Bring back harmony and respect at The Amelia

I am an Italian living in Royal Tunbridge Wells since 2020, and my wife and I visit The Amelia for relaxation. However, this beautiful place is often frequented by very rude teenagers. They act as though they’re in a playground, using the piano like a toy and risking almost certain damage – without any of the staff intervening to stop them.

It is unacceptable for this level of disturbance and damage to occur with impunity, especially considering that everything is paid for by the community of Tunbridge Wells.

I hope that my writing to you serves to raise awareness in those who should be ensuring that The Amelia remains a place of cultural relaxation, respected by all.

Smartening up

I was struck by the shabby appearance and demeanour of several Tunbridge Wells councillors at recent meetings. Were they diverted from a muddy ramble or from walking the dog on the Commons? The phrase rag, tag, and bobtail came to mind, reflecting perhaps the Council’s coalition set up.

Dressing appropriately shows respect for colleagues and councillors’ representative rôle. No need for sharp suits or haute couture, only some smartening up. It might just improve the current sadly lacking quality of debate and reduce rancour between participants.

Yes, I do wear a range of woolly jumpers!

Terry Cload Pembury

Cars are vilified

I totally agree with the letter last week sent in by Linda Holman (Times, January 25), suggesting the available monies are spent on potholes and not pet projects.

Also the cartoon was wonderful in belittling

[Cllr Peter] Lidstone’s ideas. Motor vehicles are seen as the enemy and vilified nowadays, where before they were seen as giving people freedom. The revenues from motor vehicles to the Government is £30billion, and think of all the jobs they provide, ranging from office jobs to garages, etc.

Motor vehicles are indispensable to our infrastructure, yet they are vilified. When they all go electric, there will still be vehicles. I believe pavements are quite good to walk on and roads are good to cycle on, if there were any cyclists.

Richard Bell

Tunbridge Wells

Prevention not cure

I am writing in response to Linda Holman’s letter calling for active travel funding to be spent on repairing potholes. She is right to say potholes are a dangerous problem. But as any good doctor would tell you, prevention is better than cure. Believe it or not, an average car causes 40,000 times more damage to a road surface than a bicycle. Lorries millions of times more. If improved cycling and walking facilities reduce car journeys by even 5% they will pay for themselves many times over in reduced road maintenance costs, not to mention the air quality and health benefits.

The active travel funding being referred to by Ms Holman totalled £25,000. For context, Kent County Council spent £7.5m last year on their ‘pothole blitz’. Let’s try a different approach.

Cllr Peter Lidstone (Lib Dem)

Walking & cycling champion for Tunbridge Wells

Rare NHS dentists

It is not only the NHS that is operating below par, after 13 years of Tory misrule. Trying to gain an NHS dentist is (pardon the pun) rarer than hen’s teeth! Coincidentally, I can’t help but notice the number of expensive cars parked at various dental surgeries, so someone’s doing very well! If this is a sign of travel, then heaven help the NHS.

Martin Dawes

Tunbridge Wells

Make buses sustainable

A total of 58 subsidised bus services are either being axed or reduced leaving residents including school children without a service to school or rural areas where people depend on public transport to get around.

Lib Dem councillors are calling on the government to put in place a long-term, sustainable funding deal for buses, including support for driver recruitment and training schemes. We also need to accelerate the local Bus Service Improvement Plan, which will unlock a new deal for bus services. Local authorities have no direct control over privatised bus services, so we need the government to step up.

It’s also a significant problem that the government has continued to encourage anyone with an HGV licence to take up or return to lorry-driving regardless of the effect on the ambulance and bus services.

We need to increase the pool of drivers, not simply move them about.

Residents rely on public transport to access shops, services, employment or education. Without reliable – not to mention affordable –services, residents are forced into cars, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis and creating a vicious cycle as passenger numbers decline further, whilst congestion and air pollution rise.

As fuel costs rise and the climate emergency bites, excellent local bus services are a vital part of the solution to getting from A to B. The Lib Dems will continue to fight for our local bus services. Once lost, the risk is they will not be replaced.

Cllr Marguerita Morton, member on the Climate Emergency Advisory Panel

St. John’s, Tunbridge Wells

Credit to Bob Backhouse

Firstly, I would like to correct previous articles, Bob passed on December 23.

Bob shared with me how he helped a resident during his time as a councillor.

The resident was trying to escape an abusive relationship: Bob harboured her and her son at his home whilst he sorted out for them to have emergency accommodation.

This was just one of the uncredited things Bob did for his residents during his time as a councillor.

He also continued to help residents the best he could when emailed, despite being unseated.

I would wonder how many other public servants would actually be prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty, like Bob did time and time again.

I will greatly miss his kindness, wisdom, compassion and counsel.

Aaron Brand (Young Conservatives) Tunbridge Wells

Pitch a tent for Lent

Imagine having to give up your home in search of food or water, or your home being damaged or destroyed by extreme weather or conflict. It’s the devastating reality for more than 100 million displaced people across the world every year who often have little choice but to leave behind their homes, livelihoods, and sometimes loved ones too.

At the disaster relief charity ShelterBox we know, from our work on the frontline in places like Pakistan, the Philippines, and East Africa, that climate change is making things worse. It’s why we stand ready to respond with emergency shelter and essential items like solar lights, water filters, and mosquito nets.

Our supporters make our responses possible, and this Lent some are giving up their own beds – and sleeping in a tent - in support of our Tent for Lent appeal. Others will be giving up their pay day take-away, morning take-out coffee, or taking on a sponsored challenge to raise money to help shelter people they will never meet.

Just £30 could provide a family with a shelter tool kit, while £60 could provide a family with a water filter, giving them access to clean drinking water; and £350 could give a family a tent, a space for a family to call home.

No amount is too small and every post shared helps ShelterBox to be able to give people shelter, and with that comes a powerful sense of hope. To find out more about our Tent for Lent appeal and how to get involved, visit shelterbox. org.

Lucy Holden, Community Fundraising Manager ShelterBox