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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
Tories say it’s ‘time for change’ as they try to topple Leader By Richard Williams THE Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council may be ousted as fellow Conservative councillors attempt once again to overthrow him, the Times can disclose. The fate of Cllr Alan McDermott will be decided at a meeting of the Conservative Group next week. Leading the attempted coup will be Cllr Paul Barrington-King a borough councillor for Pembury, and also a Tunbridge Wells county councillor. He had tried to take the leadership job last year after the then leader David Jukes lost his seat in the May local elections.
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Inspirational JAZZ IS BACK: The Pantiles’ Thursday night event is set to return in August with new social distancing measures in place
able to stand up to dance, tables will be available for up to six people. “It’s as simple and as safe as we can make it. We will have sanitising stations at each entrance and the area has marshalled barriers to make sure it’s super organised,” Mr Leefe-Griffiths continued. He went on to say there will be a £5 donation at the barrier, which pays for the band, security and safety measures, and asked that people didn’t just wander down to The Pantiles as they normally do on a Thursday. Another boost for the town is the
That time he was unsuccessful, and the top job went to Cllr McDermott. Supporters of Cllr Barrington-King believe that at the Annual General Meeting of the Conservative Group on August 6 – which was due to take place in May but was postponed due to Covid – he may now have enough support to take the top job. The move follows general Tory disquiet over a ‘lack of vision’ in the cabinet. Cllr Barrington-King told the Times: “It is time for change. It is no longer acceptable to continue with the status quo. “The recent period has proven that the confidence is not there. “It is wrong to continue with misplaced old loyalties for which we will suffer from in the coming months and years. The residents of Tunbridge Wells deserve much better. “We need leadership that is visible and inspirational and to work with all to make things better. “I can achieve this, as many,
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Music night returns to help put the town back on track Ice rink also gets go ahead but it’s no show for panto By Robert Forrester PLANS are being finalised to bring back one of the town’s most popular events... Jazz on The Pantiles. Organisers told the Times yesterday (Tuesday) they are hopeful of getting the green light for the first night to be staged on Thursday August 13. “But it will be a different evening,” said the man behind the event Julian Leefe-Griffiths. “It will be seated dining outside for up to 500 people and reservations will be needed. “The event will obviously meet all the Covid-19 safety restrictions as have simi-
lar events in other areas including Soho. “We’re hoping that this will be the start of getting Tunbridge Wells on the road.” He added that there will be a large seated area on the Upper Pantiles sur-
‘We will have sanitising stations at each entrance and marshalled barriers’ rounding the bandstand, and only people that have booked at one of the participating restaurants will be able to gain access to the bandstand area. To ensure social distancing, it will be seating only, and while you may not be
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this week… Trust has 8,000 patients awaiting cancer screening CAMPAIGNING FOR CAPEL: New Tudeley garden village could be under threat with 97% of locals rejecting it P6
IT’S GOOD TO TALK: West Kent Mind reveals why its post lockdown counselling is in big demand P7
By Richard Williams THOUSANDS of cancer screening tests have been delayed at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury due to the Covid pandemic. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [MTW], which also runs Maidstone Hospital has 8,000 people still awaiting screening for a range of cancers including two of the UK’s biggest killers – breast cancer and bowel cancer. The backlog was revealed at Kent County Council’s [KCC] health and overview scrutiny
Jazz and ice rink return Continued from page 1
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Charitable Fund raises £12,500 P10
KENT TEST DELAYED: The 11+ exam has been put back one month by Kent County Council due to the Covid-19 pandemic P14
announcement that the ice rink will be back at Calverley grounds... Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has confirmed that the rink can go ahead having assessed that it is safe for it to happen. The popular attraction, which brings large numbers of people to the town during the festive period is to open on Saturday November 14 with tickets on sale in September through the Assembly Hall Theatre’s website. Cllr Jane March, who is the cabinet member for Culture at the Council said: “I am very pleased that we’re able to share this good news. She said the Council has confirmed that the rink can go ahead in Calverley Grounds having assessed that it is safe. Shouldn’t this go after the next sentence? The rink will operate in accordance with the social distancing guidelines and legislation in place at the time of opening. However, this year’s annual pantomime at the Assembly Hall has been cancelled due to Covid as the theatre is to stay closed until at least April 2021 due to the lack of options for social distancing within the auditorium. The performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs planned for December has now had to be postponed.
Leadership challenge Continued from page 1
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including past leaders, will testify. I see this as a very real opportunity and I believe it is my time.” Cllr Barrington-King, who recently voted for and accepted a 4.2 per cent increase in his allowance at County Hall, is being seconded by Cllr David Reilly, also from Pembury. The pair both sit on the council’s Audit and Governance Committee as chair and co-chair. Cllr Reilly had served as the cabinet’s finance lead under David Jukes, but resigned after Cllr McDermott took the reins last year. The disquiet in the party comes after Culverden councillor David Scott unexpectedly quit the cabinet in May. He had been the cabinet’s head of Property, Major Projects and Strategic Engagement and cited the leader’s ‘lack of vision’ as well as Cllr McDermott’s ‘low profile’ during the Covid pandemic. At the time, Cllr David Scott had not ruled out running against Cllr McDermott during next week’s AGM, but it is understood he failed to garner enough support from fellow Tory councillors, and will instead be backing Cllr Barrington-King. CLLR Two other councillors may BARRINGTONalso decide to put their KING names forward for the
committee last week. “The waiting lists are growing. The diagnostic screening for breast screening is getting longer. The NHS is not catching up,” Cllr Nick Chard from Sevenoaks said.
Capacity Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust says breast screening service for high risk patients restarted on April 27, and bowel cancer screening service began again on May 19, while
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
a more general service resumed on July 13. A Trust spokesperson said they hoped to be at normal capacity by the end of August. “We are quickly and carefully reviewing all of our patients to ensure we treat those who have greater clinical need first and we would like to thank them for their patience and understanding,” he said. “Our priority over the last few months has been ensuring that everyone who needs cancer treatment and urgent and essential care has been able to get it when they need it. “At the start of the pandemic, to reduce the spread of the virus and protect our patients, the public and our staff, some non-urgent appointments, diagnostic procedures and planned surgeries were postponed or replaced with telephone or video consultations.”
ON ICE People enjoying the rink last year
Theatre Director JJ Almond said: “This was an incredibly hard decision to take. Panto is a very important part of our programme and we always look forward to seeing people fill the theatre ready to enjoy a fun, festive performance. “But as time has gone on it has become very clear that the audience experience would suffer if we staged a production with the level of social distancing necessary to be safe. Cllr Jane March, said: “The challenge for the Council, is to strike the balance between generating income from available capacity, and staff, public and performer safety in the context of
audiences feeling that attendance is not safe. “In many cases the losses will be lower if a venue remains closed; as with reduced capacity and social distancing the costs to generate income, outweigh the income that can be achieved. It is a dilemma reflected across the industry. “We have decided to remain closed until April but we will be regularly reviewing that decision. “It is disappointing that as a result of coronavirus the Assembly Hall was forced to postpone the pantomime but knowing the ice rink will be open for Christmas is very welcome.”
Leader’s job, Cllrs Sean Holden and Joe Simmons – both of whom challenged Cllr McDermott last year. However, Tory insiders say neither councillor is likely to secure enough votes to win. Cllr Holden – who is also a county councillor but represents Cranbrook for the borough council – is understood to have telephoned a number of colleagues to favour support but found few people willing to back him. While Cllr Simmons [Southborough North] is described as ‘not really a team player’. Under Conservative party rules, if more than one challenger is put forward, the leadership ballot is conducted over two rounds, with the two politicians with the highest number of votes facing off in final round. The winner would need to secure more than 50 per cent of the 28 Conservative councillors eligible to vote. While the Conservatives are the controlling party at the Town Hall, if Cllr Barrington-King is successful at becoming Conservative leader, he would not automatically become Leader of the Council, as this would require a vote of all 48 councillors.
An extraordinary full council meeting will have be called to allow the vote to take place. Cllr Alan McDermott declined to comment until after the AGM.
WHAT’S BEHIND THE COUP? The general dissatisfaction among the controlling Conservatives is said to stem from the failure of the Council’s Calverley Square project, which some councillors feel has led the Council ‘to stall’. A cross-party group was set up to try to find way forward and come up with solutions for the ailing Town Hall and Assembly Hall Theatre, but no new ideas have been forthcoming. The Conservatives are also worried about their lack of presence in Tunbridge Wells town, with most of the group representing wards in the rural areas. Disgruntled Conservative members are understood to have set up a secret What’s App group, using the social media platform to air their dissatisfaction with the party. One Tory member told the Times: “There is just a lack of vision. We actually have a strong Conservative group, but this is not being shown by the current leadership.” However, supporters of Cllr McDermott say the latest ‘coup’ was personal. “Paul likes the centre of attention and doesn’t like figures in authority who gets more attention than him,” one said.
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Face masks could result in 100 tonnes of waste RESIDENTS in Tunbridge Wells could generate more than 100 tonnes of plastic waste and spend more than £22million a year by using disposable facemasks, research has shown. Experts say new rules making it mandatory for people to wear face coverings in shops could have a heavy environmental impact if people don’t opt for reusable masks. Research from Money.co.uk has estimated if every person in Tunbridge Wells wore a disposable mask each day for a year, collectively it would cost £22,533,815 and generate 119 tonnes of plastic waste. Environmental scientists are urging people to use reusable, washable facemasks instead.
Machete duo charged
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Struggling restaurants hit out at ‘rude’ no-shows post lockdown Times Wednesday March 28 | 2018
By Richard Williams
RESTAURANTS in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas say no shows are hurting business just as they are trying to get back on their feet. Most restaurants have been closed for more than three months during lockdown, and while many have now reopened, the social distancing in the wake of coronavirus means capacity is much lower than before. But customers are booking tables and failing to show up, with some venues seeing dozens of empty seats during busy nights, resulting in losses of hundreds of pounds.
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“Last Saturday, we had six tables that did not show up over lunch and dinner,”WELLS said Philippa OF TUNBRIDGE YOUR King at The Bell in Ticehurst. FREE PAPER “That was at least a dozen people, and when you are having to turn away walk-in customers it is really damaging, especially now when capacity is reduced.” She continued: “It is just so rude. All it takes is
At the Vittle & Swig, around twelve people failed to turn up after the first weekend opening after lockdown, and there were more no shows in the following weekends. Proprietor Gerry Stevens told the Times: “We have been reiterating to people when they book how important to us that that they turn up or let us know they can’t come. It is getting a bit better since the first weekend, so I’m hoping the message is getting through.” OFFICE SQUEEZEHarper at Rendez-vous in Camden Road, Mark who also has had people fail to arrive for tables that they have booked says the impact of no shows post Covid is far bigger than before. “The impact was always big but with nearly all FIREWORKS BONANZA restaurants having reduced capacity it’s more serious than ever.” To Eat out to Help Out see our guide on page 30
No-shows hurting our restaurants INSIDE Shortage of space puts business at risk Pages 4-5
NO SHOWS Our front page story in March 2018
Pressure
Charities benefit from the Dunorlan display Page 3
PHOTO: Lee Smith
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
CELEBRITY CHEF HITS OUT AT ‘DISGRACEFUL’ CUSTOMERS
EASTER TREATS
TWO men were charged after Class A drugs and a machete were seized in Tunbridge Wells. The pair were spotted by officers from Kent Police’s county line and gangs team on Thursday July 23 2020 in an Audi A1 in Castle Road following reports of suspicious behaviour at High Brooms station. Georgee Walker, aged 21, of Brockley, London and 20-year-old John Dadswell of Edmonton, London were later charged with possession of crack cocaine and heroin and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Two years ago, the Times reported on how the local restaurant industry was losing thousands of pounds Exclusive by William Mata each week due to no shows. Should we reword one of these two sentences re loss of earnings so they are reflecting the same amount of money – or is it just less this time around because of lockdown? But after lockdown, the effect of people not turning up is adding to the pressure faced by hospitality businesses that have already lost several months’ worth of trade and are coping with strict social distancing rules.
Eye test warning
Supermarket lorry latest victim of low rail bridge
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INDEPENDENT restaurants are losing thousands of pounds a week because of a growing trend in the town of ‘noshows’ where people book tables and then fail to turn up. The Times can this week reveal that one in five tables sometimes stay empty costing individual owners hundreds of pounds. Jean’s Kitchen on St John’s Road said it could lose up to £600 in one night. The revelation comes at a time when the hospitality trade is under increasing pressure. Even national brands
By Robert Forrester A NOTORIOUS railway bridge has taken another hit when an articulated delivery truck crashed into it and was severely damaged last week. The Tesco lorry hit the bridge on Eridge Road near to Tunbridge Wells Garden Centre, shutting the road in both directions last Wednesday [July 22]. The vehicle’s trailer was severely damaged in the incident, which happened just before 3pm. Kent Police said there were no injuries. It is not the first-time heavy goods vehicles have misjudged the height of the 14ft 6in bridge, which is sign-
such as Carluccio’s, Frankie & Benny’s and Prezzo are suffering badly and fighting for survival. Hard-pressed restaurateurs in Tunbridge Wells are calling on customers to end the no-show practice and support independent eateries by honouring reservations, or at least cancelling in advance. They have also warned of another growing trend where people reserve tables at different places and then decide on the night which booking to honour. The Times initially talked with five well known restaurateurs at Soprano Wine Bar, in the High Street, which is co-managed by the brothers Ivan and Mauro Di Santo, who also own the
nearby Coco Retro on Vale Road. The others were Franco Biscardi, comanager of Il Vesuvio, Jason Fanti, director of Don Giovanni, Mark Harper, owner of Rendezvous and Martin
‘We can’t survive like this - it is eating into the profits’ Mauro Di Santo, Sopranos Haymes, owner of The Warren. “Without no-shows we would be able to offer better quality, employ more local people and there would be less frustration and stress,” said Ivan Di Santo. “It has been more of an issue for the
last three to four years.” Mr Fanti [Don Giovanni] said Tunbridge Wells is beginning to follow a ‘London trend’ with customers looking to offer their friends a choice of two or three restaurants. “The practise hurts morale, profit and the economic position of the business. You go into business to make money and feed your family – otherwise what is the point? “People go to a restaurant because there is a vibe to it, ambiance is a massive factor and that is lost when there are less customers because of no-shows.”
a phone call to let us know they are not coming.” She added that the award-winning pub and hotel, which has just undergone a major refurbishment, is now contemplating taking deposits from customers when they book. In Tunbridge Wells town centre, no shows are also being reported in a number of restaurants.
posted in both directions. On June 9, a lorry had to be removed after getting wedged under the bridge blocking the road for around four hours. And in December last year, a car transporter lost two vehicles after it also hit the bridge. A spokesperson for the Tunbridge Wells and Eridge Railway Preservation Society, which owns the bridge, said: “Bridge strikes on this structure aren’t, unfortunately, a new thing. “Each time they happen, it is a huge inconvenience to the Spa Valley Railway. One strike back in 2017 actually closed the railway for nearly a month.”
PHOTO: Kevin Connelly
A LOCAL opticians is advising people to look after their eyesight as lockdown life has seen more people experiencing eye strain through time spent on screens. Elizabeth Cass, branch manager at Scrivens in Tonbridge High Street said research by the optometrist group has found that 57 per cent of people they surveyed had reported eye strain as a side effect from living a ‘virtual’ life since March. She said: “As we are spending much more time using screens to communicate with colleagues, friends and family the strain on our eyes is intense, so it’s vital that we give as much priority to booking an eye test as we do returning to the pub or getting a haircut.”
UPSET: Five restaurant managers gathered to protest about customers not turning up after booking tables. They are (L-R) Mark Harper, owner of Rendezvous, Jason Fanti, director of Don Giovanni, Ivan Di Santo, co-owner of Soprano and Coco Retro, Franco Biscardi, co-manager of Il Vesuvio, and Martin Haymes, owner of The Warren
Continued on page 2
Four pages to help you get out and about Page 66
Local restaurants are not alone in criticising customers who do not turn up after booking a table.Earlier this month, Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge criticised 27 ‘selfish’ and ‘disgraceful’ customers who didn’t honour their reservations at his restaurant in London. He said: “It’s not just about me, it’s about the people’s jobs who we employ and small independent restaurants, so the industry has been supportive and pleased I highlighted it.
ENGLAND DEBUT
Tunbridge Wells cricketer wins her first cap Pages 86-87
A BRIDGE TOO FAR The damaged Tesco lorry last week
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
Thieves target theatre garden and ‘dent staff morale - temporarily’ By Richard Williams THIEVES have been taking plants and shrubs from the garden at the charity-run Trinity Theatre. The garden was recently opened to allow the theatre – which has been prevented from putting on performances due to the Covid crisis – to start serving food and drink again from its cafe. But a spate of thefts has left theatre staff dismayed. The latest incident took place last Wednesday [July 22] when a row of lavender was ripped from a newly planted garden path. A spokesperson for the Trinity Theatre said: “This morning we arrived to set up and noticed
our newly planted lavender path had been stripped by 50 per cent — the side nearest to York Road. We have worked so hard and with a tiny budget to make the gardens a welcome retreat for our community and Tunbridge Wells. It is a little soul-destroying.”
Volunteers She said the incident, which was reported to the Safe Town Partnership and Kent Police via 101, is the latest in a string of thefts. “We have suffered a spate of thefts from the garden, flowers mainly - one of our volunteers approached a couple in their 60s who were making bouquets in the boot of their car – using
flowers from Trinity Gardens! “And fly tipping by individuals has been rife, up until a week ago. “It may seem insignificant to some, but to us, it has dented our morale, temporarily.” She added that local Howgreen Nursery had given the charity a discount for the garden originally, and now another, Tunbridge Wells Garden Centre, which is run by Blue Diamond, has stepped in to send replacements. Supporters of Trinity Theatre have also been making donations from their own gardens. “The outpouring of love and support for Trinity and our Secret Garden will see us persevere,” added the Trinity Spokesperson. Kent Police said they are investigating.
Permitted development poses a real risk to our Town Centre Chief Executive of Tunbridge Wells Together Ross Feeney speaks to the Times about how new planning reforms could affect the town centre Boris Johnson recently set out a raft of ‘radical’ reforms to the UK’s planning system as part of his Project Speed programme to get the country building again post Covid-19. This sounds very sensible until you look at some of the detail, particularly around what is termed ‘permitted development’ – which allows developers to convert commercial premises into residential developments without the need for planning permission. I think most businesses and local residents would agree that our planning system needs an overhaul, but allowing blanket permissions for residential developments in town centres is a terrible idea, and puts at risk the potential for our town centre to survive in the longer term. It could mean, for example, that the currently vacant former BHS unit in the middle of town could become flats (if the owners wanted to do
converted for use as a flexible co-working space, a pop-up entrepreneurs market, conference space or some form of leisure or hospitality activity. Furthermore, residents in that new development would have an expectation of peace and quiet, which could lead to restrictions on the times of day businesses can have deliveries, and restrictions on the types of events and activities that take place in the pedestrianised Calverley precinct. Neither of which are good news for businesses or visitors to the town centre. the conversion). Now some might say that that would be an improvement on an empty building, but it also takes away the opportunity for that building to be
MASK CRUSADERS: Faye (L) and Sarah from Tunbridge Wells Together ‘s team of social distancing ambassadors who handed out around 1,000 facemasks across the town centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week to ensure shoppers could adhere to new face covering rules.
Evolve The counter argument is that if there are more people living in the town centre they are likely to shop and socialise locally, benefitting the local economy, and there is some logic to that. But the benefits do not outweigh the potential loss of space for business, retail, leisure and hospitality businesses. We know that town centres need to change to survive, they must move from being predominantly a retail destination to becoming a retail, leisure, hospitality and business destination. Last week a survey in the national press suggested up to 80 per cent of office workers would like to continue to work from home. This will mean more commercial space becomes available for potential redevelopment. We must not allow all this office space to be converted in a ‘hotch-potch’ manner that potentially ruins the town centre and its opportunity to change and evolve. Unfortunately local councils have little opportunity to challenge such developments unless they have already drafted what is called an Article 4 directive, which can cover specific buildings or areas of the town centre. There is clearly a need for more housing in the town centre, I am not suggesting there isn’t, but we must ensure that new developments take place in the parts of town we all want them in, and not in areas of the town that would be detrimental to other businesses or potential leisure and hospitality opportunities. I would encourage the council to urgently review its Article 4 lists to ensure appropriate areas of the town centre are protected from unwanted permitted developments.
RIPPED UP Lavender was taken from Trinity’s garden
Fashion retailers find a post-Covid opportunity to open High Street pop-up A LOCAL online fashion business is opening a high street pop-up shop next week, made possible due to the number of empty retail units in post-Covid Tunbridge Wells. Online ‘e-boutique’ Bitter Lemon was set up in July 2019 by Jacqui Morton and Julie Leonard. They specialise in high end luxury women’s ‘Grecian designed’ clothing. Due to the number of empty units in Tunbridge Wells town centre, the pair were able to secure a three-day pop-up shop on the High Street this weekend, from July 31 to August 1.
Encourage Ms Morton told the Times: “Because the crisis has seen so many shops close,this has given us an opportunity we perhaps didn’t have before. “We thought there were so many empty units on the High Street. While a lot of people are doing more online shopping now, sometimes it is nice for people to feel and touch fabrics and we are hoping this might encourage people back outside shopping.” She added that they will be based at the former Ilse Jacobson shop in Tunbridge Wells High St, which is being leased to them by local landlord Lionel Shell.
Jacqui Morton [left] and Julie Leonard
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20mph across all of Tonbridge as part of post-lockdown transport changes By Andy Tong A NEW scheme will see 20mph speed limits trialled across the whole of Tonbridge from the middle of next month. The experiment forms part of the government’s drive for ‘active travel’ in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Since lockdown began on March 23, cycling has increased nationally by 300 per cent. The trial will initially be held over six months, with the option to make it permanent if it receives the backing of local people. It will also be carried out in Faversham. Kent County Council [KCC] has provisionally been allocated just over £8million by the Department for Transport to invest in walking and cycling.
SIGN OF THE TIMES Michael Payne (left) and Richard Long have campaigned for 20mph limits
Campaigned The first round of funding that has been agreed by government is £1.6million, with the remainder dependent on that sum being spent within eight weeks. KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Michael Payne, said: “As part of the Emergency Active Travel Fund from the Government, I am delighted that we have successfully made the case within Kent County Council for part of the £1.6million funding from the first tranche to be spent on a town wide 20mph zone in Tonbridge. “This should benefit cyclists and walkers alike,
as well as making our roads safer for residents and all road users. “I have long campaigned for safer roads in Kent. Reducing speeds to 20mph should be one of the best ways to achieve this locally in Tonbridge.” The trial is being introduced through an Experimental Traffic Order, which means Kent Highways can change the speed limit, test the impact and monitor to see how it performs.
Studies that show 20mph schemes encourage healthier transport choices such as walking and cycling, increasing them by about 20 per cent. The county council is also anticipating more people will be travelling to work and school by bike or on foot and hopes the scheme will make this safer and easier for the people of Tonbridge. Cllr Payne said: “Throughout these trials, we will be monitoring how they perform and after six months, consulting with people on whether they approve of the scheme. “We will hold discussions with the communities before deciding whether to make it permanent.” Lower speed limits also help to reduce environmental damage - part of Tonbridge High Street is designated as an Air Quality Management Area. Cllr Payne, who is also a KCC representative for Tonbridge, added: “I hope these changes will bring about reduced pollution with drivers not accelerating and braking so often. “I would encourage everyone to do your bit and keep to 20mph, and encourage others to do the same if, as I have been informed, the majority of residents wish to see such schemes.” An awareness campaign will be held to persuade residents of the potential benefits of the project, which also include lower traffic levels, reduced congestion and less road noise. Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge and Malling, has welcomed the news, saying: “Michael Payne and [fellow KCC representative in Tonbridge] Richard Long are delivering for our town. “Achieving a town-wide 20mph zone in
Call to scrap village plans after consultation shows opposition By Richard Williams CAMPAIGNERS opposed to the building of a Garden Village around Tudeley, claim 97 per cent of people who expressed a view on the idea during the council’s consultation are against the idea. Last year, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council unveiled an initiative to build over 2,500 homes around the village and a further 4,000 homes around Paddock Wood, as part of its draft local plan. During its recent public consultation, the plans received more than 8,000 comments from individuals, businesses and organisations. The sheer number of respondents has meant the Council has had to delay the publication of its revised plan by six months.
Development The Local Plan, which has been drawn up to accommodate 13,560 new homes that the government has ordered the borough to build over the next 15 years, will now be made public in December. But campaign group Save Capel – formed to attempt to block the new development in the parish of Capel, says according to their examination of the publicly available comments received by the Council – 97 per cent of people who expressed a view on the Garden Village are opposed to the plan. A spokesperson for the group said: “In our analysis, we discovered that 30 per cent of all respondents commented on the proposals for Tudeley and East Capel and an overwhelming 97 per cent of those objected to the plans.”
“It is clear that there is an overwhelming call for the plans for Capel to be rejected and we are calling on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to remove them from the next iteration of the Local Plan.” He added that the campaign group would ‘fight
all the way’ and was prepared to appeal to the Planning Inspector or request a judicial review if the Council decides to press ahead with the Garden Village. Concerns over the plans have also been raised
TUNBRIDGE WELLS HIGH STREET TO BE 20MPH AND ONE-WAY Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has also been successful in getting KCC to agree for a small 20mph zone for the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The speed restrictions will be enforced on the High Street in the town, which will also be made one way, with traffic prevented from driving down from Mount Pleasant. A bid for further 20mph zones for other town and village centres was not successful but the Council say they will pursue it again at a later date. The changes are expected to take effect within the next 12 weeks.
Tonbridge is what many want. Those of us with young children, with difficulty getting around or who just like to wander down a safer roads welcome this change. “As more of us choose to cycle it will help reduce speeding and make more people confident to leave cars and buses and take to two wheels. “I am looking forward to this being implemented and hope it will be a success. Roads such as Pembury Road, Medway Wharf Road have long had speeding concerns and reducing the limit will help manage this.” by Tonbridge & Malling by MP Tom Tugendhat and councillors in the neighbouring borough due to its proximity to Tudeley. Steve Baughen, Head of Planning at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: “The public consultation on the Draft Local Plan resulted in a lot of responses to the document’s substantial proposals for the Capel area. “These, together with the many comments about the other substantial proposals in the plan, are being taken account of and as a result the timetable for the plan has been adjusted accordingly. The next phase of consultation is now expected to take place in spring 2021.” PROTESTS Campaigners outside the Town Hall last year
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
Employers flock to mental health charity to help staff as they return By Andy Tong
HELPING HAND Mental first aid courses are now available via Zoom
A LOCAL mental health charity has a waiting list of employers seeking support for their staff and is laying on extra courses to cope with demand as people return to work after the lockdown. West Kent Mind offer Mental Health First Aid sessions for businesses and are pushing for such provision to become a legal requirement ‘so there is parity with physical First Aid’. Lorna Sharp, the charity’s business development officer, said: “We have been approached by a broad spectrum of different businesses, from local council and government organisations to banks, design agencies and utility companies.
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their children. “Over the last two weeks we’ve had a lot of people saying, ‘I’m worried about my children’,” revealed Lorna. “They are talking about anxiety and stress. Self-harm among children has been a big topic; ‘what can we do to support our child?’” Another new development from Mind are the ‘stress response’ workshops, which are more interactive and last for 90 minutes. Lorna explained: “They look at learned behaviour and unhelpful thought patterns. We ask, ‘what are our triggers and how do we respond, how can we create coping strategies.” The inquiries from companies and organisations has been a mix of the precautionary and a direct response to concerns expressed by employees. “Staff have identified that they are struggling and employers want to know what we can do to help. Normally we would have eight to 12 people taking part, but we did do one session for just two people.
Transition
Delivers “Within a week we had sold out our courses for three months up to September. Such is the demand that we will be running another course during September.” Mind usually delivers its First Aid courses in an intensive two-day period, but it is now offering it via the video conferencing platform Zoom over a two-week time span due to social distancing requirements. The organisation has also begun delivering ‘well-being workshops’ in hour-long sessions over Zoom, with up to 60 people taking part at once. They start with a confidential poll in which the people taking part are asked to rate how they are feeling on a scale of one to ten. Lorna said: “In one session we had four or five people who rated themselves two out of ten. If you feel like that, you should be seeking
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support, getting early intervention. They should be able to reach out and talk to someone at work.” The counsellors offer tips and signposting to help with self-care, and at the end of the session participants are invited to submit questions privately which are then aired to the group. “The current climate certainly exacerbates many of the main triggers for mental ill-health,” said Lorna. “So areas such as changes to routines, loneliness, increased isolation, financial and
health concerns and a general sense of uncertainty about the future have featured heavily in the conversations we have had. “And the relaxing of the rules after lockdown is in some ways even more difficult to cope with than the restrictions at the height of the pandemic. “With lockdown slowly easing, this can be a more challenging time for people as uncertainty is increased in many areas and this, in turn, may lead to social anxiety.” One recurring theme is people worrying about
“As people move back into the workplace we have a wellness action plan where we advise line managers that the toolkit is available to get a picture of the workplace, and they can sit down with staff and work through it together.” The charity is rising to the challenge of the Covid-19 crisis, both in the workplace and in a domestic setting, as referrals increase following a drop during the lockdown. “We continue, as a nation, to be in a transition period between lockdown and a new ‘different’ way of life and this is creating a lot of uncertainty for people,” said Lorna. “We remain dedicated to ensuring that we are ready and equipped. We continue to share the message that we are here and able to provide support. “We urge people to contact us if they are concerned about their well-being. Early intervention is key and we want people to know they are not alone.”
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
B&Q records soaring sales as lockdown sees surge in demand for DIY products
Chocolatier open for business at RVP as creates more jobs
By Richard Williams
HOTEL Chocolat is to create 200 jobs in its chocolate-making factory and distribution site after a surge in online demand during the coronavirus pandemic. Lockdown sweettooths have seen online sales soar of their high-end confectionary products. The chocolatier said customers switching online during the lockdown helped to mitigate the impact of closing its store estate. Hotel Chocolat said digital sales rose to over 200 per cent year-on-year growth in the quarter to June 30, as shoppers bought Easter and Mother’s Day gifts online. The retailer closed all of its UK stores for 12 weeks from March 22 to June 15, when nonessential retailers were given the green light to reopen by the Prime Minister.
OWNERS of B&Q have said lockdown has delivered rising half-year profits with online sales more than tripling. Kingfisher, which runs the DIY chain, including the Tunbridge Wells branch on the North Farm industrial estate, which reopened in the middle of lockdown on Friday April 24, said group online sales rocketed more than 200 per cent in May and June amid the trend for home improvements as householders were forced to stay at home.
LOCKDOWN BOOM B&Q in Tunbridge Wells
Favourable Trading was also boosted by cost-cutting and the phased reopening of stores in the UK and France since mid-April. Sales have continued to remain strong in July, with UK and Ireland like-for-like growth of 19.6% in the week to July 18 and group online growth of 183.3%. Kingfisher said: “Based on the strong sales seen to date in the second quarter, combined
with cost reductions benefiting the first half, the company anticipates its half-year adjusted pre-tax profit to be ahead of prior year.” It added: “While we are entering the second half with a favourable trading backdrop, second-half visibility remains low given uncertainty around Covid-19 and the wider
economic outlook.” The update comes after Kingfisher saw pre-tax profits fall to £103 million for the year ending January 31, compared with £300 million the previous year, mainly due to a £441 million hit in exceptional costs, though sales fell 1.5% to £11.5 billion.
Growth Hub launches free recovery advice programme THE Kent & Medway Growth Hub, which has been providing support in the region throughout the coronavirus pandemic, is offering free business advice over the next eight to twelve weeks to help firms develop and implement a personalised Recovery Action Plan. Businesses will be able to participate in an online
workshop and subsequent one-to-one sessions, which will help businesses review their key functions and develop a plan of action. Dedicated business advisers will help companies identify critical issues facing a business, consider the sustainability of the business model, develop an action plan, help access public/
private support measures including grants and investments, and help firms connect with other businesses on the same journey. This programme is available until August 31. Those who wish to take part can register at: kentinvicta chamber.co.uk/businessrecovery-support-programme
Galvanised It has said that its Royal Victoria Place store, along with 119 of its 125 UK shops are now open for business, although the shop is adhering to social distancing guidelines. Angus Thirlwell, co-founder and chief executive officer, said: “I’ve been hugely impressed by how our team have responded, culturally, professionally and ethically during the pandemic. “The acceleration of change in the retail landscape has galvanised us to speed up our plans and investments in the opportunities we were already pursuing. “Online, our brand is now set to a significantly faster growth trajectory, delivering gifts, subscriptions and household indulgence. “Some of this is attributable to Covidaccelerated change, but new concept launches, and digital enhancements have also supported growth.”
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‘Momentous day’ for the world’s oldest law firm celebrating 450 years of practice By Richard Williams STAFF at a Tunbridge Wells law firm have been celebrating the company being founded four and a half centuries ago. Thomson Snell & Passmore marked its 450th anniversary on Wednesday, July 22. The business was first founded in 1570. That was the year that Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I and 36 years before the discovery of the Chalybeate Spring that saw the creation of Tunbridge Wells. Officially recognised by the Guinness World Records as the oldest law firm in operation, the company was originally founded by Nicholas Hooper, a curate of the Tonbridge Parish Church in Kent. BOSS: Sarah Henwood became CEO in 2019
Centuries Hooper undertook a range of work including will writing and conveyancing. Records even remain of a will that he drew up on behalf of a certain Thomas Lamparde, a ‘yeoman’ of Tonbridge as well as a bond for a property in nearby Hadlow (dated 1593). Now, 450 years later, the firm’s lawyers from across its private client and commercial teams are still supporting individuals and businesses from across the South East with similar services.
Over the centuries, the firm has grown and developed, operating under a progression of names before finally becoming Thomson Snell & Passmore in 1968. The law firm is now one of the largest in the South East employing more than 250 people including over 140 lawyers and has an annual turnover of £21million.
TODAY Some of the team outside their new offices
Anticipating
FOUR AND A HALF CENTURIES OF LOCAL LAW law firm’s first female Chief Executive. Hooper is acquired by Thomas Scoons of In 450 years, Thomson Snell & Passmore have 2019 The firm moves into its current HQ at Tonbridge, who also controlled the Pantiles. gone from a single scribe drafting wills to one Heathervale House in Tunbridge Wells. 1850 The law firm changes its name to Alleyne of the largest law firms in the South East – 2020 Thomson Snell & Passmore celebrates & Walker. here’s a glimpse of their fascinating history: 450 years of business. 1860 The Solicitors Act came into 1570 Curate of Tonbridge Parish Church, being, forcing lawyers to take formal Nicholas Hooper, announces himself exams for the first time. as a ‘scrivener and drafter of 1890 The law firm documents’ supplementing his becomes Alleyne ecclesiastical work by drafting Morgan & Freer. wills and property bonds. 1939 World War II 1571 A new Treason Act was breaks out and passed which made it an Alleyne Morgan & offence to deny Elizabeth was Freer is acquired by the queen of England. Templar & Passmore. 1583 The first life insurance 1954 Lawyer at the policy was drafted in Britain. OLD HAND firm, Frederick Alfred 1606 The Chalybeate Springs Frederick Alfred Snell, who holds the are discovered, giving birth to the Snell record for the oldest spa town of Tunbridge Wells and ARCHIVE practising solicitor in the creation of The Pantiles. Thomson Snell & Passmore England, dies aged 96. 1665 The plague swept across Europe have documents dating 1968 The firm becomes killing millions. back centuries Thomson Snell & Passmore 1666 The Great Fire of London. 2018 Sarah Henwood becomes the 1759 The law firm created by Nicolas
Thomson Snell & Passmore has also been recognised in rankings such as The Times’ ‘Best Law Firms 2020’, with a large number of individual lawyers and departments also ranked in both The Legal 500, Chambers UK and Chambers HNW. Sarah Henwood, CEO, said: “Today is a momentous one for the firm. “We’re very proud of our long history, and we recognise that we wouldn’t be here today unless we were able to embrace change. “From leading the way as early adopters of technology in the 1970s and setting up a publishing arm producing the first set of legal precedents (which we later sold to Sweet & Maxwell), anticipating and responding to change is part of our DNA. “As we start to navigate a ‘new normal’ with coronavirus continuing to impact on all aspects of life, this ability to predict and adapt to change will be more important than ever. “However, while we will continue to evolve, some things will stay the same. We will always place our clients and our people first and will remain committed to the communities we serve.”
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From Sophia’s scooter to Cranbrook rugby - NHS Hero appeal raises £12,500 for staff THE Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells [MTW] NHS Trust Charitable Fund has raised more than £12,500 from its #NHSHero campaign. The online appeal was set up to provide emergency funds to support MTW staff during the Covid-19 crisis. It has been partly used to furnish ‘wobble rooms’, or designated areas where hospital workers can go and relax during or after their shifts. Money has been raised by a wide variety of donors, from a sponsored scoot by six-year-old Sophia which raised £100, to developer Barratt David Wilson Homes who gave £1,000. A virtual quiz organised by MTW’s Tabby Jovanovic, who works as a Clinical Systems Team Manager at Tunbridge Wells Hospital for her colleagues at Cranbrook Rugby club, raised a further £1,000.
wrapping paper - and we’re continuing to raise more money each week.” Laura Kennedy, MTW’s fundraising manager, said: “We are hugely grateful to the many people who have contributed to our appeal through donations and fundraising activities. “We have had many generous donations from members of the public, local businesses and from our own staff too.
“The donations will all be used to support staff welfare and well-being projects. Some of the money raised so far has already been put to good use through the purchase of furniture for staff ‘wobble rooms’ – designated areas for staff to take time out and recharge during this challenging time.” For more information visit justgiving.com/ campaign/nhshero
Neighbours Residents of the Dry Hill Park Area neighbourhood community in Tonbridge have raised £525 by making a range of products - after an initial effort to help with the provision of Personal Protective Equipment to key workers. Jenny Matthew of the group said: “We wanted to do our part to recognise the sacrifices made by local NHS staff. “Our neighbourhood community is very active and what started with neighbours donating materials to a fellow neighbour to make face masks, has turned into over £500 being raised for the MTW charity. “We are now making and selling sustainable shopping bags, aprons, bunting, storage bags for
Theatre returns with outdoor shows to keep audiences safe THE EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge will be putting on performances outdoors next month to comply with social distancing requirements. The cultural centre at Tonbridge School has been closed since March because of the ban on public gatherings. The shows will take place in the picturesque grounds of the public school and audiences are invited to bring along picnics. Measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of audiences and performers, including a limited capacity. Households and social bubbles will be seated in ‘clusters’, and bookings must be made separately for those who are outside these groups. For each show 10 per cent of tickets are on sale as ‘Pay what you can’, offered to key workers and those whose financial situations may have drastically changed due to the pandemic; when booking the public can select this option.
Artistic
SITTING COMFORTABLY: MTW fundraising manager Laura Kennedy (left) with psychological first aider Amanda Price in the ‘wobble room’
Nourish foodbank launches campaign to feed families in summer holidays NOURISH Community Foodbank is calling for people to support its Hidden Holiday Hunger campaign during the school summer holidays. In Tunbridge Wells, around 22 per cent of children are living in poverty according to figures released by the umbrella campaign group End Child Poverty in May 2019 Nourish wants to ensure that all children in the borough can receive basic food items - and the occasional treat - during August. Sarah Raine, the foodbank’s fundraising manager, said: “We often find that it’s the families where both parents are working hard that are hit hardest.
Staples “They often need to find extra money for holiday childcare and are often receiving free school meals in term-time to help support them. She asked: “When you are out doing your weekly shopping, please would you consider adding a few food items to your shop to help make packed lunches a little bit special for children in our community and share a little love this summer for those less fortunate than ourselves?” Among the staples that are required, organisers are looking for sandwich spreads like peanut butter and jam, ‘pasta ‘n’ sauce’ sachets, tins of spaghetti, hot dogs and other meats such as corned beef and tinned soup, vegetables and fruit. Suggested treats include biscuits, crisps, popcorn and cereal bars. Hygeine items such as soap, shampoo and antibacterial handwash Single mother Gemma, who cannot afford to take time off work to look after her two children, described how ‘summer holidays are the hardest’. “The school knows how things are for us,” she
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
COMIC MASK Romeo and Juliet, Covid-style
NOURISH The team have been working hard during the pandemic said. They asked if I would like to get food bags to help out over the summer. “At first I said no, I was so embarrassed. But then I thought, even if it helps with packed lunches for the kids’ club, that would be something. “I cried when the driver delivered the first bag, mainly because of the shame. It’s bad enough when you can’t take your kids on holiday like their friends, but to have a food bag too... “I cried again when I opened the bag, I thought it would just be tins of beans but there was marmite, peanut butter, sandwich spreads, little packets of crisps, Barny biscuits, all the stuff I
Local group The Talentz have created an adapted version of the musical Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The local group, who were due to perform in the theatre in April, will now put on the production in the Library Gardens on August 27-29. The Handlebards will also be returning to the town where they have staged their own adaptations of Shakespeare plays for the last three years. The company usually ride around the country on bicycyles with all their sets, props and costumes on board to present ‘environmentally sustainable’ performances. Three of the actors have been living together in lockdown and have come up with a three-handed version of Romeo and Juliet and a new children’s show in their living room. Their comic take of the classic story is on August 31, and artistic director Paul Moss said: “We’re excited to get on the road and offer the UK some much needed entertainment. “Whilst these shows aren’t our usual four-hander cycle-powered offer, they will be as irreverent, charming and family-friendly as always.” Earlier on the same day the Handlebards will also be performing a children’s show which describes the experience of lockdown. In Gnora the Gnome’s Daytime Disco, three gnomes who have been stuck underground for several months have a party when they are allowed outdoors. Tom Dixon said: “We’re particularly excited to showcase our first ever children’s show for under-10s, which we co-produced with Green Submarine Theatre. “It promises to offer classic disco tunes and gentle fun to help ease your little ones out of lockdown.”
could use to make their packed lunches. I saved the nicest bits each week so we could go on a Sunday picnic. “Somehow, Nourish turned something that could have been a rubbish summer into something special for us as a family.” Donations can be dropped at five supermarket locations - Sainsbury’s in Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge, Asda and Tesco in Tunbridge Wells and Tesco in Pembury, as well as Big Yellow Storage in Longfield Road. To make a £5 donation text MEAL to 70085 or go to cafdonate.cafonline.org/6044#!/ DonationDetails
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PM warns of ‘second wave’ in Europe amid Spain row BORIS Johnson indicated that quarantine restrictions could be imposed on further European countries if a ‘second wave’ of coronavirus hits the continent. The Prime Minister already faces a diplomatic row with Spain after warning against all but essential travel to the country – and its resort islands – and insisting that travellers arriving in the UK from there spend a fortnight in quarantine due to an increase in cases. But he defended the move and insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations.
Outbreak “I’m afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,” the Prime Minister warned. With holidaymakers already facing uncertainty over trips abroad this summer, Mr Johnson indicated further action could be considered by the Government. “It’s vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where I’m afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine,” he said. “That’s why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.” Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
described the restrictions on travel to the country as an “error”. He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: “In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.” Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca from its quarantine requirements. But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland. The Prime Minister said it was up to individuals to decide whether they wanted to take the risk of travelling in the present
circumstances. “These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go,” he said. The decision to impose quarantine restrictions was made after England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty reportedly told ministers that 10 Britons who tested positive for coronavirus after July 1 had reported visiting Spain in the 14 days before their test. Mr Johnson said: “I’m afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries, it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop ... travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK.” Britons make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming over the weekend. Travel firm Tui UK cancelled all holidays to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) updated travel advice. Labour said the Government must abandon its one-size-fits-all approach and introduce sectoral support for struggling businesses to ensure that public health measures such as the change in quarantine rules for people returning from Spain do not lead to mass job losses. Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: “The Government’s handling of this issue has been nothing short of chaotic.”
Depp libel hearing comes to a close JOHNNY Depp’s libel case against The Sun newspaper over allegations he was violent to his ex-wife Amber Heard came to close at the High Court yesterday [Tuesday]. Beginning his closing submissions on behalf of Mr Depp, David Sherborne said the court had heard ‘hugely varied accounts ... of what went on in the relationship between Mr Depp and Ms Heard’. He added: “It would be easy to lose focus on precisely why we are all here ... why the claimant has subjected himself to days of crossexamination.” Mr Sherborne said: “On April 27 2018, The Sun published an article under the headline ‘How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts
film?’ “The newspaper and its executive editor and author Dan Wootton - whose name has for some reason been as absent from these proceedings as Mr Wootton himself – brands Mr Depp as a wife beater.”
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Knife killer has murder conviction overturned A WOMAN convicted of killing her partner in a knife attack has had her conviction quashed by Court of Appeal judges. Delivery driver Gary Cunningham, 29, was found dead at a block of flats in Harborne, Birmingham, in February 2019. Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow, who was 26 when Mr Cunningham died, was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in August 2019. A judge sentenced her to 18 years in prison. But three judges at the Court of Appeal in London, quashed her conviction yesterday [Tuesday] after concluding that it was unsafe because jurors could not have been sure that she was not acting in selfdefence.
BA faces strike threat ‘with immediate effect’ BRITISH Airways faces strike action after a trade union warned it will move towards industrial action ‘with immediate effect’. Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, claimed the airline has published a timetable to ‘fire and rehire’ thousands of workers on August 7. In a letter to British Airways chief executive Alex Cruz, Mr McCluskey pledged to ‘work every hour between now and then to convince you not to do so’. British Airways owner IAG announced in April that it would cut up to 12,000 jobs due to the reduction in flights caused by the coronavirus pandemic. British Airways said in a statement the pandemic has resulted in job losses across every industry and many airlines have “already made thousands of staff redundant”.
Race hate hit and run on NHS worker
Traumatic As the hearing wrapped up, Amber Heard made a statement on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice. She said: “I travelled here to the UK to testify as a witness to assist the court. “After obtaining a restraining order in 2016 and finalising my divorce, I just wanted to move on with my life. I did not file this lawsuit and, despite its significance, I would have preferred not to be here in court. “It has been incredibly painful to relive the break-up of my relationship, have my motives and my truth questioned, and the most traumatic and intimate details of my life with Johnny shared in court and broadcast around the world. “I stand by my testimony and I now place my faith in British justice. “Although I did not bring this lawsuit, I am aware of the precious resources being consumed by his litigation and will be glad to see those resources redirected to
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
AMBER HEARD Outside court yesterday
more important legal matters delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. “I appreciate the dedication, the hard work and support of the defence legal team, as well as my UK and US lawyers. “I also wish to extend my thanks to the very diligent and kind court staff and the police, who have been so sensitive in ensuring my safety and protection so that I could testify in safety. “And finally, my heartfelt thanks for the tremendous outpouring of support and the many messages I have received from around the world. You have given me so much strength and I send it back to you.” A crowd of media, some on ladders, and members of the public gathered behind the railing outside the front entrance to listen to Ms Heard, 34. There were shouts of ‘justice for Johnny’ from one woman as the actress spoke, and boos from a number of onlookers after Ms Heard finished her statement and returned inside the building. Judge Andrew Nicol is expected to hand down his ruling in several weeks.
AN NHS worker has been left with serious injuries following a racially aggravated hit and run incident in Bristol, police said. The 21-year-old man, who has not been named, suffered a broken leg, nose and cheekbone in the attack and will require plastic surgery to his face and leg. Witnesses told police that a car was deliberately driven at the man, a keen musician, as he walked on Monks Park Avenue in Southmead at about 4.30pm on Wednesday. It is alleged that racist language was then used, before two men ran from the dark blue Honda Accord. Avon and Somerset Police are treating the incident as ‘racially aggravated’ and have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
Facebook bans Wiley for anti-Semitic posts FACEBOOK has permanently banned Wiley from its platforms after an account purportedly belonging to the rapper took aim at some of his Jewish critics. The grime artist was widely condemned for posting a series of anti-Semitic messages on Twitter and Instagram. Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response ‘has not been good enough’. The move follows pressure from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and a 48-hour boycott of Twitter by celebrities.
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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Greggs sales lagging a quarter behind last year as baker swings to a loss GREGGS is still struggling to reach the heady heights of last year even after reopening hundreds of sites across the UK, the baker revealed on Tuesday. Last week the company only sold around 72% of the pasties, drinks and sandwiches that it did in the same seven days in 2019. However, it said it is finding sales encouraging as things slowly get back to normal. Greggs bosses will hope for even more growth as the business contends with a swing to a loss. Last year, the chain made a pre-tax profit of £36.7million in the first half of the year, but swung to a £65.2million loss by July.
Sales across the six months were down 45% to £300.6 million. This comes despite the fact that life-for-like sales were up 7.5% at the beginning of the year. Chief executive Roger Whiteside said: “Following successive years of unbroken growth, Greggs made a great start to 2020, coming into the year with momentum and clear strategic plans. “The strength of our business model enabled us to secure the liquidity needed to support our business through the current crisis and then to adapt our operation and strategic investment plans in response to the new environment.”
Estimated £27bn-worth of property sales lost in 2020 due to covid-19 THE UK housing market will have “lost” an estimated 124,000 sales collectively worth £27 billion this year due to the coronavirus lockdown, according to a property website. Despite the housing market being re-opened for business after previously being put on pause, Zoopla said sales during the first half of this year were down by around a fifth compared with the same period in 2019. Looking at the whole period from January 1 and June 30, sales were running 20% lower than they were during the same period in 2019. Sales have now picked up, as pent-up demand is released into the market and buyers look to take advantage of the recent stamp duty cut. Cities are seeing a strong growth in demand, according to Zoopla. But the website still predicts that, even though transactions are now playing catch-up, there will be 124,000 sales lost over the course of the year
compared with what it had expected. While sales are expected to be down this year, Zoopla believes house prices will hold up in the coming months. It said that a widening gap between housing supply and demand should help to support house prices in the second half of 2020, and it believes house price falls generally are “unlikely” before the end of the year.
Amazon takes on supermarkets with grocery delivery service AMAZON is to make its Amazon Fresh service free to Prime subscribers, as it rapidly expands the grocery delivery business across the UK. The technology giant has also said it will speed up delivery times to make same-day delivery available to UK grocery customers in some parts of the South East. Customers subscribing to Amazon Prime will be able to order groceries through Amazon Fresh, with free delivery on orders over £40, from Tuesday. Amazon said the move will start with abut 300 postcodes, focused around London and the South East, with the service expanding to millions more by the end of the year. Customers can purchase tens of thousands of grocery items supplied by Booths and Whole Foods, as well as a raft of brand suppliers such as Pepsi, Danone, Warburtons and Britvic. The move comes as Amazon has continued to invest millions in the Prime service, which provides customers with free next-day Amazon delivery and films, and TV programmes via its
Prime Video streaming service. It said Prime customers in more than 40 postcodes across the South East, covering areas such as Woking and Guildford, will be able to order same-day grocery delivery. Amazon said it plans to expand the service to more customers by the end of 2020. Russell Jones, country manager at Amazon Fresh UK, said sales have been “particularly strong” following the lockdown, but stressed that the latest move had been in the pipeline long before coronavirus hit the UK. Mr Jones said: “Prime members love the convenience of grocery delivery at home, which is why we’ve made Amazon Fresh a free benefit of Prime. “Grocery delivery is one of the fastest growing businesses at Amazon and we think this will be one of the most-loved Prime benefits in the UK. “We will keep improving the grocery shopping experience so by the end of the year, millions of Prime members across the UK will have access to fast, free delivery of groceries.”
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NEWS
Education
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EDUCATION Times
KCC announces Kent Test is delayed until October Last week Kent County Council confirmed that children sitting the Kent Test, or 11+ exam, will do so a month later due to Covid-19 says Eileen Leahy EVERY year thousands of children across the borough sit the Kent Test. If passed successfully by those pupils taking it in Year 5, the penultimate year of Primary School, it gives them the opportunity to attend a grammar school. The exam, also known as the 11+ is usually sat in September and consists of English, maths and verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers. Approximately 20% of children in Kent are awarded a place at a grammar on the basis of achieving the necessary score in all parts of the 11+. Last week however Kent County Council [KCC] announced that it would be delaying the test as a result of the impact of Covid-19 has had on schools and pupils. The test will now take place on Thursday, October 15 for pupils who attend a Kent school and from Saturday, October 17 for all other students. Kent parents will also be offered two
11+ exam it can list its favoured grammar school as its first choice but students will still not know whether they have passed or not by the time they come to make their selections. Richard Long, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “I am pleased to be able to provide parents with greater clarity about how the Kent Test will be delivered this year.
Fair TESTING TIMES : KCC says delaying the Kent Test offers the strongest and most fair opportunity to assess over 17,000 pupils who have registered additional preferences on their child’s secondary school application (SCAF) this year, an increase from four to six, to account for the later release of Kent Test results. Usually if a child has successfully passed the
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expected to be 8.30am until 4.30pm (one day until 4pm) to include one hour for lunch unpaid. 25 days holiday Some flexibility is needed to meet demands of the site. For application form and further details, please visit our website : www. bennettmemorial.co.uk Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the post before applying, please do not hesitate to email us at recruitment@ bennett.kent.sch.uk Applications should be submitted on the correct Application Form, CVs will not be accepted. Completed Application Forms should be sent via email recruitment@bennett.kent. sch.uk or posted to HR Department, Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SH. The closing date for applications is Closing date 12pm on 17 august. The Tenax Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts are subject to vetting checks and a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we appoint.
“The vast majority of responses that we have received have supported our plans, which are similar to those being made by nearly all local authorities and admission authorities around the country. “I have carefully considered the responses from schools, parents and other interested parties suggesting alternative approaches, however, this plan offers the strongest opportunity to assess over 17,000 pupils who have registered for the test this year in as fair
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
and consistent a way as possible. “While the delay in testing will provide an opportunity for children to settle back into a more normal school environment, we appreciate that children will have missed around four months of schooling. “Fortunately, the Kent Test process is already designed to ensure that a child’s wider circumstances can be considered before their assessment is finalised and guidance will be provided to schools in light of the differing educational opportunities that children will have received.” However simply moving the Kent Test is not without its complications. Earlier this month Nikki Clift, a volunteer at AIM a local charity which tutors 10 children a year from poorer backgrounds free of charge for the exam, told the Times of her reservations about how the pandemic has affected these pupils.
Concerned She was seriously concerned about the effects lockdown was having on students from less affluent backgrounds and their ability to study. “The proposal (by KCC) to delay the test is particularly significant when the majority of the local private schools are now welcoming all year groups back into school,” she said. “Many of these children have been receiving face-to-face teaching via Google classrooms or similar since early in lockdown. “All children have suffered due to the closure of schools this year but we have witnessed the effects of the lockdown on the families AIM supports first-hand. “Digital poverty can mean that families do not have the electronic devices for children to access schoolwork effectively or access other 11+ preparation resources online. “It can also mean that families do not have the ability to print resources which can make schoolwork more accessible. Children are disadvantaged if they cannot find a quite space at home to concentrate.”
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16
NEWS
Letters
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
And another thing… This is the page where you, the reader, have your chance to express your views or comments on what’s going on in our part of the world. We like to hear from you. You can email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk or write to the Editor, Times Local News, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG HELD TO ACCOUNT What is the Bank of England doing to help the economy?
short of money? Increase taxes. They can’t go wrong because, unlike the CEO’s privately run company model, I can’t take my business elsewhere. I’m stuck with an increasingly poorer service that costs me more every year, and the councillors - of which there are far too many - have the brass neck to award themselves an increase. Private company? More like petty fiefdom. Ralph Steerpike Tunbridge Wells
We need more town centre parking
Former council Leader hits out at Bank of England manager’s criticism I think its a bit disingenuous of James Tansley to criticise William Benson and Lee Colyer in your letters page [July 15]and disclose their respective salaries. As a fellow civil servant (he works at the Bank of England) he would know that they are prevented from responding to his accusations and comments. As a former Kent County Councillor, if only for 11 months, he didn’t bring these sort of policies forward or inspire much enthusiasm for change, maybe because he’s only recorded
Driven round the bend by Governor Sometimes you have to read a piece twice because the first time round you cannot believe it. And that’s how it was when I read that the Governor of the Bank of England expressed dismay at the empty streets of the City and urged everybody to return to work - commuting of course - buses and trains, the Tube. He observed this as he was chauffeur-driven to his office at the Bank. You couldn’t make it up. Sam Goodenough Tunbridge Wells
Positive reponse - no thanks to council I read with interest Cllr Bailey’s letter [July 15] calling on opposition parties to have more positivity about the council’s response to the Covid-19 crisis. It is clear there has been much to be positive about. This has been a time when communities have come together like never before. The proactive actions of mutual aid groups and parish, borough and county councils have protected lives. However, there is little evidence that this has been the consequence of effective local political leadership coming from Cllr McDermott and his colleagues such as Cllr Bailey. Like Boris Johnson’s leadership at the national level, our local Conservative politicians seem unable to understand what constructive engagement and effective scrutiny which improves decision-making is. Instead, they accuse opposition parties of playing politics and don’t see the benefit of genuine cross-party working in the recovery
as attending six meetings in that time but drew £10,861.00 in allowances. Not a bad rate rate per meeting! Perhaps in this age of transparency he would like to inform your readers what his total remuneration is at the Bank of England and what he is doing to drag this country out of the economic peril we may face in the future. Incidentally the council’s house magazine is called ‘Local’ not ‘Outlook’. David Jukes, former Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, via email process. While many boroughs have responded positively to Covid-19 by making key changes such as measures to promote more pedestrianisation of the town centre, our local political leadership offers inertia, a lack of vision and no ambition. They fail to see that it is their lack of leadership which is the main barrier to enable the town to flourish. Tunbridge Wells deserves a council which matches the ambition and talents of its residents. In May 2021 they will have the opportunity to elect one. Bjorn Simpole Tunbridge Wells Labour Party
Cllr Pound implies that residents want more pedestrianisation of Tunbridge Wells town centre. I have lived here since 1973 and I don’t recall ever having been asked what I want, nor do any of my friends. If we were, we would say we would prefer to see the existing infrastructure (broken, dangerous pavements, blocked storm drains, potholes and street lights) properly repaired and maintained. We don’t want any more vanity projects which seem to be of no benefit to the public who pay for them and just make it even more difficult to shop in the town centre, notably the new, seriously impracticable traffic arrangements in front of the War Memorial. Most of us do most of our shopping by car. Ask any of the few remaining shopkeepers what will help them most and the answer is always the same, cheap - preferably free - easily accessible town centre parking. All the convenient on-street spaces around the Town Hall where I used to be able to park have been taken away. Yes, there are the multi-story car parks but I only want to stop for a short while, to pop into one or two shops or the bank maybe, not the whole day. What we want to see is the lost short-time parking bays restored - and more found. At the same time there should be a promotion
of a free or very cheap parking offer in the multi-story car parks, perhaps after 10am every day until Christmas. Peter Cope Tunbridge Wells
Protection order to stop dog attacks I read with interest that Maidstone Borough Council is looking to introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for dogs to be banned and this would include designated play areas. Most town parks have designated play areas so I hope these would also be on the list for inclusion. You may have seen recently a short video of an injured goose on the Friends of Dunorlan Park’s Facebook page. A member of the public finally rescued the goose last week after numerous attempts to do so and took it to a rescue centre. The reason it couldn’t be caught at first was because of dogs off leads in the park which, once they see some activity near the lake, come running to see what is happening and, as a consequence, all wildfowl scatter and head for the water. It is unclear whether the goose was injured by a dog but, in my opinion, I fail to see in which other way it could have happened. This is not the first time wildfowl have been injured or killed and sadly, it won’t be the last. I would have thought that, had owners seen what was obviously some form of rescue mission with participants in high-vis jackets etc, they would have put their dog on a lead to avoid just such an incident. The fact that, in the cultivated part of the park, they should have been under control and not harassing the wildfowl anyway, seems to have passed them by. Joan Hamilton-Smith Friends of Dunorlan Park
This is no way to run a ‘company’ Cllr Mark Ellis wrote of the ways to balance the town’s budgets [July 22]: cut costs and services to residents and grow the revenue (I wonder if there should be an Oxford comma following the word ‘costs’ since they are never cut to residents, we only ever get rises in council taxes - but more about that later). If the town is to be run as a private company as the town’s ‘CEO’ William Benson avers - then it must cut costs; usually this means cutting staff, and improving the services. Companies dispose of assets to pay off debt and raise cash, as do private households, but I doubt this ever gets onto the agenda. Growing the revenue is via the soft option: raising council taxes - ‘twas ever thus. Cutting costs to residents would be counter-intuitive to the council’s Pavlovian auto-response mind-set:
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Reopening Tunbridge Wells don’t forget your face covering Your face covering should safely cover your nose and mouth fully. ID It can be reusable or single-use. You may also use a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering but these must securely fit round the side of the face.
ID
You must put on a face covering before entering any of these settings and keep it on until you leave:
• Avoid touching the front of it • Change your face covering if it gets damp or if you have touched the front of it • Don’t share your face covering with others • Wash it regularly
• public transport • shops and supermarkets • indoor shopping centres • banks, building societies, and post offices
You are advised to wear a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet. You are permitted to remove a face covering: if asked to do so for identification.
ID
You do not need to wear a face covering in hospitality settings
including restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs.
You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. Find out at gov.uk.
When used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others. tunbridgewells.gov.uk TWellsCouncil
TunbridgeWellsBoroughCouncil
Please dispose of single use face coverings carefully.
18
NEWS
Weekly Comment
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Greg Clark Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
Greg Clark was first elected MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. He has held a number of positions in Government, including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He is currently Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committe.
We have an urgent need to change the fares system on our railways ONE of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been to accelerate changes that were already underway in the way we live our lives. Talking to each other virtually through Skype, Zoom and Facetime; shopping online; ordering food from takeaway and delivery services – none of these is new, but since lockdown the country has been doing more of them than ever before. Because they are trends that were underway before lockdown, it’s hard to imagine they will be reversed when Covid-19 is behind us. The same is true of the way many of us work - especially in offices. Travelling into London to attend Parliament in recent weeks, it has been astonishing – and alarming – to see the streets of the capital almost completely deserted at times when they would normally have been thronged with office workers and people who work in the businesses which support them. The social distancing advice for travelling on trains has been largely irrelevant because most I times I have travelled, I have been literally the only person in the carriage. Many of the people who work in London offices will not go back to how they worked before. Some have found that they can work successfully from home, and others have employers who have insisted that people stay away from the workplace. Just as I don’t believe Covid spells the end for
And yet the discount season tickets give over daily purchased tickets is calculated on commuting five days a week at peak hours. Amongst people already discriminated against are many women, parents of young children and older workers – groups with a greater likelihood to commute part-time. I have long campaigned for that to change. With the help and advice of a group of local commuters I convened, and working with the Tunbridge Wells and District Rail Travellers Association, we drew up requirements for a new South Eastern rail franchise to follow and one of our top demands was flexible season tickets, which are geared to travelling less than five days a week. The franchise tendering exercise has been delayed, but the changes to working life accelerated by Covid provides a pressing reason to act now. I wrote last week along with other MPs to South Eastern to press for immediate change, in particular to bring in a “three days in seven” season ticket and another that permits travel on any 12 days in a month. I am reinforcing this with the Transport Secretary so that in the autumn, as people and employers consider the ways they will work, the archaic and punitive season ticket rules we currently have do not get between people and their jobs.
shops and restaurants, I don’t think that office working and commuting to work are things of the past. You may work well remotely if people already know each other, but over time it’s harder to induct new employees and make the personal connections with colleagues that build a corporate culture? It’s particularly tough for young people to be trained and mentored if they never meet each other and their bosses in person. But I do think more people will be able – or required – to work more flexibly than in the past. Travelling to the office not every day, but a few days a week.
Assumption That means we have an urgent need to change the fares system on our railways to accommodate the new reality. Currently, rail season tickets are based on the assumption that commuters travel five days a week, making their journeys at the peak morning and evening rush hours. This assumption is already an anachronism. For years now, more and more people have been commuting to work only a few days a week. Others have moved to work hours outside the traditional nine-to-five.
Mark Hood Co-Chair of the Tonbridge & Malling Green Party
Mark Hood has established the Barden Residents’ Association, is a founder member of Keep River Lawn Green, and campaigned to save the Barden Boatyard and River Lawn from development. He is also one of the organisers of the Tonbridge Calling festival
We have seen the effects of the lockdown in reducing pollution ‘SALUS SUPREMUS LEX’ – ‘The Health of the People is the Highest Law’ was the motto of one of Tonbridge’s earliest councils. It has rung true in these last months when we have willingly forsaken our personal freedoms for the benefit of the greater good and submitted to the rules of social distancing and the necessity of the lock down. Remember the aisles of empty shelves illustrating how many people had panic-bought at the expense of those who found themselves in need? This was a betrayal of our true human instinct to co-operate for our collective benefit rather than hide in bunkers insulated from the outside world by double quilted toilets rolls. In the ensuing weeks kindness has triumphed and neighbours have become closer as they have cared for their communities. Tonbridge’s greatest asset is its people and over recent months we have risen to the challenge of Covid-19 through acts of individual kindness and through the many volunteer support groups that have sprung up across our town. Of course, that effort has been surpassed by the extraordinary commitment of our NHS staff - never again must those people putting their lives at risk be forced to do so with inadequate PPE. Almost overnight, we have realised that the key workers we absolutely cannot do without are actually the care workers, supermarket staff,
dustmen and delivery drivers. The first six months of 2020 have been massively significant for our environment. Imagine if the nations of the world were to act on climate change as they have with the coronavirus. Although the price in terms of lives lost has been unbearably high, the results show what might be achieved if we focussed as much energy on the existential threat facing our planet.
Eliminating We have seen the transformative effects of the worldwide lockdown, not only in terms of saving lives, but also in reducing pollution from the megacities of China and transforming the waters of Venice’s canals. We must not miss this last chance to save the environment. Employers are seeing the world through different eyes too. They may have been forced to embrace home-working but now appreciate the unforeseen benefits. 95% of staff at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council have been working from home, which suggests that there is huge scope to downsize to new sustainable offices in the coming years. Eliminating the daily commute can improve our life/work balance, reduce overcrowding on our railways and ease congestion on our roads. When we first drafted our Transparency and
Accountability Motion to introduce remote participation in council meetings, we had to concede it was unachievable as it breached national legislation. Now the impossible has become commonplace and there is no reason why councillors cannot still represent their residents’ best interests if they are unable to physically attend a meeting at King’s Hill.
There is £8m available to Kent to reallocate road space for cycling and walking. We have proposed a range of schemes, including an experimental one-way scheme with a pop-up cycle way for Tonbridge High Street, in addition to other key cycle routes. Now is the chance to build back better: we must seize this opportunity.
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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Wednesday February 26 | 2020
OXBRIDGE BOYS Tonbridge boys head to leading universities
at other elite universities, such as Imperial College, the London School of Economics, University College London, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Durham, Bath, Bristol, Manchester, York, Warwick, Leeds and Exeter. The large majority of the Upper Sixth achieve their first-choice destination. Last year, for instance, Tonbridge leavers had 100 per cent success rates with applications to Warwick, Manchester and York universities, and success rates of over 90 per cent for Exeter, Bristol, Nottingham, Bath and Birmingham. As in previous years, some students will be securing places on world-leading degree courses in less traditional subjects, which will give them a head start in their chosen careers. These soughtafter courses for 2020 include Real Estate, Aerospace Engineering, Earth Sciences, Sports Management, Marine Biology and Marine Zoology.
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The school’s Headmaster, James Priory, said: “Securing a place at a leading university, in a highly competitive field, is a fine achievement, requiring hard work and dedication. “I look forward to following our students’ progress at university and in their subsequent careers, and I am extremely grateful for the contribution they continue to make to the intellectual, pastoral and co-curricular life of the school.” A proportion of Tonbridge leavers also choose to study abroad and progress to leading universities around the world, particularly in the USA. Recent destinations have included Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Rice University, the United States Air Force Academy, the University of Toronto and Hong Kong University. Tonbridge School High Street Tonbridge TN9 1JP 01732 365555 admissions@tonbridge-school.co.uk
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ARCHITECTURE
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
John Bullock
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Designs for a new life working from home
Local architect John Bullock reveals to the Times how he and his team are adapting their designs to reflect a new working from home culture in wake of Covid-19 THERE can be little doubt that the past few months have been a most bizarre and unsettling time for each and everyone of us. No one can really say how, when or if we will return to what we recently considered a normal life. For those of us who were affected by the virus it’s been a challenging but life affirming experience and as we unravel from the lockdown and slowly edge out of hibernation there seems to be a tangible feeling of new possibilities in the air. With the slower pace of lockdown comes time to reflect and consider what is important and how we live. Many who have been working from home have found it to be efficient and productive and maybe part of the ‘new normal’ will be more of the same. Technology, like it or loathe it, makes this possible and enables connection with colleagues around the globe from a smallest of spaces at home and this month we look at how to create the ideal work-from-home environment. So, what have we all learned from working at home? There are a number of crucial considerations to create the ideal working
environment and many of these utilise spaces currently undervalued in our homes. UTILITY ROOMS Utility rooms are often designed as a destination room, meaning there is little circulation or transitional zones. This can make them an ideal space to set up shop as they are arguably more isolated and you can work without the risk of family members or housemates trying to move around you. In addition, it is very common for there to be surface tops with no units underneath, a space you might expect for a washer/dryer or even a dog bed. These surfaces can make the ideal raised desk which when paired with a standard dining room chair can help improve posture and reduce back strain. Some may even be ideal to use whilst standing, a method of working which is now often encouraged by many employers due to the many health benefits. Utilities are also a room typically designed for extra storage space, so you shouldn’t be hard pressed to find a cupboard or drawer worth stealing to stash away your work gear when you are no longer using it.
PROS: n Less circulation space means the room is likely more isolated from the rest of the house n Surface top design may lend itself perfectly
to operate as a desk space with ample leg room and power supply outlets n A room with typically less natural light may
actually offer a better working environment due to the reduced screen glare and reflections CONS: n In larger households there may be increased use of washing machines and tumble dryers which may quickly become a nuisance and is a no-go for someone prone to video or telephone calls. n Utility rooms can often become very hot and stuffy due to lack of windows and/or use of washing machines and tumble dryers, creating an uncomfortable working environment. n You might not feel comfortable entering a video conference with your laundry hanging around in the background!
CORNER SPACES AND EFFICIENT FURNITURE Many reception rooms such as living rooms and dining rooms are left with awkward leftover corners which we are quick to fill with shelving or display cabinets for example. But these spaces can actually be upcycled to create a new room-within-a-room. You don’t have to surf the internet for long before you come across many intelligent, elegant pieces of bespoke furniture which may offer the perfect solution for your needs. Simple screening or even boxed shelving may act as a subtle threshold to differentiate spaces for relaxation and places for work - a very important separation we all need, both physically and mentally. Feeling closed off and reduced to a corner space can really offer someone with much needed focus and ensure there is little room for distraction. Integrating a desk space with shelving can allow you to create a display piece that actually adds to the room rather than making the space feel in limbo, messy and unorganized. Not only do you have storage for basic office equipment but also an opportunity to add a touch of your personality to the space whether it be family photos, ornaments, artwork or even indoor plants. PROS: n You can utilise a space which is potentially left-over to create a miniature extra room n A singular, simple piece of furniture may be all you need to create this area, so it becomes a quick, cost-effective and simple strategy which can easily be adapted again in the future n An opportunity to allow your creative side to shine through and show off your style, not just your pen pots and paper filers
CONS: n You may feel you end up eating into another room too much and have to make some compromises n This idea may not offer you much privacy depending on the usage of the wider space n A display strategy can quickly become messy and cluttered so would really only suit the more minimalist-minded of us
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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UNDER THE STAIRS The space under the stairs is almost always used in one way or another, whether it be a storage cupboard, coat pegs and shoe cabinets or even a small W.C. or shower room. It is rare that many of us have the luxury to not require the storage space and to make an open feature of our staircase. However, if you feel your space under the stairs is currently being under-used then it may be the perfect place for you to hide an office. Due to the width of a staircase, your space under the stairs will often be relatively deep from 800mm to 1000mm+. This creates ample space to conceal a deep desk with storage cupboards and a place to hide your desk chair all at the same time. The use of cupboards or cabinets to hide your office when not in use, offer you the flexibility you need to switch on and off when required without muddling your private and professional life too much. The angle of the stairs can often make the space underneath feel hard to re-appropriate or re-purpose. However, with a simple home study it is commonly the case that a plug socket and space for a laptop is all we actually need, with little requirements for high, level ceilings or orthogonal storage. Perhaps a home study is the perfect use of this space all along!? PROS: n Smaller spatial requirements for a home
study may work well in smaller, more uniquely shaped space which could be awkward for more conventional uses n The integration of storage means you can hide your work (mess) away at the end of the day keeping your home tidy and allowing you to leave your work and return to your personal life n You are hardly eating into any floor plan by using the under the stairs space so there is little to no compromise of your hallway or landing zones
CONS: n Stairways are circulation zones so you might find yourself working in the busier, transitional parts of your house, which may become distracting n We don’t expect much electrical wiring to be found under the stairs so your power supply needs to be considered and integrated which may cme at a small cost n In smaller properties this option may quickly become cramped and feel claustrophobic
In wake of the recent Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns we feel it is our duty as designers to create spaces in our homes which work harder. They must offer us flexibility and can be quickly tailored to our ever changing needs. Adaptable architecture not only prepares us for uncertainty but will ultimately be costeffective and stress-relieving in times of change. So which room will become your next mini project? Let us know! www.johnbullockdesign.com
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
This week’s best property buys… Since estate agents were told they could start selling properties again after the government eased lockdown measures the housing market has experienced a bounce – both in terms of buyers and sellers. Here are our top picks of what’s on the market this week ...
Little Hawkwell Pembury
GUIDE PRICE
£1,500,000 CONTACT
Jackson Stops 01892 521 700 Little Hawkwell is a Grade II listed detached house believed to date from the mid-16th Century with possible earlier origins. It benefits from many period features including exposed timbers, wide oak floorboards, working shutters and fireplaces as well as a stunning main staircase which is believed to have come from the ruins of Great Hawkwell. The house’s large rooms provide wonderful family accommodation with plenty of room outside too. It is understood that the artist JMW Turner visited his uncle who once lived at Little Hawkwell many times en route to Margate. During the Second World War the house was used as an officers’ mess for one of the armoured divisions in the early 1940s prior to D-day.
n The elegant and spacious accommodation benefits from excellent ceiling heights throughout n Double aspect panelled drawing room with wide open stone Tudor fireplace n Also downstairs is a cloakroom and a kitchen/breakfast room with four oven oil fired Aga to inglenook n There are also extensive cellars comprising three rooms in total with 6’ headroom n The first floor is approached by a carved oak staircase via a half landing with window overlooking rear garden n The master bedroom suite comprises double aspect bedroom with a dressing room n There are three further double bedrooms and two good sized attic rooms which could be used as additional bedrooms or office space n Outside are beautiful Plantsmans’ gardens and grounds which amount to around two acres n There is also a paddock with timber stable, a hard tennis court and recently created home office
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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Silverdale Road Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE
£325,000 CONTACT Hunni Homes 01892 888333 This well-appointed three-bedroom property is located in the popular residential area of St John’s. It is a very spacious and comfortable Edwardian terraced house close to the mainline station of High Brooms. Inside there is a separate lounge and dining room, which provide ample space for entertaining and the kitchen is bright, newly decorated and is a welcoming place to cook and unwind. The house is also conveniently located near to local shops, schools and other amenities.
n This house has recently undergone recent renovation and so is decorated to a very high standard throughout n The palette has been kept relatively neutral which means it will suit most people’s styles of furnishings n The separate, newly fitted kitchen is of a good size with views over the garden n A good sized dining area - ideal for entertaining in - is located just off the kitchen n Upstairs there is a spacious family bathroom, which is a bonus in this type of property, which is usually renowned for having a small bathroom, typically located downstairs n There are three bedrooms. Two are good sized doubles with a single one located to the rear of the property n The garden is a decent space and ideal for entertaining or relaxing in n The property is situated just a few minutes’ walk to High Brooms train station - perfect for those wishing to get into London in under an hour
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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Out & About
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out&about 7 days of activities
PHOTO: James-Bellorini
Following the ongoing easing of the Coronavirus lockdown many of our favourite beauty spots, galleries, museums and places of interest are now open. Here’s where to go this week... SPECIAL STREAMS Medici TV is screening a number of operas, ballets and special documentaries including pieces from festivals that cannot go ahead due to the health pandemic including that of Glyndebourne. By creating an account you can watch over 200 operas including Mozart’s The
OFFICE HIRE Located just two miles from Tunbridge Wells town centre, Salomons Estate now offers fully furnished office suites to let from just £2 per Sq ft. set within the Victorian country manor house, over-looking 36 acres of stunning grounds. Individual offices for 1 to 12 people are available now. Office hire includes: • Fully Furnished • Free parking on site • Free gym membership • Discounted meeting room hire • Discounts on food & drink in the new Salomons Pub & Dining Rooms • Support from our friendly and professional reception team • Use of video conferencing facilities • 24/7 access and security • Short or long term lets available • From just £199 + VAT per month
Enquire today on 01892 779583 Email: reception@markerstudy.com
www.salomons-estate.com
CONFERENCE AND EVENTS VENUE
CULT CLASSIC See Grease at the drive in
By Eileen Leahy
GLORIOUS GLYNDEBOURNE Watch it online this year
NOW that we are getting the opportunity to access more of our favourite places and things to do the cultural landscape is opening up a little bit more. And although we can’t physically visit theatres or concert venues right now we can certainly stream plenty of their content online.
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
Magic Flute and Rossini’s Barber of Seville. In a time when we cannot see and hear these wonderful works for real this is a very good substitute. (www.medici.tv/en) MAGICAL MOVIES The Drive in Cinema Club at Honnington Farm in Southborough will be screening a series of films from August 3 – 9. They include lots of family favourites such as Toy Story, Cars, The Goonies and Mama Mia as well as lots of cult classics including The Lost Boys, Dirty Dancing and Grease. All tickets vary in price and there will be food and drink on offer too. For more details visit www.thedriveincinemaclub.com BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT Also streaming a number of their classics is the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden. Up until August 6 you can catch a performance of Sleeping Beauty
via their streaming service on You Tube. Entitled From Our House to Your House the world famous ballet company have been regularly streaming content. Simply go to their You Tube channel to find out more about what’s on when. FAMILY FUN Penshurst Place is the jewel in the crown of local stately homes is once again able to offer tours for visitors around its palatial premises. Like many similar historical tourist attractions, the 14th Century manor house will also operate a booking system in order to accept visitors so it’s imperative to book before heading over to the popular destination. www.penshurstplace.com ZILLI SERVES UP A GREAT NIGHT OUT Last week it was revealed that celebrity chef Aldo Zilli will be cooking up a storm at Mabledon
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Farm when the pop-up drive in cinema Flix will be pitching up and showing a selection of classic films including Lion King, Minions, Rocket Man, Fight Club and Pulp Fiction. Aldo will be serving up a number of delicious dishes so movie goers can enjoy a really special time. Commenting on his involvement Aldo said: “Flix is a modern twist to a classic concept; there’s an array of top Hollywood blocbusters to choose from, with great food supplied by my excellent team all from the safety and comfort of your own car.” The films will run from August 5 to 9. For tickets, prices and timings visit www.flixdrivein.co.uk
Out & About
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ADVENTURE TIME Visit Calverley’s kids park
A CUT ABOVE Aldo Zilli is coming to town
CREATIVE ENDEAVOUR The Art Hub Gallery on Mount Ephraim is back in business again with an exhibition entitled Resonance by its owner Iaysha Salih. The show consists of a number of beautifully ethereal oil and interior items so make sure you head along one Saturday or Sunday in order to enjoy a socially distanced browse and buy to help all those independents keep going.
DANCING DELIGHT Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty
on canvas paintings called Echoes of the Infinite, Isolation and Element of Play. If you want to go along and see it then the current opening hours, until further notice, are Thursday to Saturday 10am to 5pm or you can arrange a private viewing for the rest of the week by contacting iaysha@ iaysha.com. More details about the current expo and forthcoming ones can be found at www. arthubgallery.co.uk
MARKET VALUE After months away our cherished Pantiles Markets are now back up and running. Held every two weekends they are a wonderful way to support local producers and makers – now more important than ever due to the Covid crisis. As well as being able to source all kinds of delicious specialist and seasonal food and drink there are also lots of stalls selling art, handmade jewellery
PHOTO: Lucy Clayton
PARK LIFE As always there’s always plenty to discover on our doorstep here in Tunbridge Wells courtesy of our many beautiful park spaces including Dunorlan, Grosvenor & Hilbert and also Calverley Grounds Adventure park which is just great for little ones. Each one has the relevant social distancing in operation – so there’s plenty to enjoy without having to pay or book.
SHOP LOCAL: The Pantiles market is back
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Where to eat out to help out From next Monday, many restaurants, cafes and pubs in Tunbridge Wells will be taking part in the government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme, aimed at getting the struggling hospitality industry back on its feet, but how does it work and who is taking part? WHEN the government put the UK into lockdown on March 23 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the hardest-hit industries was the hospitality sector. It is one of the biggest employers in the country, and more than 1.4 million hospitality workers were put on furlough – the highest proportion of any sector as lockdown saw 80 per cent of venues close. While some were able to provide a takeaway service, not all were able to do so and the government promised to help out the struggling food and drink premises. As well as slashing VAT on restaurant food from 20 per cent to 5 per cent for the next few months, Chancellor Rishi Sunak also announced the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme to entice diners back into restaurants.
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
customer’s bills and have it refunded within five working days. There are some exemptions to the scheme. Takeaway venues are not eligible, and the discount cannot be used on alcoholic drinks, service charges or food for a private function or event. WHO IS TAKING PART? So far, around 32,000 businesses in the UK have signed up to the scheme, with more expected to join before it starts on Monday [August 3]. Dozens of restaurants, cafes and pubs across Tunbridge Wells are taking part in the scheme, and here are some of the venues that have already announced their participation.
THE BELL TICEHURST PHONE: 01580 200300 Just before the Covid crisis, the award-winning hotel and pub went through a £600,000 refurbishment, and has spent a further £15,000 converting a potting shed to increase capacity after lockdown ended. The Bell’s owner, Richard Upton, said: “We felt it important to open as soon as we could, to serve those who have missed the social interaction and connection with their local community. “Without the pub, some of our customers don’t see a soul from one day to the next. We need to open for them.”
ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES The Bell in Ticehurst has undergone a £600,000 refurbishment
The scheme sees the government foot half of any restaurant bills throughout the month of August, up to a maximum of £10 per head on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. HOW DOES IT WORK? The promotion gives people a discount of up to 50 per cent when eating or drinking soft drinks in any participating restaurant or pub. It is valid all day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from August 3 to 31. The maximum discount available is £10 per person when you eat or drink in. It is likely that lots of local, independent pubs, restaurants and cafes will be taking part, as well as big chains. Establishments that wish to take part have to sign up online. They can join the scheme at any point and are able to claim the money back from
15% Off
Lunch & Dinner, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
Our head chef and owner has been in the hospitality trade for over 30 years, specialising in Italian dishes ranging from fine pasta plates to succulent pizza masterpieces. We always use fresh ingredients, with Seafood a speciality. Why not pop in and see our specials board? Birthday Parties, Weddings and Anniversaries catered for
The New Potting Shed At The Bell in Ticehurst Creating safe spaces to come together
www.stelleditalia.co.uk | 01892 529442 98/100 Calverely Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UN
Book your table ➸ thebellinticehurst.com | 01580 200300
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
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Food & Drink
During the month of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, the pub is not just offering discounts on its usual fare, such as steaks and burgers, but also adding some high-end produce to the menu that customers may not always be able to afford to eat. “We are going to put on things such as turbot, which is very expensive fish normally so this is a great opportunity for people to try things they wouldn’t normally get the chance to try,” said the pub’s Phillipa King.
Now lockdown has lifted, they have pulled out all the stops to keep people safe from coronavirus including regular cleaning and PPE for staff. Throughout August, the restaurant is devising some delicious £20 set-menus in order for customers to make the most of their Eat Out to Help Out discounts. SALOMONS ESTATE BROOMHILL ROAD RECEPTION@SALOMONS-ESTATE.COM The picturesque Salomons Estate and Country House will be reopening its dining room from Saturday [August 1], and is offering its popular traditional afternoon tea as part of the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme. Visitors can soak up the vistas of the beautiful estate while enjoying an array of cakes along with a pot of tea from midday to 4pm on Monday to Wednesday for just £11.50 per person.
The WINE ROOMS Are Excited To Announce Our Partnership With KIKO SUSHI! We are offering our Sushi platter to you for just £10 as you take advantage of the Eat out to Help Out offer at The Wine Rooms. Every Wednesday from 4pm until 9pm you can enjoy your pre-ordered sushi platter to go with a glass of something chilled, we shall also have our full food menu available. Simply book your table at The Wine Rooms, in the notes box say you are coming for the sushi £10 offer and we will have one made up for you! The Sushi Platters are designed for 1 person for dinner, so just let us know how many you want! Thank you for your support and we hope to see you at The Wine Rooms.
01892 522022 www.thewineroomstw.com 40 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TN
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GRAND SCENERY Salomons Estate in Broomhill Road
VITTLE AND SWIG CAMDEN ROAD 01892 544522 During lockdown, the popular European restaurant on Camden Road had to close, and rather than continuing to trade as a takeaway service, owner Gerry Stevens partnered up with Open Kitchens, a not-for-profit national food and distribution organisation that provided free, healthy food for those in need. The restaurant handed out hundreds of nutritious meals to the vulnerable and key workers during the Covid-19 crisis. TOUCH OF CLASS Some great fare is available at the Vittle and Swig
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Food & Drink FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk HATTONS WINE BAR THE PANTILES 01892 540555 The popular Wine Rooms on The Pantiles has teamed up with Kiko Sushi to prevent an Eat Out to Help Out sushi special. The Wine Rooms is offering a sushi platter for just £10 every Wednesday from 4pm until 9pm you can enjoy a pre-ordered sushi platter to go with a glass of something chilled. The friendly wine bar will also have their full food menu available. Booking is done online at their website: thewineroomstw.com and in the notes box say you are coming for the sushi £10 offer and they will have one made up for you. The Sushi Platters are designed for one person for dinner, so just let The Wine Rooms know how many you want to order.
ZORBA MEZE GRILL UPPER GROSVENOR ROAD 01892 530051 Throughout lockdown, the staff at Tunbridge Wells’ most popular Turkish restaurant were sending food to NHS staff during the height of the coronavirus crisis. The restaurant is a favourite of many people in Tunbridge Wells and is famed for its warm and friendly atmosphere and its selection of kebabs, served fresh from the grill. Now the Grosvenor Road restaurant is welcoming regulars and those that have never tried its tempting array of meze plates for 50 per cent off [up to £10] on its varied menu.
Traditional English Afternoon Tea At the picturesque Salomons Estate & Country House in Tunbridge Wells
Only £11.50 per person when booked as part of the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme
Available Midday – 4pm, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during August To book simply send your preferred date, time and party size to reception@salomons-estate.com
CONFERENCE AND EVENTS VENUE www.salomons-estate.com
SIZZLE Kebabs and more and Zorba’s
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
FISH PLATTER Sushi for £10 at The Wine Rooms
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THE BULL FRANT ROAD 01892 546089 Located in Frant Road, The Bull will be a familiar sight to those who live and work in the area. With its rustic charm, open fire and ageing newspapers adorning the walls, this Shepherd Neame pub has always been a popular drinking spot with the locals. Now during August, you can sample some of their great English classics, from bangers and mash and fish and chips to beef stroganoff – all with 50 per cent off Monday to Wednesday. Is your restaurant taking part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme? Why not let us know at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk
VITTLE AND SWIG’s new opening hours SUNDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 10AM TO 3PM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY 10AM TO 1AM Daily Deli, serving unusual cheeses & charcuteries. Freshly made bread, pastries and delicious savouries. For customers who would like to cater for friends and family we now have our www.vandsbyyou. co.uk meals made for you to enjoy at home from 2 to 30 people. We will be joining EAT OUT TO HELP OUT SCHEME on Tuesday and Wednesdays 10am-3pm We will have a 3 course set menu for £20. plus 50% of other meals for those dining in to a maximum discount of £10 per person. For bookings 01892 544522 www.vittleandswig.co.uk
Eat Local, Support Local
Thank you for standing by us loyal Tunbridge Wells Up to £10.00 off your Food & Non-Alcoholic Drinks. All Day Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday from 3rd August to the end of the Month
4 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2EN 01892 530051 | www.zorbamezegrill.com
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E AT O U T TO HELP OUT
Enjoy Summer Nights Out in Royal Tunbridge Wells #TunbridgeWells #EatLocal #EnjoyLocal #SupportLocal Funded by Tunbridge Wells Together on behalf of hospitality businesses in Royal Tunbridge Wells
We are following the Government guidelines and are Covid secure! We are proud to be part of the “Eat Out To Help Out” scheme. Up to a maximum of £10.00 off your food and soft drinks bill Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday during August. We Look Forward To Welcoming You!
The Bull • 01892 546089 • 79 Frant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5LH
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Numbers are substituted for letters in the crossword grid. Above the grid is the key with two letters solved. Try to complete the first few words to give you more letters, or look for a frequent number that might reveal a common letter. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.
2 4 9 4 7 1
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
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In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply. Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.
Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue
S H R U I E T O X I W P L U T O N S Q U A T S E L U D R A I S L E O L R O Y A
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Jigsaw Sudoku:
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M s p a c e
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LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS
SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU
DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★✩
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Capturing the castle: how live theatre will be revived at Hever this summer Last week the organisers of Hever Castle’s Theatre Festival announced that they would be going ahead with a cultural offering this summer – albeit on a far smaller scale. Here the festival’s director Ailsa Molyneux explains to Eileen Leahy who and what it will involve...
W AILSA MOLYNEUX
HEN Covid-19 effectively shut down the whole of the cultural community many feared that we wouldn’t be able to see any semblance of live theatre, comedy or arts this summer. But as the government has slowly started to unscrew the vice it put around all areas of live entertainment, things are starting to slowly return. One of the key areas to be thrown a life line is live theatre after Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced
STAGING A COMEBACK See the Handlebards perform
“To create this intimate, ‘bitesize’ season the festival is working with a small number of favourite artists on smaller shows”
HEVER FEVER The castle’s grounds will host performances
performances could go ahead – as long as they were performed outdoors. Since his announcement on July 10 industry experts have been tasked with coming up with clever ways in which to ensure visitors are safe and can socially distance in order for any alfresco shows to happen. These include limiting audience capacity, selling tickets solely online and asking performers and production crews to socially distance ‘where possible.’ Regents Park Open Air theatre in London was one of the first to reopen on July 11 while locally, EM Forster in Tonbridge has announced a late summer programme of open air performances. Last week Hever Castle threw its hat into the ring by saying it will host a fortnight of live entertainment. The historic venue usually puts on a whole summer of live theatre, comedy, puppetry and more in its beautiful outdoor theatre but this year given the restrictions it will be running a scaled back mini festival.
The 2020 Bitesize Hever Festival will run from August 18 – 30 and promises to be an ‘unforgettable experience’ bringing the West End to the Garden of England. “Following the recent change to government guidelines Hever Festival Theatre is delighted to be opening to the public for live, open-air performances next month,” its director Ailsa Molyneux told the Times. Having postponed its original 2020 festival line-up, the team have been busy producing an all-new fortnight of festival favourites. Keeping the wellbeing of artists, audiences and staff at the forefront of their work, the team at Hever have developed a socially distanced programme for everyone to enjoy. “To create this intimate, ‘bitesize’ season the festival is working with a small number of favourite artists on smaller shows - with no less bite - on shorter performances without intervals and with a smaller audience capacity,”
For more information on the schedule and tickets and timings visit www.heverfestival.co.uk.
CHARLES COURT OPERA
HEVER CASTLE BITESIZE FESTIVAL: WHO’S ON WHEN n TUESDAY AUGUST 18: HandleBards perform Romeo and Juliet n SATURDAY AUGUST 22: Ronnie Scott’s Quartet n SUNDAY AUGUST 23: Charles Court Opera does Gilbert and Sullivan n TUESDAY AUGUST 25: The Three Inch Fools play A Midsummer Night’s Dream n FRIDAY AUGUST 21: Bitesize Stand-Up Comedy Club featuring Javier Jarquin and Gary Tro – compered by ‘Live at the Apollo’ star Laura Lexx n WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26: Illyria present The Wind In the Willows, amongst the trees on Anne Boleyn’s Walk n FRIDAY AUGUST 28: The Dolly Parton Story n SATURDAY AUGUST 29: The Simon and Garfunkel Story n SUNDAY AUGUST 30: Last Night of the Hever Proms
Ailsa explains. “It has come as a happy surprise to us all that we are able to hold events this year and we can’t wait to share the 2020 Bitesize Festival,” continues Ailsa. And although a lot of the performers will be very familiar to many of the festival’s fans such as Ronnie Scott’s Quartet and The Simon and Garfunkel tribute act, one thing that will be different this year is the location of each performance. “The theatre tent is not available, so we have the joy of performing with a castle view and are delighted to be returning to the loggia,” adds Ailsa. “As many of our audience members will know the loggia was the home of the festival theatre for many years so it’s good to be back. Bring your own cushions, blankets, chairs – and picnics are, as ever, strongly encouraged!”
LAURA LEXX
JAVIERJARQUIN
travel
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Disneyland Paris has reopened but is it still fun and laughter all round? As the popular amusement park begins its phased reopening, Damon Smith discovers if Mickey Mouse and friends can still work their magic post-Covid FANTASY Disneyland still retains its magic
FAVOURITES Visitors can no longer meet and greet the stars
DAMON SMITH
A
FTER more than 100 days of isolation in the sanitised cocoon of my flat, a heady cocktail of excitement and nervousness slips down my throat as I walk through the familiar gates of Disneyland Paris. Four months after the resort closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two parks are welcoming back guests with an array of health and safety measures in line with guidance from the French government and health authorities. For the initial phases, Disney’s Newport Bay Club hotel, Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne and the Disney Village shopping and entertainment district have also reopened their doors. Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe follows on August 3 then Disneyland Hotel on September 7. Face coverings are mandatory for visitors aged 11 and older at all times except when eating. It feels restricting, at first, to conceal my smile behind filtered fabric. Tiny beads of sweat bedazzle my top lip in the absence of a cooling breeze. However, within 30 minutes, my breathing has slowed and I acclimatise to the sartorial new normal. Physical distancing of at least one metre in
queues is enforced using colourful bilingual stickers on the ground. There are no temperature checks like some Disney properties, but security remains tight and it’s second nature to cleanse hands at more than 2,000 sanitiser and washing stations, which are conveniently dotted around the resort, especially at the entrances and exits of attractions, restaurants, shops and theatres. Trepidation melts from my body as Mickey, Minnie and friends dance and wave from their prime vantage point on the elevated railroad platform. Crowd capacity is being limited in line with social distancing guidelines, through an online ticket system, that requires you to reserve admission for a specific date. Die-hard Disney disciples are keen to share their thoughts with me as they return to the fold. “The park has been very vocal about what the experience is going to be, so I feel reassured,” reflects 19-year-old Elliot Minto from London. “I’m not nervous. I think it’s going to be safe, but still fun,” agrees 21-year-old Chloe Glenister from Bedfordshire, whose priority is an audience with her favourite character. “I haven’t seen Mickey in
four months, so I need to see him, then I’ll go from there,” she grins. She shouldn’t have to wait long. Single rider queues and the nifty Fastpass services, which allows guests to pre-book a timed slot for eight key attractions, have been suspended to aid queue management. Popular rides like Peter Pan’s Flight and Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain often command wait times in excess of an hour. Today, the longest queue is 30 minutes.
Distracted Roller-coasters including Big Thunder Mountain and Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Peril keep entire rows free to ensure physical distancing between families or groups. Even with this limited capacity, falsetto screams and hollers are just as satisfyingly loud. Nestled inside the Disney bubble, guests largely police themselves. In the gently winding queue of the Meet Mickey Mouse pavilion, a little girl with an icy glare to complement her twinkling Frozen outfit, admonishes a distracted parent fixated on the dull glow of a mobile phone screen. “Mummy, you can’t stand there!” frostily chirrups the pint-sized princess, forcibly tugging
her mother off a cluster of turquoise vinyl floor stickers, ahead of their socially-distanced audience with Mickey, Pluto and Goofy. Twice, I notice visitors pull down face coverings or remove them for a giddily grinning snapshot beneath the dreaming spires of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Each time, a cast member materialises out of the ether like a masked ninja to politely remind offenders about the rules. In another neat piece of safety enforcement, official attraction and ride photos are withheld if anyone in shot isn’t fully masked. Eating out is definitely ‘in’. Restaurants have reduced seating capacity, so takeaway options are actively promoted, to encourage guests to eat al fresco around the parks’ impeccably tended gardens. Buffet restaurants have adopted an all-you-can-eat table service offering instead. Daily experiences that are likely to draw big crowds have been suspended, including the Disney Stars On Parade procession of colourful floats, and the Disney Illuminations night-time fireworks and light projection spectacular at the castle. Getting a warm hug from a favourite character at the hugely popular meet and greets is also no longer possible. In response, the resort has introduced plentiful ‘Selfie Spots’ where visitors can take a few pictures on their own device with beloved figures from the Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel universes. Donald Duck is in fine-feathered form when I strike a pose at a safe distance close to the thrum of Main Street. Unbridled joy glistens in my eyes. The magic of the resort, trapped in this perfect bubble, seems to have natural immunity from the sobering reality of the outside world. HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Walt Disney Travel Company (disneyholidays. co.uk; 0800 169 0737) offers a two-night/ three-day stay at Disney’s Newport Bay Club, including return Eurostar travel from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford International to Disneyland Paris, in standard class, from ¬£508 per person, for two adults and two children, including park tickets. Price based on August 12, 2020 departure date, subject to availability.
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Sport
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Major boost for girls’ football as MFA team up with elite league By Andy Tong FOOTBALL: A SQUAD of 18 young girls from across West Kent have been invited to join a prestigious league which will allow them to pursue their ambitions in the sport. MFA, which features players from Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, will take part in the newly formed Junior Premier League [JPL] Under-14s Girls division next season. They will find themselves up against teams from a wealth of top professional clubs including West Ham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Bournemouth, Queens Park Rangers, Millwall, AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth. The club was formed in 2017 at the Tunbridge Wells multi-sport provider MSporti, which runs a football academy. They train at St Gregory’s school on Monday nights and hope to play their league matches at Kings Hill Sports Park. MFA are managed by Chris Crouch, who was also in charge of the team in its previous incarnation when it was known as the West Kent Schools District XI. “The girls have trained so hard over the past three years and I’m so proud of them for getting this well-deserved promotion,” said Chris. “It’s the first time MFA have been invited to join the JPL and it’s a brilliant opportunity for them to show off their talent and see how far they can get.”
MFA are currently looking for funding to allow them to compete on a level playing field and ‘help make this dream a reality’. The new opportunity represents something of a lifeline for the football-crazy youngsters after the schools team saw their league fall apart. Chris said: “It was a very small league and it folded because they weren’t getting enough games. Now the girls are guaranteed to play more than 20 fixtures per season. “This is great for the girls. I wanted them to play against better opposition, and also to stay together from a social point of view.”
Opportunity He said that the new league will help combat the problem of the administration of female football falling away as the players get older. “We’ve been looking for the opportunity to bring more to girls’ football. As you get older, there are fewer games as the leagues disappear. “I don’t think it’s promoted enough. When I was first involved with under-11s there were teams like Dover, Brighton and Bromley. “But after that it drops off due to a lack of interest - a lack of volunteers really, because there isn’t a vested interest in women’s sport.” The 18 youngsters have been able to keep playing and improving thanks to one highly successful female Sunday league called the Kent Girls & Ladies Football League.
There are 75 clubs involved in the competition, including Tunbridge Wells Foresters, Tonbridge Invicta and Tonbridge Juniors, Pembury, Langton Green and Paddock Wood. “It’s a great league, the biggest it’s ever been,” says Chris. “But Saturday football for the districts just wasn’t happening. “This is the next opportunity for them. There’s not the level of academy football in Kent for girls anymore that there was - the one at Gillingham has just folded, and places like Millwall have been losing their academy status.” Chris got into coaching when he helped train his stepdaughter Elizabeth Chapman while she was playing for Paddock Wood. After she went to West Kent College in Tonbridge, he took over the
the game grew and I’ve made so many friends Shaniyah Sood is 13 years old and attends who are just as dedicated as I am. Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School. She “When I went to Tunbridge Wells Girls supports Manchester United and dreams of Grammar School, I started playing in the playing for England and becoming a football team and my best friend’s dad saw me professional. She told the Times: “I’ve been playing football play and he asked our coach Chris if I could join West Kent Schools as he thought I was good for four years. I started playing at Broadwater enough to play at that level. Down primary school with all the boys during “I’ve played with them ever since. As lunchtime, then joined the school a team we have grown and team a few months after when I developed incredibly. I think realised I was just as good as the move into the JPL is the best boys in the school massive, we will all enjoy team. I was one of only two the challenge and grow. girls that represented my I love football and it is my school. dream to represent my “At the time my main country one day and play sport was tennis. Soon in the Women’s Super after joining the school League – who knows, one team a couple of parents HEAD FOR THE TOP day even Manchester saw me play and spoke to Shaniyah Sood wants United. my mum saying that I should to play for England and “I follow men’s football more join a local team because they Manchester United than the ladies because I guess thought I had potential. we have less exposure. I really want to “So I joined Tunbridge Wells Ladies see more woman’s football at a similar level to FC, and towards the end of the season I was the men’s. I’m hoping that in a few more years scouted and invited to try out for the Kent FA it will get the respect and exposure it deserves. Player Development Centre – and I got in. “For me it’s about loving what I do and playing “During this time I was playing for school, Tunbridge Wells and Kent FA, which meant I was football is just that. If I can’t play football, I hope to teach future generations. training nearly every day after school and “Football has given me confidence and made playing at weekends. me think about others as well as teach me “I could only do this if my school work didn’t suffer, and I managed to maintain it. My love for dedication and commitment.”
Thrilling victory for Southborough & District in virtual series of races races to set up a gripping finale in the Team Time Trial event. Despite entering fewer teams, the club were able to overhaul the Clapham Chasers and secure victory by the finest of margins, with the results being announced by Ian Field, the five-time UK cyclo-cross champion. More than 40 SDW riders took part in
Overhaul The e-sports format has proved highly successful during the coronavirus lockdown, when all competitive racing has been cancelled. Racing against 38 other teams, SDW were able to haul back a significant points deficit in the last weeks of racing, placing first in the last three
RIDING HIGH: SDW members show the strain and elation, while eight-year-old Ollie Fussell shows the way forward
team there too. Elizabeth said: “I’m so excited about the JPL, I feel as though it will be a massive opportunity for my team and a huge learning curve for us all, a chance to improve as a team and move forward.” With groups of 30 currently allowed to play together including coaches under coronavirus restrictions, the squad were able to hold their first contact training session since lockdown last week. At first they were only permitted to train in groups of six, but because some of the parents help with the coaching they were at least able to run two or three separate groups. Although fixtures have yet to be finalised, the start date for the return to competitive action is Saturday [August 1] ahead of leagues kicking off in September. MFA are looking for sponsorship to help raise funds to pay for kit, equipment, match day transportation, pitch hire and referees. To sponsor the team, visit gofundme.com/f/ mfa-girls-1st-season-in-jpl? or email Ritu Valecha at ree2valecha@gmail.com.
‘WE ALL NEED TO FEEL PART OF SOMETHING’
GIRL POWER: The squad from MFA, which features players from across West Kent
CYCLING: SOUTHBOROUGH & District Wheelers [SDW] have powered their way to victory in the British Cycling South East Interclub Grand Tour competition. This highly competitive event, which involves cycling on a static bike, has been held over an eight-week period with races taking place twice per week. The contests have been held on Zwift, the indoor cycling platform that has recently staged the first ever professional ‘virtual Tour de France’.
Wednesday July 29 | 2020
the races, with both male and female, youth and junior riders enjoying success and podium places as they competed against clubs with far greater membership. There were notable victories and podiums across the different races for Neil Harris and Keith Henderson (Category A); Rob Burdon and James Currie (B); Carlos Martinez and Warren Gardiner (C); Donald Grant and eight-year-old Ollie Fussell (D); and Claire Howard, Kerry Cowsill and Emily Bowyer (E). SDW organiser and rider Simon Miller said: “This has been an amazing SDW achievement. Not just for the result but for the bonding and camaraderie that has helped us all get through such difficult times.” For more information about SDW club rides, junior Go Ride skills sessions and racing for youth and senior riders go to southborough-wheelers.co.uk
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Wednesday July 29 | 2020
‘Clubs that are run correctly always go on to prosper and remain a home for fans’
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The board is also investigating the possibility of installing an artificial playing surface - which would be a long-term process lasting several years. No grant is available for the purchase of pitch covers but they are trying to access funding to carry out an upgrade of the pitch drainage system. They have received a pitch preparation grant of £1,500 from the FA. No fixtures have been announced for the new season, though leagues are currently permitted to restart in September. However, Dave Netherstreet says the current arrangement of professional clubs playing without allowing spectators into the ground is not an option financially. “As a club, and indeed any non-league club, we cannot play behind closed doors and even with restricted crowd numbers, if this is enforced, it will be very difficult,” he said. “But we will adhere to whatever conditions the authorities decide upon that allows our supporters to enjoy watching football again in a safe and enjoyable manner.”
By Andy Tong FOOTBALL: PLANS for buying pitch covers to protect Tonbridge Angels’ Longmead stadium from waterlogging are progressing ahead of the National League restart. The Angels were badly affected by the heavy rain earlier this year. They were consistently unable to play at Longmead because of flooding, and had managed only one league game at home since January 4. Loss of revenue from gate receipts and hospitality from the postponed home games had left the club’s finances struggling. The cancellation of the remainder of the season on April 22, with so many home fixtures still to be played, then caused further problems.
bigger pool of players to choose from? I believe so, but it depends on what or how you want to move forward. I have my own ideas after a lot of thought and discussion with other staff members. Sometimes a lot of changes don’t always help but we’ll have to see what we can achieve when we get going again. How have the chairman and the board been, given the need to raise money for the pitch repairs and balancing that with support for you and your staff? The chairman and the board are excellent towards us, always helpful and supportive, I’m happy with that. How is the pitch looking? Pete [Elves, groundsman] and the others there have been working hard on it and it’s looking really good, as good as it did until the Hampton game [on December 14], which should never have been played on it, that ruined it for us and the season. How do you think the football landscape will look when the game resumes at non-league level? It could be interesting times ahead, some clubs will struggle, some will remain the same and some may flourish due to financing. Clubs run correctly will always prosper, not necessarily in terms of trophies, but will keep running and be a home for their fans. Is the aim next season to stabilise the club at this level with a view to pushing on the year after? Last season the aim was to stay in the league and as a club, manager, staff, players and supporters we achieved that, early finish to the season or not. In life you should always look to better yourself and not stand still; football is no different so we will be looking to improve on last season and try to make Tonbridge Angels an established club in the National League for years to come.
ANGELS RISE UP TABLE After the season was officially abandoned on April 22, the National League tables were decided on a points per game basis [PPG] with the Angels ending up in 15th place. There were play-offs to decide promotion issues across the three divisions, but there was no relegation from the South division because no teams are coming up from the Isthmian or Southern Leagues after the FA declared those competitions null and void. Before PPG was calculated, Tonbridge were
languishing in 20th place out of 22 in the table when the season was halted at the end of March. Although they were unable to play at Longmead due to flooding, a strong run of form away from home - which had been poor before Christmas - saw them pick up three wins and two draws from their last six games on the road. They had at least four games in hand over their rivals in the race to avoid the drop, which helped them when the calculation was made.
The staging of financially important nonfootballing events at Longmead, such as weddings, the Angelfest music festival and the Garden Show, also had to be halted. Tonbridge are trying to raise £35,000 to buy the covers with a crowdfunding campaign that has so far raised almost £9,000. With further contributions they are now ‘only a couple of thousand pounds short’, according to Angels chairman Dave Netherstreet. The day-to-day running of the club has been helped by a successful application to Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council for the government’s lockdown emergency grant of £25,000 for small companies with a rateable value of less than £51,000 - and it will also benefit from the 12-month business rates ‘holiday’.
PHOTO: David Couldridge
FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE Angels manager Steve McKimm is busy preparing for the new season - whenever it starts - after he agreed to stay in charge at Longmead. He has now been at the club for six years, having arriving in May 2014 following the Angels’ relegation from what was then known as Conference South. He led Tonbridge back to that level - the highest it has reached in its history - at the end of the 2018-19 season after two play-off victories. After an impressive run on the road before the season was halted in March, the club ended up in 15th place in the National League South table following a recalculation. Despite an early curtailment to last season, were you pleased with how things were progressing on the pitch? Yes definitely. With four wins, four draws and just one defeat in our nine games after losing to Dartford on December 28 it was becoming a very good run. Do you think it took a little while for yourself and the players to get used to the demands of stepping up a level? I had watched a lot of games at this level after I left Sutton Utd, so I knew what to expect. In all our games, bar Welling United away, we weren’t out of reach in any of those matches. What the players needed was to erase from their game the silly mistakes as we were getting punished for every single one. Once it was confirmed the season was to be cancelled, did you then begin to start planning for whenever a new season was to begin? I had a few weeks off and if I’m honest I didn’t really think about football because we had no idea when we’d be back again. The club were excellent with the furlough for the players and I gradually spoke to them after a few conversations with my chairman. Bearing in mind the financial restrictions that we expect to see going forward for many clubs, are you expecting there to be a
PHOTO: David Couldridge
Non-league football blogger Trevor Knell speaks to Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm as clubs face an uncertain future
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Pitch covers to help avoid flooding
‘As a club, and indeed any nonleague club, we cannot play behind closed doors and even with restricted crowd numbers, if this is enforced’
STAYING UP Steve McKimm says last season the aim was to remain in National League South
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OPEN SEASON: Dave Netherstreet says playing behind closed doors is not an option