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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Trampoline park needs a new home after forced closure
GOOD SIGN How newly branded store might look
By Andy Tong
Lidl names town centre site as battle of budget stores starts By Richard Williams GERMAN supermarket Lidl, has found a location for its first store in Tunbridge Wells. The budget retailer has been scouting sites in the town for some time, but has been keeping tight-lipped as to where it wanted to locate its newest supermarket. The Times can now disclose that the low-cost grocery chain has acquired half of the site currently occupied by Homebase in Linden Park Road, Broadwater Lane, near to the Spa Valley Railway. Homebase, which will continue to trade on the site, has split its store in half, with the DIY retailer operating out of one side, while Lidl plans to operate out of the other. A spokesperson for Homebase told the Times this week: “We can confirm that
the unit on Broadwater Lane has been split and that this space has been acquired by Lidl. Our Tunbridge Wells store will continue to operate as per usual.” It is unclear whether the supermarket giant will have to apply for new planning
Homebase will operate as ‘per usual’ but has split store in half permission from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council before it can begin operating from the DIY store, but existing permission for the site does allow for a ‘retail food store and retail warehouse’. The news follows last year’s opening of Aldi in Tunbridge Wells – chief rival to
THE popular family attraction Jump In Trampoline Park has been ordered to quit its Tonbridge site with the possible loss of 60 jobs if a new location cannot be found. The attraction has to leave its Morley Road premises by May 31 after the landlords gave notice to quit at the end of the current lease. The site will now be taken over by Atom, a large and highly successful drinks company which occupies both neighbouring units - and put in a better offer. Jump In has conducted what it described as ‘an exhaustive search’ of other potential sites in and around Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells but has failed to find a local solution.
Popular
Lidl – which opened in the former Toys R Us unit in the Great Lodge Retail Park in Longfield Road, last October. Both German retailers have been opening stores up and down the country as they jostle for customers. Aldi has invested around £1billion in new supermarket openings and is aiming ‘to open a new store in the UK every week over the next two years’, increasing its existing 840 stores by more than 100. Similarly, Lidl, which first entered the UK market in 1994 and now employs over 22,500 workers, is planning 230 openings over the next few years, which will see it have nearly 1,000 branches in Britain. Aldi is currently edging its rival with a
It has eight other trampoline parks across the country, and this is the first one that has had to close. Both the company and the Morley Road site are profitable. Gavin Lucas, founder and Chief Executive of Jump In, said: “We have been searching for alternative premises across the region south of London for some time, and are exploring some options for relocation. “Nevertheless, it is likely that Jump In will be leaving Tonbridge if a local site is not secured.” He added: “We feel we provide a hugely popular outlet for fun physical activity for children. In the context of a childhood obesity crisis and increasingly screen-dominated daily life, this would be a sad loss for the local area.”
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DRIVING FORCE: Tunbridge Wells Hospital staff forced to make 12 mile round trip as parking is expanded p5
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Trampoline park forced to close desperately seeks new home Continued from page 1 Jump In has established strong links with the town, working with a variety of partners since it opened four years ago including schools, charities and sports groups. The third of nine Jump In parks to open across the UK, it attracted more than 100,000 visitors through its doors last year. It has become a valuable resource for people with disabilities and special needs since the launch of its popular Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Rebound Therapy sessions - as featured in the Times last week. Camilla Gould, of Meadows Barnardos SEN School in Southborough, said: “We have used Jump In regularly since it opened.
Invaluable
AWARD WINNING: It’s time to ensure your company shines at the Times Business Awards 2020, hosted by Eamonn Holmes p8 NET GAINS: How Tunbridge Wells is becoming an internet economy worth up to £100million p10
LINE OF DUTY: School pupils learn the importance of being team players thanks to Student Leadership scheme p17
UNDER THREAT: Staff and stakeholders at Jump In are hoping a new site can be found quickly
“Our pupils have various diagnoses, they have suffered adverse childhood experiences and have found it difficult to cope in mainstream settings. “The children visit Jump In during school time as a way to relax, have fun, practise and improve their communication and interaction skills. They are sorely disappointed that this facility is closing.” Gemma Stapeley, Community Manager at Special Educational Needs Support in Tunbridge Wells, said: “It is a fantastic venue for our SEN group, safe, understanding, accessible but importantly, huge fun for everyone. “We receive hugely positive feedback from those that attend. I’m not sure there are many locations that work so well for our families.” Tonbridge parent Jenny Overal says the park has been a lifeline for her two children, who both have special needs. “The SEN sessions run there are invaluable to us, it gives them somewhere to let off steam safely without the noise and busy environment,” she said. “It’s one of the very few places where both my children are settled.” Another parent, Kelly Toal, added: “My daughter, who has special needs, visits Jump In
Lidl settles on a site Continued from page 1
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
6.8 per cent market share compared to Lidl’s 5.9 per cent. The nearest Lidl store at the moment is Quarry Hill Road, Tonbridge, around five miles away from the planned site. It is unknown when the town’s newest supermarket will be open for business, with a
every week with her carer after school. She absolutely loves her visits and they have very much become part of her weekly routine. “The jumping itself is so beneficial in burning off energy, helping her sensory issues and building her strength. It would be such a shame to lose this facility so close to home.” Among the local clubs that will also be left without a venue is Razzamataz Theatre School, which has been hiring space for two years. Principal Eve Aston said: “I am all too aware of how popular this facility is amongst my students and their families. “All the facilities are ideal for my holiday workshops and weekly years sessions and they
JUMP AT THE CHANCE Jump In are keen to hear from any landlords or property owners in the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells area who have a 20,000 to 35,000 sq ft space available now or in the near future. They are invited to contact hello@ golumpin.com For more information visit gojumpin.com/ locations/trampoline-park-tonbridge spokesman for Lidl refusing to be drawn on the plans. He would only say: “We are in the process of exploring various options to bring a Lidl store to Tunbridge Wells and look forward to sharing any firm plans with the community, as soon as we’re in a position to do so.”
Opposite The news Lidl is opening a branch in the location may not be welcomed by everybody, as
are most active in the community, even sponsoring a student to attend my theatre school each term.”
CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS… James Lark, Matt Boughton and Jon Botten, the borough councillors for Medway ward where the trampoline park is located, issued a joint statement in response to the news. They said: “We are extremely sad to learn that the very successful company Jump In in Morley Road are having to relocate due to the lease on their current location not being extended. “They provide a healthy, active and energetic location for old and young alike as well as supporting a number of local clubs. “We have made some constructive suggestions to Jump In which we hope will enable them to stay in Tonbridge.” Cllr Lark told the Times: "The council's Economic Regeneration Officer has found a building within 1km of the current location. Whilst it may not be ideal, it is a good unit and is nearer the retail area of the industrial estate."
the new supermarket will be opening directly opposite rivals Sainsbury’s. The British supermarket giant, which is currently the UK’s third largest, has a market share of around 15 per cent but has seen its profits wiped out following its recent takeover of Argos. The firm recently announced it will be cutting hundreds of jobs in management, following the merger, and is overhauling its business, closing around 15 supermarkets and dozens of Argos stores. Sainsbury’s declined to comment on their newest rival coming to Tunbridge Wells.
Storm blows out the winter lanterns By Richard Williams TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ Winter Lantern Parade was postponed at the weekend due to the high winds caused by Storm Ciara. The Met Office upgraded its yellow weather warning to amber on Friday [February 7] and predicted gale-force winds as high as 80mph in some areas of Kent, prompting organisers to postpone the parade for a fortnight. Organiser, Nell Price from the Camden Road Education, Arts and Theatre Experience [CREATE], said: “Due to the ever increasing winds this Saturday, the Winter Lantern Parade will be postponed until February 22. We will still be leaving Calverley Road precinct at 5.30pm. “We are sorry for any inconvenience but we hope you understand that everybody’s safety is of our utmost concern to ensure
you have an enjoyable and magical event. “For any volunteers – all briefings will remain at the same place at the same times.”
Colourful The parade, which sees families and community groups show off their handmade lanterns, starts in Calverley Road before winding its way down Camden Road before culminating in Grosvenor & Hilbert Park. This parade is now in its tenth year and has become one of the most colourful and popular events in the Tunbridge Wells calendar. Over the weekend, Storm Ciara battered Kent with rain and high winds, causing fallen trees, reports of flooding, and transport troubles, including a temporary closure of the A21.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Gang jailed after Asda cash machine JCB raid FIVE men who used a JCB to rip out a cash machine at Asda in Tunbridge Wells have been jailed for a total of 23 years after admitting a series of similar raids. Woolwich Crown Court heard the gang caused more than £700,000 of damage to the supermarket during the theft in April. The gang conducted similar raids in Gillingham, Broadstairs and Dartford, before being caught by police. Ringleader Adrian Gowers from Gillingham was jailed for seven years and three months after pleading guilty, while the other gang members who came from various parts of Essex and Kent were handed sentences ranging from two years, three months to five years, nine months.
A21 dual campaign LOCAL MPs and council officials met on Monday [February 10] to step up their campaign to see the road dualled all the way to the South coast. The A21 Reference Group, which consists of MPs whose constituencies lie along the A21, representatives from local authorities and Transport for the South East, are pushing for dualling on the stretch of road between Kippings Cross and Lamberhurst. Greg Clark, the MP for Tunbridge Wells, said: “The A21 Reference Group allows MPs and local authorities to co-ordinate our efforts to deliver the goal of seeing the A21 dualled all the way to the coast. “The aim of the Reference Group is to bring the A21 into the 21st century.” * The A21 will be closed for ten days between the Sevenoaks Weald Interchange and the Vauxhall Lane Interchange from Friday [February 14] until Monday, February 24.
Curlew to be revived A KILNDOWN chef is reopening a former Michelin-starred restaurant in East Sussex. The Curlew in Bodiam closed last year, but has been taken over by Will Devlin, who runs The Small Holding in Kilndown. The restaurant opens on Wednesday [February 19] with a ‘hyper-locally’ sourced menu. Mr Devlin said: “This is an exciting time to be relaunching The Curlew. It’s had a great history before us, and we plan to grow and build on its reputation as one of the best restaurants in the South East.”
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Family restaurant closes after two decades on The Pantiles By Richard Williams A TRADITIONAL English restaurant that for years was one of the main attractions on The Pantiles has closed for good. Woods Restaurant has fallen into administration and has shut with immediate effect.
Jazz The business traded at 62 The Pantiles for some 20 years and was run by husband and wife team Karen and Sheridan Woods. It had been up for sale for the last two years but collapsed last week after failing to find a buyer. The Grade II listed restaurant, which accommodates more than 200 diners inside and outside, has been a popular fixture in the town
for the last two decades and a local favourite for Sunday lunch, breakfast and brunch. The business was listed with a guide price of £197,500 when it was for sale, but high rents and business rates meant any potential buyer would have to have found more than £100,000 a year before other costs. The rental paid by Woods to The Pantiles owner, Targetfollow, was £68,000 a year, while Business Rates for the property were assessed by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council at £39,000 a year. The restaurant had an annual turnover of £631,000. A popular Tunbridge Wells pub also closed at the weekend. The George and Dragon in Speldhurst has changed hands and is expected to ‘reopen in the coming weeks’.
OUT OF THE WOODS Restaurant has closed after 20 years
PHOTO: Sarah Bond
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Robert Plant to play at Black Deer 2020 FORMER LED Zeppelin frontman, Robert Plant, will headline this year’s Black Deer Festival when the celebration of Americana returns to Tunbridge Wells. The influential rocker will be appearing with his new band, Saving Grace, at Eridge Park on June 19-21. Other bands announced for Black Deer 2020 FRONTMAN Former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant
include Shooter Jennings, Imelda May, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real, Wilco, The Waterboys, The Dead South, Courtney Marie Andrews and The Felice Brothers.
Americana “This looks like a great bill,” says Robert Plant.
“I’ve worked alongside most of these people in recent times, over here or over there. There’s power and beauty. Looking forward to it.” The independent festival returns for the third time this summer with a weekend full of Americana and country music. Last year’s Black Deer saw performances from Band Of Horses, Kris Kristofferson, Neko Case, Justin Townes Earle, The Mavericks, and many more. In 2019, more than 9,000 music fans and families headed to the second Black Deer Festival. Music fans were treated to nearly 80 bands across six stages as well as the delights of southern food, drink and cinematic re-imaginings. Robert Plant, who enjoyed great success with Led Zeppelin from the late 1960s through to the end of the 1970s is the latest in a line of high profile musicians coming to Tunbridge Wells this year. Welsh singer Tom Jones announced last month he will be coming to the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood on July 5. While Craig David, James Blunt and Beverley Knight have been confirmed among the performers for Pub in the Park, which takes place July 10-12.
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
TEDx was the talk of the town again By Richard Williams NEARLY 1,000 people turned up to hear the town’s seventh TEDx talks in Tunbridge Wells. The event, which sold out the Assembly Hall Theatre for the second year in a row, saw visitors coming from across the south-east to what is one of only three venues in Kent that hosts the talks. Speakers covered a whole gamut of
topics under the theme of ‘Connection’ on Saturday, February 1. These ranged from a talk on male suicide, to the value of gardening for the soul, pioneering research into heart muscle regeneration, to the expected, and unexpected impact of building compassionate communities.
Momentum Audience members were also invited ENTHRALLED The audience at the Assembly Hall Theatre
to come up on stage to give a one minute TED talk with the four chosen speakers given just 30 minutes to prepare their talks, which ranged from a request for 20 mile per hour speed limits in Tunbridge Wells, to taking time to pause. The 950-strong audience were also entertained by a tap dancing troupe and a performance from the Paul Dunton Orchestra. Gaining momentum each year, TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells, which is also streamed over the internet, has now presented over 90 speakers across seven events, and has been viewed more than 4.5 million times online. “We are enormously proud of the speakers and the team that made this day possible. Under a theme of connection, connect was exactly what we did. Over laughter, over tears, over talks that covered an incredibly diverse range of topics and fields, and that all challenged and inspired us in some way to think or behave
TOP TALKER: Ben Akers spoke of ‘How to keep men from taking their own lives’ has also created a film, Steve, raising issues around male suicide, which will be screened at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells tonight (February 12) differently,” said organiser Lizzie Bentley-Bowers She continued: “As a not for profit event, we simply couldn’t do this without the support of our sponsors and we are very grateful to Southpaw, Cripps Pemberton Greenish and Hotel du Vin for supporting what we want to achieve for our community, and the
opportunity we want to give our speakers.” She added that the box office has already witnessed a flurry of early ticket sales for next year’s event. For details of next year’s event on Saturday February 6, 2021, visit: assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/ tedx-2021.
Former speaker puts ‘demons to rest’ to net an Atlantic record A TUNBRIDGE WELLS rower who spoke of how he nearly died as he attempted to row the Atlantic Ocean – has repeated the challenge and become a world record breaker. Max Thorpe and rowing partner Chris Williams were both 25 when they were picked up by an oil tanker in the middle of the ocean after their boat caught fire during the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 2017. They spoke about their ordeal at the Tunbridge Wells TEDx talks in 2019, when they told the audience how they had been caught in a severe storm and capsized under the impact of immense waves. The Tunbridge Wells pair were left to fend for themselves for more than 16 hours in a force nine gale before a passing oil tanker arrived and the two rowers were hauled to safety from ropes dangling down its side. Two years later, with Chris away in Australia, former Sevenoaks School
pupil Max found a new rowing partner in Dave Spellman, a childhood friend who went to Tonbridge School. Last month they broke the World Record for the Fastest Pair to Row the Atlantic. Max who grew up and still lives in Tunbridge Wells, said the 2017 experience had left him traumatised.
Adrenalin “It was a particularly horrendous experience and I spent much of 2018 coming to terms with that traumatic time. “I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, but I also knew I didn’t want it to set a precedent for the rest of my life. I wanted to come back and take charge again and put those demons to rest.” He said the TEDx talk in 2017 helped him come to terms with what had happened, but he was determined to not let the experience ‘define who I am’,
so decided to repeat his attempt at the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. As reported last month, Max and Dave completed the event in a world-record-breaking 37 days 7 hours and 54 minutes, in their boat, Resilient:X. “I wanted to show that resilience was a fundamental part of who I am – hence the name of the boat,” said Max. “The days and weeks leading up to the event I was having a constant battle with myself but once we started the adrenalin took over.” He explained they covered the 3,000 miles sleeping in shifts, getting about
OARSMEN Dave Spelman [left] and Max Thorpe [right] three hours a day, with Max even celebrating his 27th birthday at sea. He continued: “The last leg was pretty fraught. “In 2017 we experienced the worst storm ever in the event, but the last 14 hours of this challenge was just as bad, but we were so determined to finish, especially as it was so close.”
He explained they broke the previous record by just 14 minutes. “All my family were there in Antigua to welcome our arrival and it was such a good feeling to have something that was wholly negative, and was equally as traumatic for them in 2017 as it was for me, and then to sturn it into something positive was something I’m very proud of.”
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
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Staff face 12 mile round trip as hospital expands parking EXPANSION Tunbridge Wells Hospital is boosting the number of staff parking spaces
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Residents to be charged more Council Tax to pay for extra police officers COUNCIL Taxpayers are being asked to find another £10 a year to pay for Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner continued drive to fund new officers. The Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel has unanimously backed budget plans put forward by the PCC Matthew Scott, including a £10 rise of the policing part of an average Band D property’s Council Tax, taking it up to £203.15 a year. With the money, Mr Scott says he plans to recruit 181 additional police officers, as well as more PCSOs and support staff for 2020/21, although this number includes 147 officers promised by the government as part of its plans to introduce 20,000 new police across the UK. Mr Scott said: “Now my plans have been approved, Kent Police will be able to grow by a further 181 police officers in the coming year. There will also be 36 more PCSOs focused on preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, and around 100 more police staff roles to support the frontline.
Visibility
By Richard Williams NURSES, doctors and other medical staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital will have to park up to six miles away from work while a new car park is being built. The hospital in Pembury, which employs around 2,700 staff, is planning to build an additional single deck elevated car park above the northern car park leading to the Tonbridge Road. The development will create an additional 174 parking spaces for hospital staff.
Plans Currently, the hospital has 447 parking spots for visitors and 818 for staff, but a lack of spaces is resulting in ‘errant parking’ on footpaths and on the hospital’s access road, which risks obstructing ambulances and other traffic. Nurses and other hospital workers currently have to pay £17.33 per month to park at the hospital, but often struggle to find space, with the Trust admitting staff spend ‘too much time looking for a parking spaces’. According to plans submitted to Tunbridge
Wells Borough Council, nearly 70 per cent of staff at the hospital currently use a car to get to work. While the new car park is being built, these staff members are being asked to park at either Knights Park, more than a mile from the hospital, or at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood – over six miles away. The hospital say they will provide a free shuttle bus service from both locations, and have also struck a deal to provide employees with free Arriva bus travel. Currently, fewer than 5 per cent of staff use public transport to get to work, despite the hospital being served by around 14 buses, and the Trust admit because of working patterns, ‘for many employees the use of a car is essential’. A spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which is also expanding car parking facilities at Maidstone Hospital by 211 places, said: “Planning applications for both sites have been submitted and it is anticipated these additional car parking spaces will be completed by the end of March this year. “The Trust has put a number of measures in place to ensure staff can get to and from work as easily as possible whilst the construction work
is carried out. “These include providing staff with a free Park and Ride shuttle bus service from the Hop Farm as well as Knights Park, plus free travel on all direct Arriva buses to Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
‘Staff are encouraged to car share with colleagues, to catch a train or cycle to work ’ Staff are also encouraged to car share with colleagues, to catch a train or to cycle or walk to work where possible.” She added: “A small number of reserved spaces have been set aside in the staff car parking area at Tunbridge Wells Hospital. These are for an agreed list of staff working in specialist areas of our Emergency Department, those who are on call, as well as some members of staff who work late shifts.”
Radio station asks Perfume Studio to create a unique breakfast scent A NATIONAL radio station has made an unlikely request to a Tunbridge Wells perfume expert – to invent a fragrance for their breakfast show. The Dave Berry Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio, one of the UK’s three independent national radio stations, turned to The Perfume Studio on Mount Pleasant to create a unique scent for the programme.
Fragrances
RADIO STAR DJ Dave Berry with Helen Janousek
During a studio discussion last week, presenter Dave Berry, co-host Matt Dyson and executive producer Will Short decided that while people could ‘hear the show’ and thanks to streaming services ‘even see the show’, they should ‘now also be able to smell the show’. After asking its 2.2 million listeners to decide what The Dave Berry Breakfast Show would smell like, the team invited The Perfume Studio expert
Helen Janousek to the studio to create three fragrances for the show. “The brief was a challenge, in particular we loved how it was put together and would encourage anyone attending an experience to think about how they might build the story for their fragrance,” said Mrs Janousek, Stylist and Events Director at The Perfume Studio. After employing ‘masked sniffer’ Jayne Middlemiss, one of the radio stations other presenters to pick a winner, the team decided that ‘Breakfast No. 3’ fragrance featuring musky, spicy, woody, gourmand and fruity blends best summed up the show, which now will be available through the radio station. “Refining fragrances is an art, it’s the best part – you have all the key ingredients and all of our classes have an expert fragrance stylist who can help you identify what it needs to heighten the initial scent,” added Mrs Janousek.
“This means the Chief Constable is going to have more of the resources he needs to bring burglars, robbers and violent criminals to justice. There will be more resources going into schools to work with children, parents and teachers, and we are maintaining our commitment to visible community policing.” Mr Scott explained that the 181 officers recruited this year will take Kent Police’s police officer strength to 3,813 by March 2021, compared to 3,181 in March 2016 – when he took office. Mr Scott, who is standing for re-election as the Conservative candidate for PCC in May this year, wants the new officers to boost community visibility, and tackle residents’ concerns over anti-social behaviour, violent crime, and burglary But he added: “It is not within my gift to tell the Chief Constable how these new resources are deployed but I do expect them to support the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.” The PCC also admitted that Kent Police is being required to make £9million of efficiency savings, which meant the force had to work ‘smarter’.
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Head is appointed for clinical group with £3bn budget THE new Clinical Commissioning Group [CCG], which will have a total annual budget of nearly £3billion to provide health care for the people of Kent, has named its new health chief. The eight CCGs in Kent and Medway, including West Kent CCG that covers Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge, are being dissolved to form the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group. Following a ‘rigorous interview’ process, Wilf Williams the former Director of the National Health & Human Services practice in Australia, has been appointed Accountable Officer.
Rewarding From April 2020, the £175,000 a year post will see Mr Williams bring together all of the eight CCGs into a single organisation to commission care for the region’s 1.8 million people. He will be in charge of a £2.9billion budget for health care services for the people of Kent and Medway, including hospital, community, primary care and mental health services. Commenting on his appointment, Mr Williams, who has worked extensively in the NHS during his career, said: “I’m looking forward enormously to working with partners across the NHS and beyond as well as engaging with patients and communities to drive the development of MAN IN CHARGE Wilf Williams will head up a truly integrated the Kent and Medway CCG care system.
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Half of doctor vacancies go unfilled as national shortage of GPs worsens By Richard Williams MORE than 50 per cent of all vacancies for senior doctors in the region are going unfilled according to the Royal College of Physicians [RCP]. Figures by RCP show that in an 18 month period from January 2018 to September 2019, there were 157 vacancies advertised for GPs and consultants in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex but only 75 of these posts were filled. Last month, the Rowan Tree Surgery in Showfields, Tunbridge Wells closed its doors for the final time, with its 3,500 registered patients now having to access care from Clanricarde Medical Centre in Tunbridge Wells. When the closure was announced last year, the surgery said the shortage of GPs in the NHS was a primary cause.
He added that the doctor’s group is writing to local MPs to highlight the national shortage of GPs and convince them to lobby the government to address the GP crisis. Dr Bob Bowes, a local GP and Chair of NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said recruitment in the area was becoming an issue. “GP practices are responsible for recruiting their own GPs and this can sometimes be a challenge,” he said. “This is because there is a national shortage of GPs and evidence shows newly-qualified doctors are seeking different ways of working, including more flexibility and work-life balance.” He continued: “In addition, Kent is in direct
Pressure Practice Manager Denise Netherton told the Times: “Since the merger of the two practices, we have been making every effort to maintain at the high quality of service that our patients expect, but this has become increasingly difficult due to the challenges facing general practice, especially with the shortage of GPs in the NHS at the moment.” The RCP now fear more similar closures in the future, especially in Kent, as around 40 per cent of GPs and senior physicians are set to retire in the next decade. Professor Donal O’Donoghue, RCP registrar said: “Not only are patients and carers having to wait longer for care, but the wellbeing of doctors up and down the country is suffering due to the immense pressures that come from working in a service that is severely short-staffed.”
CLOSED Rowan Tree Surgery in Showfields
competition with London for the recruitment of new doctors. “Population increase and rising demand are also placing immense pressure on GP practices across west Kent, not only those facing challenges with recruitment.” But he added to tackle the ‘significant pressure faced by GPs’ across the country, the NHS is investing in general practice over the next five years to recruit 20,000 specialist health workers. “Improving access to primary care services is not dependent on all treatment being provided by a GP. As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, practices are being encouraged to recruit a broad range of clinicians and healthcare professionals to meet their patients’ needs,” added Dr Bowes.
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BUSINESS
Business Awards
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Times Business Awards
The first entries begin to arrive THE first entries for this year’s Times Business Awards have started to arrive, with a range of companies wanting to take part in the 2020 competition, running from large retailers to small family-run concerns, as well as hotshot legal and PR firms. The awards, announced last week, are now in their fifth year. Over the last half decade, more than 500 businesses have entered the competition, which is now one of the most anticipated events in the local calendar. Entering the Times Business Awards 2020 offers local firms the unique opportunity to showcase themselves and their company alongside some of the most outstanding businesses and business people in West Kent.
Credentials Winning a prestigious business award not only adds credibility to a company, but also has hugely rewarding benefits for a business’s team, helping to underpin their credentials when talking to clients, leading to new opportunities. Winners and shortlisted entrants will receive relevant coverage in our publications, including Times Local Newspapers and SO Magazine, as well as on the Times Local News website and social media platforms. The black tie gala ceremony is a fun night
where the awards are won, and provides an excellent networking opportunity with over 220 guests from the business community attending. Best of all, the awards are FREE to enter and presenting them will be a familiar face to viewers of ITV’s This Morning, as Eamonn Holmes is guest speaker, and guests will have a chance to meet and chat with him at the pre-dinner drinks. The black tie gala awards ceremony will be held in the Science Theatre at Salomons Estate on Friday June 5. MORNING STAR Eamonn Holmes is guest speaker
HOW TO ENTER THE AWARDS To enter the awards, select up to three categories and email: info@timesbusinessawards.co.uk Please send in your entries by 6pm on Wednesday April 22. Early entries will receive
priority profiling in our publications. Tickets are priced at £900 for a table of ten or £99 each. To purchase tickets for the night, please call Eileen Sweeney on 01892 779583.
Why enter the 2020 business awards? We caught up with past winners of the Times Business Awards to find out what winning has meant for them and their organisation… with a huge number of fantastic JOHN OULD, ARCHWAY AUTOMOTIVE restaurants, cafes and bars and Winner of the Service Excellence to have secured this award Award 2019 amongst such outstanding “We entered last year because competition was a real we truly believe we give accolade. above and beyond excellent “The awards ceremony customer service, and I felt itself was a very enjoyable I needed to share with all event, it’s always great my staff our experience of to get the Tunbridge Wells entering and winning. business community together “We were able to advertise to celebrate the exciting this to all our customers and John Ould commercial enterprises the possible future customers, showing town generates.” that our excellence in customer service has been recognised by such a wellJENNY KITCHEN, YOYO DESIGN known and established company as Times Creative Business of the Year 2018 newspapers. We proudly advertise “We had a brilliant night at and show-off our award in our the business awards in reception – it’s a good talking 2018. We were so excited point and visual tool.” to win Creative Business of the Year, but then TOM WALKER, FRAMPTONS when they announced CAFE BARS, Best Food and Yoyo for Outstanding Drink Award 2019 Business of the Year, we “We were absolutely thrilled literally jumped out of our to win the Best Food and seats. Lots of celebrations Drink Award at last year’s followed. It’s such a great Times Business Awards. In recognition for all of the hard Tunbridge Wells we are blessed Tom Walker
Would you like to be a Times Business Awards sponsor? Sponsors are guaranteed editorial coverage in both editions of Times Local Newspapers, plus: • Exposure to over 220 guests from the local business community at the black tie gala awards ceremony • Inclusion within the editorial coverage in SO Magazine • Extensive coverage on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram For sponsorship information: Please email us at: info@timesbusiness awards.co.uk giving your full contact details, and an indication of which category you might like to sponsor. Sponsorship opportunities are on a first come first served basis. You can call Eileen Sweeney on 01892 779 583 for more information.
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The categories are... 1. Start-Up Business of the Year Award – This award recognises new start-ups under two years old at the closing date for entries of April 22, 2020 that have translated an idea into a successful business venture. They must be able to detail growth so far and show plans for the continued development and success of the venture. 2. Creative Business of the Year – Is your business success based on innovation and creative thinking in your strategy and everyday operation? This category is for any company over two years old in any sector that can demonstrate creativity as well as adding value to the success of their business. 3. Entrepreneur of the Year – This award is open to dynamic individuals who are running their own business and are able to demonstrate significant success and drive in growing their company. 4. Young Business Person of the Year – Entrants for this award must be aged 30 or under by the closing date of April 22, 2020, and need to show they have a clear vision/strategy for their business and are committed to growing it. Areas such as increasing headcount, developing and inspiring staff, and involvement in the local business community are all good examples of this.
2020 work and dedication the team put into growing our digital agency. We continue to develop at pace, with lots of exciting opportunities across last year.”
5. Service Excellence Award – The winner of this category will be giving outstanding assistance and advice to those who buy or use their business or organisation’s products or services. They will be able to provide customer testimonials to support their entry. 6. Best in Food and Drink Award – The winner of this category will be a local business that provides truly remarkable food and/or drink in the area. Whether it is a fine dining restaurant, gastropub, café, bakery, cake shop, or drinks company, the winner of this award will have demonstrated how they have put their town on the map.
Jenny Kitchen
VICTORIA USHER, GINGERMAY PR Service Excellence Award 2018 “GingerMay was proud to win the Service Excellence Award in 2018. The award served as public recognition of everything we strive to deliver for our clients – exceptional and long-lasting relationships. I would highly recommended other businesses to enter The Times Business Awards – Victoria Usher you won’t regret it.” JULIE NICHOLDS, LOCH ASSOCIATES Best Business 1-25 Employees 2019 “Winning Best Business 1-25 Employees at last year’s Times Business Awards was a proud moment for all of us here at Loch Associates. In a team of this size, the work we deliver to our clients is personal and bespoke, so to be recognised for this Julie Nicholds was fantastic.”
7. Best Family Business of the Year Award – This category recognises those businesses that not only have the passion and commitment that comes with a company run by a family concern, but are also continually innovating to support future growth, and have an equally invested and engaged workforce that understands customer expectations. 8. Best National Business Serving the Local Community – New for 2020, this category recognises those national companies that go the extra mile to serve the local community. These businesses have to show how they have made a commitment to the area, whether as local employers or how they made the branch unique to fit within the community in which it serves. 9. Best Business (1-25 employees) – Here we recognise owner-managers and small businesses employing up to 25 people that have maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance. They must understand customer expectations, have an engaged workforce, and be continually innovating to support future growth. 10. Outstanding Business of the Year – The ultimate award of all the categories will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in their enterprise, as well as sound management practices. The winner must also be able to demonstrate they have a clear strategy to invest in the skills and development of their staff. They will be expected to prove sustainable growth combined with a degree of commercial success that is exceptional for the size of the business.
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Internet economy worth up to £100million in Tunbridge Wells By Richard Williams THE contribution from the internet sector is worth at least £92million to the local economy, with around 2,500 jobs reliant on the industry, according to new figures. The Internet Association, the trade group that represents leading global internet companies on matters of public policy, say that across the South East the sector is worth around £8.65billion to the UK economy. The association’s UK Executive Director, Daniel Dyball, said: “These figures highlight the true value of the internet sector to communities across all corners of the UK.
Ecosystem “Whether it’s a few dozen jobs in Tunbridge Wells, or thousands in London, Manchester, Leeds and beyond, the internet is helping drive the UK economy.” He said their recent analysis was based on ONS [Office for National Statistics] figures up until 2016, but the industry has seen consistent growth since then of around 6.6 per cent per year, and so was likely to be worth much more now to the economy in Tunbridge Wells. “We have seen increases in the sector that have outstripped the rest of the economy and we expect those increases will have continued,” he said. He added that nationally, the internet economy is responsible for nearly 400,000 jobs and 80,000 businesses, and contributed around £45billion to the country’s gross domestic product [GDP], or around 2.3 per cent. In Tunbridge Wells, an estimated 660 people work directly in the internet economy, representing 1.3 per cent of the workforce, with a further 1,730 people working in internet-related employment. And more than 160 businesses based in the borough of Tunbridge Wells are internet-centred,
representing 2.5 per cent of all local firms. And while many brick and mortar retailers on the UK’s high streets are struggling, the amount of people employed and operating in the internet sector is often hidden from view. Mr Dyball added: “What we are trying to get across to people is that it is not just the big household names. “The sector also consists of smaller businesses, sole traders, people who work from home, and a really great ecosystem of companies that have high street presence but offer online shopping and services such as click and collect.” He continued that infrastructure improvements, such as Openreach’s announcement in October that it is rolling out ‘one gigabyte per second’ ultrafast broadband in Tunbridge Wells, will only improve things for the sector. Jane March, Cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, welcomed the findings. She said: “A strong local digital economy is very important, and as a council we are very keen to support organisations in this sector and help new businesses become successful. “We work with relevant partner organisations to ensure potential employees acquire the skills the internet economy needs and that young people are ready for this world of work.”
New decade help for business A NEW initiative has been launched following Britain’s exit from the European Union, aimed at supporting smaller companies across London and the South East to help with changes brought about by Brexit and the new decade. Ready 2020 is a campaign being managed by Kent & Medway Growth Hub, working alongside the Greater London Authority [GLA] and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. It will also offer advice and support aimed to boost the resilience of SMEs, encouraging companies to think about how to manage the risks and pursue the opportunities they will
encounter in the coming year. Tudor Price, Head of Business Development at Kent & Medway Growth Hub, said: “There are technical changes across employment and crossborder trade that businesses need to be aware of and prepared for. And there are broader shifts, from evolving technology to changing consumer needs that more small companies should be thinking about. “Through this campaign we aim to provide the practical support and timely information every Kent and Medway business needs to navigate the challenges and opportunities in front of them.”
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Property solicitor steps down after 42-year career A CONVEYANCING expert at a Tunbridge Wells law firm has retired, following 42 years as a residential property solicitor in the town. Deborah Miller joined Max Barford & Co (part of the Parfitt Cresswell Group) in 1977 before becoming a partner in the firm in 1982. She told the Times: “I have been very lucky because I have wanted to work, not because I had to! I love my family, of course, but thrive on my work. “My advice to young property lawyers is not to give up. It is great fun and very satisfying when you are working with different parties to achieve the best outcome for the client.” Simon Bacchus, Partner and Head of Property Services for Parfitt Cresswell, said Ms Miller had ‘set the bar’ high and hopes to ‘build on her legacy as she enjoys her well-deserved retirement’.
RETIREE Deborah Miller with Nigel Harper, CEO of Parfitt Cresswell
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Four charities are given boost by The Pantiles Rotary Club golfers THE full list of the four local charity beneficiaries of last year’s Pantiles Rotary Club Golf Day has been announced. A total of 92 golfers took to the fairways at the Nevill Golf Club in June, raising more than £10,000 between them. Over the five years of the event, a grand total of £40,000 has been raised for worthy causes thanks to the efforts of John Benoy, Mike Tunnel and current organisers Chris and Susan Bennett. The principal beneficiary was The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre, which offers emotional support for people whose lives have been affected by cancer, including patients’ families, alongside a range of complementary therapies.
Churches Street Team, who help the homeless and others who are in need, with Peter and Margaret Querstret attending the ceremony. Their cheque was presented by treasurer Chris Bennett. And Brains Matter, formerly known as Headway, which supports those who have suffered brain injury either as a result of an accident or illness, also received proceeds from the golf day, with Jo Clark-Wilson, Judy Horwood and Helen Goddard being presented with a cheque by The Pantiles Rotary President, Roy Pattey. Mr Benoy added: “The club wish to thank all
the generous golfers who attended last year’s golf day. Without the money from their team entry and fantastic auction in the evening, we would not be able to give such valued support to some of our local charities.”
18 HOLES TO FILL This year’s Golf Day, on Friday June 19, will be offering sponsorship opportunities for individuals or companies on each of the 18 holes for the first time. For more information, please contact Richard Benoy at pantilesrotary.org
Sponsor Co-founder Polly Taylor and Gaynor Ratcliffe attended a ceremony at the Nevill Golf Club where they were presented with a cheque for £6,475 by Ian Steadman, of the golf day’s main sponsor, BSR Bespoke Chartered Accountants in Tunbridge Wells. The Rotary’s Richard Benoy said: “Pickering is charity that surely everyone in Tunbridge Wells has heard of. Polly and Gaynor and the team put in a huge effort to organise their own events and raise money so they can carry on providing a very valuable service to people far and wide, and we wanted to help them.” Three other worthy causes each received £1,000. Nadine Cowell received a cheque from John Chapman, the Rotary’s Chairman of Community Services, on behalf of Fegans, which cares holistically for children and families through counselling and supporting parents. Another beneficiary was the Tunbridge Wells
DRIVING FORCE Representatives of the four charities with Pantiles Rotary members
MUCKING IN: The pupils enjoy a mudbath
Claremont runners get stuck in for Cancer Research RUNNERS of all ages braved the inclement conditions to take part in Claremont Independent School’s 5k Race for Life, raising more than £2,500 for Cancer Research UK. Children as young as four years enjoyed the challenge of the conditions, wallowing in mud and splashing in puddles on their way around the gruelling course. Head of Prep at the East Sussex school, Gavin Bunker was among the runners, and said: “The spirit of Claremont was certainly out in force today. The grit and determination the runners showed in pursuit of the finish line was truly humbling.” He added: “Inspired by loved ones lost, a will to affect change and unwavering support for each other, the children battled the elements and all the challenges the Claremont cross-country course has to offer on a normal day. “When tired legs set it, the children picked each other up – sometimes literally – encouraged their friends to stay focused on the task at hand and carry on all the way to the finish line.”
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Free Health Walks to improve fitness and ‘discover beauty of the borough’
HEALTHY START: The first walk in Calverley Grounds was well attended A WEEKLY Health Walk has been launched by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to improve fitness and allow residents to experience the natural highlights of the area. The walks are free, and the first was held in Calverley Grounds last month. There are currently three pre-planned routes, though the council’s health team are keen to expand to more areas. Health Improvement Team Leader Rebecca Bowers said: “Our Health Walks are an enjoyable way to discover the beauty of your borough, meet new people and improve your health. “The walks are led by volunteer leaders, and the aim is to show what a difference walking can make to your health and how enjoyable it can be.” The walk in Calverley Grounds is held every Thursday at 1pm, meeting at the Calverley Park Café and lasting 30 to 40 minutes. Another stroll through the town starts at the TN2 Centre in Sherwood on Wednesday mornings at 11am, and also lasts up to 40 minutes. And on Tuesday mornings, there is an hour-long
walk around Cranbrook, which starts at 9.30am. Ramblers are asked to arrive ten minutes before the designated start wearing suitable outdoor clothing and footwear. Rebecca added: “The Tunbridge Wells health team are looking to develop this walk scheme to provide better access to free activities across the borough.
Volunteers “We are currently looking for new volunteers to run these health walks, with full training and support provided throughout. If you are interested in leading a new health walk in your area, then please get in touch!” There will be a free Walk Leader training course for volunteers on Thursday February 20 from 10am to 2pm in Tunbridge Wells Town Hall. For more information and to book a place, email: health@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
Community Energy aims to change the way Kent powers local services THE Tonbridge & Malling branch of Friends of the Earth is helping to launch a Kent Community Energy project to expand its footprint in the county. Community Energy aims to create alternative sources of power to the main suppliers for a variety of schemes, while at the same time generating income at local level. Local organiser Fran Long told the Times: “The idea is to tackle climate change while at the same time providing income and investors for the community and creating interest around renewable energy. This contrasts to mainstream large power companies that exist purely to provide income for investors.” There is currently only one such project operating in Kent, at Swale, where it has been set up to produce electricity. Others across the country provide heating, insulation and electric vehicle charging points powered by renewables, and zero carbon affordable housing. In Swale, a solar farm called Orchard Community Energy near Sittingbourne has been set up on farmland damaged by past brick earth extraction,
and generates enough renewable energy to power 1,250 homes. Kent Community Energy intends to build on the Orchard experience and expand to the rest of the county, incorporating other schemes such as rooftop solar panels and charging points. Fran said: “Investors in community energy will have one vote per person – irrespective of the value of their holding – as to how the income provided for the local community projects should be spent. Orchard Community Energy has already provided grants of £30,000 to local projects in Swale and Medway, in addition to interest to its investors.” Examples of local projects to have benefitted from Orchard are volunteering at Abbey Physic Community Garden, and beehives for the Brogdale National Fruit Collection in Faversham. A free public meeting will be held in the Judd suite at The Angel Centre in Tonbridge tomorrow [Thursday, February 13] from 7pm-9pm to provide more information on community energy. Those wishing to attend should search for Kent Community Energy at eventbrite.co.uk
FIELD OF DREAMS Orchard Community Energy supplies electricity
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Prime Minister gives HS2 the signal to go BORIS Johnson has given HS2 the go-ahead, claiming his Government had the ‘guts to take the decision’ despite inflated costs. The Prime Minister told MPs that while the expected price tag of the high speed rail route had ‘exploded’ he laid blame on the company managing the scheme. “I cannot say that HS2 Limited has distinguished itself in the handling of local communities,” he said. “The cost forecasts have exploded, but poor management to date has not detracted from the fundamental value of the project.” The Prime Minister’s announcement follows the completion of a Governmentcommissioned review by former HS2 Ltd chairman Douglas Oakervee. The Oakervee Review recommended that ministers should proceed with the project, but warned that the final bill could reach £106billion at 2019 prices, compared with a budget of £62.4billion. Phase 1 of HS2 will run between London and Birmingham. Phase 2 will connect Birmingham to Crewe, Crewe to Manchester, and Birmingham to Leeds.
First gay wedding in Northern Ireland A BELFAST couple have tied the knot in the first same-sex marriage to take place in Northern Ireland. Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, became history makers at a ceremony in a hotel in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon. Their marriage came after a landmark law change in the region.
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Crowborough company linked to multiple coronavirus cases ‘My family was also asked to isolate themselves as a precaution’
QUARANTINED Hove businessman Steve Walsh who worked for Servomex in Crowborough
A BUSINESSMAN who unwittingly infected eleven people across Europe and the UK with the deadly coronavirus, works for a gas analysis company with an office in Crowborough, East Sussex. Steve Walsh contracted the disease at a conference in Singapore organised by his company Servomex, which has an office on the Millbrook Industrial Estate in Jarvis Brook but also branches in China, the USA, UAE and India.
Outbreak The 53-year-old Scoutmaster from Hove is thought to have passed on the disease to eleven
people he shared a chalet with in the French Alps where he went skiing after the conference. Five of the infected Britons, including a nineyear-old boy, are being treated in France, while others were diagnosed after returning to the UK. Those are thought to include two doctors, one of which worked at the County Oak Medical Centre in Brighton that closed two branches this week because of the outbreak. Around 190 people on board Mr Walsh’s EasyJet flight from Geneva to London have been also contacted by Public Health England. And staff at the Grenadier pub in Hove, where Mr Walsh stopped for a drink, have been asked to self-isolate.
Mr Walsh, who is in quarantine in a London hospital, said: “I would like to thank the NHS for their help and care – whilst I have fully recovered, my thoughts are with others who have contracted coronavirus. “As soon as I knew I had been exposed to a confirmed case of coronavirus I contacted my GP, NHS 111 and Public Health England. “I was advised to attend an isolated room at hospital, despite showing no symptoms, and subsequently self-isolated at home as instructed. “When the diagnosis was confirmed I was sent to an isolation unit in hospital, where I remain, and, as a precaution, my family was also asked to isolate themselves.” Mr Walsh’s company, Servomex, added: “We are very pleased that Steve Walsh has made a full recovery. “We continue to provide support to him and his family. “We are working with Public Health authorities to ensure the welfare of our staff and communities and wish anyone with the virus a quick and full recovery.” Meanwhile, the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China reached 1,016 deaths yesterday [Tuesday], beyond the toll taken by the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS. The World Health Organization also named the strand of coronavirus causing the outbreak for the first time yesterday – Covid-19.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Deportation flight to Jamaica goes ahead THE Home Office has gone ahead with a planned deportation flight to Jamaica, despite intervention from an appeal judge. On Monday night, Lady Justice Simler ordered the Home Office not to carry out the deportation of some people amid concerns that mobile phone outages in detention had prevented them from accessing legal advice. A chartered deportation flight took off from the UK at around 6.30am yesterday [Tuesday] with 17 deportees on board. Downing Street said 25 were prevented from being deported as a result of the court ruling, but the government was ‘urgently appealing’ the decision. The PM’s spokesman said yesterday: “We bitterly regret this decision which prevents the removal from our country of foreign criminals convicted of rape, manslaughter, sexual attacks, violence and drugs crimes which spread misery across our communities.”
Snow covers Baghdad PEOPLE in Iraq’s capital Baghdad woke up to snow for the first time in more than a decade. Iraq has grappled with months of unrest, beginning with an anti-government protest movement which engulfed the country in October. But in the city’s central Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the protest movement, protesters took a moment yesterday [Tuesday] to observe the snowfall and dusted the flakes off their sit-in tents. Annual snowfall is common in the mountainous northern region of Iraq, but very rare in Baghdad. The last time the capital saw snow was in 2008.
Queen’s grandson to separate from wife after 11 years
ROYAL SPLIT: Autumn and Peter Phillips to part PETER Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, and his wife, Autumn, have announced their separation. The royal couple described the decision as ‘the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship’ and said they will share custody of their two daughters.
Discussion A spokesman for the pair, who married at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2008, said the decision was taken after many months of discussion, and they informed the Queen and their families last year. Canadian-born Autumn will not return to her home country, but will remain in Gloucestershire where they will co-parent nine-year-old Savannah and seven-year-old Isla. The couple requested ‘privacy and compassion’ for their children while the family continues to adapt to the changes.
Economy stagnated in run up to election THE UK economy flatlined in the last three months of the financial year, as the country went to the polls, official figures have shown. Gross domestic product (GDP) did not change at all in the last quarter, taking annual GDP growth to 1.4 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It marks a ramp-up in growth for the full year compared with 2018, when GDP grew by 1.3 per cent. However, it is still one of the slowest rates of growth since the financial crisis gripped the global economy in 2008 and 2009. There was a slight pick-up in December, as the economy grew by 0.3 per cent in the month of the
election itself. The stagnation in the fourth quarter compares with a 0.5 per cent rise in the period before. Rob Kent-Smith, the ONS’s head of GDP, said: “There was no growth in the last quarter of 2019 as increases in the services and construction sectors were offset by another poor showing from manufacturing, particularly the motor industry. “The underlying trade deficit widened, as exports of services fell, partially offset by a fall in import goods.” The news sent the pound up by 0.2 per cent at 1.293 US dollars and 0.1 per cent higher against the euro at 1.185.
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF
JD Sports wrong-footed by CMA over its takeover JD SPORTS’ attempted takeover of Footasylum could result in customers being worse off, with younger shoppers and students particularly hard hit, according to the competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said its provisional ruling is to block the deal - which could see JD Sports forced to sell the business. The watchdog said that the sports clothing and footwear market in the UK stood at £5 billion in 2018, but with the two rivals merging, shoppers could be stung.
Finance Office for M&S A FORMER Goldman Sachs banker and chief finance officer for one of the UK’s biggest sandwich-makers has joined Marks & Spencer
as its new finance chief. Eoin Tonge joins the retailer from Greencore, replacing Humphrey Singer, who quit shortly after M&S was dumped from the FTSE 100 last year. Mr Tonge will receive a basic salary of £600,000 – up from the £428,655 he received at Greencore – when he joins in June.
Fire losses hit Ocado A HUGE fire which hit Ocado’s Andover warehouse contributed to the online supermarket sinking to a £214.5million loss for the year. Some of the money will be recouped through insurance payments of around £90million, but the increased loss is also due to heavy spending by the business as it builds more fulfilment centres. Despite the falls in profits, revenues rose 9.9 per cent to £1.7billion in the year to December 31 - driven largely by its retail division, which was up 10.3 per cent.
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and opinion formers. The swinging sixties. The stagnant seventies. The selfish eighties. The caring nineties. They contain a grain of truth, but hardly do justice to reality. Most people led conventional lives in the 1960s. The disco-themed 1970s swung more for most. People did not become selfish on January 1, 1980, and stop being selfish on December 31, 1989. Nor did they become more caring a day later. These descriptors are simply inadequate. Which brings us to the 21st century. No one quite knew what to call the first decade, though opinion seems to have settled on the noughties. It seems not to have been socially defined the way previous decades were. The issues somehow got bigger: 9/11, the so-called war on terror, foreign invasions, the global economic crash. The 2010s suffered from a linguistic handicap. The tens and the teenies mean little. The decade remains undefined, though its issues haven’t. The emergence of social media and the big tech companies. Austerity and the effects of the earlier crash. The rise of populism. The
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the emergence of nationalism THE GREAT social media. The reassertion of Great Power and xenophobia in the years confrontation. Climate change. GATSBY ERA following a catastrophic Now, after 20 years, we’ve arrived at a decade The 1920s were global crash. that can be processed again. One UK newspaper not roaring for The 2020s will surely has already declared it the roaring twenties. everybody deepen trends begun in the Leaving aside this political spin, timeslocalnews.co.uk FORa little EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: reflection on the 1920s is called for. These roared earlier part of the century. Tech will get bigger and for a wealthy, self-absorbed elite. Many families more pervasive. Surveillance lost relatives in the Great War, and others had by company and state will traumatised fathers returning from the Front be normalised. Populist without societal understanding or support. rhetoric about ‘the people’ will strengthen, ignoring its Nuanced use by the most repressive of regimes and running the risk The decade merely represented a lull between of a tyranny of the majority world wars. Germany felt humiliated by the against whichever minority Treaty of Versailles. The economic depression globe warms, it feels like the ecology of our group stands in the way of an of the late twenties led to a resurgence of relationships is cooling. We need a decade that agenda. Climate change will accelerate because poisonous nationalism. Extremism was cools the climate and warms our community. of previous decades. normalised. If the 1920s roared, it was with the The moniker ‘the trusting twenties’ is so We tend to polarise over the future. We voice of a wakening monster. counter-intuitive as to be laughable. But if there are pessimistic or optimistic; defeatist or Each decade leaks into the next. To predict the is even a grain of truth in it, lives will become triumphalist. But human progress is nuanced 2020s is a risky business, as so few of us called happier. areas created for one another, and it is predicated on trust. Trust’s the last two decades right. That we didn’t shows whoerosion still supportmuch seeing theWeUK a province, not for the things we possess. may be our biggest social challenge. As the our shaky grasp of history, because the 1920s
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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 We need more from Labour than just empty words – we need action KICKER xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx
Martin Betts
Vice Chair of Tunbridge Wells Constituency Labour Party
not a nation. Colin Bullen Tonbridge
Reflecting the mood of the nation Ben Hardy [February 5] is right to question the
Labour Party member Martin Betts lives in Southborough and has long been active in claim vehicle ownership upjobby local politics. He retired afterthat a longelectric career in the Civil Service, where hisis last at the Department for Work & Pensions wasbased in communications. He qualifi at Leicester 329.4 per cent on an increase ofed51 to 73 University in human [January resources and training and development. The Times also publishes 22]. regular opinions from Conservatives, Lib Dems and members of The Green Party
At the start there must have been 22 vehicles, so the increase is only 231.8 per cent. It is easy to have huge percentage increases when one is starting from such a low base. Just because a journalist made a mistake does LAST week over a hundred people stood together from their homes, with many ending up in not mean that the BBC statisticians got it wrong. LEST WE FORGET concentration camps and being killed as part of in front of the Tunbridge Wells war memorial Commemorating Even the House of Commons Library website ‘ethnic cleansing’. commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day Holocaust has my percentages. A tactic of these oppressive regimes is to [HMD]. This was one of many civic events that Memorial Day in introduce the persecution of their target groups took place across the country marking the 75th However, if it is facts and figures rather than Tunbridge Wells gradually – introducing discriminatory laws, anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and percentages that will win the argument, then removing them from workplaces or schools and the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia. of the 32,014,110 voters, 13,966, 454 voted rounding them into ghettos or camps, breaking The theme for HMD 2020 is ‘Standing friendships and work relationships, so seeing Together’ which looks at how genocidal regimes Conservative. throughout history have deliberately divided someone as ‘different’ or ‘inferior’ is made normal. This is less than half, despite it being the only societies by marginalising certain groups. It asks Once this has been done, atrocities that led to party to ‘get Brexit done’. us to take responsibility and challenge these the Holocaust and the genocides in Cambodia, tactics by standing together with our neighbours Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur can readily follow. It is my opinion that the number of votes cast is They are all made easier when ordinary and speaking out against oppression. a better reflection of the mood of the nation than citizens fail to stand with their neighbours, to Leading to the Holocaust, the Nazis seats won, and to ignore all those who did not speak out and help those under attack. deliberately encouraged divisions within As the famous quote goes: “All that is German society. They separated ‘Ayran’ Germans vote. If this is ‘massaging the outcome’, then I’m necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men from their Jewish neighbours, removed their charged. crime nearly four years ago. The Foundation In 2017/18, 95,098 hate crimeguilty offencesas were to do nothing.” rights and made them wear the Star of David. I’m not writingset toup change thesums Prime Minister, or in her name up what we should recorded by the police, and the trend is upwards. We know that there is division within Others they persecuted included trade aspire to – ‘a kinder,has morebeen compassionate Political parties have rightly to been criticised communities in the UK and across the world and unionists, homosexuals, the disabled, gypsies, keep us in theallEU – that battle lost. society where every individual has a sense of for slowness in dealing with anti-Semitism HMD reminds us of the importance of standing and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Readers up their ownweminds asthat to we have candidate, Tunbridge Wellsand lastIslamophobia, year. Martin Betts, Vice Chairinof thenon-Serbs local Labourtogether with belonging and where recognise but to combat hate in ourcan make others in our in communities to stop More recently, in Bosnia 1991, whether Boris still has the ‘will the people’. Mr Betts, or another Labour Party we all have a crucial Party, spoke howwhite ‘political parties’ more in common thanofthat which divides us’. communities role to play hatred. were forced of to wear armbands and fly havedivisions and Can to achieve aspiration to change what is seen as acceptable language We all have a voice and we needaddress to use it tothis call issue flags so that We now have to Taking hopeactions that we get a this deal that is one representative, in their next beenwhite slow tooutside tackletheir thehouses scourge ofBosnian antiway of ensuring the memory of all those who and behaviour. out anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, and Serb forces were easily able to identify Bosniaks unites both sides in support. Weekly Comment piece? What links did this Semitism [February 5]. have been murdered in genocides is passed on. Jo Cox, MP, was brutally murdered in a hate attacks against disabled people. – Bosnian Muslims – who were then forced Graham Salmon activist have with other local party members, The only political party suffering from Tunbridge Wells and did they know of his alleged actions? And problems with anti-Semitism is Labour. So I what did the other borough council candidate would appreciate clarification of what actions (or candidates) that the activist supported (if any) the local Labour Party has taken to Urgent constitutional reform needed know about his offensive social media tackle the problem. Those like Ben Hardy [February 5] who disparage activities? More specifically, the national press recently statistics usually dislike the facts that statistics As Mr Betts himself said: “All that is reported that criminal charges may be brought sometimes uncover. necessary for the triumph of evil is for good against several current or former Labour In any case, one does not need statistical members. Ominously, the reports referred to an men to do nothing.” So let’s hear about evidence to know fundamental truths – one Labour’s actions, not just empty words. arrest made in Kent. being that a majority government based upon a Tom Fernsby This ties in with the reported arrest of a minority public vote is simply undemocratic. Tunbridge Wells Labour activist, and former borough council Those who dispute this are normally opponents of democracy in principle, although they seldom admit it in public, preferring Our local Tonbridge & Malling Ramblers group instead to hide behind various detailed pretexts. Light at the end of the tunnel will be extremely pleased when we can finally No rational person not suffering from tribal Regarding Highways England’s plan to gain access to this subway again. loyalty or vested interest could possibly possess reconstruct the subway beneath the A21 near Dave Wetton the slightest confidence in our antiquated Manor Farm in Leigh, we are delighted that at Local Footpath Officer for Tonbridge electoral and wider political system. long last this is coming to fruition. Tonbridge & Malling Ramblers Both Labour and Tory are merely large The subway carries the Wealdway long minority parties in the nation without any truly distance walking route, which runs from democratic basis on which to form a one-party Gravesend to Eastbourne, beneath the A21 on It’s better to be outside the tent… government. Public Footpath MU53A. For a Remainer like John Reynolds to quote The recent general election result, completely It has been closed on safety grounds by Kipling’s ‘If’ in the context of Brexit is unrepresentative of electoral opinion, reinforces Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way breathtakingly hypocritical [January 29]. the urgent need for radical constitutional reform department ever since June 2017, following Far from those such as himself accepting in a more democratic direction, and certainly receipt of Highways England’s survey of the defeat in the EU referendum, they spent three does not heal our Brexit and wider divisions, structure. years attempting to negate it, and now look set rather the opposite. During the intervening period, walkers have to emulate Achilles before the walls of Troy by A synthetic national unity sometimes comes been forced to find their own way around the sulking in their tents for years to come. at too high a price, and both Brexit and Boris obstruction, which has meant having to deviate The release of this country from the grip of Johnson are certainly that. along the potentially dangerous fast traffic flow arrogant, unelected Brussels apparatchiks is James Robertson roads of Upper and Lower Haysden Lanes for absolutely a matter for celebration, and has Via email more than 30 months. nothing to do with gloating over the minority
Standing Together – to stop division and hatred
Calverley
Observations on life and more important things
THE Biased Broadcasting Corporation, also known as the BBC, seems to be living up to its name, it has emerged. Apparently it received more than 60,000 complaints over the General Election coverage, many claiming anti-Tory bias. In 2015, the corporation attracted 5,000 protests for election output, while 2017 saw 7,000 moans arriving at Broadcasting House. Andrew Marr’s interview with Boris, in which he repeatedly interrupted the poor man, drew 12,000 protests, while Andrew Neil’s chat with Jeremy ‘none of it was my fault’ Corbyn notched up 1,300 complaints about knocking Labour. BBC bosses no doubt claim all this shows it’s upsetting everyone equally so it must be doing the right thing. Yep, upset all the licence payers. INTO M&S for the weekly plonk purchase, which took Calverley through the boring foodie bits. There, on one of the shelves he was passing, he spied the latest offering for all those time-starved millennials… packets of sliced potatoes. Yep. No longer any need to cut up and peel your own spud, just hand over £2 for a few sliced potatoes in a plastic (!) bag. Note to those tempted: You can get a whole kilo of regular potatoes for about £1.20. TALKING of food, Calverley has noted an interesting trend when negative feedback is offered in some restaurants. Two incidents: One where a chicken supreme was nothing like expected, and another where refried beans were just a tasteless, gooey mess. On both occasions the waiters came back from the kitchen and explained: “That’s the chef’s interpretation of the dish.” When Calverley later told them: “Here’s our interpretation of the bill,” it did not go down at all well. Rebecca Long-Bailey
AND FINALLY: Interesting times watching Labour hopefuls jostling to replace Mr Corbyn. Take contender Rebecca Long-Bailey, who has spoken of watching her father worrying about losing his job at the docks in Greater Manchester. Rumour has it that they actually closed when she was aged two. Er… Chin Chin, dear reader
We do our best to publish letters in full. However, the Editor reserves the right to edit any letter. Please ensure that letters do not exceed 250 words
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EDUCATION Times
Learning the importance of being team players… Beacon Academy appoints a new Student Leadership Team
Malborough House appoints new head MR EDDY NEWTON has been appointed as the new Headmaster of Marlborough House School in Hawkhurst. Previously Head of Felsted School and Chafyn Grove School, and also Chairman of IAPS [The Independent Association of Prep Schools], and Chief Executive of The Cothill Trust, Mr Newton will take up his role in September this year.
Values
LINE OF DUTY The new team BEACON ACADEMY’s new Student Leadership team will work alongside the school’s student council and members of staff to provide a voice for the student body, and to develop areas such as online safety, events and extracurricular activities. The team of Year 10 students, which comprises head and deputy head pupils and prefects, have now taken up their positions at the Crowborough school until the end of 2020. At that point, a
new Student Leadership team will be selected for 2021. In order to gain a place on the team, students were interviewed by the school’s key members of staff, and asked a number of questions regarding their vision for working on the Student Leadership team. These included what they believe makes them a good leader as well as their hopes and ambitions for the future. Students also prepared a five-minute presentation to explain how they felt they
could continue to support and develop the school community and day-to-day life at Beacon Academy. The academy’s Headteacher, Ms Robinson, said: “All of the students performed exceptionally well, and conducted themselves with great maturity, thoughtfulness and clarity. “We would like to congratulate the students in their newly appointed roles, and look forward to working alongside them over the following year.”
Simon Hodson, Chair of the Board of Governors, said: “We are delighted to be appointing Eddy Newton. This appointment is not just about a great teacher, or a strong connection with senior schools, or a management ability to achieve more from our wonderful resources (teachers and children!) – it is about all of those things, but even more it is about leadership. “The ability to make those resources gel in an environment where fun is had but advances are made by all, where there is a plan for continuous improvement and development, but based on the core values which make Eddy Marlborough Newton House what it is.”
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Cllr Jane March
Conservative Cabinet member Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Cllr Jane March is Cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. She has been a Conservative councillor for Brenchley & Horsmonden since 2011, and before that worked for the Fruit Growers Co-operative and NSPCC [National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children] as an area manager
The Amelia Scott is the result of five years of hard work IT’S taken five years of hard work. Five years of drafting and agreeing designs, but it’s finally happened! Construction work has started on the Amelia Scott, so that when you walk past the library and museum building, the yellow hoardings let you know that this is now a construction site. And when it’s all finished it will bring together key community facilities, including the Museum & Art Gallery, Library, Adult Education Centre, tourist information and the Council’s Customer Service team.
Positive I am convinced that as a cultural hub the Amelia Scott will transform our heritage and learning services, taking the cultural life of the borough to a new level, and breathing new life into two much loved but jaded heritage buildings. The Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund summed it up when he said: “It’s not enough to save something, you have to bring it alive,” and this is what the Amelia Scott will do. As a Council, we deliver high quality services, but the lack of space within the buildings has meant that in the past we haven’t been able to make the most of all the positive things that
have come out of short-term projects. I envisage the new hub being a place where we can do this, somewhere that’s rich with objects and an imaginative programme to engage and inspire visitors. We are making sure that the project is being delivered successfully, and we now have a crossparty member group that is monitoring progress. This project has stood out in that it has had universal support from all the parties on the Council and from our colleagues at Kent County Council. Talking to county councillor Mike Hill recently, he said to me how delighted he was to see the ‘magnificent’ project under way. It wouldn’t have been possible without funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, and we are extremely grateful for their support. The construction work is being carried out by Willmott Dixon Interiors [WDI], who have extensive experience of working on this type of heritage project. During the course of the construction they will provide a number of apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for local people. Between WDI and the Council, they’ll be making sure residents and businesses nearby know what’s happening as work goes on.
HATS FANTASTIC: Cllr Jane March takes a hard look at the plans for the new Amelia Scott cultural centre
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
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One to look out for…
A town apartment with a great view Page 20
Lakeside homes launch on Saturday Page 21
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Beaming with character A kitchen full of charm Page 21
A HOME BATHED IN INTERNAL BEAUTY
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Best property buys for... We all love to see homes with the ‘wow’ factor – which could apply to the kitchen, reception room, garden, or something else. Sarah Bond homes in on some of the aspects that make these properties well worth a look…
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Sherbourne Place
Linden Fields, Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE
£315,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk A beautifully presented raised ground floor apartment not far from The Pantiles. It boasts a large roof terrace and enjoys views across the rooftop towards Tunbridge Wells Common. MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST
n Built by Bellway Homes in 2007 n L-shaped entrance hall with video entryphone n Reception room with space for dining table and chairs as well as sitting area furniture, plus doors to terrace. Open plan to: n Kitchen area with ceiling spotlights n Master bedroom with en-suite shower room, large corner windows giving an elevated outlook towards Tunbridge Wells Common, plus door to terrace n Bedroom 2 with a large window offering an outlook over the terrace n Bathroom n Spacious terrace running across the length of the apartment providing a panoramic view towards the horizon n 2 designated parking spaces in communal garages
The TERRACE VIEW…
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The PRICE…
The KITCHEN…
Ashenden Walk Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE
£249,950 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk An updated one-bed end-of-terrace house in a quiet position with parking and garden. MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Entrance hall n Living room with patio doors to rear garden n Kitchen
The Coach House
Prospect Road, Tunbridge Wells PRICE
£750,000
n Landing with fitted cupboards and loft hatch n Bedroom with fitted mirrored wardrobes n Bathroom n Good-sized mature rear garden with decking, an area of lawn and garden shed n Allocated parking space adjacent to house
CONTACT • Wood & Pilcher, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 511211 • woodandpilcher.co.uk Originally built in 1895, this superbly located cottage and stables once served the mansion houses in the adjacent Calverley Park. Over the years the property has been used as a character home with later improvements and yet more potential, subject to the necessary consents. MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST
n Prime town location beside the private Calverley Park n Stable entrance door
The Water’s Edge Collection Holborough Lakes Snodland ME6 5SD PRICES FROM
NEW HOMES LAUNCH Sat Feb 15
n Generous sitting room with door to side
£240,000
n Dining room/family room, including focal point fireplace with electric fire and door to exterior. Open aspect to:
CONTACT • The Holborough Lakes Marketing Suite • 01634 775643 • holboroughlakes.co.uk
n Study area n Character kitchen with butler sink and Belling dual-fuel range-style cooker n Downstairs bathroom n Cloakroom/boiler room n 2 staircases n Master bedroom with Velux windows, dormer window and built-in seating n 3 further bedrooms n Bedroom 4 and further bathroom require work to finish refurbishment n Enclosed corner plot with gardens areas to front and side n Off-road parking, including two-bay car port n Integral garage/workshop
THIS Saturday, February 15, Berkeley Homes are launching The Water’s Edge Collection at Holborough Lakes from 10am-6pm. The fresh release of homes comprises six one and two-bedroom apartments, all of which are available through Help to Buy. The design celebrates the county’s heritage while also giving a nod to the New England style through details such as glazed glass balconies. At the heart of each home is an individually designed kitchen and living space with French doors to the generous balconies. All apartments overlook the lake and jetty, and the development boasts landscaped grounds plus a range of community amenities. Three-bedroom flats are also available in The Waterview Apartments from £370,000.
HOMES FOR SALE IN KENT AND EAST SUSSEX
1 1 PENSHURST, KENT
B
eautiful, newly completed, contemporary family house on the edge of the popular village of Penshurst. 5 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | K I T C H E N / D I N I N G R O O M | S T U D Y/ S N U G | I N A L L A B O U T 5 . 3 A C R E S | E P C B
Guide price £2,499,000 simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
1 2 NETHERFIELD, EAST SUSSEX
A
ttractive 1920s thatched Arts & Crafts style property in an elevated position, with excellent equestrian facilities. 6 B E D R O O M S | 2 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | I N A L L A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 1 . 8 3 A C R E S | E P C F
Guide price £1,695,000 simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
knightfrank.co.uk
HOMES FOR SALE IN KENT AND EAST SUSSEX
1
1
BROADWATER DOWN, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
LANGTON GREEN, KENT
An attractive period apartment with original features in this popular town location.
An attractive detached house overlooking countryside.
4 BEDROOMS | 2 BATHROOMS | PRIVATE PARKING | COMMUNAL GARDENS | EPC D
4 BEDROOMS | 2 BATHROOMS | DOUBLE GARAGE WITH ROOM ABOVE | GARDEN | EPC D
Guide price £650,000
Guide price £1,200,000
ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
1
1
GUILDFORD ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
ALL SAINTS ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS
A delightful terraced house in a sought-after location.
A smartly presented detached property in the St Johns area.
5 BEDROOMS | 2 BATHROOMS | 2 RECEPTION ROOMS | EPC F
4 BEDROOMS | 2 BATHROOMS | GARDENS | OFF-STREET PARKING/GARAGE | EPC C
Guide price £930,000
Guide price £750,000
ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310997
1
1
MARK CROSS, EAST SUSSEX
HERONS GHYLL, EAST SUSSEX
A wonderful 1920s semi-detached cottage in this sought-after village backing onto private fields.
A ground and lower ground floor apartment within a Grade II listed building. 2 BEDROOMS | 2 BATHROOMS | GARAGE AND PARKING SPACE | COMMUNAL GARDENS
3 BEDROOMS | 1 BATHROOM | PARKING FOR SEVERAL VEHICLES | EPC D
Guide price £400,000
Guide price £600,000
holly.sibley@knightfrank.com
holly.sibley@knightfrank.com
Knight Frank Tunbridge Wells. 47 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1XL. 01892 310997
knightfrank.co.uk
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AT A GLANCE
STONE STREET TUNBRIDGE WELLS ■ Refurbished three-storey home offering modern touches alongside Victorian charm ■ Located in a private no-through road off Camden Road ■ Timber front door opening to hallway ■ Reception room 1 with angular bay, New England-style shutters, plus chimney breast with painted wood surround, cast iron inserts and granite hearth with open fire
A stylish refurbished Victorian villa in the popular St James’ area of Tunbridge Wells
■ Stylish open-plan kitchen/dining/ family room with part-vaulted ceiling, roof lanterns, bresummer beam with open fire, large central island, Rangemaster double width oven and bi-fold doors to garden ■ Downstairs cloakroom ■ Master bedroom with angular bay and feature fireplace ■ Bedroom 2 with chimney breast and recess to one side ■ Bedroom 3, including chimney breast with painted surround and cast iron inserts, plus rooftop views ■ Bedroom 4 with partially-sloping ceilings and fireplace with painted wood surround ■ Spacious family bathroom with double-ended bath, large vanity unit and walk-in shower with rainhead ■ Separate, contemporary-style shower room ■ Attractive walled garden with patio and timber shed ■ Off-road parking for two cars
PRICE RANGE
£800,000-£825,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk
The best properties on your doorstep
Boyne Park, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 A highly desirable residential area, immaculate open plan living space 5 bedrooms, terraced garden, garage/games room, 3,014 sq ft, EPC=C
Savills Tunbridge Wells 01892 507 000
Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, TN7 ,
Opportunity to renovate in an idyllic setting with Forest access, selfcontained annexe, garden, fields, 2.6 miles Hartfield, 2,561 sq ft, EPC=E
7.14 acres
Guide £1.55 million | Freehold
Guide £1.5 million | Freehold
Frant Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2
Crosss In Hand, Nr Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21
Newly-built family home in an attractive and secluded location, MLS about a mile, impressive specification, double garage, 2,454 sq ft, EPC=B
Millwood designer home tucked away in a lovely setting, well presented, extensive grounds, Buxted station about 5.1 miles, 3,024 sq ft, EPC=D
Guide £1.5 million* | Freehold
Guide £1.45 million | Freehold
4.4 acres
Talk to us today Charles Lang Negotiator 01892 507000 charles.lang@savills.com
savills.co.uk | savills.co.uk Follow us on what can we do for you? *Price at time of going to print.
The best properties on your doorstep
New Instruction
Savills Tunbridge Wells 01892 507 000
No Chain
Ospringe Place, Tunbridge Wells, TN2
Cabbage Stalk Lane, Tunbridge Wells, TN4
Immaculately presented 5 bedroom home in a tucked away location, conveniently placed for schools and the A21, 2,363 sq ft, EPC=D
Delightful 3 bedroom attached house in this desirable location, courtyard garden, integrated garage, 1,573 sq ft, EPC=E
Guide £1.05 million | Freehold
Guide £950,000 | Freehold
New Instruction
No Chain
Broadwater Down, Tunbridge Wells, TN2
Regent Place, Tunbridge Wells, TN2
A striking family home, convenient for station and schools, LGF with potential STP, garage and parking, garden, 1,849 sq ft, EPC=C
Desirable location convenient for town and schools, MLS under a mile, garden, private gate into dunorlan park, garage and parking, EPC=C
Guide £875,000 | Freehold
Guide £785,000 | Freehold
Talk to us today Becky Card Negotiator 01892 507000 bcard@savills.com
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HILDENBOROUGH £865,000 CHARMING GRADE II LISTED FARMHOUSE offering a wealth of character along with spacious and versatile accommodation. Desirable lane location and stunning, generously proportioned accommodation with two reception rooms, four/five bedrooms, farmhouse kitchen and two bathrooms. Enjoying countryside views and a large garden plus detached garden studio/office. Apply Tonbridge
SOUTH TONBRIDGE £319,995 LOOKING TO CREATE YOUR PERFECT HOME? Take a look at this three bedroom semi-detached period property with scope to improve and update offering two reception rooms, kitchen and bathroom plus generous rear garden. NO ONWARD CHAIN! EPC: D Apply Tonbridge
PEMBURY £350,000 END-OF-TERRACE, CORNER PLOT. A light and bright 3 bedroom property immaculately presented throughout. The accommodation comprises: entrance porch, cloakroom wc, double-aspect sitting/dining room, conservatory, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and family bathroom. The rear garden is a great size and has a patio and gently sloping lawn with flower borders. Driveway parking for 2 cars and wider-than-average garage en-bloc with power and light connected, adjacent to the property. EPC: C Apply Pembury
Residential Pembury: 01892 822880 Tonbridge: 01732 771616 Sales & Lettings e: pembury@bkea.co.uk e: tonbridge@bkea.co.uk
Lettings: 01732 771616 e: lettings@bkea.co.uk
www.bkestateagents.com
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The Pantiles are ‘pumped’ again The long-awaited ‘1887 The Pantiles’ development is open for business via its new Marketing Suite and show apartment (pictured below), marking a whole new stage in the site’s changing history…
Artist’s impression “And these huge cranes have been such a landmark towering over the town. I was flying home on an DEVELOPER Dandara’s modern easyJet recently and I could even see vision of a new mixed use quarter for them from the plane!” the southern end of Tunbridge Wells Mr Leefe-Griffiths continued: “The is on a site that originally housed The Pump Room (below) back in 1877. old Union House wasn’t beautiful, and it also wasn’t occupied, so what The Pump Room was a venue for Dandara have done we think is an a range of public and social events incredibly positive thing for the town.” and incorporated a fountain and Mr Sankey further commented: ‘healing’ waters at the opposite end “The most important thing for of The Pantiles to the famed myself [as a restaurant Chalybeate Spring. owner], is the kind It was demolished of demographic in 1964, and these homes Union House are attracting. I was built – understand we an austere, are getting a lot of unloved people downsizing, development that moving from the was finally pulled countryside to the town down two years ago. The Pump Room centre, which is magic when Now ‘1887 The Pantiles’ it comes to walking around, – a new development of shopping and dining.” 127 homes – will partially restore the Added Mr Leefe-Griffiths: “There site’s original purpose in providing are so many town centres that are public open spaces and a water actually depopulating, so to put feature, as part of the Water in the residential in the middle of the Wells initiative to put water back in town where it’s really wanted is the heart of the town. Plus there will impressive. be three retail units, all of which has “That means you’ve got people left The Pantiles Traders ‘pumped’! going out for breakfast, going out to Julian Leefe-Griffiths, of The work, going out for lunch, going out Tunbridge Wells Hotel, said: “We’re for dinner – you need people to have really pleased with the development, a vibrant town centre, so for us it’s a it’s fantastic.” fantastic thing. Commenting on how the builders “Now what we need is a fantastic have been ‘good neighbours’, gym and a hairdresser’s, or Matthew Sankey, of Sankey’s something lovely like that. We need Champagne & Seafood Bar, added: service industries in the block. For “You hear the occasional whirring of us, that seems to work well.” the cranes, and that’s it.
By Sarah Bond
1887 THE PANTILES: THE FACTS ■ A multi-award-winning collection of 127 luxurious one, two and three-bedroom apartments and contemporary twobedroom mews homes
■ Reservations are now being accepted, with prices from £300,000
■ Within walking distance of The Pantiles, the High Street and Tunbridge Wells station
■ Many apartments have far-reaching views from terraces and balconies
■ Some, but not all, homes will have parking. In addition, there will be electric charging points available for cars and bikes
THE PUMP ROOM: Dr Ian Beavis, Tunbridge Wells Museum
TAKE A LOOK at the show apartment
■ The first completions are scheduled to take place in Quarter 3 of this year
■ The Marketing Suite, in Wells House, by The Corn Exchange off Linden Park Road, is open from 10am-5pm, seven days a week
■ Call 01892 726 112 or visit dandara.com
ADVERTORIAL
Willow Grove is a stunning collection of two, three and four-bedroom detached homes in the desirable Kent village of Laddingford (Computer Generated Image for illustrative purposes only).
Beautiful new homes in Laddingford set amongst orchards Award-winning homebuilder Dandara launches Willow Grove Nestled near the pretty hamlet of Laddingford, south west of Maidstone, Dandara’s latest development of new two, three and four-bedroom detached homes is now available at Willow Grove. With guide prices starting from £400,000, this characterful collection of new homes is surrounded by orchards and farmland, in the heart of the Garden of England. Dandara is an award-winning homebuilder with a reputation for creating quality homes in great locations which offer superb value for money, and interest in Willow Grove is already high with new buyers looking for their rural idyll. With a number of different house types to choose from, Willow Grove offers buyers the chance to purchase a stunning new home with individual style and character. Willow Grove is ideally located for commuters, being only five miles from Paddock Wood main line station (services to London Bridge in 41 minutes) and a short drive from the attractions of both Kent’s County Town, Maidstone and Royal Tunbridge Wells.
The development is also perfect for families who want to enjoy rural scenery and fresh country air. The nearby St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School at Collier Street is highly rated and recently came third in The Kent Primary School League, in The Times newspaper. Speaking of the development, Jen Alexander, Dandara Sales Manager said: “Willow Grove offers homebuyers the unique combination of easy access to local amenities and convenient commuting links in a quiet, rural location.
The four-bedroom Aspen is a superb family home at Willow Grove.
“Laddingford is a superb location in the heart of the Kent countryside with facilities a short drive away. Willow Grove will appeal to purchasers seeking a lowmaintenance, energy-efficient home with views of open fields and orchards.” The impressive Show Home at Willow Grove is open five days a week, from, 10am to 5pm, Thursday to Monday. For more information, call 01892 730 695, email willowgrove@dandara.com or pop into the on-site Sales & Marketing Suite, Claygate Road, Laddingford, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6BB.
The Cedar is an attractive three-bedroom home available now at Willow Grove.
NEW HOMES NOW AVAIL ABLE
Willow Grove LADDINGFORD
THE WILLOW
THE ASPEN
THE HAWTHORN
THE CEDAR
4 BED HOME Prices from £610,000
4 BED HOME Prices from £575,000
4 BED HOME Prices from £530,000
3 BED HOME Prices from £450,000
Discover a beautiful collection of new homes now available at Willow Grove in Laddingford.
SHOW HOME NOW OPEN Visit dandara.com, call 01892 730 695 or email willowgrove@dandara.com Visit our Sales & Marketing Suite
Claygate Road, Laddingford, Maidstone, ME18 6BB. Open Thursday - Monday 10am - 5pm
Specification may vary subject to house type and build stage. Full details available on request. Price and details correct at time of going to print. Computer Generated Images shown are for indicative purposes only.
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
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SEE DEATHTRAP AT TRINITY
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INFARED PLAY LIVE THIS WEEK
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VISIT SWEDEN’S ARCTIC BATH
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Table talk
Framptons to host a special dinner for mental health campaign Page 54 RUSTHALL’S NEW SIGNING
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arts
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‘The surprises and the twists in this play will keep the audience on their toes’ Next week, Trinity Theatre Club will be performing its version of Ira Levin’s famous ‘Deathtrap’. Here the play’s director and newly appointed club Chair, Chris Howland, tells the Times what audiences will enjoy most about this dark and violent drama…
IMAGES: Symon Hamer
What is the play essentially about? Ultimately, Deathtrap is about greed and murder. The plot centres around a couple who are not as wealthy as they’d like to be, so they seize an opportunity to make themselves financially secure for the rest of their lives. As with all thrillers, things are not what they seem, and there is a major twist in events. Throw in a couple of well-meaning visitors who unwittingly increase the tension, and the play develops into how evil someone could become. As one of the characters asks: “Would you? Could you?” And we see that someone could and does, to terrifying and violent conclusions. What appeals to you about this particular play? I found it takes further twists and turns on the usual thriller format, and is much more about suspense and drama than your average ‘whodunit’. The added magical factor for me was trying to get the volume of weaponry used in a safe manner that
THE WIFE Fiona Young as Myra Bruhl
was still thrilling for the audience to watch. Without giving too much away, the walls are adorned with guns and knives, maces and flails, swords and cutlasses – and even a crossbow! What do you think audiences will enjoy most about it? Well, I’m hoping they will enjoy the overall performances of the actors and the story we are telling. But the surprises and the twists will keep the audience on their toes! With all thrillers there has to be every aspect of drama to thrill the senses, so there’s a wonderful mix of suspense, action, violence and humour. The audience may also remember the 1982 film starring Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve and Dyan Cannon. Tell us a little bit about the actors you’ve picked for Deathtrap… The cast is made up of Matt Penfold, Fiona Young, Tate Birch, Emmie Rhodes and Neil Harris. Matt and Fiona play a husband and THE PLAYWRIGHT Tate Birch as Clifford Anderson
THE HUSBAND Matt Penfold as Sidney Bruhl
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wife and invite a young, would-be playwright (played by Tate) round to discuss collaborating together. Emmie has the unenviable task of playing the Dutch psychic Helga without trying to overplay the accent! And Neil plays the family friend and lawyer, Porter. Four of the five actors are members of Trinity Theatre Club.
and some for display. And some of those working weapons are actually used in fight sequences. We are very fortunate that we have trained fight coordinators within the club to help ensure that everyone stays safe but that it looks as realistic as possible. There’s nothing more thrilling than the sound of an audience gasping!
What tricky elements were involved in staging this piece? To be honest, it was fairly straightforward as most of the set is integral to the plot and you can’t deviate too much from it. But with this particular play there is the requirement of the set being covered with weapons – some working
What do you enjoy about directing in general? It’s the challenge of taking an existing piece that someone else has written and being creative with how the play should be staged and produced. The rehearsal period is the manifestation of months of pre-work and meetings with all the
THE PSYCHIC Emmie Rhodes is Helga ten Dorp
‘Deathtrap is about greed and murder… and the play develops into how evil someone could become!’
Arts & Culture
backstage teams to create what we feel is the best for the production. Also, I enjoy the chance to work with some incredibly talented people and see how they use their skills to bring the characters to life. What plans do you have for further Trinity Theatre Club productions in the near future? I will be working on the production team for Private Lives, taking place this summer, and also on Macbeth, which we are staging in October. Hopefully, I will also audition for the ‘Scottish play’. I’m honoured to be the new Chair of the club and that will take up a fair amount of my time. THE LAWYER Neil Harris as family friend Porter Milgrim
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Deathtrap will be on at Trinity Theatre from Tuesday February 25 to Saturday February 29, with matinee performances on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets can be purchased from the Box Office in person, by phone on 01892 678678, or via the website trinitytheatre.net Following Deathtrap, Trinity Theatre Club’s 2020 season will see productions of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing coming in May, Noël Coward’s Private Lives in July, and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in October.
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Going Out
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goingout 7 days of activities
By Jerome Bowman
JOIN THE CIRCUS Run away to The Hop Farm…
WEDNESDAY Visit Trinity Theatre Gallery today to see their new art exhibition 1.5 Degrees. Curated by Sian Thomas and Angharad Brittle, it features work from a group of South-East-based artists working in a huge variety of mediums, from ceramics to ice sculptures, all united by the common theme of the climate change emergency the world faces, and our all too human connection to it. The gallery is free to attend and is open whenever
the theatre is. For more information, visit trinitytheatre.net THURSDAY Join the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society in the Royal Wells Hotel for a talk entitled The Development of the Kentish House.. Paul Britton is welcomed back for another series of illustrated talks, and this evening he will be showcasing Kent’s unique vernacular architecture and its
development through the medieval period to the 20th century. The talk starts at 7.15pm and nonmembers are welcome. For more information, go online to thecivicsociety.org FRIDAY German Cornejo’s Tango Fire is dancing its way to The Assembly Hall this evening at 7.30pm. A celebration of all that is Tango (excluding certain carbonated beverages), Cornejo’s sell-out world tours and star-studded cast will make for an exhilarating display of raw passion. The show features music of the great masters in the genre and reflects the sophistication and sensuality of this Argentinian dancing tradition. Ticket prices start at £24.75. For more information and to book, go online to assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk SATURDAY Returning for its 39th year, the Tonbridge Model Railway Exhibition at The Angel Centre in Tonbridge promises to be a delight for both dedicated enthusiasts and those more casually interested in all things miniaturised, with more than 30 layouts in a variety of scales. There will also be plenty of stands and locomotive doctors on hand to help you if your own tiny railway engine is feeling offcolour. Be prepared to return home with eight new kinds of flock and enough track to build the Trans-Siberian Railway in your garden. It’s open from 10am-5pm and tickets cost £6 for adults and £1 for children. Under-tens enter for free. For more information, visit tonbridgemrc.com The Spa Valley Railway is open today, and it’s Kids for a Quid! weekend, meaning your children can travel for just £1 today and tomorrow. You can visit Groombridge, High Rocks and Tunbridge Wells West, all of which have pubs and plenty to see and
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
BACK ON TRACK The Model Railway Exhibition at The Angel Centre
do. Steam and heritage diesel locomotives will be on the line so you can pick your preferred form of fuel. A ticket gets you unlimited rides for the day and can be purchased in advance at spavalleyrailway.co.uk SUNDAY After 17 years of Puritan suppression, the playhouses opened once more in 1669, and women were allowed to act. Playhouse Creatures by April De Angelis is on at the Oast Theatre in Tonbridge, and tells the tale of five women in this pioneering position, fighting to act and against scrutiny from each other and society. With comic scenes, songs and interwoven narratives, this play is sure to arouse plenty of interest. The performance starts PASSION at Tango at The Assembly Hall
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
MIRROR MIRROR Playhouse Creatures at The Oast Theatre 8pm and tickets cost £10. To book, go to oasttheatre.com Penshurst Place offers us the chance to learn about the origins of some of the everyday items we all use. The Amazing Inventions trail will take you through the gardens as you discover all the hidden items and their history, from the flushing toilet to the television. Children will be challenged to solve a riddle given to them at the start of the trail, which is open from 10.30am till 5pm. Standard admission fees apply. For more information, visit penshurstplace.com
ROUND AND ROUND Take the children on an inventive trail at Penshurst Place
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MONDAY Roll up, roll up – having opened on Valentine’s Day [Friday], Circus Zyair is at The Hop Farm, near Paddock Wood, until February 23, giving you plenty of chances to experience the thrills and comical spills. This high energy circus features crazy clowns, acrobats, jugglers and high wire daredevils in an hour and a half of spectacular sights and death-defying stunts. The tent itself is centrally heated so you can watch the whole performance in comfort. Various times are available each day, so for more information and to book your tickets, go online to thehopfarm.co.uk
CARPE DIEM Enjoy a bridge to nature, incuding fish, at Hever Castle TUESDAY Get in touch with nature at Hever Castle this half-term. Living with Nature is a chance to discover more about wildlife and nature and there are plenty of activities to get involved with, including a falconry display, crafting activities for the children, and a nature trail where you can try to spot all the wooden bugs and insects out there. You can also feed the birds and fish in the moat for 50p a bag of feed (don’t try eating it yourself), and Folly Wildlife Rescue as well as other charities will also have stands. For more information on times, admission prices and more, go to hevercastle.co.uk
PICK OF THE WEEK Bewl Water Laser Challenge
Bewl Water, Lamberhurst 11am daily during the upcoming February Half Term With a huge variety of arenas in which to play Team Deathmatch, Last Man Standing, Attack and Defend and more, this new activity at Bewl Water has something for
everyone. This is paintballing without the bruising and without needing a second mortgage to have enough paintballs for the day. Suitable for ages eight and up, it’s as enjoyable for adults as it is for children, even if they are easier to hit. Your agility and tactical skills will be put to the test, so be prepared. Tickets cost £15 per player for a 50-minute session, and group bookings are also available. For more information and to book, go online to bewlwater.co.uk
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Going Out
FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Infrared, The Gallerys & Steffan James Thursday Funk Up Friday Valentine’s Special with live jazz from Jazzoligi Saturday Closed for a Private Party Sunday The Good Ship, Beyond the Vinyl & Bill Rutherford
live music With Paul Dunton
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ONIGHT [Wednesday], local five-piece band Infrared are headlining at The Grey Lady Music Lounge, with support from The Gallerys and Steffan James. For a great night out on Thursday, The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks is hosting The Story of Guitar Heroes. My top pick for Friday is a rockin’ night at The Tunbridge Wells Forum with headliners Scowl and great support from support from Bruise and Smile. Superb local bands in action on Saturday include Super Duper & The Yaa Ya’s at The Beau Nash Tavern, as well as A Cut Above and The Harveys joining forces at The Royal Oak.
The must-read guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead… paulduntonandguests.com
Close out the weekend in style on Sunday evening in The Sussex Arms Basement, where Black Orchid Empire top the bill, supported by Defences. Also on Sunday night, The Good Ship Band headline at The Grey Lady Music Lounge with support from Beyond The Vinyl and Bill Rutherford. Looking ahead to early next week, Zetor and The Kailyard are at The Tonbridge Folk Club on Monday evening, and on Tuesday night The Punch & Judy in Tonbridge host The Sam Dunstall Trio. Plus, Stirrat, Hayes, Bailey & Baynes headline the Sussex Arms Basement with support from Ezekiel Doo and King of May.
THE STAG THEATRE London Road, Sevenoaks All event information and tickets available at stagsevenoaks.co.uk Thursday The Story of Guitar Heroes MUSICSTATION Bank Street, Tonbridge Booking essential For information, call 01732 350629 Thursday & Friday 8pm-9.30pm Adult band workshop All levels welcome
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Infrared THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM The Common, London Road All event information and tickets at twforum.co.uk Friday Scowl, Bruise & Smile Saturday Tim Cullen Prresents: Switch – House & Techno, Wax Worx, Strickland, Richie Carrera, Faz Sherazi & Cal.O & We.LR Monday The Stable: Apachi Snow, Daniel Keane & Teddyybearr
THE ROYAL OAK PUB Prospect Road Free entry Music from 8pm till late Saturday A Cut Above & The Harveys
THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Free entry Music from 8pm till late Saturday Super Duper & The Ya Yaa’s
THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Sussex Mews All event information and tickets at twforum.co.uk Sunday Black Orchid Empire & Defences Tuesday Stirrat, Hayes, Bailey & Baynes, Ezekiel Doo & King of May
THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Free entry Music from 8pm till late Saturday Opposite Origins
TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB Flying Dutchman pub, Hildenborough Hat collection with a suggested contribution of £7 (£5 concessions) Music from 8pm, all welcome More information at tonbridgefolkclub.org Monday Zetor In The Kailyard
The Good Ship
THE PUNCH & JUDY PUB St Stephens Road, Tonbridge Free entry Music from 8pm Tuesday Sam Dunstall Trio
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food
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
A recipe for success: Why talking is food and drink for keeping your mind healthy Next Wednesday, February 19, Framptons is hosting a special dinner in collaboration with Pilot Light – a campaign co-founded by local chef Doug Sanham which aims to ignite awareness around good mental health in the pressurised world of hospitality
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MEETING OF MINDS Doug Sanham (above)
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S ANYONE who works front of house in a busy restaurant dealing with demanding customers on a daily basis, or as a multi-tasking chef in a fast-paced kitchen, will know, the stress can be immense. The hours are long, the pay is usually pretty poor, and there’s certainly not much time for relaxing. And that’s why Doug Sanham, a local chef. and his friend and colleague Andrew Clarke decided to set up Pilot Light, a campaign that’s focused on raising awareness about the issue of compromised mental health in the hospitality business. The duo launched Pilot Light in 2017 with the aim of it being a ‘beacon of support’ to those working in commercial kitchens, hotels, restaurants and bars who may feel overwhelmed by the frenetic nature of their work, and are also affected by common issues such as depression and addiction. “I had the idea for Pilot Light back in 2016,” explains Doug, who says he has also
experienced his own mental health issues. “I was Head Chef at The Beacon at the time and I could see some of my staff were suffering but there wasn’t anything available to help them – apart from saying ‘go to the doctor’. “I really wanted to change the way people dealt with mental health within the hospitality industry, and so Andrew and I talked extensively about what we could do before eventually setting up Pilot Light.” In early 2017 the pair did an event at Brunswick House in London, where Andrew is Head Chef, in order to launch their scheme and embark upon a journey of raising awareness of mental health issues for chefs, waiters, kitchen porters, managers – anyone working in hospitality.
Heat “We organised an event that was greatly supported by suppliers who donated food, and we invited people along to hear us talk – but we also encouraged them to talk. “Essentially, we really want to try and change the industry’s attitude to dealing with various mental health issues as many people
still don’t realise how serious all this is and just how vulnerable people are. “Hospitality is a very difficult industry to work in, and made exceptionally more so by the fact that over the past five or six years entry numbers into it have plummeted. “The issue is, like any business, fundamentally down to money. People don’t understand how expensive a restaurant is to run – no one wants to pay the actual cost of food. “The hours are long and the pay is low – usually the minimum wage – and that certainly doesn’t quantify the amount of work that people in the industry are doing.” Doug says that awareness initially needs to happen at grass roots level, i.e. at catering colleges: “To be honest, a lot of those who decide to go into cheffing aren’t actually being taught properly, so the minute they get into a real kitchen they’re feeling the heat immediately.” Doug believes that such a baptism of fire is what is leading to many hospitality employees having to battle health issues. “We did an event at the University of West London recently, so we
are trying to implement changes. We are creating tools and resources for people to use and also tailoring training packages for employers. “The most important thing for this year will be the app we are hoping to launch where people can access our training packages.” Doug and Andrew have done multiple talks up and down the country since launching three years ago and now have a couple of local events lined up, including one with The Small Holding’s Will Devlin later this year and another taking place next week at Framptons in The Pantiles : “On February 19, Framptons’ Head Chef Rob Theron and I will be hosting a five-course meal which will deliberately get people chatting as they have to pass around dishes and literally break bread together. The idea, of course, is to eat great food sourced from local suppliers, including Oliver Greens, Albion Fine Foods and Gunne Butchers, but to also encourage people to talk and open up the possibility of sharing their thoughts with others. It’s a fact that 80 per cent of mental health issues can be reduced by having a chat.” The event is open to the public but there will also be some familiar faces present, including Matthew Sankey and Verdigris’s Scott Goss. Both know Doug and Rob as the pair worked together at The Beacon before Rob went to Framptons a couple of years ago. Rob’s current employers are very keen
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
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Think pink this Valentine’s Day To celebrate February 14, Times Drinks Editor James Viner has chosen a bunch of ravishing Valentine’s rosés to spread the love
Framptons and below its Head Chef Rob Theron to throw their weight behind the Pilot Light evening. Framptons’ Director Tom Walker told the Times: “Hospitality is a dynamic and fast-paced environment, but it can also be extremely demanding, and it’s essential we take the time to stop and check each other are ok.
“Due to the nature of the work, without taking some ‘time out’ to sit down and have a cup of tea and a conversation, hospitality professionals are at risk of burning out. This can result in some fantastic people being forced to cut their careers short, which can be to the detriment of their professional development and to the industry.” Tom adds: “There is a growing conversation around mental health in a number of high-paced industries, but hospitality is often overlooked, and we very much support Pilot Light’s campaign in bringing this to the fore.” Tickets to the Pilot Light event cost £35 per head, with a percentage donated to the organisation. To book or find out more information, visit framptonsbar.co.uk and pilotlightcampaign.co.uk
1) BIODYNAMICALLY-FARMED SPARKLING CATALAN BEAUTY 2016 Raventós i Blanc, De Nit (Of the Night) Rosé Brut, Spain (20% off, £19.16, Berry Bros & Rudd) For romantic rosé that’s as bubbly as it is stimulating (and less expensive than most English fizz), top quality Cava or Crémant should be top of your list. This classy, biodynamic, zerodosage, traditional-method offering from the breakaway, higher-specification Catalan Conca del Ríu Anoia DO created in 2013 – with lower yields than Cava, plus longer minimum ageing requirements of 18 months, only vintage wines etc – is sure to make your Valentine blush the same colour as this wine! Just relax and let the gentle saline and glorious raspberry, strawberry, plum and pomegranate characters sweep you away. One for tapas, fish and chips or tandoori chicken. 2) STONKING PINK CO-OP OWN-LABEL SUPERMARKET BUBBLY BARGAIN Les Pionniers NV Rosé Champagne, France (Was £22 but down to £20 till Feb 18) Champagne is hard to beat as a mood-setter. If you are drawn to buy ‘budget’ Champagne – don’t; look to this bottle, which hits that sweet spot where quality meets ace value instead. Made by resurgent PiperHeidsieck, and a blend
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of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, Co-op’s characterful own-label bubbly is delicate and stylish with scents and taste-bud-tingling flavours of toasty brioche, raspberries and red berries. A charming way to start the evening, and just the ticket for sushi and smoked salmon. Impossible not to fall in love. 3) BREATHTAKING DISCOUNTED FULL-BODIED ROSÉ FROM A LEGENDARY CHAMPAGNE HOUSE Bollinger Rosé NV Champagne, France (£37.49 offer, 25% off, to Feb 18, Waitrose This is seduction at its most alluring and mouthwatering. Bollinger Rosé NV has doubled in quantity since its much-acclaimed introduction in 2008, yet it still represents just a quarter of a million bottles, barely one-tenth of the Special Cuvée. Think wild strawberries, plums and patisserie with the tiniest suggestion of spice, figs and pink grapefruit, plus torrents of purity, complexity and epic length. Every hedonist’s dream and a brilliant match for lobster, posh Chinese and fruity desserts. Having popped the cork, you might as well pop the question too, as assuredly the response will be ‘yes’ with this blissful rosé in the glass. Pounce on the Waitrose offer.
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Follow James Viner on Twitter @QuixoticWine
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travel
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Centre: The Arctic Bath menu is based on local produce available
A SHINING BEACON OF HEALTH an Arctic Bath land room
Travel
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
Sweden’s superb ‘cold’ therapy Surrounded by forest and river, the fairy-tale Arctic Bath is one of the most exciting wellbeing openings of the year, says Sarah Marshall
F
OR as long as I can remember, I’ve been taught to fear the cold. Always wrap up warm. Don’t leave home without a coat. And never, ever go out with wet hair. The common cold is also unpleasant. A subject of old wives’ tales as fearsome as the bogeyman, ‘the cold’ is something we’ve been conditioned to dread and detest. There’s even a name for extreme cases – frigophobia, where sufferers believe sub-zero conditions could lead to death. But what if we were to turn the tables and embrace the very thing that scares us? “There’s nothing to be frightened of,” assures therapist Nina Medin at Sweden’s new highly-hyped, high-end design hotel Arctic Bath, as I slowly crunch through ice and slip into its centrepiece – a skin-prickling pool of 4°C river water. Clad with logs – like a doughnut sprinkled with hundreds and thousands – the property’s circular spa floats or freezes in Swedish Lapland’s Lule River – depending on the season. An architectural masterpiece which demands deep pockets, it’s destined to grace multiple Instagram feeds. But a commitment to its cultural context makes 2020’s most exciting hotel opening so far much more than a pretty face. Here is my not-so-chilling story…
COLD CAN BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH As synonymous as the sauna is with Finnish culture, taking a cold bath is at the core of Swedish wellbeing. The pair go together like ying and yang – diametrically opposed but also complementary in so many ways. Based on the teachings of 19th-century Bavarian priest Sebastian Kneipp, who cured his tuberculosis by taking regular river dips, there’s a theory that switching between hot and cold can boost your immune system. So, contrary to popular belief, the cold can be good for your health. The idea to create a hotel dedicated to this wellness tradition started with a dinner conversation ten years ago at the neighbouring Treehotel, an equally striking, fantastical project featuring cabins suspended between the pines. Bertil Harstrom, the architect responsible for the Treehotel’s outrageous Bird’s Nest (a tangle of twigs with beds), had ambitions to build a cold bath in an imaginative and innovative style. “He spent years searching for the right location,” says AnnKathrin Lundqvist, an interior designer and one of Arctic Bath’s co-founders. “Watching how the Lule River flowed and how the ice formed and melted.” DEVELOPING A SPA ADDICTION Sauna etiquette is second nature to Scandinavians, but for many of us
DRESS SENSE A couple wearing Arctic Bath sauna robes given to every guest
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
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ICE COLD IN THE ARCTIC BATH Taking a chilly dip can feel like ‘a million electrodes’ pulsing through your body
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in the room rate). Six-day cured trout rests on a bubbly pillow of celeriac purée and lingonberries glisten on a surprisingly tasty reindeer blood pancake. It may make some squeamish, but this is sustainability, typical of Sami culture, nothing goes to waste. MORE DELIGHTS TO DISCOVER A ten-minute walk away, Harads village has points of interest: A dusty museum filled with antique looms and rat traps; a church with an eyeball painted above the altar; and an Iranian pizzeria where reviews swing from dreadful to excellent. Learn about community quirks from local guide Thorbjorn Enberg,
it’s a mystery. A SaunaGus spa ritual is the perfect introduction. Moving between Arctic Bath’s wood pelletfuelled saunas, Nina throws essential oils mixed with water on to hot rocks and circulates the steam by swinging a towel above her head. I’m invited to breathe and meditate before heading outside to the cold bath, a circuit which becomes addictive after a couple of days. Starting with a tentative toe wriggle, I soon progress to full immersion, tilting my head back and gazing at the stars. Eventually, I even manage a short swim. The feeling? Like a million electrodes pulsing through my body; my mind cleared of all thoughts bar one. As Nina explains: “When your body kicks into survival mode, that’s when you really see results.” At present, the spa has only one treatment room (although there are plans to build a separate building in the
next few years), with a menu of facials and massages curated by eco and vegan Swedish skincare brand Kerstin Florian. SLEEPING WITH DREAMY DESIGNS From bespoke, pollutant-free, organic cotton swimsuits (every guest gets one; you can’t wear your own), to furnishings supplied by classic Swedish brands,
‘Rooms are divided between water and land – all with spinetingling views’ every design detail of the property has been finessed with meticulous care. There are 12 rooms divided between water and land – all with endlesslypleasing, spine-tingling views. On land, larger split-level cabins can
sleep up to five, with spiral staircases leading to a mezzanine. Warm honeytoned lighting and the use of natural materials are as comforting as a cuddle, while a sedum roof signifies a change in seasons with an array of budding flowers. Suited to two, the smaller water rooms also have year-round appeal – north-facing windows are perfect for aurora watching, while in summer guests are invited to swim or kayak from their private deck. DINING THE SUSTAINABLE WAY Sticking to locally-sourced food is a challenge this far north, especially in winter. But Kristoffer Astrom, who’s been lauded as Scandinavia’s only gourmet Sami chef, and his kitchen partner, Maarten De Wilde, have committed to using whatever Mother Nature gives them. Their creations are showcased in nightly five-course menus (included
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who’ll invite you into his home for Swedish fika (coffee). An hour’s drive away, Pite River’s Storforsen rapids tell the story of the region’s ‘timmerflottning’ industry, where logs were floated from forests to sawmills (history that inspired Arctic Bath’s design). A walkway hugs the raging water, and on frosty days the trees have crystal tips. But perhaps the most memorable activity on offer at Arctic Bath is a morning spent with Sami reindeer herder Anna Kuhmunen in Jokkmokk. After feeding her herd, we sit around a fire in her lavvu listening to folkloric tales and learning about the modern-day struggles of the original inhabitants of ‘Sapmiland’. LAP-HAND Herder Anna Kuhmunen feeding her reindeer
HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP • Rates at Arctic Bath start from 9,600 SEK/£774 per night, based on two sharing water accommodation on a half-board basis, including breakfast, a five-course set dinner, spa access, Arctic Bath spa robe and spa bathing suit or shorts, slippers and a spa ritual kit. Spa treatments start from 1,795 SEK/£145. arcticbath.se • For further information on Swedish Lapland, visit swedishlapland.com • For further information on Sweden, go to visitsweden.com
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Motors
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Motoring News
Wednesday February 12 | 2020
This week… n A quieter SUV n Mégane updates n A new cabriolet
Sound cancellation technology to reduce road noise intrusion HYUNDAI hopes to ‘increase driving pleasure’ by reducing sound from tyres and road surfaces through noise cancellation technology. The automotive giant has teamed up with audio experts at Harman International to launch the world’s first active noise cancellation system for a production vehicle. Much like sound-cancelling headphones that isolate the user from the outside world, the in-car technology creates waves that cancel out the unwanted sound waves before they reach vehicle occupants’ ears. Acceleration sensors fitted to the suspension and vehicle chassis can predict road noise and allow the software to cancel it out within
milliseconds, resulting in up to 50% less unwanted intrusion.
Distraction In its research for the product, Harman said drivers reported road noise to be the biggest auditory distraction while driving. However, modern consumer demands, such as good vehicle handling, high fuel efficiency, stiffer suspension and wider, lower-profile tyres, had resulted in increased noise intrusion from the road surface. Named Road-Noise Active Noise Control, the technology will make its debut on the Genesis GV80 SUV, which goes on sale in the USA this summer, and it is hoped it will come to the UK.
A FRESH APPROACH from Renault
Mégane update brings new plug-in hybrid powertrain RENAULT is hoping to take a chunk out of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf’s domination of the family hatchback market by giving the Mégane a mild refresh. Updates to the outside are minimal, but improved technology and a new hybrid powertrain are now offered.
Range
PEACE ON THE ROAD Hyundai plans to cut external driving noise
The powertrain is a petrol-electric unit that uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with two electric motors paired to an automatic gearbox that Renault claims can deliver ‘barely noticeable gear changes’. The hybrid’s battery capacity is 9.8kWh, providing an all-electric range
up to 40 miles at speeds up to 84mph. It will only be available on the Mégane estate at launch but will be added to the hatchback line-up at a later date. In the cabin there’s a new 9.3-inch multimedia screen and 10.2-inch dashboard screen, while an advanced cruise control system is now available. On the outside there are LED headlights to improve visibility at night as well as giving the car a stronger look. The sporty Renault Mégane RS hot hatch has also been updated, with the entry level engine being dropped. Instead, the 296bhp version of the 1.8-litre engine is included across the range and has more torque at 420Nm (up from 390).
Order books open for the T-Roc Cabriolet
VOLKSWAGEN has revealed pricing and specifications for its upcoming T-Roc Cabriolet, with order books now open. Pricing for the convertible crossover starts at £26,750 with two petrol engines to choose from, offering capacities of 1.0 and 1.5 litres. They are linked to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the latter can be optioned with a seven-speed automatic DSG gearbox.
Exclusive For that base price, the Design trim has 17-inch alloy wheels, an eight-inch infotainment display, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure assistance and ‘Front Assist’, to minimise the risk of collisions in emergency braking situations. Topping the range is the R-Line, priced from £31,920. This has 19-inch alloy wheels, Volkswagen’s Active Info Display digital instrument cluster, LED headlights, R-Line-specific body styling and a host of interior goodies. It also sits 20mm lower than the standard car. As well as the regular T-Roc’s colours, the Cabriolet gets two exclusive hues – Ivy Green and Smokey Grey Metallic. There is no word yet on when the first examples will arrive in the UK, but expect them to be here for summer.
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A B C D E F GH I J K L MNO P QR S T U VWX Y Z 13 12
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To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
15
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7 3
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3 4 9 4 5 7 8 3 3 2 8 4 7 1 9 8 9 8 6 4 1 9 5 3 8 7 1
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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.
Codeword:
7
© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.
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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★✩✩
2
6
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6 © 2016 Syndicated Puzzles
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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU
DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★★
CLASSIFIEDS
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Puzzles
In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply. Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.
Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue
I S L AM I R E O O F F E R N E A S E V I L L R J E E R E D A V C H I M E K N R S E D A T E O E O N I X O N
C A E G Y W L P L A T E H R A E D I N E R E DWA C M E MB R A A R Z S U S I E N N S H O T G
C E L N G I U N
Sudoku:
8 4 3 7 2 5 9 6 1
2 7 9 1 3 6 4 5 8
1 5 6 8 9 4 7 2 3
3 2 4 9 6 7 1 8 5
9 1 8 2 5 3 6 4 7
7 6 5 4 8 1 3 9 2
5 9 1 3 4 8 2 7 6
3 1 2 6 9 8 4 5 7
8 7 4 3 5 2 9 6 1
9 2 7 1 8 5 6 4 3
4 8 7 6 1 2 5 3 9
6 3 2 5 7 9 8 1 4
Jigsaw Sudoku:
1 9 8 2 6 4 7 3 5
7 5 3 4 2 6 1 8 9
6 4 5 7 3 1 2 9 8
5 6 9 8 1 7 3 2 4
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Wednesday February 12 | 2020
1500 runners line up for Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon ATHLETICS: AROUND 1500 runners are set to take part in the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon on Sunday (February 16) from 9am. The race, organised by local athletics club Tunbridge Wells Harriers, is raising money for three local charities: Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre, the Tonbridge homeless charity The
Bridge Trust and The Counselling Centre in Tunbridge Wells. Over the last 10 years the race has also donated £200,000 to charity and worthy local causes, passing on all of the race surplus. Now in its 37th year, the 13.1-mile circular route starts and finishes at the Tunbridge Wells Sports
Centre and goes through the villages of Southborough, Bidborough, Penshurst, Fordcombe and Langton Green. It is well known for its views of the Kent countryside - and also for the challenging route, notably the 300-foot ascent of Spring Hill into Fordcombe. In last year’s Let’s Do This Challenge Awards,
the event was voted the fifth best half marathon in the south of England. Entry for the race costs £28 and includes a technical fabric long running T-shirt, a bespoke medal, accurate chip timing and secure baggage facilities. For more information visit twharriers.org.uk
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RACE 1983: A field of just 53 runners started the first ever Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon on January 23. 1984: The field swelled to over 500, and when the Harriers saw the race would make a healthy profit each year the club decided to donate all profits to local charities. More than £250,000 has been handed out. 1999: A classic race dual saw Barry Royden of Dartford beating Benson Masya from Kenya, who had won The Great North Run a record four times and won the inaugural IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 1992. The outcome was decided on the notorious climb up Spring
WHITE OUT Heavy snow saw the 2005 race cancelled
Hill into Fordcombe. Royden’s time of 1hr 5min 33sec was the fastest Half Marathon time of the year in the UK, and remained unchallenged in Tunbridge Wells until 2012. 2005: The only time the race has been cancelled, was after heavy snowfalls made the course unsafe. 2009: A record number of entries, 2,500. 2012: Ethiopian Yared Hagos set a new men’s course record of 1:04.15, which stands to this day; and Helen Davies (nee Decker) set a new women’s record, beating Olympian Liz Yelling’s previous best with a time of 1:12.41.
Redruth 14 Tonbridge Juddians 3 RUGBY: TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS lost their lead in National Two South after failing to breakdown a resolute Redruth squad who got in front early and stayed there. Taunton Titans took over at the top by a point after winning at Clifton, while Henley Hawks are now level on points with TJs in third place following their victory at Old Albanians. A penalty was all the visitors had to show for their long trip to the fourth-placed Cornish side, who put in a powerful defensive shift that TJs never looked like breaking down. The visitors played into a stiff wind in the first half, which meant the ball had to stay in hand. They made good forays down the right but the hosts were able to hold them off. The ball was frequently turned over by TJs and Redruth were able to clear as far as the Tonbridge 22. From a series of penalties and lineout drives Redruth manufactured phases to allow centre Connor Gilbert to dance over, fly-half Fraser Honey adding the extras after 13 minutes. TJs got on the scoreboard after half an hour
with Robinson’s penalty to make it 7-3. Redruth had won a penalty but a bout of handbags saw it reversed. Tonbridge would have been content with the 7-3 scoreline as they went in at half-time looking forward to having the strong wind at their backs for the second half. But despite pinning Redruth into their own half with some good interchanges and touchfinding penalties they could not make it count. A Robinson penalty was blown wide and Rob White managed a break down the wing but that was as close as TJs could get to the Redruth line. On 62 minutes TJs’ Jimmy Green was yellowcarded for pulling a Redruth maul down and from the penalty lineout drive Redruth’s maul went down again. The referee awarded a penalty try and sent Ryan Jackson to the sin-bin as well, leaving TJs down to 13 men within the space of two minutes. On 70 minutes Robinson missed another tricky penalty and from then on he aimed at touch in an effort to claw something back, but the hosts were in no mood to give up their lead. Tonbridge now take on Old Albanians at The Slade on Saturday (February 15, kick-off 2.30pm).
PHOTO: Adam Hookway
TJs struggle to make impact and lose lead
WILL POWER TJs’ Colderick launches an attack
Hat-trick for Allberry as Wells men return to form against bottom club Tunbridge Wells Men 5 West Hampstead 1
RED THREAT Wells pile on the pressure
PHOTO: Francis Bridgeman
By Francis Bridgeman HOCKEY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS knew they needed a positive result against bottom-of-the-table West Hampstead to move out of the lower reaches of South Premier League Division One. Both sides were cagey in the opening exchanges at Kent College but Wells slowly began to assert themselves while James Harris in the Wells goal palmed away a fierce strike. From their second penalty corner midway through the half, Wells took the lead as Tom Butt skilfully diverted James Beck’s strike into the roof of the net. Less than a minute later David Judge picked his opponent’s pocket before the ball was worked through Butt and Matt Wilson. It reached Ben Allberry, whose initial shot crashed into the post but he was quickest to the ball to fire home the rebound. In the second half Wells took the game away
from the visitors as Beck and Allberry scored from penalty corners. Then Allberry reached his hat-trick with a crisp first-time strike into the corner of the net from the top of the circle.
Reminder Harris only had one save to make throughout the half, showing the effectiveness of the Wells’ defence. However, a lapse in concentration allowed West Hampstead to score a consolation before the end with the slightest touch on a crash ball into the D. After letting points slip in the closing stages of recent games it was a reminder of the importance of staying focused right to the final whistle. Wells now travel to mid-table Wycombe at Bisham Abbey on Saturday (February 15, 2.30pm start). Tunbridge Wells Ladies drew 2-2 at Ashford and slipped to fifth place, five points behind second placed Kings Alleyns who they play on Saturday at Hawkenbury (1pm start).
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Midfield maestro Theobalds moves to Polish top flight in full-time deal FOOTBALL: TALENTED Tonbridge Angels midfielder D’Sean Theobalds has left Longmead to join Polish premier league club Korona Kielce on a full-time contract. The 25-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year deal after completing a trial and medical and attending the team’s summer training camp in Turkey. Theobalds joined the Angels from Leatherhead in December 2018 and made 52 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals. He provided a creative force in central midfield as Tonbridge gained promotion to National League South last season. And he will be long remembered for his stunning goal to equalise in the 86th minute of the Super Playoff final against Metropolitan Police, which led to victory in extra time. Angels manager Steve McKimm said: “‘D’ was absolutely terrific for me, a manager’s dream. He arrived at Longmead when things were at something of a low ebb, particularly for me personally. “He became a genuine leader on the pitch through his performances, putting new life into our promotion project. “He made no secret of the fact that he felt he could at some stage play full-time football and I’m delighted that he has now been given his chance with Korona Kielce. “He goes with all our thanks and very best wishes for the future.” Meanwhile Christ Tiehi has signed a deal with the Angels that keeps him at the club until the end of this season. The French-born midfielder joined the Angels in October from National League club Woking and will help to make up for the loss of Theobalds. McKimm said: “I’m delighted that ‘Christie’ has decided to stay with us at least until the end of this season. He is more than filling the gap created by D’Sean’s departure.
“I believe he will play a significant role in the Angels’ league campaign as we aim to consolidate our position in our first season back in National South.” A youth product of French second division side Le Havre from 2009, he made his first-team debut for them in last season’s French League Cup. He is an Ivory Coast youth international and played at the 2017 Toulon Tournament, reaching the final in which his team lost on penalties to England. He also scored against Wales in the group stage. Tiehi comes from a footballing family. His father, former Ivorian international striker Joel, played for Toulouse and Lens, and his younger brother Jean-Pierre is in the youth team at Fulham. The Angels are due to return to league action at home to Hungerford Town on Saturday (February 15, kick-off 3pm). However, Longmead has been consistently waterlogged because the heavy rainfall with only one first-team game played there in the last two months.
POLES APART D’Sean Theobalds signs for his new club Kielce
Angels to start girls’ academy FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS are launching a girls’ academy in September following the successful launch of the boys’ section at the start of last season. The club is inviting girls in years 11 and 12 to take part. They will be able to continue their studies at Hugh Christie School while at the same time developing footballing skills under the guidance of fully qualified coaches. Open trials will be held on February 19-20 at Hugh Christie in White Cottage Road (TN10 4PU) from 10am to 1pm. Email academy@
tonbridgeangels.co.uk to confirm attendance. The Angels formed a Ladies team in 2015 which competed successfully in the South East Counties Women’s Football League. They finished second in Division One East in 2017-18 , also reached two cup semi-finals and played matches at Longmead stadium for the first time. They took home their first piece of silverware in the summer of 2018 after winning the Bexhill United Ladies Tournament, featured 17 teams; the team disbanded last year.
Veterans end cross-country season in style ATHLETICS: TUNBRIDGE WELLS Harriers’ veteran men claimed podium places across three categories in the season’s standings after the final round of the Kent Cross Country League at Norman Park in Bromley. Andy Howey took the M55 title, Ian Bracken was runner-up in the men’s over-75s section for 5k and Nick Pierce picked up third place in the over-60s. The men’s senior race over 10k saw Howey leading the Harrier contingent home in 45th place and first M55, which clinched him the overall victory. Mike King (63rd), James Sarre (68th) and Richard Carter (72nd) grouped well together, to give the Harriers seventh place in the four-to score team race, while in the 12-to-score team event the Harriers finished fourth for the season. In the women’s race, Cathy Gill was first Harrier with another fine run to finish in 17th place, with Jillian Holford following in 30th and Clare Andrew the third scorer.
The team finished sixth from 21 clubs over the season, with Carol Tsang placing fourth in the final over-40 rankings and Holford coming fifth in the over-45s.
STRONG FINISH Cathy Gill crossed the line in the top 20
63 UP FRONT New signing Jack Harris
PHOTO: Jamie Poole
By Jim Rowe
Life&Times
Rusthall go top after fast start Lewisham Borough 0 Rusthall 3 By Rich Smith FOOTBALL: RUSTHALL rose to the top of the table in the Southern Counties East League Division One after scoring three goals in the first 20 minutes at Lewisham. League leaders Kennington were toppled by the Rustics after being held to a 1-1 draw by title favorites Holmesdale. Leading scorer Luke Adams returned from injury and Robbie Bissett was back from suspension in the heart of the defence. It was Bissett who opened the scoring after six minutes with a glancing header from Rusthall’s third corner, expertly delivered by Tommy Lawrence. After ten minutes the visitors had doubled their tally. Good work by Steve Comacho on the left saw Charlie Clover race forward and his scuffed shot found its way into the net. The third goal came from another corner from
the left by Lawrence, central defender Ryan Styles running in at the far post to direct a bullet header past the keeper. The second half saw Rusthall happy to keep Lewisham at bay, though the home side did go close on 71 minutes, keeper Billy Johnson making a fine one-handed save. Manager Jimmy Anderson also secured the signing of Jack Harris and the former Tunbridge Wells, Hastings United, Maidstone United and Glebe striker will go straight into the squad. Anderson is also in talks with two other players ahead of the promotion run-in as the Rustics look to return to the Premier Division at the first attempt. Another top of the table clash had to be abandoned at Rochester United when an Elmstead defender suffered a dislocated ankle with Rochester leading 2-0. Rusthall now face a crucial away game at fourth-placed Holmesdale, who have three games in hand on the sides around them, on Saturday (February 15, kick-off 3pm).