital by many experts.

Safety in Action organiser Martin Carter, an e-safety education adviser and former Kent Police youth crime reduction team co-ordinator, called the police cuts a ‘travesty’ last year, as he believed the officers had helped avert many incidents and played a major role in keeping children on the right path.

He said: “Some of the schools officers became despondent after the liaison roles were dropped and some resigned to work with schools in a private capacity – a move very much welcomed by those schools because they too felt the officers were a huge loss.

“We provided an educational preventative role. Teachers don’t know legislation and children can be deemed criminals from the age of ten, but they don’t know what it means.

So the schools officers added a lot of value to the education system, and because we had built a rapport, we were never outsiders.”

Mr Carter, who received a chief constable’s commendation when he retired for his work with schools and young people, now works for educational service providers Salus, which is running the Salomons event for the first time.

He said: “Since the school roles were cut, these Safety in Action events have become even more useful for being able to talk to children about problems and dangers they may face in adolescence.

“Unfortunately, the dangers are more widespread now than they were when those officers were first introduced.

“The world has changed. It used to be that children needed to be aware of things outside the home, such as road safety and stranger danger, with the assumption that they were safe once they got home.

“But the increase in the use of

‘Unfortunately, the dangers are more widespread now than they were when those officers were first introduced’ the internet now means they face invasions of privacy or safety within the home, too, so e-safety remains a major message.

“Safety in Action enables the PCSOs to deliver this message to a large number of primary-age pupils prior to their transition to secondary schools. I am really grateful for the continued support Kent Police give to Safety in Action.”

The two-week event, supported by organisations including Kent Fire and Rescue and UK Power Networks, is being held at Salomons Estate, Southborough, for the third year running, until Friday. It attracted 1,500 year six pupils from 56 schools in the west Kent area.

The west Kent event is the largest in the county, and now massively oversubscribed, with some schools attending for the first time.

“The schools and pupils love it,” said Mr Carter. “The take-up was over 50 per cent of the 121 schools in the west Kent area invited and all the places are full. It’s heartening to think that so many schools want to take part. It’s amazing what actually happens and the feedback we get.”

The children take part in a variety of workshops on the major issues they may face at secondary school.

These include online safety, stranger danger, bullying, drugs and alcohol, as well as fire, water, rail and road safety and emergency life support.

Prizes are awarded to the top schools.

“The pupils are put into groups on arrival,” said Mr Carter. “They are then sent to each of the nine scenarios, led by various different agencies.

“They include road safety by Kent County Council, and emergency life support by Heartstart, with hands-on learning about resuscitation.”

During his time with the force, Mr Carter was the officer who got Kent Police involved in online safety for children.

He said: “In 2005, I was approached by Microsoft to get police officers in the team to support an e-safety roadshow delivered to five schools in Kent. Little did I know it was the road test of the ThinkUKnow product by CEOP. So I was there right at the beginning.”

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16 � BUSINESS NEWS

A succession plan means success Law boss on importance of having people in the wings

CEO Simon Slater says firms need ‘strong succession plans’ in place

• By Steve Hemsley FOUNDED more than 400 years ago in 1570, local law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP has had its fair share of bosses.

Its chief executive officer Simon Slater is just about to complete his first year in the top job having been groomed for the role by senior partner James Partridge.

This is one Tunbridge Wells

company which understands the importance of succession planning and the need to have a pipeline of talented people lined up. Mr Slater was formerly practice director.

For centuries, this regional law firm, which also has an office in the Thames Gateway, has also provided succession planning advice to corporate clients and family firms. It understands from its own experience the business benefits of thinking about the

future today, so a firm always has the right staff in place.

Thomson Snell & Passmore did not previously have a CEO. Mr Partridge wanted to release himself from the day-to-day management of the firm and concentrate on his own clients.

He is also heads up the firm’s corporate and commercial department.

He needed someone he could trust, who had the right experience and who understood the culture of the firm. Mr Slater has more than 25 years’ experience within professional service firm

management, spanning marketing, sales, operations and general management roles at global, national and regional practices. Having been practice manager he also knows what makes Thomson Snell & Passmore’s 35 partners, 41 other lawyers, 19 more fee-earners and eight trainees tick.

“Professional firms need a strong succession plan because of the personal nature of the relationship between them and their clients,” said Mr Slater. “Over the next six years we have a handful of partners coming up to retirement and we are already putting plans in place.”

Indeed, Richard Ellard became head of commercial property almost a year ago, at least five years before his predecessor’s potential retirement. Meanwhile Fiona Mills stepped up as head of clinical negligence and personal injury in 2013, also a few years before her predecessor’s potential retirement. A new appointment to Thomson Snell & Passmore’s private client business from outside the practice will be announced within weeks.

Other west Kent companies could think about their own succession planning and what will happen when the owner or a key senior employee retires or leaves.

Family butcher Fuller’s has been selling meat to the people in and around Tunbridge Wells for more than 40 years and owner Steve Fuller says

BUTCHER Steve Fuller, seen here with apprentice Charley Ford, says training is essential succession planning is vital.

“We need to identify and develop our internal staff who have the potential to fill the positions of departing or retiring employees,” said Mr Fuller. “As a family-run business, we are committed to developing the butchers of the future.”

He adds that local companies must be committed to training because this increases the number of experienced and capable employees who can assume senior roles when they become available. “Finding the butchers of the future is challenging so we focus on the skills that are needed,” he said.

Whatever the size of the company, there are risks from not having a strong succession planning strategy in place.

These can include an overdependence on the current leadership team, nervous clients and customers because there is no apparent natural successor, and ultimately a reduction in the value of the business or its market share.

For private firms, including family businesses, the risks include any successor being underprepared to take the reins when asked or an heir feeling disengaged because there has not been a proper handover. There can also be a leadership vacuum and a dip in company performance.

The human resources department should be in charge of succession planning but there is a role for every manager. Even line managers should be thinking about the future when they oversee someone’s performance review. Can they recognise whether the person they are assessing has the potential to be a senior manager or ultimately lead the business?

Good staff will stay with a business if they can see clear opportunities for career progression. If there are, people will prepare themselves and want to be trained so they are ready to step up to more senior roles when the time comes.

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BUSINESS NEWS �

17

Refusal to cut prices led A new broker in townto Sunday Times success but with a familiar face ADVERTISING FEATURE

Company’s profits soar £5m in four years • By Steve Hemsley A REFUSAL to cut prices has helped retailer Childrensalon achieve tenth place in the Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100 list.

Since 2011, profits at the children’s clothes store have soared from £0.7m to £5.7m helped by a policy of refusing to discount whilst also building a healthy export trade.

The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100 league table ranks Britain’s 100 private companies with

DRESSING CHILDREN BEAUTIFULLY Michele Harriman-Smith

the fastest-growing profits, based on their latest three years of available accounts.

“There is a culture of discounting in our industry but we refuse to, unless it is an end of season sale.

We know we need to retain our profit margins to grow as a business,” said chief executive Michele Harriman-Smith.

Childrensalon has been in Tunbridge Wells since 1952 and Mrs Harriman-Smith is the daughter of founder Sybil Harriman. She runs the business with her husband George Smith.

The company sells about 270 brands including Burberry, Gucci and Armani and today approximately 60 per cent of its sales come from Europe, the Middle East, America and Australia via a website translated into seven languages.

“We have had the website since 1999. I set it up and did the coding myself. It was great fun,” added Mrs Harriman-Smith. “We do well as a Tunbridge Wells business but we would not have seen the profits we have without the website and being able to talk to customers all over the world.”

The company employs about 150 people and has two warehouses on the Decimus Park industrial estate, as well as its Tunbridge Wells High Street shop. It is currently renovating two additional warehouses and is looking to recruit more stock assistants and people with PR/marketing and customer service skills.

Mrs Harriman-Smith said: “The rating in the Sunday Times list is great recognition for our staff but it does not really affect the business. We are self-funded and do not need investment but it is a great achievement. For the past 60 years we have just had fun dressing children beautifully.” newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Sweet success for bespoke lollipop company A WOMAN who launched her bespoke lollipop business in August has already secured bigname clients Warner Music and cosmetics brand Bobbi Brown.

Kathryn Casely owns Willow & Boo, which creates custom-made sweets for corporate customers, weddings and children’s parties.

Warner Music asked for 2,060, to help promote Sucker, the third album from English singersongwriter Charli XCX. “I do a lot of Facebook advertising and I received an email from Warner Music which wanted lollies to promote the album around the world,” said Mrs Casely. “The lollies had to match the one used as an image on the front cover of the album.

“We had two weeks to produce them and I brought in a couple of people to help me with the icing and the wrapping and packing.

We were working 18-hour days. This month, I had another call from Warner Music in Japan and Singapore” A few days after the first Warner Music order, Mrs Casely received a call from cosmetics brand Bobbi Brown. It wanted 650 lips-shaped lollipops with the logo Hot for the new Hot Collection make-up range.

She said: “We had less than one week to produce samples and get the order to them.

The business has taken off much quicker than I expected.”

TIM AUSTEN

With the opening of a representative office in Tunbridge Wells, Carroll Insurance Group Ltd are teaming up with Hubstar ltd and establishing their presence in both the town and region. We hear from Tim Austen and Peter Carroll about what this exciting new partnership will mean for both companies.

CARROLL INSURANCE GROUP LTD HAVE opened a representative office in Tunbridge Wells – a long established (35 years), City based Lloyd’s broker, specialising in all classes of commercial and private client insurance policies with a number of bespoke schemes. Tim Austen’s company, Hubstar Ltd, is their appointed representative operating out of Calverley House.

As well as working in Tunbridge Wells for the past 10 years, Tim is an active member of the Lord’s Taverners and is looking forward to reengaging with the business community within the region.

“Having been sold by our parent company to a large consolidator, who subsequently found themselves in financial trouble and the subject of much speculation in both the national and insurance press, I was approached by a large number of friends and clients who were concerned about their insurance arrangements,” says Tim, whose Tunbridge Wells based broking firm was acquired last summer.

“I approached my friend, Peter Carroll, as I could see that a void had been created in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area by the removal of my old company. Added to this – and more importantly, in my view – an opportunity presented itself to offer people a ‘Client First’ service driven ethos when looking after their insurance needs, rather than the ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ attitude that is so often the norm these days.”

Tim Austen will be fully supported by Carroll Insurance’s commercial and private client teams, who are based in their City office and have access to both Lloyd’s and company markets.

“After ‘being on the beach’ for some time due to contractual covenants, I am really looking

forward to being able to offer a professionally run broking solution to both former and new clients alike,” Tim says.

“We are delighted to have Tim as our appointed representative in Kent,” says Peter Carroll. “As an insurance broker who has been based in Tunbridge Wells for many years, he is very well known for his highly professional approach to local business insurance needs.

This, along with him also focusing on private clients who require more understanding and attention with their bespoke policies, makes him ideally suited to being our representative.

“As a well-established Lloyds broker, the Carroll Insurance Group look forward to supporting Tim and together finding the right insurance solutions for clients, focusing on their particular requirements.”

The Carroll Insurance Group Ltd London Office, 2 White Lion Court, Cornhill, London EC3V 3NP 0207 623 2228 peter.carroll@carrollinsurance.co.uk Tunbridge Wells Representative Office Calverley House, 55 Calverley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2TU 01892 704 078 07836 781 186 tim.austen@carrollinsurance.co.uk www.carrollinsurance.co.uk The Carroll Insurance Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Wednesday 29th April 2015

18 � LETTERS

And another thing…

The Times of Tunbridge Wells always wants to hear your feedback, whether on reports we have printed or any other issues you think we should know about. Write to or email us using the contact details on page 2, or search for us on Facebook and Twitter.

I SPOTTED this lady enjoying the Times the other lunchtime outside Café Nero. She was pretty engrossed. Further up a chap was also reading it.

Keep it up.

Discerning reader

Claire Rose (email) Have you got a picture you would like us to publish?

Drop us an email at… newsdesk@times oftunbridgewells.co.uk

I WAS most disappointed to read Bob Heapy’s comments on the proposed extension of Right to Buy policy to housing associations. It is a truly terrible policy, about as ill-conceived as a policy could possibly be, and if enacted it will worsen, not alleviate, the (affordable) housing crisis. Any housing association that fails to fight it tooth and nail has, in my view, lost sight of its social purpose.

I could fill a tome with objections, but in short: The housing crisis is partially driven by lack of supply. Therefore we need to build new homes. We should not be transferring £17.5bn to private individuals who already have security of tenure. We should instead be spending that £17.5bn on … [drum roll] … building new homes! I know substantial public investment in something as important as housing is something of a radical idea these days, but still.

The Conservative Party wants to sell homes that belong neither to them nor the country. (It also wants to sell council housing to facilitate the sale of housing association stock, thereby exacerbating the overall loss of housing). The homes belong to non-profit organisations that exist to provide social benefit to the community, and more often than not do a very good job of it. Forcing them to sell at a discount will run counter

to their objectives. It will therefore require new legislation which allows the government to force a private social enterprise to sell the very assets on which it raises private finance to … [drum roll] … build new homes!

This is most atypical of a party which prides itself on small-statism. I wonder what the motivation can possibly be? If a right to buy policy must be enacted, why not extend it to all rented accommodation? This sudden release of supply for sale would force a correction in both sale and rental values, and would be rather less likely to result in the loss of much needed social housing. I would happily see the value of my home plummet if it meant that it would make life better for the millions of people forced to spend an unsustainable percentage of their income on putting a roof over their heads.

Kai Thomas, email FIRST I would like today thank you for an alternative newspaper in Tunbridge Wells.

Secondly, despite the fact that Greg Clark is a personable and excellent constituency MP, the fact remains that he is a Conservative and member of cabinet (despite dissolution) and will have little influence on reducing business rates.

Thirdly, thank you for your coverage of the excellent Green candidate we

have in Tunbridge Wells, Marie Jones, who made very sensible suggestions about the cinema site.

Christo Skelton Candidate for the Green Party in Pantiles and St. Mark’s CAN I say a massive thank you for the piece in the Times about Rusthall Newtown football success. It has made my week and on page two.

Thank you again.

Gary Ede, email THANKS for your article on the cyclists’ campaign which has great merit, in my view, for safety but also for the health benefits cycling can bring. I whole-heartedly back the objectives of it and I wish the organisers well in getting speed restrictions, too. I also agree that there is a certain section of the cycling community which does itself absolutely no favours by the arrogant way it behaves on the road. Apart from looking slightly ridiculous, they often hold up traffic by refusing to budge and react to requests to move aside to let traffic through with rude gestures.

Alison MacFarlane, email I AM very disappointed that Times of Tunbridge Wells did not understand the real meaning of what happened at the War Memorial on April 15. Your article “Lycra-clad rebels who played dead” gets the message totally wrong.

As a mother of three, and supporter of this campaign I must say it is not just about bicycles, Copenhagen or Amsterdam any more, it is about our children. Like many other cities and towns it is about Tunbridge Wells also moving forward, but for this to happen we need to have brave and inspired politicians to think different about pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure network. We need infrastructure that will allow our children to play safely in the street, and have safe roads to their primary and secondary schools. The inhabitants of Tunbridge Wells should feel that walking and cycling are real alternatives to using the car for short trips within Tunbridge Wells.

If cycling looks and feels normal, where you can ride like a normal person in your normal clothes, more people will cycle. The more people that walk and cycle the safer they are, the more lives will be saved from amongst the 37,000 that die each year in the UK from inactivity and obesity-related illnesses. According to the latest survey 59.4 per cent of all people in Tunbridge Wells are obese or overweight. Obesity tends to track into adulthood, so obese children are more likely to become obese adults.

Never mind the more than 27,000 that die annually from pollution-related illness, including almost 50 each year in Tunbridge Wells alone. I think this is a worthy cause to support which will benefit everyone in Tunbridge Wells, regardless of their mode of transport. As a local newspaper I hope to read positives articles about Tunbridge Wells and treated with the respect its people deserve.

Veronica Studsgaard, email THANK you Times of Tunbridge Wells for my free copy of your paper that was being distributed in Tonbridge. You have gone far and wide in your news coverage; the Channel Tunnel got a mention, as did Belgian Beer; Scotland had a brief word, you also covered Australia, Greece and Egypt. My one concern however after spreading your wings worldwide was that there was not one mention of your sister town just five miles away. If you wish to continue distribution in Tonbridge I feel that just a tiny bit of coverage about us would be welcomed.

Harry Eliott Tonbridge AS A visitor to Tunbridge Wells, not a resident, I have to ask if the interminable work laying pretty bricks in the centre of town will ever end? I am sure the must be a good reason for it, but I can’t think what it is. Will this still be going on when the cafes and restaurants are trying to attract people to their businesses during the summer months? I really hope not.

John Mellor, email

CONTACT US EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615

EDITOR SIMON FINLAY simon@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576042

DEPUTY EDITOR ELEANOR JONES eleanor@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037

16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU facebook.com/timesoftunbridgewells timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timesoftw newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Calverley CALVERLEY has not the faintest interest in politics, per se, but a known mischief maker draws my attention to the council’s candidate list for Speldhurst and Bidborough.

According to the list, the ‘Kipper Will O’Shea lives in Bidborough, while the Lib Dem Jacqueline Prance and Labour’s Ann Tyler both reside in Tunbridge Wells. The Tory, David Jukes, submits his address as Boars Head and a postcode. Is that Boar’s Head, in Crowborough, East Sussex?

Surely not!

MY HEART is filled with gladness upon the receipt of an election leaflet from the Liberal Democrats’ general election candidate James MacCleary. In it he scribbles: “And you can’t trust the Tories to care because they only care for themselves.” That’s the first nomination for the Times’ ‘Dear Pot; Yours Sincerely, Kettle’ section of the 2015 Political Awards.

HOW many eagle-eyed folk spotted that fine local actor Michael Fenton Stevens playing a cheerfully optimistic Liberal Democrat election guru in the new satirical Channel 4 series, Ballot Monkeys?

I understand Mr Fenton Smith only met his fellow conspirators on April 16 with the first show broadcast five days later.

NOT sure which way Mr Fenton Stevens swings, politically, but back in February he retweeted a BBC news story that the former Tory foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind had been suspended from his parliamentary party over cash-foraccess claims. Sadly, no mention of that other chancer nailed in the fine Daily Telegraph undercover sting, New Labour’s Jack Straw.

NEW deputy mayor, David Neve, will take to wearing the mayoral robe like a pro according to David Jukes, as he is no stranger to dressing up.

Upon proposing to his wife Mr Neve planned to dress up as Superman and dangle from a crane while it was filmed for a Jeremy Beadle TV show. Unfortunately health and safety put a stop to the crane, but the Lib Dem councillor still wore the Superman costume when he went down on one knee.

I TELEPHONE a senior public figure and his wife answers the telephone.

“He’s popped out to get some mascarpone and quinoa,” she declares unabashed.

Soooooooo Tunbridge Wells!

Chin chin!!

Wednesday 29th April 2015

PEOPLE �

19

Fighting to save my son’s very, very special school AS THE mother of an autistic child, Emma Porter, of High Brooms, was delighted to read our report last week that her 12-year-old son Josh’s specialist school had been saved. Hextable’s Furness School is to become a satellite of Tunbridge Wells’ Broomhill Bank and she was part of group of parents who fought to keep it open. Here, she takes up the story…

What is ASD?

HAPPY Emma and her son Josh

AS A PARENT of three children I understand how hard it is to find the right school for your children.

However, with a son on the autistic spectrum, I found it nearly impossible to find a suitable school for him.

He attended a mainstream primary school up until year six but it wasn’t until going up to secondary school that I discovered how difficult it was.

I had wanted him to go to a mainstream school but he was turned down because the school was not going to be able to offer him the level of support he required.

At that point, I had to consider specialist provisions.

Kent County Council would consider their provisions first so the only option that was available to me in Kent was Furness school at Hextable.

As a parent, I did my research by asking others with children like mine did not get a positive response from them so I was very wary about sending my son to the school.

However, its reputation seemed to stem from when it was a behavioural school and not one specialising as one dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Furness was only re-designated as an ASD specialist last September, so I can understand why numbers were low.

However, after looking around the school and talking to the staff I felt it was the right place for my son.

But in February this year, Kent County Council announced that it was proposing to close the school at the end of the academic year due to low numbers and a deficit of £1.6 million all the teachers were sent out redundancy letters.

They were instructed to tell the children

Furness was closing.

This news sent the children into a meltdown with some so upset they had to go home.

One child even told the county council that Furness is ‘not just a school it’s a home’.

Then the public consultation started, that’s when the fight started.

We were advised that we should start looking at other schools but at the same time we were told that we did not have to accept places until after the consultation process had been completed.

However, this caused considerable distress for my son because he has been shown other schools - but now doesn’t understand what’s going on.

The proposed closure has caused a great deal of stress and anxieties for all concerned but most of all for the children who need continuity of care.

For my son, I feared he was going to be moved for the fourth time since starting school.

We were informed last week that Broomhill Bank had put forward a proposal to set up a satellite school based at Furness and this option will, hopefully, be agreed by the education chief Roger Gough.

If this is agreed our children will be allowed to stay and hopefully the school will become more popular and expand to include 16 plus which Furness was not able to offer but which will relieve more stress for us as parents.

For us, the proposal is the best option.

Okay, yes, Furness will close at the end of the academic year because of the deficit but it will reopen on the 1st of September with a fresh start.

ASD, or Autism Spectrum Disorder,’ is the term frequently used to refer to the group of disorders included under the general heading of the pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) in the International Classification of Diseases (World Health Organisation, 1992).

This group of disorders are ‘characterised by qualitative abnormalities in reciprocal social interactions and in patterns of communication, and by a restricted, stereotyped, repetitive repertoire of interests and activities.’

This classificatory system has been designed to accommodate the needs of clinicians, researchers and administrators, but the terminology can be confusing for parents, teachers and others.

Nevertheless, the classification does effectively demonstrate that there are a range of disorders

which share essential features, and that simply identifying those with classical autism does not address the extent of the problem.

The family of autism spectrum disorders includes Asperger syndrome (currently distinguished from autism by absence of significant language delay, and general intellectual skills in the normal range), pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and childhood disintegrative disorder.

The National Autistic Society estimates a prevalence rate of people with autism spectrum disorders of 11 in 1000 people (1.1 per cent of the population).

For an average list size of 2,000 people, each GP is likely to have around 22 people on the autism spectrum on their list.

Source: The National Autistic Society

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

20 � PEOPLE

Taylor Made Dreams is a charity set up in memory of and inspired by Taylor Mitchell, who died aged 15 in September 2011. Eleanor Jones met Taylor’s mum Suzi Mitchell, who wants to help other children achieve their dreams…

Making dreams come true in Taylor’s name DURING the last months and years of his life, Taylor Mitchell swam with dolphins, met David Beckham and rode in a red Ferrari.

Less than five years later, his mother Suzi’s charity is offering other children with life-limiting illnesses the chance to make their own dreams come true.

“At a time when life is so cruel, these experiences lift you,” she explained.

“They give you some hope. Even though, as a parent, I knew Taylor didn’t have long left, to see how thrilled he was by the things he did made so much difference.

“My hope was that the rest of his time would be enhanced by the experiences, that we as a family could enjoy them with him and build cherished memories for when he’d gone.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

“My vision now is to recreate that for other people.”

Taylor was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2, a genetic condition which makes the body more susceptible to tumours, and given two years to live in 2009.

Soon afterwards, he and Suzi watched The Bucket List, a film in which a man with a year to live decides to fulfil all his dreams.

“I asked him if he if wanted to make a list of his own and he said yes,” Suzi said.

“Watching the film was very emotive because he’d just been given two years to live. Taylor didn’t know it was terminal, he’d made me promise not to tell him if he was dying because he didn’t want to give up. I never did, but he knew,

and he didn’t give up, right to the end.”

Suzi and Taylor started compiling a list of his dreams, which ranged from swimming with dolphins to meeting his comic hero John Bishop – who is now a patron of the charity.

Thanks to Taylor’s Bucket of Wishes, an association started by family friends Amanda Tucker and Trudy Yardley, the teenager was able also to stay in a treehouse in Center Parcs, his dream holiday.

“He was incredibly poorly but he loved it there,” said Suzi.

“We kept a diary of all the things he did and he wrote: ‘It’s amazing, I can’t wait to come back.’

“I was very aware of how important it was for Taylor to have something to aim for and look forward to, rather than spending every day in bed, waiting to die.

“It’s such a yin and yang situation. It was such a privilege to be part of these experiences but so bizarre as you’re trying to find the strength to take one step after another, then in the next breath, you’re having lunch with David Beckham. You’re empty as you know your loss is coming but you’re lucky enough to see your beautiful child’s eyes light up.

“It doesn’t take away the enormity and gravity of what’s happening but it does give you that hope, in an unbearable situation.”

Marden company Blades Joinery, with businessmen Shane Armstrong of Crowborough and Paul Wilcox of Tonbridge, made it possible for Suzi to run Taylor Made Dreams full-time. The charity was registered last September but the seeds had

been sown years before.

“Having had the experiences we did, I thought: ‘I’m going to do this for other children one day’. It was as simple as that,’ Suzi explained.

“When he passed away, I was broken. I didn’t work for months but then I applied for a job at Taylor’s school, Beacon Academy, on the complex needs team which had supported Taylor in his last year.

“I was working with other children, which started the process of putting my plan into action.”

Suzi’s plan for Taylor Made Dreams included not only granting wishes but also providing support to families in unbearable situations.

She said: “We’re going to provide a wheelchairaccessible vehicle, to take families to hospital appointments.

“We used to have three appointments in London every week and it was such a stress. Paying for peaktime travel, carrying Taylor up steps and asking people to carry his wheelchair, trying to travel on the Tube.

“It was undignified and embarrassing for Taylor and he was in such pain, which was made worse if anyone jogged him. It was soul-destroying.

“I think it’s really important. With the vehicle, which was funded by a donation from Blades Joinery, we can pick families up when it suits them, provide wheelchairs if needed and take away what seems a small thing but in fact is an incredibly stressful and expensive necessity.”

The charity will also offer support for children and their families, offering counselling and treatments such as reflexology, and care in the home, as well as

PEOPLE �

21

HELPING DREAMS COME TRUE PATRON John Bishop said: “I received an email about a young boy called Taylor who was unfortunately terminally ill… he was asked to write his bucket list and he wanted to meet me…

We arranged to meet in Nottingham and I could see what a bubbly person he was and how he was approaching what was coming ahead.

“I agreed to be patron because of the personal contact and because I knew the reason behind it and I knew the result of it, I knew what Suzi was trying to achieve with the charity and I knew what was motivating her.

“Being a patron of something that is, if you like, a smaller charity that can have a big effect is possibly more rewarding because it can have a big impact.”

LEFT Swimming with dolphins was something made possible for Taylor ABOVE Suzi Mitchell with her aims for the future of Taylor Made Dreams fulfilling the dreams.

“Those experiences made such a big difference, I don’t know how to put it into words,” said Suzi.

“It was incredible for us as a family to experience those unique opportunities to have quality time together when I as a mother knew that time was so incredibly precious.

“Doing this is my way of making sense of it all, making some sense of the tragedy our family had to go through. Taylor was here for a reason and I believe this was it – to make a better world for children with terminal illness. I can’t make sense of it otherwise.

“He was such an inspirational young man, who

Image courtesy of Elho

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touched so many lives. It’s incredible how short his life was yet how big his legacy has already become and will continue to be.

“People say I’m amazing for what I’m doing but it’s not me, I’m just the channel for the reason he was here.

“If he hadn’t gone through what he did, with such dignity and courage, I wouldn’t now be making such a difference in his name. He’s why I won’t stop.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.taylormadedreams.net, search for Taylor Made Dreams on Facebook. Or email taylormadedreamscio@gmail.com , which is also a PayPal address.

SUZI is holding a corporate event at Rosemary Shrager’s Cookery School, The Pantiles, later this year. Films starring and voiced by patron John Bishop will be shown and guests will be invited to join the ‘Titaynium Circle’, by donating between £500 and £1,500 for specific children’s wishes or other projects, with plaques, promotion and updates on how the money is spent in return. For more information, use the contact details above.

LIZ Chandler’s family was given a holiday in France by Taylor Made Dreams.

She said: “We were extremely privileged to be Taylor Made Dreams’ first family to receive support after our daughter passed away. She fought a brave and courageous battle and at the time, life for our family was impossible to describe. After such an event you carry on with your life as best you can to give strength to your children and family, so when TMD gave us the opportunity to spend quality family time together by offering us a holiday, we were overwhelmed by their generosity and support. We feel a part of the TMD family and are truly thankful for their continued support on this difficult journey.”

Suzi’s wish list...

Could you help provide any of the following?

A two-room office space with disabled access in Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough or the surrounding area Charity fuel allowance account Computer Stationery account Office furniture Volunteer drivers with experience of driving minibuses Gift cards Sports car rides - Porche /Lamborghini/Ferrari/Classic cars Gift vouchers Gift days Spa days Flowers/meals out for families Venues/catering for events Graphic designer Social media expert Accountant Charity solicitor IT support Administration volunteer Corporate sponsorship Holidays

BA LCONYS C APE DESIGNED FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS. BE INSPIRED E sales@balconyscape.co.uk | T 0800 046 9650 | W www.balconyscape.co.uk

Wednesday 29th April 2015

22 � FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

All white now

Just how simple is it to keep your whites white? Charlie Bond finds out…

OLIVER’S TOP TIPS Brush your teeth properly – all the surfaces and you need to use floss.

Watch hidden sugars in foods.

Even things that say ‘natural’ can be dangerous.

When the teeth aren’t being attacked by decay, they’re actually healing, so the trick is to leave enough time for the teeth to repair themselves. You can do this by using things like fluoride toothpaste which toughens up the roots.

You need to see a good dentist regularly, and a hygienist too.

Often there is more than one option about things like fillings, it’s important you know what you’re getting and if your dentist isn’t offering you all the options, it might be worth getting a second opinion.

IN THE CHAIR Charlie Bond talks teeth with Oliver Harman PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Philips Sonicare DiamondClean in black (£250) This toothbrush does so much I’m surprised it can’t cook your meals and drive your car for you. With seven settings including whitening and polishing, a USB charging travel case and a glass charger, brushing your teeth is about to get a lot more stylish. Improving gum health and whitening teeth by up to two shades in two weeks, using this little gem should definitely get you a gold star from the dentist. www.philips.co.uk

Wednesday 29th April 2015

“JUST off to Harley Street for a tooth-whitening session with mum,” one of my Facebook friends recently posted. A couple of years ago, a status like that would have surprised me, but now popping out for a brighter smile seems to be as normal as having Marmite on toast or taking the dog for a walk.

“Typically, ‘home’ whitening costs between £200 and £300,” explains cosmetic dentist Oliver Harman, who runs the Harman Clinic in Tunbridge Wells.

“It’s an affordable investment if you think about the cost of a lipstick or a haircut – ultimately it’s like altering the brightness on your TV; it’s not going to change your teeth but they will look a lot brighter.”

Oliver, who has been in the industry for more than 30 years and is one of only two dentists in the country to be awarded a fellowship from the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, believes the media and our American cousins are all contributing factors in us Brits wanting superstar smiles.

“The younger age group especially are inundated with pictures online and in magazines of people with white smiles, so they’re conditioned that that’s how teeth should look,” he explains.

“For our 2015 culture, that’s what we now feel is acceptable. We’ve also got a bit of a trans-Atlantic thing going on – I think we’re more affected by the States in this country than some other countries.”

However, despite the States’ leading the way in the pearly white stakes, the demand for a ‘Hollywood smile’ straight out of a celebrity’s mouth is declining.

“The demand has dropped off in terms of pure cosmetic makeovers,” says Oliver who a few years ago appeared on Living UK’s Extreme Makeover UK. “Unfortunately, a lot of the time

people are frightened by the idea of cosmetic dentistry because it conjures up images of famous people who are very obvious about what they’ve had done.”

‘What they’ve had done’ is often some form of veneer, which once upon a time could be damaging to teeth. Now though, the ceramics are lasting longer and are a lot safer, as Oliver explains.

“Studies show the porcelain is holding up as long as gold over a 12-year period,” he says.

“The days of having to have your tooth put in a pencil sharpener and filed down to a point, often losing as much as 70 per cent of the tooth are far reduced. We can use modern porcelains to just replace what we need to and provide a long, strong restoration. You’re not paying the biological price for beauty any more.”

Although cosmetic dentistry is now a greater investment, safer and more hard-wearing than ever before, it’s still not a permanent fix. Even for the rich and famous there will come a point where the work needs to be done again.

“What we do doesn’t last a lifetime, it will need replacing,” advises Oliver. “If someone tells you it’ll last forever, it isn’t true!”

So how do you know that the white you want is the right white for you? We’ve all seen the episode of Friends where Ross ends up with teeth whiter than snow and while some might want a glow-inthe-dark grin, most would probably rather refrain from being their own night light.

“Interestingly, a patient’s idea of ‘natural’ is often a lot whiter than they realise,” explains Oliver.

“During the consultation process, I use photo simulations so we’re both on the same page and I’ve interpreted what they want. There is a limit to how white your teeth will go because teeth have a natural translucency to them; if people want their

teeth as white as a toilet bowl, they’ll probably have to go for porcelain veneers rather than whitening.”

Having worked in Tunbridge Wells since 2008, Oliver now has a good idea of what his local clients are looking for in a smile when they come to him.

“In the town I’m seeing a lot of interest in whitening and also straightening,” he says.

“You’ve got mums at the school gates and they’ll get their teeth straightened and whitened – not a Hollywood smile but that well-groomed look we’re seeing coming in from the east coast of America, which is more subtle.”

With the popularity of dental procedures on the rise and technology constantly advancing, it would be safe to assume that the future of oral hygiene is looking bright, but Oliver reveals there are concerns too.

“Going down the line you’re going to get two significant levels – those who value their teeth and those who don’t,” he says. “It’s always been that way but I think it’s going to become a bit more marked. There’s still a significant group of people who don’t see dentistry as important, and this group is expanding. It’ll also have a knock-on effect on the children which is worrying.”

VERDICT: Before I visited Oliver, I didn’t realise how easy procedures such as veneers and whitening were and how much they’ve changed over time. I can definitely see the advantages of having procedures, especially now I know the Towie look isn’t the only option out there! I left the clinic feeling extreme guilt for having ignored my dentist’s letters about making an appointment and swiftly called him. Sadly, I paid for a filling rather than a nice new set of teeth, but who knows, soon I could be the one bragging about my new pearly whites on Facebook…

THE TOWN’S NEW PROPERTY GUIDE – A MUST READ FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BUY, LET OR SELL

MOVE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WITH THE

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

CAMDEN PARK

This show-stopper property in Camden Park boasts an incredible 8,780sq ft of well-proportioned accommodation as one of a range of properties on the following pages.

For full details, turn to page 27

Wednesday 29th April 2015

24 � PROPERTY

A handsome Edwardian property overlooking Southborough Common

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

In my view…

Martin Ball Knight Frank Finance

Banks are keen to lend again

AT A GLANCE BETH HOLME, CHURCH ROAD, SOUTHBOROUGH Impressive Edwardian house with views over the common Character features Large parking and turning area Detached former coach house providing annex or office Drawing room Family room Vast kitchen/breakfast/dining room Cloakroom, Utility room, Cellar Master suite with dressing room and en-suite shower room Five further bedrooms, two en-suite Family bathroom Study area Glass-covered veranda and terrace £1,650,000 For sale through Alexandre Boyes 01892 525522 www.alexandre-boyes.co.uk

Wednesday 29th April 2015

BETH Holme is an imposing Edwardian property in an enviable location, with views over Southborough Common and St Peter’s Church. Retaining many of its original features, including a glass-covered veranda, and boasting secondary accommodation in the form of a detached former coach house, this splendid property is spacious and beautifully presented.

With its high ceilings, ornate cornicing, intricate tiled floors, large sash windows and exposed wood floorboards, it’s impossible to forget the history of this grand house, but thanks to a recent refurbishment, it also has all the modern conveniences that could be hoped for.

On the ground floor the accommodation comprises an attractive entrance hall, with unusual tiled floor and a grand staircase, as well as a family room and drawing room. Both feature marble fireplaces and are flooded with natural light thanks to the large windows.

The magnificent kitchen/dining room is more than 30ft long, running the length of the house.

With a range of white units and black work surfaces, it features integrated appliances, a central island unit, breakfast area with bay window and a dining area with marble fireplaces and a door to the covered veranda

running alongside the house.

A utility room, a cloakroom and a staircase to a small cellar with boiler room and space for wine storage complete the ground floor.

Upstairs is an impressive master bedroom with far-reaching views and an en-suite dressing room and shower room. A guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a third bedroom with adjoining ‘Jack and Jill’ shower room and a study can also be found on this floor.

On the top floor are three further bedrooms, all with feature fireplaces, a modern family bathroom and a separate WC. The property is approached through large timber gates to a generous parking and turning area. The gardens are a real feature and provide a secluded and peaceful setting overlooking the green, with woodland to the rear. As well as the covered veranda, there is a large terrace perfect for outdoor entertaining.

To one side of the house is the detached former coach house, converted to include a garage and two reception rooms on the ground floor and a sitting room with kitchen area, bedroom and shower room on the first floor.

As well as an annex, it could also be used as a home gym or office.

THE Bank of England base rate has now been at a record low of 0.5 per cent for more than six years, and yet mortgage rates are hitting new lows amid renewed vigour in the market.

Banks and building societies are keen to lend, and in their efforts to entice new borrowers, they are continuing to launch even more attractive mortgage deals.

Although the debate about the introduction of the mortgage market review (MMR) rules in April last year has quietened, the impacts are still being felt a year on. Lenders have tightened their criteria and they are struggling to complete as many applications. The reality is that lenders are terrified of being fined for mis-selling. Therefore, if they cannot compete on criteria, they must compete on price.

An increasing number of borrowers are turning to mortgage brokers to help navigate their mortgage applications through the MMR regime.

Martin Ball, Knight Frank Finance’s mortgage consultant for Tunbridge Wells, has been working in the industry for over ten years. He specialises in negotiating with high street lenders and private banks to find his clients the best possible rates in the market for their circumstances.

If you would like your borrowing requirements reviewed, please call Martin Ball at Knight Frank Finance on 0808 168 9661.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

PROPERTY �

25

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AT A GLANCE

17 CALVERLEY PARK CRESCENT, TUNBRIDGE WELLS Decimus Burton-designed town house End of terrace with double or triple aspects to many rooms Lower ground floor au-pair flat with access to basement storerooms Large and contemporary kitchen/ breakfast room First floor drawing room with French doors to a balcony Family bathroom Three bedrooms WC Communal gardens Residents’ parking £995,000 For sale through Savills 01892 507000 www.savills.com

Your chance to own a striking Decimus Burton town house ARCHITECT Decimus Burton, well known in Tunbridge Wells for having designed some of the town’s most recognisable buildings, created Calverley Park Crescent at the entrance to the private Calverley Park estate between 1828 and 1835 and originally named it Calverley Promenade. Once a row of shops with lodgings above, the local stone buildings are Grade II* listed and recognised for their historic and architectural importance.

Number 17 was offices until a few years ago, when it was sympathetically converted to a private residence. With all the features you would expect of the era, including high ceilings, sash windows, wooden shutters and panelled wood doors, this property is exceptional – and being at the end of the terrace, it boasts an unusual curved bay to its eastern end. The four floors of accommodation have good levels of natural light and some rooms have double or triple aspects with town views, and more distant views from the top floor.

The lower ground floor is currently arranged as an au-pair flat with its own rear entrance. It has a utility room, shower room, a bedroom and a sitting room, with period cast iron range, and provides access to storage rooms at the front, under the colonnade.

On the ground floor is a stylish tripleaspect kitchen/breakfast room with window and built-in cupboards. The contemporary Krieder kitchen has been fitted with a view to minimising its impact on the building’s fabric, with the majority of the cupboards and the worktop incorporated into a large island unit.

On the first floor is a light and airy drawing room, benefiting from a double aspect and French doors on to a south-facing balcony with views over the communal gardens towards Calverley Park and the town. The family bathroom, by West One Bathrooms, includes a freestanding bath in the bay, a freestanding vanity unit with wash basin and a large walkin shower.

There are three bedrooms on the top floor, each enjoying a different outlook, and the master has two windows facing south with delightful views. A separate WC completes the accommodation on this floor.

To the front of the house is a paved colonnade with steps down to the drive and the communal grounds. These are well-maintained and comprise a curved area of lawn and well-stocked borders.

There is private residents’ parking on the shared drive.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

26 � PROPERTY

A peaceful setting for this modern detached home AT A GLANCE 30A HASTINGS ROAD, PEMBURY Detached modern home Tucked-away position in popular village Open farmland to the rear Large south-facing garden Driveway parking and integral garage Entrance hall Cloakroom Sitting room Dining room Kitchen Breakfast room Master bedroom with en-suite shower room Three further bedrooms Family bathroom Offers in excess of £500,000 For sale through Barnes Kingsnorth 01892 822880 www.bkestateagents.com

WITH fields to the rear and a peaceful, tucked-away location in Pembury, this fourbedroom detached house is very appealing.

The property, offered with no onward chain, has plenty of potential for an ideal family home.

Set back off the road, with gated entrance and hedge screening it, the property offers peace and privacy in the heart of the village.

The farmland to the rear, used for grazing horses, and the good sized south-facing garden create a wonderful oasis.

The accommodation, although generous in proportion and thoughtfully laid out, offers scope for cosmetic updating. The ground floor comprises an entrance hall with cloakroom, a sitting room with attractive brick fireplace and double doors to the dining room, which has patio doors to the garden. The kitchen has an archway to the breakfast room which has doors to the rear.

Upstairs, the principal bedroom has an ensuite shower room, and there are three further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

To the front is driveway parking for several cars and an integral garage, which offers potential to extend and remodel depending on planning permission.

Pembury offers shops, a post office, pubs, takeaways and a good primary school and is only three miles from the centre of Tunbridge Wells and a short drive from Tunbridge Wells, High Brooms and Tonbridge stations.

A stunning designer house in a private lane AT A GLANCE ASHURST, PEMBURY ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS Contemporary property built in 2006 Stylish modern design, energy-efficient Light and airy rooms with large windows Reception hall with feature staircase Dining room with galleried landing above Sitting room Study/family room Cloakroom, utility room Fabulous modern kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances Galleried half landing providing a library area Master bedroom with en-suite shower room Guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom Three further bedrooms Family bathroom, gravelled parking area Double garage Level garden about 0.35 of an acre £1,350,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

ASHURST, in a private lane off Pembury Road, is a state of the art designer home built in 2006.

With a stunning exterior of self-coloured acrylic render and silvered oak weather boards, it has a hand crafted zinc roof with matching gutters, flashings and fascias.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

Designed to save energy as well as create a luxurious family home, it is double-glazed with low emissivity glazing to reduce heat loss. It has huge feature windows to maximise natural light, top quality thermal insulation, underfloor heating to the ground floor, surround sound wiring in the sitting room, digital TV points throughout and audio wiring in the kitchen and dining room for entertaining.

Double doors open to the reception hall, with tiled flooring and cloakroom, and an archway with a step down leads to the large, bright dining room. An impressive room with an open light well and void to acoustic ceiling, there is a galleried first-floor landing above, a feature fireplace on

raised hearth and patio doors to the garden.

This leads to the sitting room, with hardwood flooring, cupboard and fixed shelving unit. The contemporary kitchen/breakfast room is by Pronorm, with an extensive range of high gloss units, granite work surfaces and stainless steel integrated appliances by AEG. There is a breakfast bar and a superb breakfast area with sliding doors on to the rear terrace.

A well-equipped utility room, a study/family room and a cloakroom complete the ground floor.

The staircase is a feature, with hardwood stairs, glass panels and brushed steel handrails, as well as a half landing leading to the first floor galleried landing, which is used as a library with fitted

bookshelves and picture windows.

On the first floor, the master bedroom suite is a bright double-aspect room with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite shower room. There is a guest bedroom suite with en-suite bathroom, a family bathroom and three further bedrooms, one currently used as an office.

The property is approached by a private lane to a group of three houses, of which Ashurst is the centre. There is a gravelled turning and parking area flanked by lawn with shrubs and conifers; the property also benefits from an attached double garage. At the rear are two paved terraces overlooking the garden, which is level and laid to lawn with shrub boundaries and a shed.

PROPERTY �

27

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AT A GLANCE PERREYS, CAMDEN PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS Modern period style mansion in one of the town’s private parks Integral one-bedroom flat Reception hall Kitchen/breakfast room Dining room Family room Drawing room Sitting room Games room Study Laundry room Utility room Two cloakrooms Six bedrooms, four en-suite, two sharing a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom Integral double garage and store rooms Mature grounds of about 1.2 acres £4,000,000 For sale through Savills 01892 507000 www.savills.com

Take a tour of this magnificent period-style mansion PROVIDING an incredible 8,780sq ft of wellproportioned accommodation, Perreys in Camden Park is a showstopper of a property.

Built in 2002 but designed to be in keeping with the other period villas in the private estate, it won a conservation commendation award from the Tunbridge Wells Civic Society.

With six reception rooms, six bedrooms, a one-bedroom staff flat and grounds of about 1.2 acres, the emphasis here is on space and style. As well as its location in one of Tunbridge Wells’ most favoured roads, the impressive mansion combines period style and elegance with modern features, including Creston and Lultron lighting control panels, under-floor heating, inset ceiling speakers for a sound system and a room wired for a cinema projector with dropdown screen.

Exemplary period style detailing includes panelled internal doors, sash windows with shutters, deep skirting boards and picture rails. There is limestone or wooden flooring on the ground floor and underfloor heating throughout. Bespoke fitted cabinetry in many rooms and a generous number of domestic

areas ensure the living areas can be kept free of clutter.

On the ground floor there is a delightful double-aspect drawing room benefiting from a bay window with glazed doors out to the terrace and garden, as well as a marble fireplace with cast iron grate and slate hearth. There is a sitting room, leading off the kitchen, with further doors to the terrace and a drop-down screen to provide a home cinema.

The bespoke kitchen/breakfast room has a wonderful outlook over the rear garden and is fitted with quality integrated appliances.

There is also a large larder, a formal dining room, a games room, a study, a laundry room and a utility room on this floor, as well as stairs down to the internal garage and store rooms on the lower ground floor.

Upstairs, the master bedroom suite has a bay window featuring French doors to a Juliet balcony overlooking the garden and the meadow beyond. There is a fireplace, a fitted dressing room and a spacious en-suite bathroom with separate WC. Three more bedrooms also benefit from en-suite facilities

and the remaining two share a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom. One of the bedrooms also has a set of French doors to a balcony to the rear.

The integral staff flat is set away from the main accommodation and can be accessed externally via a secondary staircase. The accommodation comprises a doubleaspect sitting room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Outside, the imposing property is approached through electric wrought iron gates which open to a sweeping drive leading up to the covered colonnade entrance.

There are mature raised shrub borders to the perimeter and a continuation of the drive leads down to the integral double garage and additional off-road parking.

A large paved terrace spans the rear of the house, providing an excellent entertaining area. Curved steps lead down to a stepped expanse of lawn with central stone steps between the two levels and mature trees and hedges to the perimeter.

With grand grounds to match the property, this must be one of the finest residences in Tunbridge Wells.

The South-East’s Favourite Award-Winning Self Storage Company!

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XU

01892 507050 tunbridgewells@savills.com

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

New Instruction TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent

NUTLEY, east sussex

2 bedroom listed cottage ø 1 reception room ø 1 bathroom ø courtyard garden ø central, village location £1,150 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

3 bedroom semi-detached ø adjoining ashdown forest ø 3 reception rooms ø 2 bathrooms ø garage ø attractive gardens ø EPC rating = E £1,750 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

CROWBOROUGH, east sussex

PENSHURST, kent

5 bedroom detached house ø 4 reception rooms ø kitchen/breakfast room ø 2 bathrooms ø double garage ø EPC rating = D £2,450 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

3 bedrooms ø 2 reception rooms ø 3 bathrooms ø kitchen/breakfast room ø beautiful communal gardens ø 2 garages and allocated parking space ø EPC rating = B £3,500 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

Renting or letting this spring? Talk to Savills.

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XU

01892 507000 tunbridgewells@savills.com

savills.co.uk

TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent

PENSHURST, kent

Well placed for schools ø about 1 mile MLS ø 3 reception rooms ø playroom/study ø kitchen/ dining room ø 6 bedrooms ø garden ø off street parking ø 4,256 sq ft ø EPC=E

Ground floor apartment with views ø 2 receptions ø kithchen/breakfast room ø 3 bedrooms ø private terrace ø gated communal grounds ø 2 garages ø 2,673 sq ft ø EPC=B

Guide £1.295 million Freehold

Guide £1.1 million Leasehold

Contact: Amanda Wyatt

TIDEBROOK, NR WADHURST, east sussex

Contact: Liz Devall

TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent

Grade II listed ø rural position ø 3 miles MLS ø 2 receptions ø study ø kitchen/breakfast room Grade II* listed end of terrace town house ø drawing room with balcony ø kitchen/breakfast ø 4 bedrooms ø garden ø paddocks ø stables ø 2,096 sq ft ø about 2.52 acres room ø 3 bedrooms ø 1 bedroom flat ø communal garden ø residents' parking ø 2,260 sq ft

Guide £1.1 million Freehold

Contact: Liz Devall

Guide £995,000 Freehold

Contact: Liz Devall

Savills only concentrates on one type of house.

Yours.

If it's time to sell, talk to Savills.

Guide price: ÂŁ1,600,000

Cranbrook A beautiful family house on a quiet lane, within the Cranbrook School Catchment Area Entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, ground floor guest bedroom with en suite shower room, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom. Gardens and grounds. Detached open dining room. Detached double garage. Workshop. EPC rating F.

Guide price: ÂŁ585,000

Woodbury Park Road, Tunbridge Wells A Victorian family home in a convenient central location Spacious family accommodation arranged over three stories, with lovely high ceilings and large windows. Extensively renovated and decorated in a neutral, contemporary style, displaying a high standard of finish throughout. Entrance hall, sitting room, family room, kitchen / dining room, utility room, cloakroom. Master bedroom, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom, separate WC. South facing rear garden. EPC rating E.

Salehurst An attractive Grade II Listed period house in a rural location, with fine views over the surrounding countryside Reception hall, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom, dining room, sitting room, drawing room, library, conservatory. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 5 further bedrooms (3 with en suite bath / shower rooms), family bathroom. Gardens and grounds. Swimming pool.

Croquet lawn. Walled vegetable garden with greenhouse. Double garage. Lean-to garden workroom and tool shed. Log store and wine cellar.

Detached barn. Lake. Pond. In all about 3.2 acres.

Guide price: ÂŁ1,700,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/TNW150080

To find out how we can help you please contact us KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells tunwells@knightfrank.com 01892 310269

@KF_TWells KnightFrank.co.uk

LeGrys Tunbridge Wells 66 London Road Tunbridge Wells TN4 0PR twells@LeGrys.com Call FREE on 0800 320 2012 or 01892 529448 LeGrys.com

Sir David’s Park, Southborough

Freehold

Offers In The Region Of £369,950 • Beautifully Presented Family Home • Four Bedrooms • Modernised In Recent Years • Open-Plan Kitchen/Diner

Leasehold

Priced At £150,000 • One Bedroom Apartment • Light And Airy • Recently Renovated • One Double Bedroom

• Upstairs Family Bathroom • Downstairs Cloakroom • Quiet Location • Off-Road Parking

Edward Street, Southborough

Freehold

Guide Price £260,000-£270,000 • Beautiful Period Property • Deceptively Spacious • Two Double Bedrooms • Upstairs Bathroom • Packed Full of Period Features Throughout • Sunny Garden

Park Road, Southborough

• Communal Garden • Great Investment Opportunity • Walking Distance To Local Amenities • A Must See Property

Holden Park Road, Southborough

Freehold

Guide Price £400,000-£430,000 • Walking Distance To All Local Amenities • Close To Primary/Secondary And Grammar Schools • Five Minute Drive to Main Line Train Station • Open Day (By Appointment Only) This Saturday Between 12 Noon and 14:00pm

• Detached Family Home • Three Double Bedrooms • Off-Road Parking For Three Cars • Good Sized Garden With Lawn And Patio

• Great Location For Primary/Secondary And Grammar Schools • 15/20 Minute Walk To Mainline Train Station

Tunbridge Wells | Edenbridge | Rotherfield | Lewes | Associated London Office

In 2011, LeGrys opened its first office in Tunbridge Wells and has since gone on to open three further offices. LeGrys offer comprehensive Sales, Lettings & Property Management Services.

• Our Offices Are Open 7 Days A Week, maximising Viewing Potential • Free Professional EPC, Floor Plans and Photography on Sales Properties • No Tie-In Contracts • Highly Experienced Team of Staff

• Customer Service Led – Offering Totally Transparent Service • Extremely Competitive Fees • Members of The Registered Landlords Association & The Property Ombudsman • Offering Landlords Fully Managed, Let Only or Rent Collection Services

T LE

Coomb Field Road, Edenbridge Priced At £795 Per Calendar Month • Beautifully Decorated One Bedroom House • Bright & Airy Sitting Room • Pretty Private Garden

• Garage • Walking Distance to Edenbridge Station

Meadow Road, Southborough Priced at £950 Per Calendar Month • Two Double Bedrooms • Newly Decorated Throughout • Good Sized Sitting Room • Recently Modernised Kitchen • Original Fireplaces • Pretty Garden

Quarry Road, Tunbridge Wells

Marsh Green, Edenbridge

Priced At £850 Per Calendar Month

Priced At £2650 Per Calendar Month

• Newly Renovated Two Double Bedroom Apartment • One En-Suite Shower Room and One En-Suite Wet Room • Open-Plan Modern Kitchen/Lounge/Diner

• Excellent Location for Town Centre and all Local Amenities • Short Walk to Main Line Train Station • Available Immediately

Available Shortly • Close To Primary, Secondary And Grammar Schools • Five Minute Drive To Mainline Train Station • Excellent Location For Local Amenities • Recently Redecorated • Available Unfurnished

The long approach through rolling fields sets the tone for this delightful character detached three bedroom cottage, set within its own garden and accompanied by amazing views whilst benefiting from a private and secluded location. There is the possibility of also renting six acres of grazing fenced paddocks.

• Detached • Three Bedrooms • Character Property • Stunning Views

• Music Room • Roll Top Bath • Rural Yet Accessible Location • Option Of Six Acres Of Paddock & Stables

bracl<etfs

Batcheller Monkhouse -----------------

____,ft,____ WOOD & PILCHER

BROOKS PEACOCK Town & Country Propertzes

ellis

ESTATE AGENTS & CHARTERED SURVEYORS

and co

EST 1900

Lambert & Foster PART OF THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE

~MJProperty

"Knight WFrank

savills

Agents' Mutual Limited- A company limited by guarantee. Company No: 8381458. Registered in England & Wales. OnTheMarket.com and the associated logo are registered trademarks of Agents' Mutual Limited.

Registered Office: 3rd Floor Con naught House, 1-3 Mount Street, London W1 K 3NB, England.

Tunbridge Wells

£379,950

Tunbridge Wells

• 3 Bed End Terrace Home • No Forward Chain • Popular St James’ Location • Garage & Off Road Parking • Restyled Kitchen/Dining Room • Energy Efficiency Rating: E

• 1 Bedroom • Modern Kitchen • Close To Town & Station

Southborough

£279,950

• 2 Bedroom Cottage • Superbly Presented • Bathroom & En-Suite

Wadhurst • • • •

Individual Detached House Panoramic Views Over Garden & Beyond Four Double Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms

Tunbridge Wells • • • •

2/3 Bedroom Period Town House Accommodation over Three Floors Peaceful Village Location Approx. Under ¼ Mile From Station

• ‘Tucked Away’ Position • Southborough Common • Energy Efficiency Rating: C

£799,000 • • • •

Tunbridge Wells

3 Reception Rooms Double Garage with Studio/Office Above Semi Rural Location on Edge of Village Energy Efficiency Rating: E

Offers in Excess of £525,000 • • • •

Pretty Courtyard Garden Permit Parking A host of period features Energy Efficiency Rating: E

£725 PCM • Available Now • Energy Efficiency Rating: G • Agent’s Fees Apply

• • • •

Tunbridge Wells

Guide Price: £600,000 - £620,000

• 3 Bed Victorian Home • Arranged Over 3 Floors • Desirable Village Are

• Period Features • Permit Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: E

Tunbridge Wells • 2 Bedroom Victorian Cottage • Arranged over three Storeys • Beautiful Rusthall Location

£285,000 • Separate Kitchen & Diner • On Street Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: D

4 Bedrooms 2 Reception Rooms Good Sized Rear Garden Close To Mainline Station

£1,800 PCM • • • •

Popular Location Available May Energy Efficiency Rating: C Agent’s Fees Apply

Tonbridge • • • •

3 Bedrooms En-Suite Shower Room Decked Rear Garden River Views

£1,500 PCM • Close To Town & Station • Available Now • Energy Efficiency Rating: B • Agent’s Fees Apply

woodandpilcher.co.uk Tunbridge Wells Office 01892 511211 tunbridgewells@woodandpilcher.co.uk Letting & Management 01892 528888 lettings@woodandpilcher.com Southborough Office 01892 511311 southborough@woodandpilcher.co.uk OTHER OFFICES Tonbridge Office 01732 351135 tonbridge@woodandpilcher.co.uk Crowborough Office 01892 665666 crowborough@woodandpilcher.co.uk Heathfield Office 01435 862211 heathfield@woodandpilcher.co.uk

Langton Green • • • •

4 Bedroom Detached House 2 Reception Rooms Plus Study Master Bedroom with En Suite Garden Backing Onto Woodland

£595,000 • • • •

Beautifully Presented Throughout Popular Village Location Gas Central Heating, Double Glazing Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Tunbridge Wells • • • •

3 Bedrooms Newly Refurbished En-Suite Shower Room Low Maintenance Garden

£1,400 PCM • • • •

2 Parking Spaces Available Now Energy Efficiency Rating: C Agent’s Fees Apply

Associate Office (Park Lane) Tel: 020 7079(Park 1568Lane) Associate Office

Tunbridge Wells Tel: 01892 511211 Tunbridge Wells

Tel: 020 7079 1568

Tel: 01892 511211

Tonbridge Tel: Tonbridge 01732 351135

Commercial Tel:Commercial 01892 511711

Tel: 01732 351135

Tel: 01892 511711

Real London Office, Real London Buyers.

Associate Office (Park Lane) Tel: 020 7079 1568

Tunbridge Wells Tel: 01892 511211

Tonbridge Tel: 01732 351135

Commercial Tel: 01892 511711

Southborough Tel: 01892 511311 Southborough

Residential Letting & Management Tel:Letting 01892 528888 Residential & Management

Heathfield Tel: Heathfield 01435 862211

Crowborough Tel: 01892 665666 Crowborough

Tel: 01892 511311

Tel: 01892 528888

Tel: 01435 862211

Tel: 01892 665666

Southborough Tel: 01892 511311

Residential Letting & Management Tel: 01892 528888

www.woodandpilcher.co.uk Heathfield Tel: 01435 862211

Crowborough Tel: 01892 665666

Knowledge is power...

We have learnt a thing or two, over the last 45 years.

The independent buying agency covering the South East.

Colin Mackenzie Ltd T. (01435) 866988 info@cmproperty.co.uk www.cmproperty.co.uk

bracketts est. 1828

When experience counts...

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price £285,000

· · · · ·

Within a gated scheme - East of Town Centre 2 bedrooms, en suite and shower/WC Vaulted open plan living space with large balcony Allocated Parking Space EPC - C

Tunbridge Wells – Monthly Rental of £1,395

· · · ·

· · · · ·

St Johns area with no chain Living room with separate Kitchen Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom 2 further bedrooms EPC – C

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price: £365,000

· · · · ·

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price £347,950

Located in central “village area” – close to RTW Station Upper maisonette with period features Large reception room, Kitchen 3 double bedrooms, Area of private garden.

Modern semi-detached house in the South of town Living room and kitchen breakfast room 3 bedrooms, bathroom/WC plus ensuite Enclosed garden and garage EPC – C

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price: £535,000

· · · · ·

East of town with a large garden 20ft living room plus fitted kitchen 3 bedrooms, bathroom/WC Wet room shower/WC – Gas CH EPC – E

Tunbridge Wells– Monthly Rental of £1,495

· · · · ·

Nevill Park - Top floor apartment within Victorian villa Large roof terrace with views Two reception rooms - kitchen 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms EPC - D

Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 tunbridgewells@bracketts.co.uk

bracketts.co.uk

40 � PROPERTY

Five tips for improving your home’s frontage

BY Julia Gray

If you want to increase your home’s ‘kerb appeal’, giving the front a makeover is a must, whether you’re selling or staying put. Here’s how to do it…

Wednesday 29th April 2015

PROPERTY �

41

‘Tatty woodwork at the front of your home looks awful, so spruce up wooden windows and doors with wood filler and paint’

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT BOTTOM Little details make a big difference Try brightening up the front of your house Consider painting tatty window frames

1

This time of year is ideal for brightening up your front garden with window boxes, hanging baskets, troughs and tubs planted with colourful bedding plants. To define the entrance, especially if there could be confusion about which door is the front door, use plants to help guide people to the door and tubs to define it.

2

A front garden can add considerable value to your home if it’s made into off-street parking, especially in expensive urban areas. Planning permission is sometimes required for this, or there may be planning restrictions on things like size and the materials used – gravel or permeable paving, for example. With or without off-street parking, you can create an attractive, low-maintenance front garden with gravel, pebbles or slate chips combined with plants.

3

Tatty woodwork at the front of your home looks awful, so spruce up wooden windows and doors with exterior wood filler and paint. You can also, of course, paint metal windows and even UPVC ones. Changing the windows can make a massive difference

to the frontage, but it’s not cheap. And be careful not to decrease the value of your home – replacing original wooden sash windows with modern UPVC windows will devalue a property in some areas, for example.

4

One of the easiest ways to update the look of your front door is to change the door furniture – chrome or satin nickel is more fashionable than brass and gives a smart, contemporary look, suited to both period and modern doors. Get metal door numbers to match, or consider frostedfilm numbers if you have a glazed or partially glazed door or porch. They can be fiddly to fit, but look stunning.

5

Painting the door a different colour can also make a big difference. Ideally, the colour should go with the building’s brickwork, paintwork or other exterior finish, and suit its age and style of architecture. While some classic colours are always popular for front doors, including red, black and dark blue, there are also colour trends - greys and duck-egg blues and greens have become popular in recent years.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Powerful drill-drivers are a must for home improvement, but they tend to be big and heavy. Not the new Black & Decker ASD184K with Autosense Technology (£74, Very). This award-winning cordless drill-driver is 18V, so it’s up to the toughest jobs, but it’s smaller and lighter than any 18V model I’ve seen, making it perfect for those of us with smaller hands. It’s also comfy and ergonomic to hold. But, while size matters, the innovations don’t end there. This is designed to think for you, so DIY becomes a doddle.

Instead of giving you different torque settings to choose from, which can be confusing, it

adjusts the torque automatically when driving in screws. Torque is turning power, similar to a car’s gears, so this is like you’re driving an automatic rather than a manual. This drill-driver is really clever because it prevents you driving in screws too far and ruining the heads. It also enables you to adjust screws just a tiny bit – you can countersink screws in one smooth action, which is particularly useful. There’s a big button on top, so you can easily switch between drilling and screwdriving modes, plus a battery indicator light, something all rechargeable power tools should have.

This drill-driver gets top marks for size, power and, above all, innovation if you’re new to DIY, it’s an invaluable piece of kit.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

42 � INTERIORS

Finishing touches If you’re looking for some inspiration to brighten up your kitchen this spring, look no further than this collection…

Jumbo cup and saucer set – Violette PropMore6 £26.50 www.boutiqueprovencale.co.uk

Wooden cutlery box – fraicheur PropMore7 £11.95 www.boutiqueprovencale.co.uk

Fish and ships tea towel PropMore4 £11 www.in-spaces.com

Cooke & Lewis woburn kitchen PropMore8 PoA www.diy.com/cooke-and-lewis/

Animal drink stirrers PropMore5 £7.49 www.prettylittlepartyshop.co.uk/

Butterfly and bee storage canisters mint PropMore3 £5 www.berryred.co.uk

Skateboard chopping board PropMore1 www.thegiftoasis.com £12.29

Gisela Graham bumble bee embossed glass tumbler PropMore9 £6.99 www.mollieandfred.co.uk/

Wednesday 29th April 2015

‘Sea’ wave handmade glass splashback PropMore2 £7.49 www.steverobinsonglass.com

St James Court is a collection of three and four bedroom homes set within a private courtyard in the sought after town of Royal Tunbridge Wells

Over 40% reserved in launch week!

• Custom designed German kitchens with integrated appliances • Allocated private parking • Landscaped rear private gardens • 10 year LABC warranty • Great transport links Prices from £525,000

Call Savills on 01892 507005 or email tunbridgewellsrds@savills.com to book your personal appointment to view

www.purelake.co.uk

Introducing a new collection of townhouses

Three bedroom townhouses now available Two new three bedroom townhouses are now available at Royal Wells Park, ready to move into Summer 2015.

• Elegant design and contemporary specification • Close to the town centre • Less than one mile to the local main line station A collection of four bedroom townhouses coming soon.

Houses from £675,000 Apartments from £449,000 Call 01892 888 640 or email royalwellspark@berkeleyhomes.co.uk

www.royalwellspark.co.uk Sales and Marketing Suite, Culverden Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9QT

Prices and details correct at time of going to press and subject to availability.

Computer generated image depict the townhouses at Royal Wells Park.

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Wednesday 29th April 2015

44 � PROPERTY

An unusual modern home with garden level flat

AT A GLANCE Property: 14 Kentish Gardens, Tunbridge Wells Modern detached house with wonderful views to the rear Self-contained one-bedroom flat with access to a large terrace Drawing room/dining room with access to large balcony Family room with access to balcony Fitted kitchen Cloakroom Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom Three further bedrooms Family bathroom Detached garage with garden room/ gym below Landscaped rear garden £850,000 For sale through Hamptons 01892 516611 www.hamptons.co.uk

Wednesday 29th April 2015

THIS substantial detached house in Kentish Gardens, a quiet cul-de-sac off Broadwater Down, is arranged over three floors, with the lower ground floor currently used as a self-contained one-bedroom flat. Cleverly built into the side of a hill and with stunning views, it is well presented and offers flexible accommodation.

In order to make the most of the views, there is a terrace on the lower ground floor and a large balcony on the ground floor, along with a Juliet balcony on the first floor.

On the ground floor is a superb double-aspect drawing room/dining room with views to the front and double doors to the balcony at the rear, as well as a separate family room, also with double doors to the balcony. The fitted kitchen has a range of cherrywood units, long granite worktops and integrated appliances, including a hob, oven, dishwasher and wine cooler. A cloakroom tops off the accommodation on this floor.

Upstairs is a large master bedroom with exceptional views and an en-suite bathroom. The three further bedrooms are served by a family bathroom with plumbing for a washing machine and tumble dryer within mirrored cupboards.

On the garden level, the flat can be arranged with its own entrance or left as an integral part of the house.

It boasts a large bedroom with en-suite bathroom and double doors to a terrace, as well as a utility room and fully fitted kitchen. The sitting room also has double doors and views.

To the front is parking and access to a large detached garage which also benefits from a garden room or gym opening to a brick paved terrace in the garden beneath.

The gardens have been superbly landscaped with mature shrubs and trees, pathways and a stream.

PROPERTY TIPS

Tips for would-be first time developers Rupert Farrant Partner at Durlings

WITH the government’s ongoing plans to deregulate the country’s planning system, there are now more opportunities available for home and business owners to find ways of adding value to their properties.

There’s been much discussion about the conversion of offices into residential units but in rural Kent what’s likely to be of more interest is the inclusion of agricultural buildings like barns and outbuildings in the current permitted development rights (PDR) programme. It brings with it the opportunity to convert them to residential use with a limit of three dwellings per building.

It’s an opportunity for would-be first time developers. So what are the first things to think about when considering what to do with unused buildings?

Firstly, you need to check whether the buildings qualify for approval under PDR. There are a number of exemptions depending on where the property is situated, for example, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

You should also consider services.

Many agricultural buildings are in remote locations so the cost of bringing in essential services like electricity, water and so on may be prohibitive.

PDR allows for a change of use but ‘without physical changes to the building/s’. So, could you make the building habitable without that kind of changes?

You also need to be aware that building regulations will still apply and you need to include this in your budgeting. For example, properly insulating older timber buildings may be difficult to achieve to meet current requirements. Taking professional advice is important too, particularly with respect to rights of way and easements.

Critically, can you achieve the development and have it occupied before the end of May 2016 – the end date for PDR projects?

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE �

45

THINKING OF MOVING HOME THIS SPRING? You’ve made the decision to move, found your dream home and your offer has been accepted. Feelings of excitement and apprehension set in and all you want is the whole process to end with you safely ensconced in your new home. So what steps can you take to ensure that the process will run smoothly and costly mistakes are avoided? Well, skimping on surveys and conveyancing can cost you dearly in the long run. So here are some top tips to help your move go as smoothly as possible

5

REMEMBER TO ARRANGE BUILDING INSURANCE FROM THE DATE OF THE EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS. From exchange of contract you will be legally responsible for the structure of the property. This is often overlooked and can potentially have serious consequences. Make sure you have buildings insurance cover in place from this date.

With this being said and the potential risks of buying a home with hidden problems amounting to thousands of pounds in potential outgoings, why would you cut corners for the sake of a few pounds when the risks are so large?

For your free copy of the Kent Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home or for further advice regarding your home buying/selling experience contact our office today and speak to one of my property team on 01892 539 379 or email times@max.barford.co.uk

For a free copy of the Kent Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home or for further advice regarding your home buying/selling experience just complete and cut out this coupon and post to the address below. Alternatively call or email us today quoting reference MBRTO104 Telephone 01892 539 379 or Email times@maxbarford.co.uk

E ID EERS GU FRE MOVE

2

DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE HAPPY TO RELY ON THE MORTGAGE LENDER’S VALUATION OR DO YOU REQUIRE A FULL SURVEY. A lender’s valuation is an assessment carried out by and for the benefit of the lender in order to check that the property presents adequate security for its loan should you default and the property has to be sold. However, it does not report on actual faults in the property. For many, a Home Buyer’s Report, which will expose problems such as damp, dry rot and subsidence, is adequate but if you are buying an older house or unusual home a full structural survey will be a wise investment.

You wouldn’t buy a car without the knowledge of a service history, so why would you run this financial risk when buying a house?

You wouldn’t buy a car without the knowledge of a service history, so why would you run this financial risk when buying a house?

options available in order to try to resolve the issue.

M

1

GET YOUR MORTGAGE AGREED FIRST Although borrowing from banks and building societies has improved recently, it is not a given. So to avoid disappointment, check you can get the mortgage you need before starting the process. You can get a mortgage agreement in principle secured first, but remember that this is an indication and not a legal agreement.

you are instructing and that the firm is registered with a regulatory body such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

There are bogus law firms out there who will take your money and then close up shop which means you lose the money and your dream home. That is why it is essential that you get the advice and guidance you need every step of the way from a known reputable law firm. They are there to help you avoid the pitfalls of what can be a murky area.

The cheapest option may not always prove to be the best. Remember, this may well be the biggest purchase you’ll make and you want to be sure that you know what you are buying. You should be able to contact your conveyancer and fully understand what is happening at each step of the move. If you are not sure, ask! One further point to bear in mind is that your conveyancer will not visit the property themselves, so should there be something you feel uncertain about bring it to their attention and they will provide you with the

HO

• By Deborah Miller

Name Address

Tel.No Email Max Barford & Co 16 Mount Pleasant Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QU www.maxbarford.co.uk

3

REMEMBER TO FACTOR IN THE TRUE COST OF MOVING. Mortgage arrangement fees, survey fees, legal costs and removal costs are all substantial costs of moving. However, the often overlooked but most expensive cost is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) which varies dependent on the value of the property purchased. If you purchase a property above £125,000 SDLT becomes payable. Recent changes to SDLT have been introduced to try to make the tax fairer. Under the old regime the SDLT percentage rates increased at various thresholds. Under the old rules SDLT was payable at a single rate on the whole transaction value. From 4 December 2014, SDLT is payable on a sliding scale depending on the portion of the purchase price that falls within each rate band.

Where contracts have been exchanged on or before 3 December 2014, and the transaction is completed on 4 December or later, you can choose whether to use the old or the new rules.

There is no doubt that the SDLT changes will be of benefit to many home buyers.

For example, under the old regime, Stamp Duty Land Tax payable on a purchase price of £350,000 would be £10,500 and under the new regime it would be £7,500 - representing a saving of £3,000.

4

CHOOSE YOUR CONVEYANCING SOLICITORS WITH CARE If you take the risk of buying without the support and guidance of an expertly trained legal conveyancer, you run the risk of walking into a financial booby trap which can seriously hamper your progression up the property ladder. You should also make sure you know who Max Barford & Co. is a trading name of Parfitt Cresswell. Parfitt Cresswell is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. No. 71480

Wednesday 29th April 2015

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andrewsonline.co.uk

Hopwood Gardens, TN4

£435,000

Semi-detached family home sitting on a corner plot in the popular and desirable St. Johns area, with entrance hall, living room, kitchen, dining room, upstairs bathroom and three bedrooms. Call now to avoid disappointment!

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

Addison Road, Tunbridge Wells,TN2

Guide Price - £325,000 to £350,000

Well-presented mid terrace family home set on the Connaught Park Development within 0.3 mile of a station with links to London. Entrance hall, living room, kitchen/dining room, three bedrooms, upstairs bathroom, downstairs wc, rear garden and parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Brookfield Court, Springfield Road, Southborough, TN4

£179,950

A 1st floor 2 bedroom retirement apartment for the over 60’s, served by a lift accessing all floors. The flat is set to the front of the building, in the heart of Southborough village, with local shops and a Tesco Express.

Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Tunbridge Wells Sales 01892 515 144 tunbridgewells@andrewsonline.co.uk

Herons Way, TN2

£1,050 pcm

Three bedroom semi-detached house in the popular village of Pembury. Set in a quiet residential location, the accommodation comprises through lounge/dining room, fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms, a further single bedroom and an upstairs bathroom with shower over the bath as well as an enclosed rear garden. With the added benefits of a garage and driveway parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Goods Station Road, TN1

£1,500 pcm

LET IN THE 1ST WEEK – SIMILAR REQUIRED A newly built terraced town house offering downstairs WC, living room with doors to the courtyard garden and a fitted kitchen with integrated appliances. On the first floor there are double and single bedrooms, the latter of which would also work well as a study, as well as a family bathroom with corner shower cubicle. On the second floor, there is a master bedroom with en-suite shower room and a further double bedroom. Outside there is allocated parking to the front.

Energy Efficiency Rating: B

Tunbridge Wells Lettings 01892 525 551 tunbridgewells.lets@andrewsonline.co.uk

York Road, TN1

£750 pcm

This one double bedroom flat, situated in the award winning York Road, is less than half a mile from the mainline station.

With its own private courtyard garden, the property comprises entrance hall, lounge/dining room, kitchen, bathroom with shower over the bath and a double bedroom as well as gas central heating and double glazing.

Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Sales | Lettings | Financial Services | New Homes | Surveyors Leasehold Management | Property Management | Conveyancing

ELEGANCE AND CHARM HAWICHURST £595,000

'THEI..O~ON, LIGHT AND SPACE MAKES YOU FEEL YOU ARE ON HOUOAY EVERYDAY."

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T UE U EN O AV D E OL TH S

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FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY �

51

Fashion empowerment As more women are holding office and being recruited into society’s most powerful leadership roles, Women Fashion Power asks whether it is time to reassess the role of fashion in the public sphere – not a frivolous distraction, but an essential component of the working woman’s toolkit. It was encouraging to see what these successful women say about the way we dress now. What came across strongly was that it’s not about following certain rules or guidelines any more. Clothes are about projecting personality, not conformity.

So, I’m interested in what you have to say on this topic. Has a garment or outfit ever made you feel empowered?

What makes you decide what to wear for work? Do you use your work wardrobe as a way to assert your position, whatever role that may be or industry you work in? Or do you disagree completely with the notion that clothes help women with their self-esteem and ability to project their own persona?

Whatever view or opinion I want to hear from you. Email me at catherine@ stylepourmoi.com or tweet me @ STYLEPourmoi and have your voice heard in my next column.

The Women Fashion Power exhibition goes on tour from June 2015.

Visit www.designmuseum.org

• By Catherine de Crevecoeur, image consultant

STATEMENT Antonio Beradi

‘FASHION victim’ is an expression I dislike. A lot. Why? Because I feel every person has the right to choose how they dress. If they want to follow the latest catwalk trends and wear fringes and metallics from head to toe, so be it, that is their choice. After all, we live in a society that gives us freedom of expression and people should feel responsible enough to make their own decisions without necessarily being a ‘victim’ to fashion. A far more interesting expression I like to hear and use is ‘fashion empowerment’. This is about more than just clothes; rather how fashion can help you improve your selfconfidence and self-esteem and assert your own power.

As I mentioned before, taking care of your personal image is not only key to making you feel good about yourself, it also allows you to project an image to the outside world that says something about you, who you are, your values and characteristics.

I recently visited the Women Fashion Power exhibition at London’s Design museum. For someone who helps women feel empowered through the way they dress, this was pretty much

the perfect exhibition for me to see.

Bringing together clothing, photography, archive footage and interviews, Women Fashion Power showcases more than 20 contemporary women – each of whom is personally contributing to the exhibition, sharing her personal style philosophy and stand-out fashion moments. Princess Charlène of Monaco, Anne Hidalgo, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda Ilincic and Pearl Lam are just some of the high-profile figures taking part. The exhibition also examines the last 150 years of women’s fashion - looking at how the flappers, screen goddesses, hippies, punks and power dressers of the past have influenced the trends of today.

So this isn’t about women being victims of fashion but how, as the protagonists of the story, they transformed fashion through political, social and cultural events that changed women’s role in society. For example, when men left home to go and fight during the war, women were left to take over their roles, and as a result exchanged their figure-flattering yet extremely uncomfortable corsets for more practical, looser clothing.

‘Women Fashion Power asks whether it is time to reassess the role of fashion in the public sphere’

Fashion trend

®

IT’S time to ditch your tired cardis and replace them with a statement jacket, perfect for your transitional season wear. This is a must-have garment for your work wardrobe, and it is always good to have a couple of reliable ones you can mix and match most of your wardrobe with. Try different cuts and styles to add more interest to your outfits, and don’t be afraid to inject colour or prints too.

Big s w Ne

Introducing Dermatology Tunbridge Wells rtwskin are delighted to announce the launch of Dermatology Tunbridge Wells

Dr Nicola Meschino with over 20 years experience in practical and cosmetic dermatology, will lead the department, assisted by Dr Fatima Ahmed.

Dr Meschino is one of Italy’s most well regarded Consultant Dermatologists. GMC registered and recognised as an expert in skin cancer surgery. He will offer a comprehensive range of treatments for skin conditions including moles, acne, eczema and psoriasis.

House of Fraser £125

La Redoute £59

Introductory Consultation Price £99

Dorothy Perkins £35

Call 01892 22 22 22 to book your appointment

The whole face approach

www.rtwskin.co.uk 01892 22 22 22 @rtwskin Marks and Spencer £59

Kaliko £125

Monsoon £49

support@rtwskin.co.uk rtwskin

Royal Tunbridge Wells Skin & Laser Clinic, Cobden House Medical Centre, 25 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1DA

Wednesday 29th April 2015

52 � RECRUITMENT

RECRUITMENT MAKE THE CHANGE

Place an advertisement By phone: 01892 779650 By email: info@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

in association with

BORED AT WORK? LOST YOUR SPARK? NO LONGER FEELING CHALLENGED? LET US HELP...

Every week the Times of Tunbridge Wells is full of great local and national jobs, we can help find the right fit for you.

To book a recruitment advert please contact Alice Harding: Recruitment Manager Tel: 01892 774 794 Mobile: 07917 090 668 Email: alice@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

Night Care Assistant Required at a small residential home in central Tunbridge Wells.

Please email: manager@beulahlodge.co.uk or call: 01892 539040

Assert is a small team of advocates working as a project within the MHR Charity. We provide advocacy and IMHA services to individuals in the community and the acute mental health in-patient unit at Priority House, Maidstone.

We are currently seeking an Advocacy Manager to lead our team.

You will be IMHA qualified, or working towards accreditation, with knowledge of the Care Act and proven advocacy experience ideally at managerial level.

You must understand the needs of people with mental health problems. Car driver essential and willingness to work flexible hours.

The post is for 26 hours per week with an annual salary of £18,955 Contact Mrs Leigh Attwood on 01892 615552 or email leigha@twmhr.org.uk for further information or an application pack.

The closing date is 14th May 2015.

We are committed to equal opportunities and promoting diversity. Enhanced DBS checks will apply.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

FILL YOUR VACANCY FOR £100 O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

RECRUITMENT �

Commercial Manager – Publishing Sales As part of a small but ambitious team, you will be responsible for implementing a successful sales strategy achieving the agreed revenue targets for So Magazine and Times of Tunbridge Wells.

Ensuring targets are exceeded and maintaining successful relationships with key clients, you will make yourself and your brand famous within the relevant agency and lifestyle brand world, establishing and maintaining strong commercial relationships.

OVERWORKED? Under-appreciated?

That’s why we’re here...

By working together with the Times of Tunbridge Wells we can aid businesses with the most powerfull recruiting tool in town.

Boasting over 25 million hits in December 2014 alone, it really is Kents number one choice.

This role requires a highly structured and proactive approach to ensure revenues are generated from the relevant markets.

It is 100% results focused.

Please contact Kawcock@markerstudy.com

An independent school for girls and boys aged 3 - 18

53

Hugo Boss

Fenwick Tunbridge Wells We are currently recruiting for a Brand Manager for our Hugo Boss department.

It goes without saying that you have a passion for working with quality branded fashion. You will be responsible for the day to day running of the department providing outstanding customer service, maximising sales and effective merchandising.

We ideally require candidates to have a strong retail management background with tailoring experience.

You will need a flexible and professional approach while supporting the Menswear Team.

If you feel you have the right attributes please complete an application form online: www.fenwick.co.uk and email with your CV and covering letter to rtwswitchboard@fenwick.co.uk Or post your application form and CV to The HR Department, Fenwick Ltd, Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2SR. Alternatively an application form can be collected from Customer Services, on the first floor.

Closing date 6 May 2015

Required for September 2015 or January 2016

HEAD OF PREPARATORY SCHOOL An enthusiastic, experienced and talented teacher is required to lead the thriving Preparatory division of this warm, friendly school. The successful candidate will be a university graduate who has a proven record of outstanding teaching and the skills to be an inspirational leader.

A commitment to maintaining the Catholic ethos of the school is also important.

Further details are available on request Headmaster’s Secretary, Beechwood Sacred Heart School, 12 Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 3QD. Tel: 01892 532747; Fax: 01892 536164; email: bsh@beechwood.org.uk website: www.beechwood.org.uk Closing Date: Monday 11 May 2015 Beechwood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants will undergo appropriate child protection screening including checks with past employers and the DBS. Registered charity number: 325104 www.beechwood.org.uk

The Mead School Full Time Director of Music Required for September 2015 or January 2016 A vibrant, dynamic, creative and committed Director of Music to lead and further develop the flourishing Music Department of this successful prep school which enjoys a reputation for both high academic and performance standards within a caring, happy environment.

The successful candidate is expected to become fully involved in all areas of the life of a busy, family-orientated prep school. Experience of piano playing at performance level is essential.

The job description and application form are available from the school.

Please contact the Head’s PA, Miss Elizabeth Winter, The Mead School, 16 Frant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5SN (01892 525837) or office@themeadschool.co.uk (The closing date is Friday 8 May at noon).

The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Mead School is committed to the protection and safety of its pupils.

THE NEW SCHOOL AT WEST HEATH Ashgrove Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1SR

“Rebuilding lives through education” The New School at West Heath is a Specialist Independent Residential School for diverse range of needs, Co-Ed, age 10-19 providing education and therapy for male and female students with whom have emotional & social communication difficulties.

Qualified English Teacher Teacher Pay Scale – M Grade + SEN1 September 2015 Start Suitable candidate must have excellent specialist subject knowledge, functional skills and experience of teaching. Teach across ability range in KS3/4/5. Have the ability to work within a team.

School Nurse £24,00 pa - Term Time Only Monday to Friday 08.30 to 17.00 Suitable applicants will be Register General Nurse or have a Specialist Community Public Health (School Nurse) qualification. Knowledge and experience of providing first aid and healthcare needs for the children.

Experience with caring for children with chronic illness will be advantageous.

Successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and subscribe to the Updating Service.

If you would like to find out more about our school, plus application form and JDs please visit the web-site www.westheathschool.com or contact lynne.mcgrath@westheathschool.com if you have any questions

Closing date for applications is May 14th 2015 The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young adults.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

54 � FOOD AND DRINK

The everchanging delights of real craft beer • Damian Cotton WHAT exactly is craft beer? Let us begin with what is beer. Beer is malt from grain, primarily barley, fermented in water with yeast, and flavoured with hops. According to the Reinheitsgebot of Bavaria (the so-called ‘purity law’ of 1487) that is all you need and all that is permitted. Thousands of modern brewers may disagree, but it is the essential truth and from those four elements, a near infinite variety of beers may be constructed.

Some history: in this sceptred isle, beer was originally an artisan affair, usually brewed at home or at the back of the pub. As time passed, more successful brewers grew and supplied increasing numbers of houses, and with various opportunities of taxation and industrialisation, there arose giants of beer who owned the means of production, the distribution networks and the retail premises. This led to stagnation and British beer became, on the whole, rather dull. ‘Boring brown beer’, as some have called it.

Cheaply made, poorly kept and ineptly served, beer became but a shadow of what it once was.

The populace turned to the perceived excitement of sharp, refreshing imported lager and the industrial brewers again seized the moment with a cornucopia of mass-produced fizzy rubbish that was easy to make, lasted for ages and came in plug-and-play kegs that any clown could serve from. You, the drinkers of Britain, had been done. Yet again.

In opposition to the homogeneity of mainstream industrial scale brewing, the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) led a push for a return to proper beer,

The Pantiles TapSerious about brilliant beer A real ale and craft beer paradise in the heart of the Pantiles 6 ever changing cask ales & 6 keg craft beers, including the best UK micro breweries, plus cider, wine and speciality bottled beers

01892 530397 @thepantilestap Lower Pantiles, outside the Corn Exchange main entrance

Wednesday 29th April 2015

hand-pulled from casks that were cellar finished, brewed in the traditional manner and preferably delivered by shire horses. Hearts definitely in the right place, but saddled with a beards and sandals image of flatulent blokes with massive bellies. They did manage to generate a groundswell of public opinion that had some breweries make a bit more effort (and to be fair, there are a few who have cleaved to the old ways and maintained standards of cask ale).

Government intervention to try and stem the power of the breweries failed massively and resulted in the pubcos, property-based behemoths such as Enterprise and Punch which have a stranglehold on tenanted pubs, and are so mired in debt from their formation and expansion that development has been stifled. The old big brewers mostly passed away or merged or changed altogether – Whitbread was once the largest contract brewer in the country, now it owns Costa coffee and Premier Inns and some grim eateries such as Taybarns and Beefeater. The smaller brewers have reduced in number and the more nimble still survive.

Then Gordon Brown introduced progressive beer duty, an EU-mandated idea that was left to

individual countries’ consciences to implement – massive credit for this should go to the campaigning of SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers. This reduces the tax burden on small producers of beer and gives them a fighting chance – around Britain, many microbreweries and brew pubs sprang up. Initially, there was a wave of production of historical recipes; many forgotten and neglected styles of beer were resurrected and glugged by grateful consumers.

And then it got interesting. Influenced in part by the American craft beer scene – in the US, craft beer is defined as a small brewery making innovative beer as opposed to traditional, and they have a slightly different tax relief structure – and in greater part by their own vision, the Young Turks of British brewing started to do something new. Old recipes were remembered fondly and discarded, the rules were shattered, and the ingredients tweaked to a colossal degree. Experiment upon trial delivered revelationary and revolutionary brews: deeper and darker malts than ever before, savage levels of hops, and hops imported from other countries that tasted otherworldly compared to good old fuggles and goldings. Yeasts from wild sources or yeasts from bread or even skin have been used. There are

no rules anymore. People like Thornbridge and Meantime and Darkstar made significantly different and hugely influential and popular beers. Brewdog, Kernel, and many others emerged, all with bottles and casks that were exciting and challenging.

Some of the founders of these companies left and set up anew, to push boundaries yet further – not for the sake of it, not for fame, but in pursuit of flavour – yes, it is a business, but I’m yet to meet anyone making craft beer who is driven by anything other than their own passion for ground-breaking beer. Techniques have advanced: ways and times of adding hops, creation of new malts, and more recently the use of wood ageing has become popular.

Mark Tranter, once of Darkstar and now Burning Sky, is aging beer for years in oak barriques and should be issuing some later this year – I can’t wait.

So what should you look for in terms of craft beer?

It’s easy to say anything and everything, but let us begin with a few points of entry. First, the IPA category: historically produced for export to the empire, these were strong and hoppy to survive the long journey by ship and still be refreshing. (Note: a grain of truth in this accepted description, but mostly clever marketing by the Burton breweries who had a huge problem when due to political

FOOD AND DRINK �

are kept, and served with skill and a competitive price, too. You might consider the Pantiles Tap, a friendly newcomer with a decent selection. And my favourite, which involves a journey, is the Bottle Shop in the Goods Shed in Canterbury – probably the best bottle retailer around (so far) and worth the trip to also have lunch at Raphaels restaurant.

There are many more, and I mean no disservice to those I have not listed today. Talk to your publican, ask for something different from #the usual’ and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Finally, how have the big brewers responded?

Some have not, content in their traditions, and some have tried to make newer style brews with varying degrees of success. And some have been a bit crafty – there are several who have set up microbreweries within their premises and market the resulting beer under a different and edgy name.

This could be a marketing device of bovine effluent, or it could be all right – a decent beer is still decent, even if made by a big company. The Beer Studio is Hydes of Salford by another name, but its single hop brews are damn fine. In the end, the market will decide. Cheers, dear readers, and sip slowly and thoughtfully – the Times encourages only responsible drinking.

55

RECOMMENDED Fuggles also stocks interesting ciders and spirits A FEW PERSONAL FAVOURITES Jaipur X – the tenth anniversary brew of Thornbridge’s super hoppy IPA. A return to form as the original Jaipur has been toned down and gone mainstream. This was where it started for me in the Briggante in York – a searingly hopped pale beer that will never be forgotten.

Backwoods Bastard – from the Founders brewery in Wisconsin – strong, oak-aged and incredibly complex, a beer to sip and think with.

Modus Operandi – the manifesto brew of Bristol’s Wild Beer brewery, a fruity, stimulating brew, which now can be found on draught in a few good pubs.

Plateau – from Burning Sky, a zesty, multiple hopped beer which at only 3.5 per cent is good for longer sessions. Or breakfast.

St Wites Ale – from Dorset’s Sunny Republic, an insane hybrid of Belgian doppel and Viennese

amber ales that is a delightful rich festival of malts. I could go on for ever, but it’s best that you make your own choices. Happy drinking.

FRIENDLY NEWCOMER Geoff Wentworth, owner of the Pantiles Tap

shenanigans and trade tariffs they lost access to their Baltic markets and needed to redirect the supply of strong ales. Remember, anyone trying to sell you something is probably fibbing a bit).

Reinvented from San Diego to Shoreditch, these are much hoppier, often with American varieties such as chinook and cascade, and can be much stronger than regular ales.

Then there are porters and stouts (and the stronger imperial stouts) which are richer and fuller in flavour than their ancestors. Vienna style dark lagers, German Bocks and Helles and Kolsches have found expression in craft beers. Saisons – inspired by the winter brews made for summer drinking in Belgium – often spiced or fruited and now frequently brewed at lower ABV after a few years of stronger stuff. And the aged beers – a group that is getting like whisky, in that the cask is almost as prominent in the flavour as the ingredients.

And where should you go to sample such delights? In Tunbridge Wells, I would start at Fuggles beer cafe, where there is a great and ever-changing range of beers (and interesting cider and spirits), whose staff are knowledgeable and unsnobby. I would call in at the Bedford, too, where a blend of traditional and microbrews

The Hare Langton Green

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

56 � FOOD AND DRINK

On the menu at...

LO-GI 5 Ely Court, Royal Victoria Place Tunbridge Wells TN1 2SP www.eatlogi.com 01892 544 677

Salad selector

White hot chocolate with mini marshmallows

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Brie, bacon and cranberry on gluten free white bread

PUZZLES �

DOUBLE CROSSWORD

WORD SPIRAL

Starting from 1, fill in the grid clockwise with four-letter words. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next to reveal the key word in the shaded boxes.

24. Ship’s hold, so to speak (6) 25. Giving the highest quality when in debt (9) 26. South American of uncertain Canadian origin (4) 27. Workers are depressed when winning easily (5,4)

the idiots! (5) 14. Estimate that has been joined, of course (5) 15. Hose adapted to fit in it (4) 16. One cannot be impartial when taking them (5) 18. Have an earnest desire which is not short-lived (4) 20. Go away for a holiday (5) 21. Homeless wanderer catches 1,000 in snare (5)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

14

15

E

3

9

10

14

15

8

11

4

16 13

12

7

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

QUICK CLUES:

Across 3. Abundance (9) 8. Detail (4) 9. Mortify (9) 10. Evening party (6) 11. Offspring (5) 14. Damp (5) 15. Document (4) 16. Submit (5) 18. Territory (4) 20. Cognisant (5) 21. Handle (5) 24. Go away (6) 25. Transformed (9) 26. Aspersion (4) 27. Unwise (9)

Down 1. Be hypocritical (9) 2. Insufficient (9) 4. Debauchee (4) 5. Trust (5) 6. Protector (6) 7. Profanity (4) 9. Weighty (5) 11. Large box (5) 12. Controversial (9) 13. Enterprise (9) 17. Bewildered (5) 19. Motorist (6) 22. Pungent (5) 23. Shape (4) 24. Faculty head (4)

6

Building cover Unsightly fat Stopper Lass Fruit Therefore Cry of pain!

Vestibule

5

9. Noisy 10. Daybreak 11. Body part 12. Monarch 13. Scottish valley 14. Fingertip cover 15. Speech defect 16. Cat’s noise

Keyword clue: A fish

SUDOKU

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

R

11

12

13

24

25

26

1.

2.

Which adventurer is presenting a new BBC2 travel show about the Caribbean?

Which new Italian drama on Sky Arts 1 follows the lives of six people living in the backdrop of a corrupt government?

film did Julianne Moore star as Dr. Howland, a linguistics professor who develops Alzheimer’s at an early age?

10. Who plays real-life Holocaust survivor Maria Altmann, who fought the Austrian government for the return of a piece of family art, in new film Woman in Gold?

11. Which recent political drama on Channel 4 starred Mark Dexter as David Cameron and Bertie Carvel as Nick Clegg?

12. Which US songstress’s hits of the 1980s included Shake Your Love and Foolish 3. Tracker is the title of the eighth and current Beat? studio album from which British musician?

13. Which actor played prosecutor Rusty 4. Which new film stars Keanu Reeves as Sabich, who found himself accused of the the titular ex-hitman who comes out of very murder he was investigating in the retirement to seek revenge on gangsters 1990 film Presumed Innocent? who have killed his dog?

5.

Michael Elphick and Lysette Anthony were among the stars of which 1980s sitcom, which saw a young family sharing a house with their in-laws?

6.

Which Northern Irish singer has released the new album Duets: Re-working the Catalogue?

7.

Which 1951 Ealing comedy film starred Alec Guinness as a research scientist and the inventor of an indestructible fabric?

8. Which two comedians have been going on a Great Big Adventure on BBC2 series?

9. In which recent Academy Award-winning

SOLUTIONS

14. Who is the host of the new museum-based BBC4 quiz show The Quizeum?

15. What was the title of Birmingham band the Spencer Davis Group’s first Number One hit, in December 1965?

Taking the time to smile

Keyword: HERRING CODEWORD: 1=F, 2=G, 3=C, 4=H, 5=N, 6=W, 7=M, 8=Z, 9=V, 10=U, 11=K, 12=Q, 13=O, 14=L, 15=E, 16=A, 17=Y, 18=B, 19=P, 20=S, 21=X, 22=T, 23=R, 24=D, 25=I, 26=J ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ: 1 Simon Reeve; 2 1992; 3 Mark Knopfler; 4 John Wick; 5 Three Up, Two Down; 6 Van Morrison; 7 The Man in the White Suit; 8 Dara O’Briain and Ed Byrne; 9 Still Alice; 10 Helen Mirren; 11 Coalition; 12 Debbie Gibson; 13 Harrison Ford; 14 Griff Rhys Jones; 15 Keep on Running.

SUDOKU:

Codeword is the crossword puzzle with no clues. The number in each square corresponds to a letter. Work out the words in the grid using the letters provided. Fill in these known letters first, then use skill and judgement to work out the others.

2

2

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ

CODEWORD

1

1

DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 3 Foolhardy; 8 Aims; 9 Matchless; 10 Heaven; 11 Asses; 14 Union; 15 Shoe; 16 Sides; 18 Long; 20 Leave; 21 Tramp; 24 Anchor; 25 Bestowing; 26 Inca; 27 Hands down. Down: 1 Bashfully; 2 Impatient; 4 Oman; 5 Locks; 6 Allies; 7 Dose; 9 Means; 11 Add up; 12 Sheathing; 13 Rehearsal; 17 Slang; 19 Grated; 22 Mowed; 23 Beta; 24 Anew.

Quick: Across: 3 Profusion; 8 Item; 9 Humiliate; 10 Soiree; 11 Child; 14 Moist; 15 Deed; 16 Yield; 18 Land; 20 Aware; 21 Treat; 24 Depart; 25 Converted; 26 Slur; 27 Imprudent.

Down: 1 Dissemble; 2 Deficient; 4 Roue; 5 Faith; 6 Shield; 7 Oath; 9 Hefty; 11 Chest; 12 Debatable; 13 Adventure; 17 Dazed; 19 Driver; 22 Acrid; 23 Form; 24 Dean.

WORD SPIRAL: 1 Roof; 2 Flab; 3 Bung; 4 Girl; 5 Lime; 6 Ergo; 7 Ouch; 8 Hall; 9 Loud; 10 Dawn; 11 Neck; 12 King; 13 Glen; 14 Nail; 15 Lisp; 16 Purr.

CRYPTIC CLUES: Across 3. Rash enough to deceive a novelist (9) 8. Intends to produce first-class manuscript (4) 9. Unrivalled - yet still unmarried? (9) 10. Pull hard against niggardly head to find paradise (6) 11. Organisation unfinished -

Down 1. Beat completely, but shyly (9) 2. I am under the doctor and unable to wait (9) 4. This state means nothing to one male (4) 5. Do they make for security on the waterway (5) 6. Not quite entirely untruths from friends (6) 7. It might be drunk when being treated (4) 9. Signifies the wherewithal (5) 11. Get the sum to make sense?

(3,2) 12. Has the gin when putting the sword away (9) 13. Listens in actual practise (9) 17. The Southern language loses half its colloquial expressions (5) 19. Jarred - because barred? (6) 22. Cut the lawn so the doctor could get married (5) 23. Gamble on a letter from Greece (4) 24. Wane afresh (4)

57

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4

24/02/2015 14:46 Wednesday 29th April 2015

58 � WHAT’S ON

Bank holiday bonanza WE CATCH UP WITH HEART KENT BREAKFAST PRESENTERS JAMES AND BECKY ISN’T this the best time of year, when there seems to be loads of bank holidays? The usual sinking feeling you get on a Sunday night, when you realise you have work early the next morning for another five whole days has lifted to leave a slight smile and a smug feeling (especially when you’re still lying in bed on Monday morning!). Whatever you have planned, I hope you all have a good one and make it count, fingers crossed it’ll be beautiful weather and we can spend it out and about!

Now this week, it was reported that the worst noise we can possible hear is a baby screaming on an aeroplane or a bus. When you think about it, what would be your best and worst noise?

The best for me is a lawnmower cutting grass in the distance, when I hear that, I feel summer has arrived! For James, it’s when the front door slams shut on a Saturday afternoon after his wife Claire has announced she’s taking the kids to the shops and he gets a little peace and quiet to potter about and do his jobs.

Elaine in Maidstone had a very different take, however, claiming her worst noise was a banana

being broken off from a bunch! Don’t worry, there has been no major banana issue which caused the phobia, it’s just a disliking she has!

In other news, any guesses what a flash sports car and a dishwasher have in common?

This next story proves how much times have changed! Nowadays, we like to show off the fact we have trendy new sports cars, whereas back in the 1980s and 90s, it was the dishwasher you had! Isn’t it crazy how much times have changed and now you take a dishwasher for granted?

I have to admit that when I was looking for my new flat here in Kent, a dishwasher was a requirement – if it wasn’t in the flat, the flat was out! Other things topping a list of symbols of success these days are having a nanny or a swimming pool in the back garden! Back in the day, it was whether you had a cordless phone and a conservatory!

Well something very exciting happened last week, we had a winner on the game we play every day at 6.30am, called The 6.30 Thingy!

This is a simple game where we describe six things in 30 seconds and you just simply have to guess what they are. If you get all six right in 30 seconds, you win a James and Becky Thingy. We don’t actually say what the thingy is, you only get to find that out if you win!

Congratulations to Claire from the Nana Rose Café, as she won herself the thingy and I think it’s safe to say she was pretty happy! If you would like to join her elite club of winners, you can sign up to play through the Heart website, www.heart.co.uk. Make sure you join us for all the fun, weekdays from 6am!

SEVEN DAYS OF EVENTS AT A GLANCE DAVE Barnett makes a selection of events from around Tunbridge Wells during the next seven days. Full details of these and many more events are available from www.tunbridgewellsevents.co.uk >> WEDNESDAY One of my favourite events of the month returns to Scallywag Cafe this evening as Tom Carradine leads us in a Cockney Sing-a-long.

This is its third outing and from what I hear, the two previous occasions have been great fun!

Comedian Count Arthur Strong is on at the Assembly Hall with his show Somebody Up There Licks Me. I’ve not seen him live but if his radio and TV shows are anything to go by, it should be an interesting evening! >> THURSDAY The comedy continues at the Assembly Hall with top TV panel show guest and stand-up comedian Reginald D Hunter with his latest show, The Man Who Attempted To Do As Much As Such.

The Odeon has a theatre screening this evening, the Globe’s production of Julius Ceaser using Renaissance costumes and staging. This is no longer in production so could be the last chance to see it. >> FRIDAY A strong run of Assembly Hall shows this week continues with a full orchestral performance of Verdi’s La Traviata. The first of two operas featuring lavish sets, fantastic costumes and memorable music, it will be a good start to the weekend for opera lovers.

The bluebell season is with us, with several venues promoting bluebell walks, a sure sign it’s time to get out into the countryside; Sissinghurst Castle has a guided walk today and tomorrow and Pashley Manor Garden has a general walk until mid-May. The ‘Bluebelll Barometer’ at Hole Park near Rolvenden is showing the maximum, level 4. >> SATURDAY With the bank holiday weekend comes a string of events aimed at keeping the whole family entertained. Bewl Water and Bodiam Castle have events themed on pirates and medieval merriments respectively.

Hever Castle celebrates with a May Day Festival featuring a traditional May queen with maypole and morris dancing while Groombridge Place has a Wild Adventure Weekend and Honnington Farm an agility dog show. All run for the three-day weekend.

Also until Monday at Penshurst Place is the popular craft and design show. Whatever the weather, it will be busy so get there early.

This evening, the second opera at the Assembly Hall provides more memorable music with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

Performed in Italian, with English subtitles, by a Moldovian orchestra with Korean and Ukrainian principals, this is really an international show.

Maxine Peake returns to the Trinity screen, in a repeat of the acclaimed Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre production of Hamlet. >> SUNDAY There are two interesting-looking films at Trinity today. At 5pm is Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter in Japanese and English, at 8pm Still Life starring the excellent Eddie Marsan.

The Assembly Hall has a show for children this afternoon, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, based on the popular children’s book and featuring music, magic and mayhem. Did you miss The Boy who Bit Picasso at St Barnabas last week? If so, there’s a chance to catch it again at the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge.

For something different, on the first Sunday of each month is a games evening at Mount Edgcumbe, grab some friends and play! >> MONDAY In its fourth year and getting better each time, the Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park are running their family fun day featuring a dog show, music, entertainment, bouncy castles and lots more. There’s plenty of food and drink so head along for a noon start (10.30am for the dog show) and grab a bite to eat.

In a similar vein, the Groombridge May Fair is also taking place with food, music, dance and entertainment, raising funds for St Thomas’s school. >> TUESDAY The Assembly Hall has been busy this week, its sixth show is well-known psychic Sally Morgan. Not my cup of tea, but I’m sure she’s good at what she does...

Rounding off the cultural performances of the week we have The Royal Ballet on screen, at The Odeon, The Hawkhurst Kino and Trinity, in Frederick Aston’s production of La Fille Mal Gardee or the Wayward Daughter.

Auschwitz survivor to sign copies of her book

SURVIVOR Zdenka Fantlova

A WOMAN who survived Auschwitz and Belsen will make an appearance at the Kent and East Sussex Railway this weekend.

As part of a 1940s-themed bank holiday event to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and 75 years since the evacuation of Dunkirk, Zdenka Fantlova will be singing copies of her

autobiography, The Tin Ring, at the Tenterden Station on Sunday.

The 93-year-old survived six death camps during the war, risking her life to keep a ring made for her by her boyfriend, who did not survive.

Other events include a Spitfire display along the length of the line on Monday, a lecture on bailing out over the Channel at Tenterden station

• CINEMA • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT • LIVE MUSIC • COMEDY • DRAMA • MUSICALS • OPERA • BALLET Search Stag Sevenoaks Wednesday 29th April 2015

on Monday and music, fashion, workshops and re-enactments on all three days.

Steam trains will operate all weekend and tickets include unlimited train travel between Tenterden and Bodiam stations.

For more information, call 01580 765155, visit www.kesr.org.uk or email enquiries@kesr.org.uk

WHAT’S ON �

Times

Live music & events

O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

MUSIC

Paul Dunton reveals his guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead…

Times

O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

MUSIC DO YOU HAVE A GREAT BAND OR EVENT YOU FEEL SHOULD BE LISTED?

Paul’s gig of the week is…

The Doors Alive, Saturday, The Forum, tickets on the door in advance from www.twforum.co.uk

If so then drop our editor a line at: Times of Tunbridge Wells, 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1NU 01892 779 650 newsdesk@ timesof tunbridgewells .co.uk

The Doors Alive are widely regarded as the closest and most enthralling representation of the legendary 1960s rock gods The Doors in the world today.

The band recreate the sound, look, presence and magic of a real 1960s Doors concert, perfectly and effortlessly transporting the audience back in time with classic hits such as Light My Fire, Riders On The Storm and many more. I also recommend the Matt Bullard Band at The Cross Keys, on Friday. Matt is an exceptional local guitarist and musician who leads his superb blues-inspired band at The Cross Keys, St Johns Road.

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM Doors 7.30pm, entry price variable, event information and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk Thursday - Feed the Rhino, Grieved, Coloured In and BAYEUX Friday - Local and Live Electric: Showponies, Bison, The Wildlings & The Link Saturday - The Doors Alive and Blue Stragglers Sunday - Rare Grooves For Ruby

Wednesday – Carradine’s Cockney-singalong Thursday – Dave Beckett

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles, Doors 7.15pm, entry £5/£7, websites www.pdag.co.uk and www. thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday - Raising Cain, The Ackerleys, Marie White, Goldie Reed Friday - (9.30pm till late) The Power of Soul Saturday - (9.30pm till late) Studio 54 Sunday - Sonja Fritzsche Becky Briggs, Richard Sanford, I am Aquitaine Tuesday – Ben Parkhurst, James Medhurst, Bryony Brooke Wednesday – Jessica Simpson, Rob Picazo, Annaca

THE CROSS KEYS St Johns Road Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Thursday - Sonny’s Jazz: Derek Nash & Dave Colton Friday – Sonny’s Blues: Matt Bullard Band Sunday – TARC Acoustic Open Mic Monday – TWUNT Ukulele Jam Wednesday – Sonny’s Jazz: New Blues & Maze with Paul & The Nocasters

THE ASSEMBLY HALL Crescent Road, Doors 7pm, event information and tickets at www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk or 01892 530613 Friday – La Traviata Saturday – Madame Butterfly

THE SUSSEX ARMS nr The Pantiles Open all day, free entry, music from 3pm Sunday - Best Foot Forward

THE SCALLYWAG CAFÉ 45 Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry, music from 6.30pm

59

Wild adventures on offer

SANKEYS 39 Mt Ephraim Open all day, free entry, music from 6pm onwards Sunday - The Blue Music Sessions: Alex Roberts, Big Boy Bloater

THE BEAU NASH Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry, music from 9pm.

Saturday – Nigel Bagge

THE ROYAL OAK Prospect Road Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Friday – The Harveys Saturday – Lost Indecision

A ‘WILD adventure weekend’ is on offer at Groombridge Place over the bank holiday weekend.

Families can try building dens in the Enchanted Forest, take part in a wildlife trail and listen to tales from the Weald from resident storyteller Dave Arthur. Also on offer is Crusoe’s World, complete with wooden ship and rope bridges, tree swings, a zip wire and a suspension bridge. Archery taster sessions are available for an extra charge.

A spokesman for Groombridge Place said: “Watch the majestic peacocks from the Peacock Bistro and stroll round the lovely gardens which overlook the attractive moated 17th century manor house. Children will love the giant chess set and the secret garden with streams which feed the moat.”

For more information, visit www. groombridgeplace.com or call 01892 861444.

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Wednesday 29th April 2015

60 � YOUR TV

OUR PICK OF THE WEEK

WEDNESDAY

PETER KAY’S CAR SHARE BBC1, 9.30pm

New series. Peter Kay returns in this sitcom about the daily commute of two supermarket employees thrown together in a company car-share scheme. But will they actually get along? Things don’t get off to a good start for assistant manager John when his sat-nav leads him a merry dance as he tries to find promotions rep Kayleigh’s house.

ALEX POLIZZI: CHEFS ON TRIAL

BBC2, 8pm

Alex continues her mission to find a head chef for the Miners Arms gastropub in Whitecroft, Gloucestershire. The last three candidates are faced with wild boar for their skills test.

THURSDAY

THE CLARE BALDING SHOW

BBC2, 10pm

Clare is joined by former world champion boxer Chris Eubank and his son Chris Jr, who is currently the WBA interim world middleweight titleholder, who discuss the highs and lows of their professional and personal lives.

MRS BROWN’S BOYS

Agnes is disappointed to discover she is not invited to Maria’s hen party because of her age, and decides to gatecrash the event, only to end up at the wrong venue. She then tries to impress the bride-to-be’s mother during a dinner date, but is so nervous she turns to drink, and the evening descends into chaos.

Comedy, written by and starring Brendan O’Carroll.

BBC1, 9.20pm

It’s the day of Connie’s trial for Alfred’s murder – will Rita come forward with the evidence required to clear her name? A young girl from a care home is admitted after cutting her wrists, and the staff have reason to suspect she is being abused. An elderly woman ends up with hypothermia after swimming in the sea. But when her daughter turns up at the hospital, it seems there’s more to the patient’s story than meets the eye.

THE C WORD

BBC1, 8.30pm Sheridan Smith stars in this drama based on the blog and book by Lisa Lynch, an account of her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Twenty-eight-year-old Lisa’s life is going exactly the way she wanted, then out of the blue, she receives a a diagnosis that threatens to stop her in her tracks.

The actor continues his mini-break tour of Britain. Taking the camper van to Yorkshire, the Davises jump straight into some high-octane hill-racing in Scarborough, before stepping down a gear with a visit to the Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival. The kids then go sheep-racing and get lost in a maize maze, prompting their father to send out a drone in search of them, and the action-packed trip ends at Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough, where Warwick and his family get in touch with their spiritual sides.

NINJA WARRIOR UK

FOR THE LOVE OF CARS

Contenders from across the nation test their strength, speed and courage in the fourth heat of the obstacle-course challenge. Those who make it to the end of the adrenalinefuelled mission face one final task – scaling the heights of a tower named Mount Midoriyama – before progressing to the semi-finals, which begin in two weeks. Ben Shephard, Rochelle Humes and Chris Kamara are the hosts.

Philip Glenister gets to fulfil an ultimate highoctane dream and drive some of Britain’s most iconic police cars. Alongside him is former cop Ant Anstead, who demonstrates how to master these versatile vehicles. The duo get to work restoring a Rover SD1 discovered on a driveway in Essex, and push a 1959 Daimler Dart to the limit re-enacting the notorious “Liver Run”, accompanied by out-riders on the M11, and through the busy streets of London.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

BBC1, 7.30pm

Fiona Bruce and the team visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, where discoveries include jewellery made of mounted insects, a rare silver cup dating back to the time of Oliver Cromwell and a claymore sword from the Boer War. Other highlights include a large glass vase converted to a lamp and treasured children’s annuals featuring beloved Scottish character Oor Wullie.

MONDAY

WASTEMEN

BBC2, 11pm

THE STRANGER ON THE BRIDGE

On average, every household in the nation throws away a ton of rubbish each year, for bin wagons to collect, and this documentary follows the people who work round the clock to cope with the vast swathes of waste produced by the residents of Newcastle upon Tyne. The teams tasked with dealing with the public’s refuse are waging a war on waste, with bin men and council enforcement officers taking the fight to the people as they try to get them to throw away less and recycle more.

Channel 4, 9pm

On January 14, 2008, Jonny Benjamin went to Waterloo Bridge to take his own life, but a stranger managed to talk him down. Jonny never had the chance to thank the Good Samaritan he named Mike. Six years later, he launched the “Finding Mike” social-media campaign to track the man down. In this documentary, Jonny is finally reunited with the real “Mike.”

NO OFFENCE

DEL BOYS & DEALERS

New series. Police comedy drama

by Paul Abbott (Shameless), following an unorthodox crack team of cops going above and beyond to keep the streets clean.

DC Dinah Kowalska discovers a pattern in the deaths of two young women and realises Friday Street Station has a twisted serial killer on its hands.

Wheeler-dealer Danny buys cheap at auctions in the North and sells with a decent mark-up at car-boot sales down South. But he runs into problems when his latest purchase fails to fetch what he thinks it’s worth. Welshmen Ieuan and Kern try their luck at a south London auction house famous for selling off lost luggage – the only thing is, punters aren’t allowed to look inside the suitcases before bidding.

Channel 4, 9pm

BBC1, 10.50pm

Julie Etchingham investigates how smaller political parties could hold the balance of power in the election, and finds out what drives the politicians leading them. Over breakfast, she discusses leadership and childhood memories with SNP head Nicola Sturgeon and her husband. She also meets Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood and the teacher who inspired her, and talks to the Green Party’s Natalie Bennett, who recalls her infamous on-air “brain fade” moment. Last in the series.

ITV, 8pm

ITV, 7pm

CASUALTY

ITV, 7.30pm

WEEKEND ESCAPES WITH WARWICK DAVIS

BBC1, 9.30pm

SATURDAY

Wednesday 29th April 2015

NEW PLAYERS, NEW POLITICS?: TONIGHT

Anna puts herself forward for the newly advertised role of Head of Better, while Matt continues to tinker unhelpfully with Lucy’s as-yet-uncommissioned drama project Home Truth. Rumours that Newsnight anchor Evan Davis is to be a contestant in the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing don’t go down well in the current affairs department, and it falls to Ian to find an elegant solution.

A defecting KGB officer reveals the existence of a Soviet plot dubbed Operation Glass and the head of MI5 assembles a special committee to help protect Britain.

The first sleeper agent reactivated by the USSR is a civil servant who has been bullied and blackmailed into working for the KGB, and as the team scrambles to identify his role, MI5 operative Joe Lambe becomes obsessed with the reappearance of an old enemy.

TUESDAY

New series. A prostitute turns up at the station claiming to have been raped, and as Gently looks back at past cases, he is shocked to discover that very few have been successfully prosecuted – if they made it to court in the first place.

Risking animosity from his colleagues, he becomes suspicious when he notices the same police inspector’s name appearing repeatedly in the files.

BBC2, 10pm

THE GAME

SUNDAY

BBC1, 8pm

W1A

BBC2, 9pm

FRIDAY

INSPECTOR GEORGE GENTLY

Channel 4, 7.15pm

HOME FIRES

ITV, 9pm

New drama about the lives of a group of Women’s Institute members in a rural Cheshire community during the Second World War. In the face of an conflict with Germany, the Great Paxford WI faces a tough decision. When president Joyce Cameron resigns, taking most of the membership with her, Frances Barden and her supporters must recruit new helpers from unexpected places.

HOW THE OTHER HALF EAT

Channel 4, 7.30pm

A social experiment in which two families, who know nothing about each other, agree to swap their weekly shop, recipes and mealtime routines in an attempt to discover whether the food they eat reveals who they really are. Taking part are the Janes and the Ringshalls, both from Surrey. Vanessa and James Ringshall and their four daughters lead busy lives, meaning they rarely eat together, with meals tending toward quick and easy food.

In contrast, Michelle Janes loves to cook from scratch for her husband and two sons, and they all dine together.

24 HOURS IN THE PAST

BBC1, 9pm

Living reality documentary in which six celebrities experience the working lives of the poor in Victorian times. There’s no rest for the unlucky volunteers after the filth of the dustyard as they are sent to work at a recreated coaching inn – the 19th-century equivalent of the motorway service station.

YOUR TV �

NICK AND MARGARET: THE TROUBLE WITH OUR TRAINS

THE NIGHTMARE NEIGHBOUR NEXT DOOR

FIRST DATES

Channel 4, 10pm

BBC2, 9pm Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford examine the state of Britain’s rail network, discovering a system struggling with an outdated infrastructure.

Former model Joe knows exactly how to charm, but he finds himself working for the affections of personal shopper Nicole. Devout Christian Tawanda gets to know Marvin, a Trevor Nelson doppelganger, while Essex girl Sian is on the hunt for her dream man – and Londoner Tom ticks all the right boxes.

FRAUD SQUAD

ITV, 9pm

Return of the documentary following the work of detectives from City of London Police. The first of three programmes reveals how criminals make millions conning victims into buying worthless land they claim is ripe for property development.

Footage seized shows how one gang ruthlessly targeted victims.

SECRETS OF GREAT BRITISH CASTLES

SLOW TRAIN THROUGH AFRICA WITH GRIFF RHYS JONES ITV, 9pm

five, 8pm Dan Jones explores the history of Stirling Castle, which has long been one of the most strategically important castles in Britain and guards the gateway to the Highlands.

The comedian begins the next leg of his trip in Kasama, northern Zambia. His first stop is the town of Mpika, where he meets college students training to be locomotive drivers.

Next, in the capital Lusaka, he reveals how the first railways were built to access the country’s rich mineral wealth, and watches craftsmen cutting emeralds and rubies – before being let loose on a pair of bejewelled cufflinks.

ATLANTIS

Jason’s discovery has blackened his heart, leaving him a shadow of the man he used to be. Reckless and foolhardy, he no longer seems to care about anything or anyone – even Ariadne. Pythagoras is desperate to save his friend, so he sets out in search of help, but soon discovers not everyone is as keen to protect Jason as he is. Jack Donnelly, Robert Emms, Aiysha Hart and Mark Addy star in the fantasy adventure.

On Friday May 8, it will be 70 years since Winston Churchill announced the Second World War in Europe was over. David Attenborough, Bruce Forsyth, Miriam Margolyes and June Whitfield are just a few of the well-known figures sharing their memories of the end of the conflict. Narrated

by Julie Walters, with contributions from others including Johnny Ball, Honor Blackman, Jilly Cooper and John Craven.

INSIDE THE FACTORY: HOW OUR FAVOURITE FOODS ARE MADE

BBC2, 8pm

New series. Gregg Wallace and Cherry Healey find out about the production of three household staples, beginning with bread.

Gregg visits one of Britain’s largest bakeries, which makes up to one and a half millions loaves each week.

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION Sky Living, 8pm

A woman is found dead in the back of a 24-seat stretch limousine and DB and the team find evidence linking the victim to Gene Simmons of rock band Kiss.

BILL BAILEY QUALMPEDDLER

THE ENFIELD HAUNTING

Channel 4, 11.40pm

Stand-up comedy from London’s Hammersmith Apollo, targeting everything from the coalition and popular culture to shark-diving. There’s also plenty of light-hearted musical numbers throughout, including religious dubstep, German folk-metal, a Bible-guitar, a Jewish clap-along take on the Match of the Day theme and a reggae version of Downton Abbey.

THE AGENDA

SAFE HOUSE

Tom Bradby presents the political discussion show, joined by guests from the worlds of entertainment, arts, culture and journalism for a look at key issues in the run-up to the General Election on Thursday.

Michael has a breakthrough in his hunt for the Blackwells and the police believe his arrest is imminent. However, Joe is worried he’s made a mistake that could endanger his family. Meanwhile, an unsettled Ali makes an impulsive decision.

Channel 4, 8pm In the latest edition of the property show, Kirstie Allsopp has plenty of refurbishment ideas for an Essex couple who have let the maintenance of their house slide, while Phil Spencer offers replacement family homes.

The three teams face their first live catwalk as they put on a fashion show for a wedding-dress designer, before a shock elimination is announced. Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cheyenne Tozzi and Nicole Trunfio are the mentors.

Getting hold of the Fulcrum becomes a matter of life or death for Red when he learns the syndicate is holding a vote in favour of killing him off, while Liz and the team target a vengeful widow who has been framing the businessmen who killed her husband years earlier.

ITV, 8pm

KIRSTIE AND PHIL’S LOVE IT OR LIST IT

Sky Living, 8pm

Sky Living, 9pm

Tonight’s guests include Noel Gallagher, who talks about his career and performs his latest single Riverman with his band the High Flying Birds. The hosts of The Last Leg – Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker – discuss their series of shows in the run-up to the General Election.

ITV, 10.15pm

THE FACE AUSTRALIA

THE BLACKLIST

Channel 4, 10pm

ITV, 8pm

VE DAY: REMEMBERING VICTORY

The team explores Norfolk Island, a former penal colony located in the Pacific nearly 900 miles from the mainland. Neil Oliver examines the legacies of an audacious convict and a reforming commandant, while Alice Garner meets descendants of mutineers from HMS Bounty at their annual festival.

ALAN CARR: CHATTY MAN

Ant and Dec host the fourth audition show, as the judges – Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon – give their verdicts on more of the nation’s best, and worst, performers. Queuing up to take the stage, acts of all ages and abilities are determined to prove they’re worthy of the £250,000 cash prize and a slot at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.

New series. Return of the variety show from the West End theatre, featuring a different host each week. Bradley Walsh introduces music by Olly Murs, and Madness perform some of their greatest hits and a surprise collaboration.

Tenor Alfie Boe takes on a song from the Who’s classic rock opera Quadrophenia and there’s a 10th anniversary performance by the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical.

COAST AUSTRALIA

A withered corpse is found half-buried in a field beside a theme park, and with the body too badly decayed to identify properly, detectives are forced to rely on fingerprints to answer their questions.

The team investigates the murder of a lance corporal, whose body has been found in an empty house, and discovers he had a number of spurned lovers. Ducky and Gibbs interview one of the dead marine’s partners, but disagree over whether she is telling the truth.

New series. Jimmy Carr returns with this comedy version of the famous afternoon game show, with Sean Lock, Bill Bailey and Paul Foot going up against guest captain Sarah Millican with Rob Delaney and Romesh Ranganathan. Nina Conti joins Countdown’s resident lexicographer Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner.

BBC2, 7pm

five, 11.50pm

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE PALLADIUM

BBC1, 8.30pm

TRUE CRIMES: THE FIRST 72 HOURS

NCIS

five, 9.10pm

8 OUT OF 10 CATS DOES COUNTDOWN Channel 4, 9pm

John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin visit a couple in Tennessee who are ready to settle down in a small home.

Lindsay is a baker, so she needs functional kitchen space, and Jeremy is 6ft 6, so it remains to be seen whether he will even fit inside the property.

In the latest edition of the documentary series, a Devon woman finds herself spending a night in the cells after a dispute with a neighbour who just happens to be a policeman, while a York man gets an unexpected soaking after an argument with the person next door. In Glasgow, an upset over an invitation leads to a hospital visit and a criminal record for one unhappy homeowner.

five, 10pm Feature-length episode bringing the curtain down on the crime drama. Jane poses as a psychic to lure out the serial killer, but ends up being abducted by him.

Simon Baker and Robin Tunney star.

BBC1, 7.45pm

TINY HOUSE NATION

More4, 9pm

five, 8pm

THE MENTALIST: THE LAST EVER EPISODE

61

ITV, 9pm

LIVE TEST CRICKET

Sky Sports 2, 2.30pm

West Indies v England. All the action from the fifth and final day of the Third Test at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, as the series reaches a conclusion.

England are unbeaten in their last four Tests at this venue, but had to settle for a draw in the last meeting between the sides here in March 2009.

Sky Living, 9pm

New series. A north London house has apparently been hit by a series of inexplicable incidents, from incessant knocking to furniture with a life of its own. Amateur paranormal investigator Maurice Gross is fascinated, and heads over to meet the family and stay the night.

CRIMINAL MINDS

Sky Living, 9pm

The agents join forces with the international unit when an American family are kidnapped in Barbados by the driver of an airport shuttle bus. With Gary Sinise and Anna Gunn.

BALLOT MONKEYS

Channel 4, 10pm

There are now just two days to go before the nation goes to the polls and this highly topical comedy finds the four campaign buses in the grip of fear. Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s five-part series presents the rollercoaster of the General Election in an irreverent light.

Wednesday 29th April 2015

62 � MOTORS

The new Audi A6 wafts along with dignity and quiet restraint FACTS AT A GLANCE Model Audi A6 Avant TDI Ultra S line, £37,935 Engine 2.0-litre diesel producing 187bhp and 295lb/ft Transmission Seven-speed automatic driving all four wheels Performance Top speed 140mph, 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds Economy 57.6mpg combined (18-inch wheels) Emissions 115g/km of CO2 (18-inch wheels)

REVIEWED BY Matt Kimberley

What’s new?

IT FEELS like the A6 has been around since Moses, but there are specific updates for this year. Technophiles will like the new LED headlight options, including the fantastic Matrix units, which blank off individual LEDs to maintain main beam illumination while avoiding dazzling other drivers.

Amazingly, the windscreen and front side windows are now double-glazed as standard.

There’s also a smoothly-integrated new ‘infotainment’ system with more features and, of course, engine revisions that take the most economical A6 up to 67.3mpg and 109g/km - but only in the right specification.

Looks and image Not much has changed outwardly unless you care to break out your electron microscope, but versions with LED headlights, like this S line car, don’t need fog lights any more. The function is built into the complex units, so you won’t see pointless extra lamps on the front.

The A6 has a deservedly superb image, whether it’s as a long-legged company car or a carry-all premium family bus. It’s well known for its refinement, materials quality and comfort – and all three are borne out with this 2015 update.

Space and practicality The Avant estate model is obviously the bigger of the two chief body styles, packing enough space for more or less anything you’re likely to need to carry. With the rear seats folded down, there are van-like proportions to play with, but the normal boot area alone is enough for pushchairs, big suitcases or smaller pieces of furniture.

A nice touch is a cup-holder design that grips containers firmly and stops them tilting.

Mechanically speaking, the car is also a great fit for the S tronic automatic gearbox, which helps waft the A6 along with dignity and quiet restraint. It’s supremely welcome in traffic, too, removing the strain often felt by your left leg.

Behind the wheel A butter-smooth drivetrain is perfect for the A6.

It hums along so creamily, it’s hard to believe that just a decade ago, Audi was still using the clattery old TDI PD engines. The latest commonrail 2.0-litre diesel is a marvellous thing, if lacking a little in outright punch in this car.

The ride is comfy enough, despite the 18-inch wheels, and you immediately notice how big and stable it feels both in a straight line and through corners, where it grips like a barnacle to a boat.

Intelligent design means the gearbox holds lower gears when going downhill, for example, to help with engine braking.

On the downside, the steering is rather elasticfeeling and doesn’t have any real sense of connection to the front wheels. The harder you drive along winding roads, the worse it seems to get. The silver lining is that it’s light and responsive at low speeds, making car parks lighter work than they might be. Or you could just let the car park itself; you just need to select drive and reverse when the car tells you.

Value for money S line trim, the Avant body style and the S tronic gearbox bump this car’s price up a few thousand pounds, but by A6 standards, it’s not that pricey at all. It might just be a sweet spot in the range, too, with maximum practicality, enough comfort and luxury and low running costs. We managed just short of 52mpg on a 40-minute loop of mixed roads. Not bad for a big ol’ barge like the A6.

Who would buy one?

This is such an effective all-rounder that many different types of people might buy it, for overlapping reasons. Families who need space and technology, and business users who want comfort and prestige, are the primary groups likely to make a bee-line straight for the Ultra TDI version. And they’d be wise to do so.

This car summed up in a single word: Serene If this car was a...: chauffeur it would arrive wearing an immaculate suit before demonstrating impeccable manners out on the road.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

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Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the A-Class range: urban 32.1(8.8)-67.3(4.2), extra urban 48.7(5.8)-88.3(3.2), combined 40.9(6.9)-78.5(3.6). CO2 emissions 165-92 g/km. Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd, Tongwell, Milton Keynes, MK15 8BA are the firm responsible for making this financial promotion and will act as introducing agent. Whilst this offer is only available through Mercedes-Benz Finance, we do arrange finance on behalf of other finance companies as well. Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd may receive commission from the lender for acting as introducing agent. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Please contact your Retailer for availability. Offer may be varied or withdrawn at any time. *Terms and conditions apply. **Finance offer based on A 180 SE Manual on a Mercedes-Benz Agility Agreement, on 10,000 miles per annum. Vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. † Payable if you exercise the option to purchase the car. †† Includes optional purchase payment, purchase activation fee and Retailer deposit contribution. ^Participating retailers only, on a Mercedes-Benz Service Contract. Free servicing based on 3 services over 36 months. For eligible A-Class models only (excluding AMG versions) registered between 1 April 2015 and 30 June 2015. 57916

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64 � PROMOTIONAL FEATURE ADVERTISING FEATURE

Leave all your worries behind... you’re in Pas-de-Calais.

Take to la Côte d’Opale, its valleys and wetlands, for an authentic and friendly holiday experience.

Discover an unexpected side of Pas-de-Calais, with quirky accommodation, unforgettable visits and walks that will take you to another place and time, for a short break or fully-fledged escapade.

A taste of the good life, just for you.

Great ideas LA MAISON DU MARAIS – EXHIBITION AND PRESENTATION CENTRE FOR THE AUDOMAROIS WETLANDS A small corner of nature. A place of land and water. Shaped by human hands over thirteen centuries. The figures are impressive: 13,000 cultivated plots, 700 km of canals, 5,000 owners, almost a third of France’s aquatic fauna. But it is also the last marshland market garden. There are families that live and farm here. An exceptional landscape, unsurprisingly listed as a Unesco world heritage site.

Before exploring this unique territory, listen to it breathe at the Maison du Marais. Opened in 2014, it vividly narrates the history, habitat, and biodiversity of the Audomarois marshes. You’ll be guided through with words, models, films and even aquariums, telling you everything you need to explore the marshes. Numerous routes for exploring on foot or by boat begin at the house. Climb into a bacôve (flat-bottomed boat) and explore more deeply this unique territory, crafted by time and human hands. www.maison-du-marais.fr

Comfy beds LA COUR DE REMI – HOTEL Take a breath of fresh air at the Cour de Rémi Come and see why Sébastien and his brothers gave up their former careers to devote themselves entirely to La Cour de Rémi,

Wednesday 29th April 2015

transforming it from a family home into a hotel. What was their aim? To maximise the potential of the old buildings while adding a good dose of contemporary design. There are just ten bedrooms, but each one is remarkable in its own way. The results will sometimes leave you speechless. Like this one, a subtly decorated loft of almost 100 sq m. Or what about these two bathtubs placed head-tofoot? Extraordinary! And with their boundless energy, the thirty-something owners have even created a bistro-restaurant to introduce guests to what they call their ‘Bistronomy’.

Somewhere between gastronomy based on local produce and the informal atmosphere of bistro dining with friends. A new life! www.lacourderemi.com

Delicious food LES SAVEURS DU PARC – RESTAURANT If you are after fine dining, you will not be disappointed by the rich flavours of this establishment. It offers an enlightened cuisine that’s as pleasing to the eye as to the tastebuds, presented within an elegant and stylish decor.

Is it an ancestral home, a manor house or a restored castle? However you describe this impressive chateau, just a stone’s throw from St-Omer, it stylishly succeeds in offering a gastronomic interlude.

Surrounded by mature trees, this elegant demeure has just been given a new lease of life, and its chef, David Wotjkowiak, leaves no doubt about his intentions. He wants you to enjoy a combination of comfort, relaxation and pleasure. While his fine cuisine includes many fish dishes, the chef also likes to mix flavours, and particularly enjoys adding a sweet touch. Share a moment of pure sophistication that will satisfy your eyes as well as your taste buds. www.hostelleriedes3mousquetaires.com

MORE OF “LA BELLE VIE”:

www.la-belle-vie.com

20th June to 20th Sept 2015 Site des Deux-Caps / Grand Site de France An initiative of the Département du Pas-de-Calais 14 artist’s installations 16 km of unusual walks 36 km of coast Jean-Daniel Berclaz, Julien Boucq, Frères Chapuisat, Marie Denis, Mark Dion, Nicolas Floc’h, Kenny Hunter, Vincent Lamouroux, Didier Marcel, Maria Montesi, Liliana Motta, Françoise Pétrovitch, Pierre Redon, Janusz Stega + talks, workshops, guided tours, evening screenings, walks, barbecues…

www.slackdeuxcapsartfestival.com

66 � TRAVEL

Happy feet head for Antarctica Wednesday 29th April 2015

• Sarah Marshall IN THE case of most wildlife-themed holidays, there’s always a degree of uncertainty about what you might see. That’s nature. But on a trip to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica, it’s a sure bet you’ll encounter not just one, but thousands of the flightless birds that have charmed us through nature documentaries, cartoons and greetings cards.

Ahead of me, 80,000 pairs of king penguins have formed a river of black and golden feathers, tumbling down the hillside at South Georgia’s Salisbury Plain. The stench of guano is even

heavier than the gloomy clouds choking the sky, and the shrill of trumpeting kings chastising their ever-demanding chicks suggests pandemonium.

We’ve hiked for 40 minutes across muddy terrain to reach the colony, through thick tussocks littered with agitated fur seals and their marble-eyed pups, who inquisitively swivel heads 180 degrees to look up at you.

King penguins breed every three years, during different seasons, so we encounter chicks at all stages of development. Some are still wrapped in fluffy down, like Italian signoras in winter fur coats, while others are moulting, shedding curled-up feathers like locks on the floor of a barber’s shop.

TRAVEL �

Home to only a handful of scientific researchers, South Georgia is one of the biggest marine protection areas in the world and a breeding ground for 30 million seabirds. I’m one of the 7,000 privileged tourists visiting each year, stopping as part of a 19-day voyage to Antarctica with One Ocean Expeditions.

Our expedition ship the Vavilov is a Russian research vessel fitted with sensors on the hull to collect data, but with a bar, sauna and hot tub on board, we’re by no means roughing it.

The loose, subject-to-change itinerary for the next two and a half weeks will follow the footsteps of celebrated polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, whose trans-Antarctic endurance expedition was crushed

by sea ice exactly 100 years ago. But as one guest whispers to me in hushed tones, “Let’s be honest most of us are really here to see the penguins.”

We’re likely to encounter six species on our trip, each with its own amusing eccentricities, but one of the most entertaining has to be the spikyhaired rockhopper. Three-quarters of the world’s population can be found on the Falklands, an archipelago 300 miles east of southern Argentina, and the first stop on our trip.

One of the most scenic rookeries, shared with the elegant black-browed albatross, is at West Point Island. We weave through a maze of tussock mounds, where the noisy neighbours surprisingly seem to tolerate each other in confined conditions.

Eyes blazing red and chests puffed out, the diminutive rockhoppers bicker incessantly while the much larger – and calmer – albatrosses preen feathers and tend to their young.

Thies and Kicki, a couple who have spent the last 25 years travelling the world in their 62-yearold yacht Wanderer III, are the only residents of the island. West Point’s 87-year-old owner Roddy invited them to be caretakers two years ago, and the couple now spend days fixing fences and preparing afternoon tea (served on 160 pieces of mismatched crockery) for the 20 tourist ships that pass through in a season (October to March).

As she drives us across the island in her rusty 4x4, Swedish-born Kicki tells me: “Twenty years ago, we’d never have believed we would find a place like this beautiful. But it’s grown on us.” Imagining what it must be like when the cruise ships have departed and penguins are the only company, I’m envious.

The following three days are spent at sea watching albatrosses, petrels and tiny prions riding on our tailwinds and darting through the crests of waves, until we reach the most nutrient-rich sector of the Antarctic Ocean, South Georgia.

At one time, the waters here were full of humpback and blue whales, but a thriving whaling industry decimated the population in a matter of decades. Now the derelict rusty stations are once again overrun by wildlife.

At sheltered harbour Grytviken, where there’s a small maritime museum and post office selling its own issues of stamps, I find kelp gulls perched on blubber ovens and penguins wandering through the rubble. A bulbous elephant seal (a creature I’m sure provided the inspiration for George Lucas’ Jabba the Hutt) slithers across Shackleton’s grave, set on the hillside, and lets out a snort from his saltencrusted nostrils.

We find more of the blubbery pinnipeds at Gold Harbour, a glorious snapshot of the wild chaos and community that shapes South Georgia. While the serious beachmasters may have long since departed (you’ll find them here in October to November), adolescent male elephant seals rear up to play-

fight, while opportunistic skuas try to pick off vulnerable chicks from a colony of king penguins, and orange-billed gentoos hurry their business.

It all takes place against a dramatic backdrop of calving glaciers, deep blue sky and rolling surf.

As we leave South Georgia, we pass a mile-long tabular iceberg which has taken several months to travel from our next destination, Antarctica.

Eulogised by explorers with frosty white beards, it’s the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth; a hostile wilderness which belongs to no-one except, of course, the penguins.

The burning red light of dawn wakes me at 2.30am, as we enter the Antarctic Sound, an unspeakably beautiful stretch of water separating the Antarctic Peninsula from nearby islands. From the stern, I watch gentoos diving from icebergs and scrambling back up again, as we glide past opalescent snowy mountains, smoothed by the wind into perfect cones.

Later that day, we make our first continent landing at Brown Bluff, where jagged rocks jut out like a lower set of incisors. Cape petrels engulf our dinghy as we head for the shore, where Adelies and gentoos are nesting. I pass the skeleton of an emperor – a penguin that’s near impossible to see, unless you’re extremely lucky or have £30,000 to spend on an expedition further into the continent – then I sit for more than an hour watching the penguins get down to the crafty business of stone-stealing.

The precious building material is used to construct nests, and someone else’s stone is always more appealing. Some do it surreptitiously while others are shameless, happy to perpetrate the crime in full view of their angry neighbours.

It’s impossible not to anthropomorphise; the stone stealer is obviously male while the carer sitting dutifully on the nest has to be female. In truth, penguins exchange duties and it’s impossible to sex them without taking a blood sample.

For the few remaining days of our voyage, I’m transfixed by penguin behaviour.

At Half Moon Bay, I watch chinstraps use their beaks as pick axes to reach nests 500 feet high in the crags, then toboggan speedily down snowy slopes to reach the sea; while at Mikkelsen Harbour, I see gentoos taking the more sensible option of scuttling along furrows in the snow, known as ‘penguin highways’.

During our final landing, at Cuverville Island, a snowstorm sets in and a sharp wind tears through the rocks. Most people have returned to the Vavilov, but I sit with 67-year-old Christine, eking out our last precious moments with the penguins.

“I’m old,” she sighs, while trying to film the scene with her compact camera. “In reality, I know I’ll never see this again.”

But sad as it is to accept, that fleeting beauty is what makes Antarctica such an incomparably special place.

67

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT A king penguin colony South Georgia Elephant seals in Gold Harbour Cierva Cove, Antarctica

‘That fleeting beauty is what makes Antarctica such a special place’ TRAVEL FACTS Sarah Marshall was a guest of One Ocean Expeditions (www.oneoceanexpeditions.com) who offer 18 night/19 day voyages to Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica from £12,695, departing October 23, November 22 and December 30. Price includes accommodation and all meals onboard, plus Zodiac excursions and landings, ship transfers and foul weather gear. KLM (www.klm.com) flies to Buenos Aires from £739 from London Heathrow, via Amsterdam, with various regional departures available.

Then take an internal flight to Ushuaia

Wednesday 29th April 2015

68 � ARTS & CULTURE

Everyone rallies round at the Oast Theatre to make it work THE OAST THEATRE FACTS:

VENUE Laura Collins and Maggie Hoiles of the Oast Theatre

THE OAST THEATRE FOUNDED: 1974 ADDRESS: London Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3AN WEB: www.oasttheatre.com TEL: 01732 363 849 FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ oasttheatre TWITTER: @Oasttheatre REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 227035 SEATING CAPACITY: 116 TICKETS FROM: £10 (non-members) ANNUAL PRODUCTIONS: Ten ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS FROM: £5 ADDITIONAL SERVICES: Costume, facility and props/furniture hire MEMBER OF: The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain (southern region)

• By Fred Latty

FOR theatre-goers, Tunbridge Wells and its surrounding area is a haven for some of the best amateur and professional productions.

Showcasing a total of ten plays a year, the Oast Theatre in Tonbridge is a prime example. To find out about the venue, we spoke to chairman Laura Collins and publicity manager Maggie Hoiles about funding, the recession and bringing in a younger audience…

Wednesday 29th April 2015

Tell us about the background of the theatre Maggie: It started at the Mitre pub in Tonbridge.

There were various groups of people meeting to put on productions – in fact, when I first joined, we used to rehearse there and only came here when we were in a production. There were people who had great foresight and could see there was potential when the Oast and the barn came up on the market.

Laura: When the theatre came up for sale, it was much more contained as an oast house and over the years it has been self-funded by putting on productions. Absolutely nobody gets paid here.

At one point, the barn and this building were separate entities; we managed to join them and have more rehearsal space, which cost about £400,000. We had £200,000 ready to spend ourselves because we knew that that was coming up; we were doing shows and costume hire and the bank had worked with us for a number of years and had seen the work here expand. They’ve been very happy to go on board with us and we’re well on our way to paying it back.

Where do you get your funding?

Maggie: We hire the venue out for yoga classes, children’s music parties and franchises looking for a venue, but it’s generally in the day because it’s so busy at night with all the rooms used for rehearsal.

Laura: What makes us so different is that this is almost like a pod; we’re self-reliant, we’re selffunding and therefore we can let it out for small bits and pieces.

Maggie: We have associates who pay a certain

PROPS The theatre puts on a varied programme of events

amount to go in the programme every month; we do an evening for them and they come and see the play.

They get so many free tickets a year and they’re very loyal. When it started off, people raved; they were so enterprising and they raised the money to buy this place; it was quite amazing.

Are you successful in terms of engaging your audience with the theatre’s productions?

Laura: More often than not, we sell out for the week.

On the first Saturday night you get a good house, Sunday afternoons are really popular because it’s on at 3pm. On Monday you might see the people who aren’t too sure, but then by about Tuesday or Wednesday, they’re suddenly buying tickets.

Maggie: Some people wait for others to see it before they book they haven’t heard of it. Some plays are harder, but we feel we should have a range of drama and we’re therefore prepared to weather some that aren’t so popular, because we feel we need to attract a younger audience.

Laura: We need to attract different ages, cultures and people who can’t get up to the West End to see different things. It’s done in a different way and it makes people come to things they wouldn’t normally see.

Maggie: With the price of tickets, even if you came and it wasn’t particularly your taste, you would talk about it and it hasn’t cost you a load of money, whereas, if you go to the West End, it does.

How important is it to attract a younger audience?

Maggie: We need an audience for the future; we have a very active youth theatre and we’ve tried to get them on board. I’m not saying they’re our audience, but by doing that, they tell people to come, so our youth is our future. They go away to university and don’t necessarily come back – on that basis, we hope we get people from other sources. We do a number of things; we’ve set up a marketing group to focus particularly on where we advertise, and use social media. I can see a younger element coming in already. Social media has helped us, not only for the audience, but also for casting.

Laura: Apart from the audience, we also need actors, so it’s a two-way street. If we can get a younger age group of actors, they bring friends.

In what ways do you go about bringing younger people in?

Maggie: We go into schools and fix visits for the children to come here. They come and are told all about lighting and sound. They also meet the director of the current play, who tells them about the play and the set. They then get put into groups, taken on tours of the theatre and we’ll also do some

ARTS & CULTURE �

69

OSCARS Actors as well as audiences are needed

sort of workshop. We’ve been doing that for quite a while and it’s very popular. It’s a great day for them and goes down well from their point of view with Ofsted. It’s good for them to be out in the wider community.

Do you have any plans to introduce cinema to the theatre?

Maggie: It’s definitely the future; the trouble is finding a space to do it. It doesn’t need a lot of space and we’ve got the equipment, so in the winter we could do it at 3pm, and in the summer we could do it on a Sunday evening.

It’s in the pipeline and it will happen – there’s always so much going on here, but it’s definitely on the agenda.

What brings in the most money for you?

Maggie: Shows and wardrobe. Our wardrobe department is absolutely incredible, because they often kit out a complete production, provide all the costumes, and their knowledge is second to none. They have the talent to design costumes and make them.

Are there any areas where you feel things could be improved?

Laura: It’s bums on seats at shows, really, and getting the audience for lesser known plays.

Has the recession had an impact on the theatre?

Maggie: Funnily enough, we were doing the building during the worst time of the recession. We took some seats out and had some small productions, which kept the money coming in, so – touch wood – it didn’t affect us. We have a pretty loyal membership of more than 1,000 and don’t have to pay for rehearsals or outside services. When we had the extension done, we had our own project manager who was on site looking out for us and did a lot of the fitting out.

Laura: We’re also very good at recycling; all the old seats have gone to auction so we’ve got some income. We just refurbished the bar area, and Tonbridge Football Club, one of our associate members, gave us £500 for all the old stuff.

Do you get a positive response from your volunteer base?

Laura: It’s very enthusiastic. From time to time we have a blip because you need to find people’s talents.

Maggie: What’s so good is, if something goes wrong, everybody rallies to keep it all running. It just shows you that, every time something happens and you need somebody – which is inevitable when people have been doing it for many years – someone else comes along. It’s the thing about this place; everybody just gets stuck in if there’s a problem.

Laura: One of the things I’m so pleased has happened in my time as chairman is that we haven’t just got one person any more; it’s a group. We’re not firefighting as much as we used to because people are grouping round and we all pitch in. The different talents people don’t realise they have are amazing.

Is local culture thriving?

Laura: I think it’s very mixed, really. We’re very blessed in this area, because there’s so much culture on our doorstep. There are certain

weeks I could be out every night going to see something. You don’t have to go to the West End. What are your hopes for the Oast going forward?

Laura: To carry on as it is, but we would like to see the younger people coming through because of the future.

Maggie: We need the younger people. Not to just do plays, we want them to be part of the club.

We’re seeing more, but we need a younger lot to do sound, lighting and keep the place running. For a lot of the older members, there’s a social element as well, because you needn’t ever be on your own.

There’s always something to do and bringing people together is a very important part of this club, which we should never, ever lose. Whatever you’re doing here, you do feel it’s got a special atmosphere, and I would never want to lose that. We want it to stay like that, but with a younger element coming through with new ideas who can keep us up to date and will take over jobs and be prepared to get stuck in. If you don’t get that, you won’t keep the passion, and that’s what we have to do.

OAST THEATRE PRODUCTIONS: THIS SEASON’S PRODUCTIONS: The Gate Escape/Burn – May 7 to 9 The Deep Blue Sea – May 30 to June 6 Hoppers Summer Show 2015 – June 13 to 14 (matinees only) The Thrill of Love – June 27 to July 4 Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue – July 25 to August 1

PAST PRODUCTIONS: 2014-15 The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde Private Lives Heroes

2013-14 DNA Flare Path Pack of Lies 2012-13 Blue Remembered Hills Duets

The Brilliance in the Room 2011-12 Dracula Look Back in Anger Oh What a Lovely War 2010-11 Not in My Name

The Three Musketeers Mrs Klein 2009-10 The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty Journey’s End Art

Wednesday 29th April 2015

70 � THE GREAT OUTDOORS FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

Country matters with Kent Barker

Fleecing tourists is our heritage SOMEWHERE in the box of family photos in the attic there’s a picture of a (much) younger Barker at Stonehenge. If I’m not actually standing on one of the menhirs, I’m certainly in the centre of the circle touching it.

This wonderfully tactile experience was brought to mind on a trip to the West Country recently for a funeral.

Myrtle was being good in the back of the car, but heavy panting hinted she needed to stretch her paws.

I was aware that changes had been happening at the stones and that a proposal to build a massively expensive tunnel to hide the A303 from visitors had been resurrected. So I thought we’d take a look. And what a depressing experience it turned out to be.

Now, let me come clean. It was my first trip in probably 50 years and so I have no idea what the ‘visitor experience’ was like until the new centre was opened in 2013. Though I gather it was fairly minimalist: entrance via a tunnel under an A road, no proper café facilities and only portable toilets available.

But my first impression of the new reception area was: what on earth is this awful tin roof, apparently supported by dozens of redundant acrow props, covering disparate huts with ticket kiosk, tea room and gift shop? It looked completely out of place on the Wiltshire plain and had no resonance whatever with ancient barrows or henges. The new car park, which covers half a hillside, costs £5 to get into – though it’s refundable with your entry fee for the stones.

And how much is that? £16 for an adult and £41 for a family. Sorry, HOW MUCH!!!!????? Oh, all right, £14.50 and £37.50 if you don’t add, as you are strenuously encouraged to, gift aid.

OK, that’s quite a lot, but perhaps the experience will be worth it. It does include a shuttle bus ride 2.4 km down the recently closed A344 to the circle. But we didn’t want to travel in a noisy, smelly, diesel-powered motor bus, (if ever there was case for a fleet of electric vehicles, this is it!)

So Myrtle and I decided to walk. And that was pretty miserable too. A white line painted on the road demarcates the pedestrian route. So, although you can see the lovely surrounding countryside, you are actually walking along a tarmacked road with buses passing every minute or so. We finally found a proper public footpath and set off across a field full of unfenced

Wednesday 29th April 2015

cows with overly-curious calves.

I didn’t mind, but Myrtle – and a fair number of other visitors – were severely intimidated by them.

So eventually the public footpath arrives at the prehistoric monument? Well no. Actually it arrives at a building site in front of the monument. There’s a pile of polystyrene cups, sandwich wrappers and plastic bags in one corner and mounds of earth and rubble strewn around. Ah, this must be the old car park that closed a year ago. How come they’ve not finished grassing it over in time for this season? Better not to ask.

Anyway, if you walk round the back of the building site you can get quite close to the stones. Yes, there’s an ugly wire fence in the way, but then the punters who’ve paid their £41 can’t get much nearer.

They are restricted to walkways and barriers within the compound. So there we stand, walkers and official visitors, ten metres or more from the monument itself, unable to go into the circle, unable to touch the stones, unable to marvel at the construction as I had done half a century earlier.

As we set off back to the visitor centre car park, we met a man in a threadbare sweater advising tourists they don’t need to pay the extortionate entrance fee but can, as we did, walk round via the public footpath and see the stones for nothing.

“You can’t be very popular with English Heritage?” I suggest. He nods.

It turns out he’s been objecting to the ‘improvements’ at the World Heritage Site for years. “It’s absurd. This is a public byway so you don’t need to use the visitor car park at all. And there’s technically a footpath running right through the compound along the now closed A344. And the proposals for a tunnel are absolutely crazy. They’d wreck important archaeological sites and be a complete waste of £2 billion.”

Certainly you can’t help feeling angry on behalf of the tourists who’ve been fleeced of their entrance money and given a rotten experience to boot. If only they’d been allowed to wander at will and wonder at the 4,000-year-old circle set among the most extraordinary Neolithic and Bronze Age burial sites. There must be a better way than this to ‘do’ heritage.

KentCountryMatters.Blogspot.com

• By Eleanor Jones LET me introduce Timmy.

He looks cute, doesn’t he? All sort of innocent and butter-wouldn’t-melt – but don’t believe that for an instant. Timmy’s part Shetland pony, probably part Exmoor and possibly part Tasmanian devil. He and I have a love-hate relationship, without much of the love bit.

When he came to us about seven years ago, as a companion for my friend’s horse, there was little to indicate that this diminutive equine figure would cause any problems.

He had been rescued from appalling treatment which had left him resembling a toast-rack. A sad little figure, head drooping, he had so little muscle, his hips clicked when he walked and he barely had the strength to get to the field.

But as anyone who knows Shetlands would surmise, it didn’t take long for the weight to go on, the muscle to build up and the ‘character’ to come out.

Timmy only stands about three feet tall, yet he undoubtedly rules the roost. I’ve seen 16.2hh horses reduced to quivering wrecks in the face of his brazen cheek, standing helpless as he steals their food and driven to distraction by his attempts to ‘play’ with them.

This is a pony who has perfected hovering on the fringes as the horses are fed in the field.

He waits for the right moment, then darts in, picks up the feed bucket from under its rightful owner’s nose and runs off with it. And apart from the fact that Shetlands get fat by looking at grass so no extra nutrition is needed, there’s no way I’m going to spend my hard-earned money on horse food which ends up spilt on the ground as the little so-and-so swipes it.

Over the years, I’ve tried catching him before I feed the others, tying him up until they’ve finished, but he soon worked that one out and perfected staying just out of reach, a glint in his eye. I’ve tried chasing him off and giving him a handful of hay as a diversionary tactic but realised he was staying away just as long as I watched him, sneaking in as soon as my back was turned.

We made a pen with electric fencing last summer, to stop him ballooning from too much grass and that actually worked but as soon as the ground got too wet to keep him in it, we let him out. He soon realised that his winter coat was so thick, he could barge straight through the electric fencing with impunity and basically, spend his time in whichever field he chose. He’s escaped times without number, creating a onehorse charge of the Light Brigade as he leads me a merry dance through anywhere he shouldn’t be, he’s barged me, bitten me and trodden hard on my foot – and I don’t think it’s fanciful to say he does it all on purpose.

Many horse-owners own Shetlands. Many also substitute the third letter of the breed’s name with another vowel. Knowing Timmy as I do, and although I do love him to bits, I have every sympathy.

INDOORS & OUTDOORS �

Head fast bowler wants to focus on winning for Kent Coles determined to shake off his old wild child reputation FAST bowler Matt Coles is determined to shake off his reputation of being a drinker and concentrate on winning games for Kent Cricket.

The 24-year-old made a surprise return to the county weeks before the start of the new season, having left Kent for Hampshire at the end of the 2013 campaign.

At that time it was rumoured that Coles’ off-field problems had resulted in his falling out of favour with the Kent hierarchy. Having had an impressive season with the club in 2012, the bowler was selected for the England Lions squad which toured Australia, only to be sent home early after breaking a curfew with England all-rounder Ben Stokes.

Now back at Canterbury and keen to put all that behind him, Coles seems set to be a regular in the Kent side this season, leading the bowling attack in the side’s opening two County Championship games of the season away at Essex and Lancashire.

“I’m excited to be back. I’m determined to do well for Kent and I’m looking forward to doing well for my county,” said Coles.

“I have learnt some very valuable life skills. It’s never easy leaving your friends and family behind and it does take its toll on you mentally.

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“Fingers crossed I can do well, put my name forward and the England selectors will give me another go.”

Coles has had issues with having been out partying late at night, which he is keen to put behind him.

He said: “All that is in the past now.

I’m keen to start afresh and my focus is clear –doing well for Kent.

“We all make mistakes, but I’m determined to be in the headlines for all the right reasons.”

One of the main men instrumental in getting Coles back to Kent was captain Rob Key, the two having been friends for a number of years.

Some fans would question whether the club are taking a risk in bringing Coles back, but the talented all-rounder is keen to repay the faith shown by his skipper.

He said: “Rob Key has been brilliant, he’s a great guy to learn from and he’s helped me so much.

“I can’t thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to come back. He knows me as a mate and it’s brilliant I can work with him again.

“He speaks highly of me and hope I won’t let him down this time.”

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DETERMINED Matt Coles wants to concentrate on winning

Driver’s delight at full season’s racing

ON THE GRID Jake Hill will be racing a Porsche this season

JAKE Hill is delighted to be racing in a series for a full season once more having joined the ever-growing Avon Tyres British GT grid.

The 21-year-old from Tunbridge Wells has joined AMD Tuning.com for the 2015 season and will be racing with Graham Coomes in the GT4 category.

Jake said: “I am overjoyed, very happy that [team manager] Shaun Hollamby has given me the seat. It’s great to be finally secure for the year with a racing seat.”

Shaun knew Jake from previous race series, but also that he has raced Porsches before.

Jake said: “I drove the new 991 Carrera cup car for a couple of rounds last year and it was amazing, I loved the Porsche.

To be back in a really good Porsche and doing a full season is going to be great.”

The British GT series is something new to Jake but it is definitely something he sees himself in long term.

He said: “I have always wanted to do sports cars so starting to do British GT and endurance racing is the way to go.

Hopefully we will have a really good year and move forward.

“The car is good. I haven’t met Graham Coomes yet but he supposed to be very quick as well. Hopefully together we will be a really great pairing and try for some good wins.

“From the minute we step foot in Rockingham, I am going to be doing the best job I can, I know Graham will, and Shaun and the team. There is no reason we can’t perform first race. We have just got to go for it.”

Jake’s first race will be at Rockingham this weekend.

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01892 890591 Wednesday 29th April 2015

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