Times of Tunbridge Wells 15th August 2018

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

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Police shoot bull after a farmer is ‘trampled’ to death feeding his cattle

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Legal challenge to £90m theatre development is rejected in court

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INSIDE GOING OFF THE RAILS Passengers to pay almost £5k in fares from January Page 2

By Duncan Audsley AN inquest is to be held into the death of a Groombridge farmer believed to have been trampled to death by his own Aberdeen Angus cattle.

The body of Stephen Sandys, 64, of Pinstraw Farm in Eridge Road, was found on Friday night [August 10] in a field holding the herd. He had failed to return from feeding them.

A nine-year-old bull raised on the farm that was reportedly ‘stamping and snorting’ was shot dead by police.

FESTIVAL FEVER

Tunbridge Wells gets ready for second Pride weekend Page 3

Uncommon Mr Sandys’ wife Christine called police at 10.30pm.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “The death is not being treated as suspicious. It is believed he may have been trampled to death.”

An inquest date is yet to be announced.

Neighbour Brett Walker said the farmer had taken over the land after the death of his father. He told reporters: “He was a super guy, and never had a bad word to say about anybody.”

Frank Langrish, from the National Farmers’ Union, said: “While this isn’t an uncommon occurrence it’s unusual, especially for a farmer to be killed in this situation.

“Cattle can be unpredictable but this breed of cattle are normally quite docile and easy to handle.”

A spokesman from Withyam Parish Council said: “We were dismayed to learn of this tragedy.

Our thoughts are with his family.”

By William Mata and Adam Hignett will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk A LAST-ditch attempt to prevent the Calverley Square project from going ahead has fallen at the first hurdle, potentially costing thousands of pounds in legal fees.

Former Conservative councillor Brian Ransley, sought to bring down the £90million scheme through a Judicial Review. He has close connections with the Tunbridge Wells Alliance political party which was established primarily to oppose the project.

It is believed the failed legal action could cost Mr Ransley around £5,000.

Planning permission for the project, which will see a theatre and council offices on land next to Calverley Grounds, has already been granted by the council, despite 150 objections to the development being lodged during a public consultation.

Several attempts to block its progress

have been made, and a Judicial Review was seen as one of the only viable options remaining.

It is a convoluted and expensive legal instrument where a claimant seeks to prove the process behind making a planning decision was unlawful, rather than the decision itself.

All 48 borough councillors had been

The court considered the challenge ‘to be totally without merit’ named as defendants in the case.

However, the Times can disclose that the High Court has rejected the basis for a review.

This leaves Mr Ransley, who sought the review ‘in his own name’, liable for the legal costs incurred.

The Times understands the Alliance will not offer financial assistance to Mr Ransley.

A spokesman from the borough council told the Times this week: “The application for permission to apply for Judicial Review, filed by Brian Ransley in relation to the Calverley Square project, was refused by the High Court on 2 August.

“The court order confirms that the Judicial Review claim is considered to be totally without merit. Costs have been awarded against Mr Ransley.

“The council welcomes the decision of the court and will seek to recover our costs.”

Mr Ransley told the Times he did not wish to comment.

Alliance Cllr Nick Pope, who has played a leading role in opposing the scheme, said: “We have been exploring other avenues [for how to stop the civic complex being built].

“There are more hurdles to come and they may prove larger hurdles than the council expected.”

Continued on Page 2

THE FAME GAME

Top West End musical and its stars come to town Page 46

FANCY A BREW?

We meet craft microbrewers Pig & Porter Page 52

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Former councillor’s ambition Continued from Page 1

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Brokenshire promise fails to convince homeless charities

By William Mata and Holly Stafford

Construction is set to begin on the project in October next year with completion set for early 2022. The borough council has appointed Mace as its lead contractor to deliver the project.

Brian Ransley has been a key political player in Tunbridge Wells for more than a decade.

In his profession he worked as a transport engineer and has been surveying schools and hospitals. He has also worked as an inspector at Transport for London.

Elections As a Conservative councillor, Mr Ransley represented Capel ward from 2008 to 2012, when he lost his seat.

At the same election Bob Atwood, then Leader of the Conservative-run council, lost his seat to UKIP’s Piers Wauchope.

Since then Mr Ransley has left the Tories, joined the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, and stood for Paddock Wood West ward in May’s local elections.

In this he won 143 votes, for a 15 per cent share, as the seat was won by Conservative Elizabeth Thomas. His Alliance manifesto read: “He will seek to ensure that adequate infrastructure to prevent flooding anywhere in Paddock Wood is provided before any more houses are built.”

REJECTION Brian Ransley has connections to the Tunbridge Wells Alliance CONTACTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 DEPUTY EDITOR EILEEN LEAHY eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 CHIEF REPORTER WILLIAM MATA will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 240626 DESIGN/PRODUCTION LEE SMITH lsmith8@markerstudy.com SALES ENQUIRIES GHak@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 779650 FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timeslocalnews timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timeslocalnews

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NO HOME HERE Rough sleeping has risen in Kent

LOCAL charities are unconvinced a £100million government scheme can eradicate homelessness in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.

Kent-wide charity Porchlight said 834 people slept rough for at least one night in the county last year, which is up from 707 in 2016-17.

Five years ago the number was 148, which shows the growth of the problem.

This week the government launched the national £100 million scheme with the aim to eradicate homelessness by 2027.

Secretary of State for Housing and Communities James Brokenshire, later admitted the £100million being invested is simply reallocation of money already within the Department’s budget and is not a new figure.

‘Homelessness is a complex, multi-agency issue, addressing it requires joined up thinking and joined up action’ Mr Brokenshire said: “Half of that has already been committed to homelessness and rough sleeping, the other remaining half of this is money that’s new to rough sleeping and homelessness, reflecting and recognising the priorities and importance of taxes.”

A spokesman for Tunbridge Wells’ Labour Party said: “Homelessness is a complex, multi-agency issue, addressing it requires joined up thinking and joined up action.

“In Tunbridge Wells, there is a reliance on voluntary agencies to do what they can with little support, little funding, with no management or leadership from the council or the government.”

Tonbridge-based charity, The Bridge Trust is one of many organisations who have faced fund-

VIEW FROM THE TOWN HALL IT is the job of Cllr Lynne Weatherly, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Wellbeing, to oversee homeless provision for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Here is what she told the Times: “We also want to end rough sleeping in our borough and welcome the Government’s new initiative to eliminate homelessness by 2027.

“We were recently successful in our bid for a share of the Rough Sleeper Initiative Funding provided by the Government, and are putting in place a number of additional initiatives to help rough sleepers using this money.

“Part of this help will involve private rented tenancies for rough sleepers, with full support for the rough sleeper and the landlord provided.

“We continue to work with a number of local agencies to support rough sleepers.”

New prices mean commuters will pay nearly £5,000 a year

By Holly Stafford

but it is still disgraceful.

“The fares are going up more than wages are going up, so a lot of commuters will end up being worst off.

“There will become a time when these people won’t be able to afford trains, forcing more people onto roads which will cause more congestion and pollution.”

This year’s fares saw an inflation of 3.6 percent which is the biggest increase in five years, in regards to this increase, Mr Reynolds said: “Trains have been more frequent, but we should of have had that in the first place.”

When approached by the Times, Southeastern said they had no comment.

RAIL passengers could pay almost £5,000 in fares from January with annual season ticket prices set to rise 3.5 per cent.

After a summer of cancellations and timetable chaos, passengers are braced for more bad news when the increased figure is released today [Wednesday].

The price is set to rise alongside inflation. The Times has calculated it will cost £4,806.54 for an annual season ticket from Tunbridge Wells [up from £4,644 this year] and £4,380.12 from Tonbridge [£4,232.00].

These figures keep the towns among the UK’s most expensive places for PAY STATION Rail fares have risen commuters to London.

For passengers who drive to the for commuters station, the announcement means that the combined ticket and parking fares will likely top £6,000.

Currently it costs £1,124.60 a year to park outside Tunbridge Wells station and £1,276 at Tonbridge. It has not been revealed how much car parking tickets will cost for 2019.

Southeastern, the franchise holder for the line, has faced calls to provide greater value for money.

John Reynolds, Chairman of Tonbridge Line Commuters said: “This rise was probably expected

ing problems, with one-off cut of £7,000 and lack of funding from Kent County Council.

John Handley, Chief Executive of Tonbridgebased charity, The Bridge Trust said: “I would say that the smaller charities have a smaller part to play to help solve the homelessness problem.

“Kent County Council is going through a retendering of all homelessness charities and have announced that they are going to just give to large charities, which will affect us greatly.

“Of course, any funding from the government is welcome, however we need to tackle all aspects.

“The government need to make sure getting homeless people the mental support as well financial help.”

Mike Barrett, Chief Executive of Porchlight, said: “This is welcome news, but if the government is serious about ending rough sleeping then this has to be the first step towards solving the problem.

“Homelessness can only be ended through continued investment.”

HOW MUCH COULD YOU PAY? Here are the fares for a season ticket, we are most likely to see for 2019 from each local destination to London terminals, permitted on any route. Potential increases from local stations to London: CURRENT FARE (2018)

POTENTIAL NEW PRICES (2019)

Tunbridge Wells £4,644.00 [+£160]

£4,806.54

Tonbridge £4,232.00 [+£148.12]

£4,380.12

Hildenborough £4,000.00 [+£140]

£4,140.00

High Brooms £4,536.00 [£158.76]

£4,694.76

At the beginning of the year commuters saw Southeastern raise prices at their car parks by almost 10 per cent. With the additional looming costs for rail travel, this would see those parking at local stations paying almost £6,000 for their annual travel into London; PARKING PRICE

PARKING + 2019 FARES

Tunbridge Wells £1,124.60

£5,931.14

Tonbridge £1,276

£5,656.12

Hildenborough £1,126.70

£5,266.70

High Brooms £940.80

£5,635.56

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

NEWS IN BRIEF

Jean’s Kitchen closes

RESTAURANT and function venue Jean’s Kitchen & Wine Bar has closed after 19 months due to staffing issues and a downturn in trade.

Owner Garry Jeffery said: “I am really disappointed that this business named after my lovely mum who passed away has not worked.”

Mr Jeffery is co-organiser of the Crazy Jean’s soapbox race, which is set to return next year.

Southborough update

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By William Mata will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

New £30,000 truck to tackle complaints about overflowing

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk THE councils of Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge will spend £30,000 between them to hire an extra truck to empty bottle banks over the next year.

The expenditure has become necessary because of the ‘growing unreliability’ of the two recycling vehicles they currently use.

The councils have already introduced more glass and tin collections at weekends and hired another truck from the contractor Veolia.

But it has not always been available for use, prompting the authorities to look for another

INFRASTRUCTURE works overseen by Baxall have started on the Southbough hub site, alongside a levelling of the playing fields.

Crest Nicholson who are delivering the housing, have also started to install the road and utilities for the hub development.

This will be followed by the main car parking areas and the open public spaces.

The two projects will seek to finish roughly in tandem with each other in mid-2020.

Forget-me-not Cafés COMPANIONSHIP over a cuppa is on offer for those with dementia and memory issues at the next Forget-me-not Café in St John’s Church Hildenborough.

The free group meets every second Wednesday and will relaunch after a summer break on Wednesday, September 12. To find out more call 01732 759854.

NEWS

Marchers put Pride back into town with second celebration

LOADING BAY The £30,000 lorry

Rumoured sale of old cinema site is denied DEVELOPER Altitude has addressed online rumours about the future of the former cinema site.

The firm is looking to transform the derelict land on Mount Pleasant into The Belvedere, which will see 99 homes and a boutique cinema built.

After years of waiting for work to begin on the site, the construction is set to begin next summer. But rumours on social media suggested this might not be happening with a sale imminent.

Liberal Democrat campaigner Alan Bullion wrote on Facebook: “I hear the old cinema site in Tunbridge Wells is on the market yet again.”

In response, Altitude Director Stephen Tillman said: “No, the cinema site has not been sold.” He also confirmed the site was ‘not up for sale’.

Local News

CUP RUNNETH OVER Recycling sites cannot cope with demand

solution as the bins regularly overflowed.

They also considered increasing the number of bottle banks at around 100 sites across the two boroughs but did not proceed with that strategy.

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council has received ‘a growing number of complaints from residents, parish councils and members who quite rightly expect the recycling sites to be emptied to meet demand’.

Commitment Robert Styles, Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, added: “It is worthy of note that demand for the sites continues to grow, reflecting the public’s growing commitment to recycling.

“If temporary arrangements to service the recycling sites are not progressed, the level of service will continue to suffer.”

The lorries, which are owned jointly by the councils, were bought in 2008 and 2009, and were supposed to run for eight years – with provision made in the budget to replace them after that.

But in 2015 Tonbridge agreed that due to its poor financial position the trucks should be kept in operation until the end of the existing waste services contract next February.

A firm in East London, Lucy & Martin Recycling Company, will now collaborate with Veolia to carry out collections.

A spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: “We have been experiencing issues with our bring-bank collection vehicles.

“Due to this, we are putting a short-term contract in place to supplement the existing service.

“The additional collections from the bringbanks will start at the beginning of September.”

ANOTHER colourful display of solidarity is expected to mark the second Tunbridge Wells Pride event this Saturday [August 18].

Events to celebrate the town’s LGBTQ community will kick off with a march from the clock tower at Fiveways at 11.30am.

Hundreds are expected to join the parade as it makes its way down to The Forum, where an afternoon of entertainment has been lined up.

Jazz Alexander is organising this second event, which last year proved a huge success.

She said: “We like to think more people will come this year. We have more volunteers and we aim for it to be bigger and better. I’m very excited.”

Performances Musicians including Miss Luna Lestrange, DJ Kelly-Lee and DJ Phat Baz are on the bill to perform at Pride in the grounds of The Forum.

This will be followed from 7pm with more performers taking to The Forum’s inside stage, which will be transformed to look like the set singer Pink created for her Truth About Love tour.

Jazz added: “Everyone is welcome no matter your age, identity or orientation.

“Bring along the whole family for a fun filled day with music, dancing, colour, performances and campery.”

To find out more details, search Tunbridge Wells Pride 2018 on Facebook.

RAINBOW STYLING Tunbridge Wells Pride in 2017

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Calverley unlikely setting for the launch of new planning initiative

By William Mata

than 30 per cent of their annual income. The government will also create an independent organisation to use £55million from dormant bank accounts.

Calverley Grounds has recently been at the centre of planning discussions with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s £90million civic complex set and theatre set to be built on land next to it.

Potential

will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk A MAJOR government policy that looks to put residents ‘at the centre of local decision making’ has been launched in Tunbridge Wells… in Calverley Grounds.

Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, spoke at Calverley Grounds last week to promote the Government’s first Civil Society Strategy in 15 years.

This hopes to give residents a ‘direct say’ in major planning decisions.

The Times understand that those who arranged the visit were unware of the controversial backdrop to Calverley Grounds, the planned site of the £90million theatre and council office complex.

Cllr Nick Pope, who helped launch the Tunbridge Wells Alliance political party to oppose the development, said: “How ironic was it that Ms Crouch chose to launch a new central government initiative giving communities more power in big local decisions in Calverley Grounds.

“Was Tracey Crouch not informed that the park is at the centre of a local challenge of the Conservative led Tunbridge Wells Borough Council against their plans to spend more than £90 mil-

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

DIRECT SAY Tracey Crouch is also MP for Chatham & Aylesford

lion on an unwanted Civic Centre?

“Will the government’s new initiative really give more power to communities in important local decisions, or will we continue to be ignored?”

It has not been stated how exactly the Government’s strategy will work as it is used to ‘trial

creative ways’ for people to take a greater role.

This could include citizens’ juries or mass participation in decision-making on community issues via an online poll or app.

It will be funded by taking £20million from inactive charitable trusts, those which spend less

She said: “Civil society is the bedrock of our communities. It is made up of the volunteers, youth workers, charities and innovative businesses that work to improve lives and make areas better for all.

“Our strategy builds on this spirit of common good to help create a country that works for everyone. I want people, organisations and businesses to feel inspired to get involved and make a difference.

“Through collaboration, we will unlock the huge potential of this incredible sector, help it grow, support the next generation and create a fairer society.”

Speaking to ITV, Ms Crouch did not say why Calverley Grounds was chosen for the media announcement.

The announcement has come too late for opponents of the civic complex and theatre, for which planning permission has been granted.

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark said: “Our modern Industrial Strategy has set out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK, building a Britain which is fit for the future.”

Airport under fire following noise report

By Adam Hignett GATWICK AIRPORT still has a ‘long way to go’ if it is to meet the targets it set itself two years ago to reduce aircraft noise over Tunbridge Wells, a new report claims.

Out of the four objectives Gatwick set itself in the 2016 Action Plan, it has only managed to make sufficient progress on one, the review found.

Aircraft noise has remained a contentious issue since the airport decided to extend its flightpaths eastwards over much of West Kent three years previously.

Published by Langton Green-based campaigner Edward Crutchley last week, the second annual review of the airport’s progress highlighted the ‘almost total elimination’ of noise from the notoriously whiney Airbus A320 as the only positive achievement.

Gatwick’s own figures reveal the number of unmodified Airbus A320’s had been cut down by 97 per by the start of 2018, helping to reduce noise levels by nine decibel (db) per aircraft.

But the report said a pledge to increase the angle of decent for landing aircraft, and thus lessen the amount of land they cover at low altitude, has not been implemented.

Inital moves to concentrate aircraft convergence zones nearer the airport have been reversed and little has been done to reduce the number of ‘spill over’ night flights resulting from day-time flights being delayed.

Night Gatwick has stated its intention to begin a Reduced Night Noise Trial in January for six months. The trial will be used to assess various noise reducing techniques and initiatives.

Commenting on his findings Mr Crutchley, who was formerly associated with Tunbridge Wells Anti Aircraft Noise Group said: “Gatwick Airport still has a long way to go in fulfilling its promises to reduce aircraft noise over Tunbridge Wells.

“Despite all the work of the campaign groups, little progress has been achieved over the last year.

“By international standards, aircraft altitudes in the area are much lower than they should be. The skies above the town and surrounding villages remain as busy at midnight as during the day, as no progress had been in reducing the large number of late arrivals that should have landed earlier.

“We must continue to hold the airport to account.”

Andy Sinclair, Head of Airspace Strategy and Engagement, Gatwick Airport, said: “We recognise that noise from aircraft has an impact on local communities. The aim is to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce both noise and the impacts of noise. Reducing night noise in particular has been a priority of the Noise Management Board for more than a year.

“As the report states, the A320 modification has reduced noise for local communities and was referenced in a recent CAA Report. Through collaborative working, Gatwick Airport has one of the highest Continuous Descent Operations achievement rates in the UK, however we acknowledge there remains more to do.”

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Fake detective attempts to defraud 93-year-old woman with phone call A 93-YEAR-OLD woman in Tunbridge Wells alerted police about an attempt to defraud her after she was contacted by a man claiming to be a detective from a ‘London Police Station’.

The caller told her someone was trying to take thousands of pounds from her bank account and then instructed her to call him back.

Kent Police said it was an attempt ‘to try and confuse an elderly woman into providing details of her bank account’.

No money was stolen and a community support officer visited the pensioner to provide advice and reassurance.

Elderly Sergeant Ross Shearing said: “Unfortunately those who are targeted are often the most vulnerable, such as elderly people or victims with learning difficulties.

“A police force will never ask a member of the public for their bank details, or money, over the phone.

“If you receive one of these calls, end it immediately and wait at least five minutes before using your telephone in order to clear your line from the scammer.”

Sergeant Ross said they should then contact 101, or 999 in an emergency, and a call handler will be able to verify whether your caller was genuine He added that the public should never hand over money, or other items, to a courier after receiving this type of call.

“If you are not confident a person claiming to be a police officer is genuine, ask to take their details and then end the call.”

Alternatively, the public can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, report suspicious activity online at www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Local News

NEWS

5

Reluctant councillors give go-ahead for demolition of a multi-storey car park

By Adam Hignett A PLANNING application which played a part in the resignation of a prominent councillor from the deciding committee passed on a knife edge vote last week.

The move to approve the Garden Street development saw the project pass six votes to five. It will mean 18 flats with one parking space being built over four levels on the site of a small, privately owned multi-storey.

Several residents were in attendance at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday [August 8] with the public voicing their concerns.

Issues raised included the aesthetic of the plan, stating it was ‘not in keeping’ with the surrounding area, and the lack of car parking.

In addition, a representative of the Right Tuition Company, which provides additional out of school education and is based on 3 Calverley Street, raised health and safety issues.

Awful She said two of their three fire exits will be blocked by the new development and the large vehicles required during the development staged posed a risk to pupils.

Several councillors also questioned the wisdom of letting the development go ahead.

Cllr James Scholes and some other council members queried the impact of local commerce if the car park was demolished, resulting in the loss of 106 spaces, while Cllr Carol Mackonochie said the additional waste produced by the new flats could put extra strain on the sewage system.

“Reading through the report I do not see Southern Water being very happy with this and it could increase the risk of flooding,” she said.

Cllr David Elliot described the proposed design as ‘absolutely awful’, adding “I cannot support it I am afraid.”

It was also admitted by planning officers that extra cars on near-by Calverley Street could make it too narrow for emergency vehicles to access.

Cllr Godfrey Bland sympathised with residents’ view on the aesthetic of the proposal, stating: “To say it is an improvement on the car park is setting the bar pretty low. To say it is necessary to ‘camouflage’ the new building with replacement trees speaks volumes.”

However, he highlighted the predicament which partially led Cllr David Neve to resign on

the eve of the vote, by adding: “The design, although grotesquely awful, is not a factor in planning. I stand to be corrected, but while I don’t like it, I may have to lump it.”

Cllr Neve handed in his notice on a number of grounds, among them his belief that councillors are too restricted on what they are allowed to vote for.

Committee Vice-Chairman Lawrence Heasman, said that whilst a previous application to build on the site did have enough issues to warrant a rejection, the current proposal did not.

“In essence the problem we have got, in strict planning terms, is we do not have, at least I do not think we have, a good reason to turn it down.”

GOOD TO GO The private car park as it stands

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NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Fears for park fish due to heat and low water A CRACKED valve has so depleted the water levels in Marnock Lake there are fears the fish stock may have been wiped out.

Situated in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, Tunbridge Wells, the lake is home to native species which have been left without oxygen due to the low level of water.

Their plight has been made worse by the recent heatwave.

It is hoped that some fish eggs may have survived to ensure the pond is repopulated when the valve is fixed and water levels rise.

Southborough works INFRASTRUCTURE works overseen by Baxall have started on the Southborough hub site, alongside a levelling of the playing fields.

Crest Nicholson, who are delivering housing near to the site, having also started to install the road and utilities for the hub development.

This will shortly be followed by the main car parking areas and open public spaces.

The two projects will seek to finish roughly in tandem with each other in mid-2020.

Special PC charged A VOLUNTEER police officer is set to appear in court after being charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.

Richard Fagg, previously from the Tonbridge area, will appear before Maidstone Magistrates Court on September 5.

The 34 year old, who is a special constable, was charged with the offence on August 8.

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Every patient will be able to book an out-of-hours appointment with a GP THE majority of doctors’ surgeries in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge are set to arrange more appointments outside of working hours.

The West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group [CCG] has published a list of local GP practices which already cover extended hours.

Pre-book And the CCG has committed to offering 100 per cent of people in the region the opportunity to pre-book out of hours appointments by October 1 this year.

This is in line with a government recommendation, and applies to pre-booked appointments only.

Urgent appointments can still be made by telephoning a GP’s surgery

or the NHS’s 111 phone service.

Ian Ayres, Managing Director of Medway, North and West Kent clinical commissioning groups, said: “Currently more than 90 per cent of people in West Kent can pre-book a GP appointment outside normal working hours.

“We are pleased to say that from October 2018, that number will go up to 100 per cent.”

However, he explained that such appointments will not necessarily be provided at patients’ usual practice, ‘but will be in their local area’.

He added that they will be available until 8pm Monday to Friday, with weekend slots, too.

He said usual doctors’ practice opening hours are from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

Extended hours now available…

Tonbridge Practices

Extended Hours currently covered

Hadlow Medical Centre

None

Hildenborough Medical Group

Monday evenings & Saturday mornings

Tonbridge Medical Group

Tuesday evenings & Saturday mornings

Warders Medical Centre

Monday, Tuesday & Thursday evenings

Woodlands Health Centre

Monday & Friday evenings

Tunbridge Wells Practices

Extended Hours currently covered

Abbey Court Medical Centre

Monday evenings

Clanricarde Medical Centre

Tuesday & Thursday mornings, Wednesday & Thursday evenings

Grosvenor & St James

Tuesday evenings

Kingswood Surgery

Monday & Wednesday mornings, one Saturday morning per month

Lonsdale Medical Centre

Wednesday & Thursday evenings

Rusthall Medical Centre

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday mornings

Speldhurst & Greggswood

None

St Andrews Medical Centre

Saturday mornings

Waterfield House Practice

Monday evenings

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BUSINESS

Local Business News

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Cooking up a pancake plan

By Adam Hignett

DELANEY’S DREAM IS NO FLASH IN THE PAN New restaurateurs Rosie Holley and Edward Delaney

CAMDEN ROAD is set to welcome a new addition to its culinary scene following the closure of the Sankey’s Bistro, the Times can reveal.

Delaney’s will be taking over the vacant premises with plans to open in the next six weeks.

Its offer… pancakes.

The venture is the brainchild of Rosie Holley and her fiancé Edward Delaney, who have invested their own money into what will be their first business.

“The idea of setting up our own business has been in the back of our minds for a couple of years,” explained Rosie.

“Nothing really came up and we would just go to work as normal, but sometimes, when watching TV for example, we would have flashes of inspiration about what we could do.”

After receiving a small inheritance towards the end of last year, the couple started looking more seriously at possible business ventures, and in December began searching for premises.

Nerve-wracking They soon found both the venue in the form of Sankey’s Bistro, which went on the market in March, and a workable idea.

“We settled on pancakes because we both love them and eat in a lot of pancake places up in London, so it was quite a natural decision for us.

“We wanted to bring something diverse and tasty to Tunbridge Wells and give people a different eating experience.

“Believe it or not, we have actually been to Wales to undergo a pancake course in preparation,” she added.

The 27 year old explained their interior décor theme would be ‘80s retro’ with a general ‘blue, green, pink and yellow’ design, but she promised

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

NEWS IN BRIEF

Battle stations for TEK with BAE artillery win THE Tunbridge Wells manufacturer of innovative seating solutions, TEK Group, has been awarded a big contract by BAE. Through its subsidiary TEK Military Seating, it will design, manufacture and supply commander seats for the M777 Howitzer, with work to begin in 2019.

It was selected after an in-depth audit of its technical ability, design innovation and capability as part of the UK supply chain by the Indian Ministry of Defence, which will ultimately be buying the products.

Award win for PR firm

that it would not be a ‘cliché’ US diner.

Each month will see a new world recipe involving pancakes added to the menu as a special.

In addition to pancakes, they will be serving savoury food, and half of the establishment will serve as a cocktail bar, with craft ales also on tap.

Neither Rosie, a former medical secretary, nor Edward have run their own business before, and both describe the experience as ‘exciting’ but ‘a bit nerve-wracking’.

Added to this is the fact they have not approached a bank for finance, relying entirely on their own money, with their parents acting as guarantors.

Already they have hired a head chef and will be looking for a general manager and waiters in the

near future. They also believe they will have to work seven days a week for a while to get Delaney’s off the ground.

“It has been a massive learning curve,” said Edward. “The other week I had to read my first contract; we have written handbook for the staff; checked health and safety… all the things you don’t think about when you are an employee.”

Luckily, they have been able to rely on the advice of their parents, both sets of whom are business owners, as well as the man who is vacating the premises, the 28 year old explained.

“We have good people behind us. Matt Sankey has been great and has offered us an abundance of advice and has even left some of his equipment behind for us. It has been really appreciated.”

THE founder of Pantiles-based tech PR firm GingerMay has been recognised as Industry Leader of the Year at the 2018 PRCA DARE awards.

Victoria Usher was nominated for the accolade, presented at the end of last month, by industry peers, and described by judges as ‘incomparable, dedicated and highly ambitious’.

This year alone, her firm has been ranked 17th in the PR Weekly top 150 technology PR rankings. GingerMay was also recognised for Service Excellence in June’s Times Business Awards.

Industrial land goes up RECORD prices are being fetched for industrial land throughout Kent, surpassing highs seen before the 2008 crash.

A preview of The Kent Property Market Report found industrial land in Sevenoaks was the most expensive at £1.5million per acre. Figures for Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells have not yet been disclosed.

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

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Businesses challenged to accumulate charity funds ENTERPRISES across Tunbridge Wells are being asked to put their business acumen to the test from September, when they will be competing to become the Ultimate Accumulator.

The Accumulator Challenge is a unique competition aimed at raising money for the local palliative care charity ellenor. This will be its third year running.

Imaginative Over the course of four months, the companies taking part will battle it out to see which of them truly has the Midas touch required to turn £50 into a substantial donation.

Sponsored by law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore [TSP], the challenge is a team exercise which offers firms the opportunity to be as creative as possible, by investing a small amount of money in order to amass a larger fund.

Last year saw the Sevenoaks-based

accountancy business A4G Amherst beat 41 companies from the county to raise £2,172.

They did this through a networking evening, riding a stationary bicycle on the pavement, dress-down Fridays, and a children’s play session.

Overall, last year’s challenge raised over £18,000 – a figure ellenor hope will be exceeded this year.

Chris Kirby-Turner, a partner at TSP, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this highly imaginative challenge as part of Thomson Snell & Passmore’s continued support of ellenor’s great work.

“We very much look forward to seeing what will no doubt be a wide range of exciting ideas from teams across the local business community.”

Local Business News

RVP pyramid scheme pays off in increased footfall

9

Tunbridge Wells law firm advises on £22m acquisition SHAREHOLDERS of Kent-based Integrated Technologies Ltd have given their blessing for their company to be bought out by a rival firm for £22million, after seeking advice from Tunbridge Wells law firm Cripps.

Integrated Technologies is a medical product design and manufacturing company based in Ashford, with operations expanding to China and the USA. Its purchaser is the Somerset-based Gooch & Housego PLC, which specialises in optical components. The AIM-listed firm currently boasts a market cap of £371million.

Innovative

To register your business, please contact Fundraising Manager Kate Barnes on 01474 320007, or visit www.ellenor.org/accumulatorchallenge

ACCUMULATING A BIG WIN The A4G Amherst team triumphed last year

BUSINESS

THE LURE OF ANCIENT EGYPT: Royal Victoria Place saw customer footfall spike after unveiling its latest interactive event, Kids in Pyramids on July 28.

A total of 220,000 people visited the Tunbridge Wells shopping centre in the first week, with July 29 recording a 12 per cent increase in footfall on 2017.

Cripps was brought in to advise on the sale, which will see Gooch & Housego pay an initial £14million – primarily to be funded through cash as well as a £1.4million issue of shares – and a further £8million deferred, dependent on performance over the next two years.

The Cripps team, led by Salim Somjee, assisted

by Elizabeth Middleton, John Kirkwood and Clare Rooney, worked on behalf of ITL on all legal aspects of the deal.

Tom Cole, Managing Director at Integrated Technologies Ltd, commented: “We were extremely impressed with Cripps. They worked extremely hard to ensure deadlines were met and the deal was completed successfully.

“This acquisition will further broaden our service offering, and strengthen our ability to provide our customers with innovative solutions to meet their challenging needs.

“We are excited to be working with the G&H team and look forward to collectively growing our company and continuing to deliver outstanding service to the MedTech industry.”

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Local News

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Tonbridge Castle steps back in time to celebrate 100 years since end of WWI

By Andy Tong

OVER THE TOP: Sussex Yeomanry horses will be on display

andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk TONBRIDGE will host a weekend ‘filled with education and entertainment’ to mark the centenary of the end of World War I. The free event, called Tonbridge 100, will take place at the castle this Saturday and Sunday [August 18-19] from 11am-6pm.

But the celebrations begin in style on Friday evening with the arrival of a replica tank from the Great War, which will be delivered to the High Street at 6pm and then rumble up Castle Street to take up its position.

A rich variety of re-enactments and informative displays on Castle Lawn will follow to allow visitors to step back in time and relive the town’s involvement in the war.

The Mark VI tank has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Wonder Woman and Transformers: The Last Knight, and is still capable of being fired.

The massive 21ft machine, known as Frank, symbolically represents the tank that Tonbridge was awarded for its help in the war effort.

It will be accompanied by other WWI vehicles, including an ambulance and water carrier, and there will be a Vickers gun exhibit along with other English and American weapons.

Singalong Members of the Living History Groups of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent regiment and the Tommies of Mons will be dressed in uniform.

Horses representing the Sussex Yeomanry cavalry regiment will be on parade, and a search dog will show its skills.

There will be a singalong with Tom Carradine and Patricia Hammond at 4.30pm on both days.

They will be ‘entertaining the troops’ with songs from the era such as It’s A Long Way To Tipperary and Pack Up Your Troubles.

Stalls and exhibitions in the Castle Chamber will explain the part played by schools during the war – children will be able to learn how to knit – and how the town took care of Belgian refugees.

Warners Solicitors will depict the role of the Kent Cyclist Battalion as ancestors of the family firm were involved in its inception (see panel).

And the Royal Air Force Cadets and the Kent Fire & Rescue Service will also have stands showcasing their activities through the years.

The weekend has been masterminded by local historian and Poppy Appeal deputy organiser Pam Mills, who said: “This has been a long time in the planning, and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped bring the project to fruition and the generous funding that means entry into the event is free and accessible.

“History is for sharing, and this event seeks to educate and entertain by stepping back in time and showing the part we played in World War I. Learning about history is always more fun when you see it.”

‘There But Not There’ artwork created by local

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

“I am thrilled that so many people have come together to assist us in putting on Tonbridge 100,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to this free event.

“It’s going to be a visual and educational feast for all the family, from the arrival of the Great War replica tank to the wartime songs from Tom Carradine, and everything in between.”

The event has been funded by a grant of £8,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to the Tonbridge Historical Society. It is also being supported by Kent County Council’s Engagement Fund and by local solicitors Warners. Tonbridge Lions and Clarke Williams Insurance have made contributions towards hosting the tank.

CYCLIST BATTALIONS

artist Martin Barraud will be installed. These Perspex silhouettes first adorned the pews of St John the Baptist Church in Penshurst two years ago in memory of the 51 servicemen from the village who lost their lives in the war.

Miniature versions of these have now been made available via community grants to be part of centenary commemorations across the country.

Since it is also the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to vote for the first time, the Women’s Institute – whose Kentish federation was formed in 1918 – will be selling tea and cakes and showing a timeline of the WI over the century.

The Royal Engineers will be at the Watergate by the Big Bridge to greet visitors with a Husky armoured vehicle and a photograph display comparing their activities in 1918 and the modern era.

The River Market along Baron’s Walk will offer refreshments. Elsewhere in the town, shops will be displaying 100 photos taken a century ago to form a walking trail along the High Street.

Southeastern have joined in the end of war celebrations, and on both days the last carriage on

PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES: Tom Carradine and Patricia Hammond will ‘entertain the troops’ ON THE MOVIE Frank the tank has starred in Hollywood films

the first train running from Strood to Tonbridge on the Medway Valley Line will be populated by military and civilian re-enactors. The station features informative posters about the town at war.

Visitors can record a video message paying tribute to service personnel as part of the Royal British Legion’s ‘Thank You’ campaign.

A Poppy Appeal tent will be selling merchandise to raise money for the charity, and local organiser Carl Lewis praised the hard work that has gone into staging the weekend.

Colonel Charles Warner (pictured below), the great grandfather of Warners Solicitors consultant Charles Warner, was charged with the task of forming the Kent Cyclist Battalion as part of the Territorial Force in 1908, with its headquarters in Tonbridge.

He was called out of retirement in 1915 to command the 2nd Kent Cyclist Battalion, which was engaged in coastal defence from Whitstable to Rye, and was awarded the OBE for his service under bombardment.

His son, Major Kenneth Warner, also served in the battalion, and was posted to the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent regiment in France in 1917.

This company held the line in front of Cambrai, a few days after British tanks had come into action for the first time.

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Community News

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Rusthall Lodge celebrates 50 years with new-look gardens and sundial “I was delighted to be invited to formally open the new garden feature at Rusthall Lodge Care Home to mark its 50th anniversary,” said Mr Clark.

“It looked absolutely beautiful, and I am sure will be enjoyed by many of the home’s residents over the next 50 years.”

Suntrap Facilities and Marketing Manager Bill Blackford said: “We have always played a role in supporting our local community and also in welcoming them into our lovely grounds and home, so we made our summer party open to all.”

The works were carried out by Crowborough-based Ransome Garden Designs.

“The gardens have always been a key SLICE OF LIFE: (L-R) Greg Clark with Trustee Ann Hughes and General Manager Hilary Taylor

PHOTO: David Bartholomew

TUNBRIDGE WELLS MP Greg Clark opened new garden features at Rusthall Lodge at a summer party to mark the independent care home’s 50th birthday.

The celebrations featured a large party for staff, residents, their families and members of the community, including a cream tea in the refurbished grounds.

The town’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, James and Jane Scholes, were among the special guests who helped to mark Rusthall Lodge’s half-century.

The house was converted from the private residence of Margaret Fremlin, from the Kentish brewing company, into a care home run on a charitable ethos.

Music was provided by an old-fashioned Bursens Street Organ and there were several vintage cars on display.

attraction for our residents and their visitors, so we thought we would make them even better as part of our golden anniversary celebrations,” said Rusthall Lodge’s General Manager, Hilary Taylor.

“We’ve installed a new patio to make the most of the natural suntrap, and new pathways to connect this to the existing patios to make it easier for the residents to walk around the gardens on a level surface.”

Central to the new design is a specially commissioned sundial created by award-winning garden ornaments designers Chilstone, based in Fordcombe.

Steve Clark of Chilstone commented: “My wife’s grandmother was a resident at Rusthall Lodge Care Home in the 1980s, so we were delighted to be able to provide the centrepiece for the new garden features.

“There is also a lovely tie-in as Chilstone is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, so it was great to be able to mark a significant milestone of another well-known local organisation.”

Staff are arranging a series of ‘Golden Moments’ for residents during the year and would like to hear from local companies or individuals who can help create a memorable experience.

These have included a first drumming lesson for resident Vera Lawson, after a wait of more than 90 years because her parents thought drums were too loud.

Former engineer Nick Parker was also presented with a signed photograph from Royal Air Force display team the Red Arrows, on the day of the RAF’s 100th anniversary.

CORRIDORS OF POWER Marcus Southerden with staff at the children’s ward

Model car for young patients to drive to operating theatre A FAMILY from Tunbridge Wells has donated a mini Tesla Model S car to the local children’s ward.

Marcus Southerden presented the fully working toy to the paediatric and theatre teams at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury.

Young patients will use it to drive themselves to the operating theatre.

Smiles Mr Southerden was given the car after buying a full-sized Tesla. He said: “Although our own kids would really have enjoyed driving it, we loved the idea of donating the car to my local NHS hospital, so that children undergoing treatment are able to drive themselves to

theatre and hopefully make it a less frightening experience for them.”

He added: “Our family experienced the brilliant care at Tunbridge Wells Hospital first-hand last year when our son was born there.

“We hope the car brings lots of enjoyment and smiles to children on the ward, and also helps raise the profile of sustainable and clean electric vehicles in the borough.”

Laura Lewis, Lead Theatre Practitioner, said: “A huge thank you to the Southerden family for their generous donation.

“Our young patients will be so excited to drive from the ward to theatre – it will really help to take their mind off what can be a very scary and daunting time.”

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Community News

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Lions reward two local charities with Tonbridge Triathlon funds TWO local charities have benefitted from the proceeds of the Tonbridge Triathlon, which was organised by the Tonbridge Lions Club on in May. Lions President Tom Simmons presented cheques for £500 to The Bridge Trust, the homeless charity in Tonbridge, and the West Kent branch of Headway in Tunbridge Wells, which improves the lives of those with brain and head injuries.

Difference The Bridge Trust’s Chief Executive, John Handley, said: “A big thank you to Tonbridge Lions for donating £500 from the proceeds of their Tonbridge Triathlon. That’s enough to give someone who was homeless a home for a month.”

Abbie Morton, Marketing & Events Coordinator at Headway, added: “This donation will truly make a difference, enabling us to continue to provide bespoke services for those living with brain injury.

“Brain injury can happen to any one of us at any time. It is important that we continue to provide a diverse range of services for those living with this long-term condition.

Your donation helps enormously.”

The triathlon’s organiser, Bob Bartlett, thanked his fellow Lions for their hard work in making the Bank Holiday event such a success.

He also thanked the Friends of Lions, the Air Training Corps, Police Cadets, Tonbridge School, Warners Solicitors and Sainsbury’s for their support in staging the race.

HELPING HAND Lions President Tom Simmons (left) with John Handley of The Bridge Trust

NEWS

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STREETS AHEAD: The runners enjoy the route through town lined with cheering crowds

Biggest ever field predicted for Hospice in the Weald 10k A RECORD 800 runners are expected to join Hospice of the Weald’s annual 10k run around the roads of Tunbridge Wells.

The popular event will be held on ­Sunday, September 23, starting and finishing at the Lower Cricket Ground on the Common.

“The response has been terrific and we are confident we’ll be getting the biggest entry ever,” said hospice Fundraising Manager Kelly Heaton-Ralph.

“Based on the amount raised in previous runs, we’ll be bringing in up to £80,000 for the hospice, a wonderful prospect which shows just what the charity means to people in our community.”

Many of the runners will be taking part in memory of a loved one. Carla Ferdinando said: “After my father passed

away in December last year, I decided to do the 10K as a thank you for all the care the Hospice in the Home team had given him and the support the hospice has given me. I am so grateful for everything the hospice has done.”

Special Others will be taking part to test themselves against what they see as one of the best 10k routes in Kent.

Mike King said: “The race is one of the highlights of the year for me. I’m a local resident and it is really quite special to race around your local streets while people shout out your name.

“The course is picturesque, and don’t let the hills put you off, they break up the

run and there is a lot of downhill as well.”

All runners will receive a medal and a hospice T-shirt – and if participants pledge to raise £100 they will also have their name printed on the shirt.

Kelly added: “There’s plenty of time for more runners to join in. As well as the fun of taking part, there’s the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping to raise the £7million the hospice needs each year to carry out its vital work.”

Hospice in the Weald provides care for patients with terminal illnesses, their families and carers in West Kent and northern East Sussex free of charge.

To book a place, or for more details, call Kelly on 01892 820533 or email: kelly. heaton-ralph@hospiceintheweald.org.uk or visit www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk

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National News

Mother gives birth in M25 queue after coach turns over A BABY boy was born in a traffic jam on the M25 on Monday [August 13] after a coach overturned on the sliproad of junction three near Swanley.

Forty-nine people – including 10 children – were injured when the vehicle turned on its side shortly before 4pm.

Kent’s Roads Policing Unit tweeted: “Pleased to update no serious injuries with overturned coach at junction 3 M25.

“And just to make things interesting a baby boy was born at the scene.”

Three people with more serious injuries were taken to hospital following the incident, while 38 were treated for minor injuries.

The Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in Orpington, Kent, was put on major incident alert and treated 23 people.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service [Secamb] said: “The ambulance crew assisted at the scene and helped deliver a baby.

“The mother was travelling behind and got caught up in the traffic queues. Mother and baby were taken to Darenth Valley hospital and were believed to be healthy and well.”

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Terrorist driver in Parliament crash remains mystery figure

Exhaust fumes threat to babies in buggies BABIES in prams and buggies may be 60 per cent more vulnerable to traffic pollution than their parents.

The pollutants – toxic ultra fine particles and nitrogen oxides from vehicle exhausts – have the potential to impair brain development in young children, say scientists from the University of Surrey.

Infants in prams are positioned between 0.55m and 0.85m above ground level, making them more likely to inhale toxic fumes than walking adults.

Autism discrimination

DELIBERATE ACT The car crashed into security barriers THE suspect accused of deliberately crashing a car outside the Houses of Parliament was not known to the security services, Scotland Yard has said.

The man, in his late twenties, was arrested on suspicion of terror offences after the silver Ford Fiesta he was driving collided with cyclists and pedestrians before crashing into security barriers just before 7.40am yesterday [Tuesday].

Iconic

LONG DELAY: The coach overturned on a sliproad

NEWS IN BRIEF

Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism chief Neil Basu said the suspect, who is understood to be from the Birmingham area, is not co-operating.

“Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident and the investigation is being led by officers from the counterterrorism command,” he said.

“We have not formally identified him yet. On the details we have at the moment, we don’t

believe this individual was known to MI5 or counter-terror police.”

The silver car drove along the road next to Parliament Square before moving to turn right towards Westminster Abbey in footage of the incident aired on BBC News.

As an ambulance passed the car on its righthand side, the vehicle swerved left, crossing oncoming traffic and colliding with cyclists before entering a small road and crashing into a security barrier.

A police officer jumped another barrier along the side of the road in order to get away.

There was nobody else in the vehicle and no weapons were found, police said.

Mr Basu added no other suspects have been identified and there is ‘no intelligence at this time of further danger’ to Londoners.

Two people were taken to hospital and a third person with minor injuries was assessed at the scene, according to the London Ambulance Service.

CHILDREN with disabilities face discrimination under equality laws which allow schools to exclude them for ‘challenging behaviour’, a judge has ruled.

Judge Alison Rowley, sitting in the Upper Tribunal, said it was ‘repugnant’ to consider such behaviour as ‘criminal or anti-social’ when it is a direct result of a child’s condition and ‘not a choice’.

She ruled in favour of a 13-year-old boy with autism who was excluded from school for aggressive behaviour.

Jam to secure a dram POLICE were forced to close a road after whisky collectors mobbed a distillery in a bid to secure a limited-edition bottle.

Around 300 cars filled the roads around the Macallan Distillery in Craigellachie, Scotland yesterday [Tuesday].

The Macallan Genesis went on sale at 10am and officers closed a section of the B9102 as cars were parked on verges and began to block the road.

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National News

Pain in the pocket with first inflation rise in nine months INFLATION is predicted to rise for the first time since November when official figures are released today [Wednesday], hitting consumer budgets.

Economists forecast that the Consumer Prices Index came in at 2.5 per cent last month, up from 2.4 per cent in June.

The July Retail Prices Index [RPI], a separate measure of inflation, is tipped to be 3.5 per cent, which is likely to lead to a hike in rail fares. The Department for Transport will use RPI to set its yearly increase.

Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell, said inflation could be nudged higher by a weaker pound and higher petrol pump prices.

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Stokes is recalled by England after court clears him of affray CRICKETER Ben Stokes was recalled to England’s Test squad just a few hours after he was cleared of affray in Bristol.

The 27-year-old could regain his place for Saturday’s third Test at Trent Bridge after missing the win at Lord’s because of his trial.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced that an independent investigation into the conduct of Mr Stokes and his teammate Alex Hales would resume.

After being acquitted, Stokes thanked his wife, family, friends and teammates for their ‘unerring’

support during ‘an 11-month ordeal’.

“In addition to the extreme stress placed on Ben and his family by the trial, his intervention that night has already cost Ben the England vice-captaincy, his place on an Ashes tour and his place on a number of other England matches,” Stokes’s solicitor Paul Lunt said.

“The past 11 months have served to highlight to Ben just how highly he values his position as an England representative, both in terms of the privilege that role entails and the responsibilities that accompany it.”

HEAD DOWN: Ben Stokes and his wife Clare leave Bristol Crown Court after the acquittal

A jury at Bristol Crown Court took two hours to clear Stokes of affray. Before leaving court Stokes shook the hand of co-accused Ryan Ali, who had also been acquitted.

Stokes accepted he had punched unconscious best friends Ali and Ryan Hale during the fracas in the early hours of September 25 last year in Bristol city centre.

He insisted that he was acting in self-defence, or in the defence of others – when two gay men, William O’Connor and Kai Barry, suffered homophobic abuse. They were not called as witnesses in the trial.

The all-rounder had had ‘at least 10 drinks’ as he celebrated with teammates England’s one-day international win against West Indies in Bristol.

The Crown Prosecution Service is facing criticism for its handling of the case as on the eve of the trial a judge rejected their attempts to charge Stokes with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Barristers representing Stokes’s co-defendants also questioned why Hales had not been prosecuted as video footage shows him kicking and stamping on Mr Ali.

Self-defence

Sales Samuel Tombs, Chief UK Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, claimed it was also probably boosted by price rises on core goods, which were held back in June as retailers kicked off their summer sales early.

“But the contribution from electricity and natural gas should hold steady, while services inflation should remain weak,” he added.

However, he cautioned that the results will depend on when the Office for National Statistics collected the data, because discounting will have increased during the month.

The update comes after the Office for National Statistics’ wage data showed average earnings rose by 2.4 per cent in June, down from an increase of 2.5 per cent in the previous month, meaning that consumers could be denied another lift to their discretionary spending.

The rise in inflation follows a decision by the Bank of England’s policymakers to raise interest rates to the highest level since 2009, putting more pressure on the cost of borrowing.

IN DEEP Ross Edgley with a friend off the Kyle of Lochalsh

Briton breaks record for longest sea swim A BRITISH swimmer has broken the world record for the longest staged sea swim on the 74th day of his journey around the mainland.

Ross Edgley, 32, has not set foot on land since he left Margate on June 1 on his 2000-mile voyage.

He has reached the west of Scotland and yesterday broke Benoit Lecomte’s record of 73 days swimming across the Atlantic in 1998.

Mr Edgley, from Grantham in Lincolnshire, swims for two six-hour stretches a day. He estimates he has 60 days and 900 miles to go.

Record fall in workers from EU with UK jobs UNEMPLOYMENT has reached a 40-year low, while there has been a record fall in the number of EU nationals working in the UK. There were 2.28million EU nationals working in this country in the quarter to June, 86,000 fewer than a year earlier, the largest annual decrease since records began in 1997.

Unemployment fell by 65,000 to 1.36million or 4 per cent, the lowest figure since 1976.

Zero-hours contracts fell by 104,000 over the past year to 780,000, the first substantial fall since the figures were first tracked in 2000.

World and Business News

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

35 dead after border bridge collapses in holiday traffic AT LEAST 35 people have died after a bridge on a main road linking Italy with France collapsed during a storm in Genoa.

Vehicles plunged nearly 150ft on to buildings, rail tracks and a river after a huge section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed over an industrial zone in the port city.

Firefighter Amalia Tedeschi said around 20 vehicles fell after a stretch of the bridge measuring 260ft disintegrated.

She said two people had been pulled alive from the rubble. More than 200 firefighters attended the scene.

The ANSA news agency said authorities suspected a structural weakness caused the incident.

Fears that other parts of the bridge might come down led to the evacuation of nearby buildings.

Interior minister Matteo Salvini said if anyone RESCUE MISSION Around 20 vehicles plunged 150ft

was responsible, they would be held to account.

He said: “I have crossed that bridge hundreds of times. I will do everything to get the names and surnames of the managers responsible, past and present, because it is unacceptable to die like that in Italy.”

The tragedy came on the eve of a major holiday called Ferragosto, which marks the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary.

It marks the high point of the Italian summer when most businesses are closed and people head to the beaches or the mountains, so traffic was heavier than usual on the road.

Inaugurated in 1967, the Morandi Bridge is 148ft high and around half a mile long.

The crash comes eight days after another major accident on an Italian motorway, near the northern city of Bologna, in which one person died.

NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF

1,500 jobs under threat as Homebase shuts 42 stores

Royal Mail fined £50million after complaint by Whistl

HOMEBASE is pressing ahead with a wave of closures that will see 42 stores shut, putting around 1,500 jobs at risk.

The DIY retailer is closing the sites via a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), an insolvency procedure used by struggling firms to shut under-performing shops.

Chief Executive Damian McGloughlin said: “Launching a CVA has been a difficult decision and one that we have not taken lightly.

“The reality is we need to continue to take decisive action to address the underperformance of the business and deal with the burden of our cost base, as well as to protect thousands of jobs.”

THE communications regulator has fined Royal Mail £50million for a ‘serious breach’ of competition law.

Ofcom said it abused its dominant position by discriminating against its only major competitor for delivering letters, Whistl.

The penalty follows a complaint by Whistl, one of Royal Mail’s wholesale customers, linked to changes it made to its wholesale customers’ contracts in 2014, including price increases.

The rises meant any of Royal Mail’s wholesale customers seeking to compete with it by delivering letters in some parts of the country would have to pay higher prices in remaining areas, where Whistl used Royal Mail for delivery.

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Letters

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

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 at 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU A community centre would be fine – but not on our Memorial Ground

PASTURES NEW An artist’s impression of proposed buidling Over 700 supporters of the campaign to stop Paddock Wood Town Council from building a Community Centre at the Memorial Ground have now signed my petition. The petition will be presented to the Town Council at their next meeting on Monday [August 20].

Residents say this land was given to Paddock Wood when it was still a village for perpetuity, and it’s called the Memorial Ground in tribute to those who gave their lives in World War Two. The council says the deeds have been lost but it made an application to register the land in April. Residents say this is a valuable green space for our community, and with the town increasing by 1,000 new homes, keeping this space is now even more important.

Spa Valley needs a head of steam For some time I have been getting increasingly frustrated with the Spa Valley Railway when compared with other heritage railways in the South East.

Although the Spa Valley obviously has a few dedicated steam people (because otherwise there would be no steam at all), nevertheless it has become increasingly obvious that its decision-makers are just not interested in steam.

This manifested itself at a Steam Gala, admittedly a few years ago, when the two steam locomotives in service were Fonmon and Ingrid.

On this occasion Fonmon was working a demonstration goods train, while the passenger train – although Ingrid was attached – nevertheless had a diesel doing all the work.

Hence people who turned up for a steam ride at this Steam Gala were effectively getting a diesel ride instead. The website subsequently described this as a ‘successful steam gala’.

Also, Spa Valley people frequently come up with incorrect and even silly answers to questions. I could go on, but the Spa Valley Railway really does need to get its act together.

John Humphrey Sevenoaks

Climate is changing extremely fast Colin Bullen [July 25] writes passionately, but it isn’t clear if he speaks with real knowledge of the science. The two outstanding features of the current episode of climate change are first that it’s largely caused by recent human activity, and second, that it’s progressing extremely rapidly.

The proposed site for the centre backs on to a residential area – people living in adjacent properties are worried about the potential increase in noise. The park currently closes at sunset, and activity would be increased into the evening and would impact on their lives.

And is there enough parking?

Not all residents are against a centre being built, but they feel this is the wrong location.

Planning permission has not yet been applied for. There’s a long way to go yet. If you feel the same way please sign my petition at www.change.org or a paper version held at Paddock Wood Cards and The Forresters.

Wendy Morris Paddock Wood While it is true that many forms of life can adapt to higher temperatures and new species can evolve to exploit them, these changes take millennia. The immediate effect, as shown by similar events in the paleo record, is death and destruction on a massive scale.

Talk of ice ages and interglacials will provide no comfort to young people who will have to cope with a range of unpredictable – but likely severe – consequences from global warming.

Seventy-one per cent of the planet is covered by water and the air temperature above the ocean is relatively stable. It follows that over the land the surface air temperature will rise more than the global average, and in many places, particularly towards the poles, by a lot.

We’re currently on route to average warming of more than 5°C by the end of the century.

Before 2030 there will be no more summer ice in the Arctic and it’s already too late to stop that.

So much for Mr Bullen’s ‘minor increases in temperatures’.

So the free market will produce the innovations that’ll sort out climate change if it really is the problem the alarmists say it is.

Really? It’s the free market that has, albeit unwittingly, created this problem.

Dr Robert Chris Tunbridge Wells

Cars, bikes – or you can use your feet Mr Camp’s call for bikes to be charged road tax for using the roads [July 25] is very disappointing. Excessive car use is one of the major problems facing society; cars pollute,

cause health problems, cost the NHS vast sums of money and are a blight on the feel and fabric of our town centres.

We should be doing everything we can to encourage bike use and discourage car journeys.

Car use is declining among the young and that is good, but there is still a long way to go, as any pedestrian on Tonbridge High Street can testify.

Pollution levels are high – and increasing – and well above EU guidelines, yet the council seems reluctant to take any measures to liberate our town from the scourge of the car. What a pity the High Street was never pedestrianised!

Robert Oliver Tonbridge

It’s time to turn off your headlights Given the recent glorious weather, it is surprising to see so many cars driving round with headlights on during the day.

Perhaps many people are unaware that this increases fuel consumption, which not only costs them money but affects air quality due to the additional exhaust emissions generated.

Please only use headlights when road conditions dictate it. This will help both your wallet and the environment!

Dave Sanders Tunbridge Wells

Don’t frustrate the will of the people Mr Robertson is right [July 25], referenda are only advisory and not legally binding. What he chooses to ignore is David Cameron committed to carry out the result regardless of its outcome, and the general election his successor called was fought over a single issue: Leave or Stay.

Greg Clark stood then on this common platform, and his efforts since leave much to be desired. Does he not accept the principle of Cabinet responsibility?

Mr Robertson is a brave man indeed if he believes that the result can in some way be frustrated. It overturns any sense of democratic process in this country. It will be a seriously dangerous move.

Hugh Masters Pembury

We are lucky to have second bridge Your readers and users of the smaller bridge next to the swimming pool in Tonbridge [August 1] might like to know that it is fortunate that the smaller bridge is there, otherwise everyone will have a longer walk.

The smaller bridge was a ‘temporary’ facility, erected when the pool was being constructed; the cast iron bridge was closed during those works. There are probably numerous reasons as to why it was not removed after construction of the pool, but as it is still in position we can all take a little time to allow others to cross, and l am sure it will cope with the demands put on it.

If schoolchildren walking to Slade School (my old school) turn right after crossing the bridge towards the swimming pool, they will not have to tackle moving cars in the larger car park.

Cllr Mark Rhodes Hildenborough

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

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

GUTTED. Just gutted.

Calverley popped into his local and was informed that somebody rather special had called in to eat a few days before – none other than Tom Cruise. Now Himself is not easily impressed but, come on, a megastar appears on the one day of the week he went straight home. There must be a moral here somewhere. Apparently Mr Cruise often travels over from the USA to visit the nearby establishment of the Church of Scientology, of which he is a member. Sadly, the pub’s CCTV tapes had been wiped before Calverley could get his hands on them for evidence.

TALKING of superstars, Calverley’s old friend Stanley ‘Dad of Boris’ Johnson is back on the telly. This time he’s in The Real Marigold Hotel, where celebrity ‘grown-ups’ visit places like India to see if they could retire there. Just as he did on I’m A Celebrity..., Stanley was soon showing off his torso when he dived into a river. Most impressive. The dive that is.

Not his body; he is 77 after all. The amicable Stanley has a simple approach to getting on with folks: “Rub along with humour and interest.” Maybe suggest that to your son?

TO Ascot again. Still no luck on the gee-gees.

(Why does he bother?) Salt was rubbed into the wound when he bought a pack of peanuts – for £4.50. They cost £1.20 elsewhere. Loser.

WHAT a nifty trick. This chap was walking his French bulldog around Calverley Grounds (no it is not named after Himself) when a labrador off the lead appeared out of the bushes and made a beeline for the unsuspecting doggie. Quick as a flash, the owner swung the Frenchie round on its lead into the air and scooped it up in his arms. It was obviously a manoeuvre he has perfected.

HOW low can some people sink? Not much lower than those passing off fake £20 notes in local charity shops. Calverley knows of at least one case where a fake was handed over to a volunteer for things costing a couple of pounds. The notes were checked but looked genuine. Shame on you fakers.

Chin Chin, readers

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT thekn w.guide

EDUCATION Times WITH THE

Switching on with The Squeebles is adding fun to digital education Helping children to stay focused during the lengthy school holidays on anything other than fun or electronic devices can be tricky, but one couple from Tunbridge Wells has the answer – a series of educational apps. Eileen Leahy finds out more ing for children to use,” continues Ian. “Realising that children like collecting things, we decided to incorporate that in the app by rewarding them with Squeebles characters when they were successful in answering their times tables.”

The company now has 11 different Squeebles apps which cover all kinds of Key Stage 1 and 2 topics, including spelling, punctuation, telling the time and core maths skills.

Two Squeebles apps have reached number one in the Apple education charts, as well as the top ten of the overall Apple app charts, so they’ve been pretty successful within the education sector, especially in the UK and Australia. And prior to launch, each app is tested out on a group of children to ensure they work correctly.

MORE APPS ON THE WAY Squeebles creators Ian and Florence Knapp WITH school out for summer, it’s all very easy for children to ‘unlearn’ what they have been taught during the academic year. And with research showing that as many as one in three children are at risk of falling behind in three key areas of learning: Reading, writing and maths as a result of a seven-week break from the classroom, one local couple decided to launch a series of apps to help parents and their children.

The Squeebles maths and literacy apps were started in 2011 by Ian and Florence Knapp. The couple, whose daughter was eight at the time, was learning her times tables and struggling.

“We created an app to help her practise in a fun way, with no intention of selling it initially,” says Ian, who was working at a web design company at the time so had the relevant skills.

His wife Florence designs sewing patterns, so their combined computer and creative talents have certainly helped them.

“We released the first app very early on in the life of the App Store, so at that particular time there were no educational times tables apps which ticked the box of being genuinely engag-

THE LEARNING GAME Children enjoy digital challenges

‘It has a knock-on effect on how children are feeling about school and learning’ “We test all our new releases and updates and take on board any feedback, as well as working with teachers to get their opinion on the best way to fit what we’re doing with the national curriculum.”

Seven years after devising their first app, what would they deem the key benefits to be for a child using Squeebles to help them with their learning?

“We hear about huge improvements in terms of confidence for children who use Squeebles,” they say. “Going from scoring two or three out of ten in weekly school tests to consistently getting full marks is something we regularly hear from parents who have the apps.

“And of course that has a knock-on effect on how children are feeling about school and learning.

Because the apps are fun, while also being educational, children are learning without realising it.”

All the Squeebles apps are created to be as easy to use as possible, the couple say. “They’re aimed at five to 11 year olds, so younger children or less confident readers, may need a parent to guide them initially, but we don’t see that as a bad thing

– we’d always encourage parents to be involved in their child’s learning anyway.”

And what do they deem to be Squeeble’s unique selling point in a market that’s it’s fair to say is pretty saturated with home learning digital tools?

“We only create content we’d be happy putting in front of our own children. We’re also careful to try and create a balance between learning and fun so that children are learning while playing, often without even realising it. Also, we don’t carry in-app purchases or adverts.”

But Ian and Florence know that in the furiously competitive tech market they can’t rest on their laurels, they have to keep pioneering.

“We have to stay on top of advancements in technology while also sticking to our philosophy of providing content that is educational, fun and encouraging to children.

“We plan to release our flagship apps for more platforms, and to release at least one new app over the next 12 months.

“We see our apps very much being used as one part of a holistic learning approach.

“Using technology can be a great way to engage children with learning, although we really hope over the coming years that we see children continue to engage in other ways of learning and playing that don’t involve a screen.

“This is why we sponsor local sports teams and run drawing and design competitions, and so on.

“We believe Squeebles should be used as part of a balanced educational diet.”

Education

NEWS

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Weekly Comment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT thekn w.guide

Tom Tugendhat MP for Tonbridge & Malling

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Tom Tugendhat, MBE, left the British Army in July 2013 after a career in which he served on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and as the military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff.

As a Territorial Army officer, he worked on everything from those ops to establishing the Armed Forces Muslim Association, and also worked for the Foreign Office. He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015, and was elected Chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in July 2017

The future of the planet depends on sustainability ONE of the best things this government has done is incredibly simple. Reducing plastic use will begin a change in our community that I hope will see our understanding of plastics change.

We have seen the damage done on Blue Planet, and the impact that our love affair with plastic has had over the past 70 years, but the time for us to wake up to the cost is long past.

That’s why we’re acting. But this isn’t just a job for government.

One of the most important things we can do is to reduce our plastic consumption. At our current rate, plastic production is likely to reach 34 billion tonnes by 2050. That is a phenomenal amount. And of course, most of it will only be used once, and then end up in landfill or polluting the world’s continents and oceans.

We’re already starting to see the catastrophic damage that plastic is doing to the latter of these.

We cannot let it continue at the same rate.

That is why dropping single-use plastics, and recycling any we do use, is so important.

The government has made a good start in tackling the use of single-use plastics, introducing a 5p charge for plastic bags, and consulting on banning the sale of plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

Reduction is one thing, recycling is another,

and that means working together between our government and community. That’s something we could all do better.

I have raised this with the council many times and asked them to improve plastic recycling. I’m glad they’re doing this next year, when the new waste management contract begins in our area.

This is a brilliant step forward, and I know will come as great news to many households.

IT’S NOT THAT EASY BEING GREEN Local MPs Tom Tugendhat and Greg Clark saddle up for a ride

Encouraging In the meantime, of course, it will mean using the recycling banks as before, but there is some good news here, too. As a temporary measure, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council will be employing another vehicle to empty the glass and can banks around the borough, which should help tackle those that do overflow.

But this isn’t just up to others, we have to do more ourselves. I know many of us are doing a lot already; in our own homes, our businesses, and when we go out, but there are some groups around town who are trying to help us do more.

Tonbridge Bicycle Users Group [TBUG] is one that is doing a brilliant job at encouraging people to ditch the car, and the emissions that come with it, and pick up a bike instead. That’s good

for our health and our planet. And that’s not just for adults, I’ve received lots of letters from school classes and youth groups who are concerned about their future and want to know what the government is doing about it. They want to do something to ensure the Earth is still resourceful and liveable for them and their own kids.

But saving the Earth isn’t easy. It requires all of us to be more conscious of the footprint that we

leave on Earth. There are simple ways to reduce this of course; turning the light off when you leave a room, turning the taps off when brushing your teeth, not leaving your car engine on when you stop. They’re little things, but if you do them they can make a big difference in the long run.

The future of our planet is a big concern for all of us, but if we are all more conscious, we can make a difference.

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

yourh me INSPIRATION FOR MOVING

AND IMPROVING

AVAILABLE EVER Y WEDNESDAY – A MUST-READ

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PROPERTY, IN TERIORS, TOP TRENDS AN D GARDENING

Make a statement… with the perfect pied-à-terre

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A FABULOUSLY FISHY BUSINESS

In shouting distance of Parliament

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IN THE SWIM WITH A SUSSEX FARM

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NEW WONDER IN THE WILDERNESSE

Taste of the tropics Let your imagination fly like a bird Page 41

43

CREATE A MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN

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yourh me

To Suit Your Budget

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Your at-a-glance guide to

UNDER £300,000

n Bathroom

UNDER £500,000

n Cloakroom

PARK HOUSE, KINGSWOOD ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS

n Communal reception room and conservatory

THE MARLPIT DURGATES, WADHURST

n 3 bedrooms

GUIDE PRICE

n Garden with loggia and paved seating area

GUIDE PRICE

n Laundry room

£285,000

n Guest suite

n Top floor apartment for age 55 and above

n Part-time House Manager

n Reception room, open to kitchen n Master bedroom with en suite n Bedroom 2

n Garden and residents’ parking

CONTACT Bracketts Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 www.bracketts.co.uk

£450,000 n Extended semi- detached house requiring some updating n Living room with gas fire n Dining room n Kitchen and utility room

n Bathroom

n Attached garage n Long driveway CONTACT Bracketts Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 www.bracketts.co.uk

To Suit Your Budget

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

thekn w

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great properties by price range…

UNDER £700,000

HOME FARM COURT FRANT OFFERS IN EXCESS OF

£395,000

ASHLEY GARDENS, RUSTHALL

GUIDE PRICE

£630,000 ■ Semi-detached Victorian family home ■ Living room with wood burner ■ Kitchen/family room. An extended open-plan space with vaulted ceiling area, dining area and doors to garden ■ Cloakroom ■ Master bedroom with shutters, original fireplace and en suite shower ■ 3 further bedrooms with fireplaces ■ Bathroom ■ Garden with summerhouse ■ Driveway offering off-road parking CONTACT Bracketts Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 www.bracketts.co.uk

UNDER £800,000 TANGIER LANE TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£775,000 ■ Attached home in private lane ■ Sitting/dining room with fireplace ■ Drawing room with fireplace ■ Kitchen/breakfast room/family room with dual fuel Aga and external door ■ Master bedroom with en suite ■ 3 further bedrooms (one en suite) ■ Family bathroom ■ Gardens with terrace, small apple orchard and timber store ■ Garage and drive offering off-road parking for several vehicles CONTACT Wood & Pilcher Tunbridge Wells 01892 511211 www.woodandpilcher.co.uk

UNDER £1MILLION UNDER £400,000

■ Cloakroom

HOME FARM COURT FRANT

■ Landing/study area

OFFERS IN EXCESS OF

■ Bathroom

£395,000

■ End-of-terrace property in desirable development for age 55 years and above ■ Living room with ornate stone fireplace and doors to garden ■ Dining room (open access to living room) ■ Kitchen and inner lobby

■ 2 bedrooms ■ Private garden and patio ■ Garage en bloc ■ Resident warden and emergency cords in most rooms CONTACT Bracketts Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 www.bracketts.co.uk

MEDWAY STREET WESTMINSTER, LONDON

£800,000 ■ Fourth floor apartment conveniently located for St James’s Park and Westminster tube links. Ideal pied-à-terre ■ Open-plan living/kitchen area with a private balcony ■ Master bedroom with en suite shower room and access to balcony ■ Bedroom 2 ■ Family bathroom ■ Allocated secure gated parking CONTACT Wood & Pilcher Tunbridge Wells 01892 528888 www.woodandpilcher.co.uk

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Manor Fisheries

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AT A GLANCE MANOR FISHERIES LOVE LANE, HEADCORN ■ Modern family home with self-contained accommodation ■ Well established fisheries business ■ Security systems Main House ■ Reception hall ■ Drawing room with wood-burning stove and doors to covered verandah ■ Dining room ■ Kitchen/breakfast room ■ Family room ■ Study ■ Utility room ■ Cloakroom ■ Galleried landing ■ Principal bedroom with en suite shower room and balcony ■ 4 further bedrooms (2 en suite) ■ Family bathroom ■ Gardens with sandstone terrace ■ Detached 18th-century timber-framed barn/garage with storage areas, workshop and recreation room

Fine fisheries business with family home and holiday accommodation

■ Gravelled parking area with fountain ■ Pasture Detached outbuilding ■ Currently utilised as holiday accommodation ■ 3 self-contained apartments with fitted kitchens and bath/shower rooms Fisheries ■ 2 specimen lakes ■ 1 mixed lake ■ Angler’s cabin ■ Rod shed ■ Wood store ■ Hard standing car park ■ In total approximately 10 acres

GUIDE PRICE £1,795,000 Available for sale through Savills Rural Agency Cranbrook 01580 720161 www.savills.com

Angler’s Mail magazine chose Manor Fisheries as ‘best day fishery venue’ in 2016

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yourh me

Holmwood Farm

Rural six-bedroom house offers views, indoor pool and Jacuzzi

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

AT A GLANCE

HOLMWOOD FARM, HIGH STREET WALLCROUCH, NR WADHURST n Reception hall n Sitting room n Dining room n Kitchen/breakfast room n Utility room n Downstairs cloakroom n 2 ground floor bedrooms, 1 with en suite bathroom n Galleried first floor landing n 4 further bedrooms n Family bathroom n Attached pool house containing a 28ft x 12ft heated swimming pool and separate Jacuzzi n Shower room n Cloakroom and changing area n Double garage with electric door n Gardens of approximately 1.6 acres with combined lawns, orchard area and pond n Superb views across open countryside

PRICE GUIDE

£1,000,000£1,150,000 Available for sale through Wood & Pilcher Tunbridge Wells 01892 511211 www.woodandpilcher.co.uk

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yourh me

Wildernesse House

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

AT A GLANCE

WILDERNESSE HOUSE SEAL, NR SEVENOAKS n Luxury development for the over-60s on the private Wildernesse Estate n 2.5 miles from Sevenoaks Station n Historic Grade II-listed Georgian mansion n 23 one and two-bedroom apartments and 8 mews houses n Magnificent main hall with a grand central staircase n Elegant social lounge space with honesty bar and library

Stunning new development for the over-60s on historic estate

n 24-hour concierge n Restaurant with cafĂŠ, open kitchen, private dining and outdoor seating n Guest suites for family and friends n Wellness suite and spa with lap pool, gym, sauna, exercise classes and beauty treatments n 24 acres of grounds and parkland including kitchen garden, ornate rose garden, wildflower meadows, orchard and sundial folly n Tennis courts n Show apartment and mews house now available to view

PRICES ON APPLICATION Available for sale through Savills Sevenoaks 01732 789740 www.savills.co.uk

Interiors

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

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WALK ON THE WILD SIDE WITH ANIMAL PRINTS

“Opting for safari-themed homeware is another sure-fire way to make your interiors grrrr-eat!” says McCowan Hill

MEDIUM BRIGHT PAPER PLATES £4 for 12, Talking Tables

‘For a fresh take on this summer favourite, choose a classic print with a tropical twist, and accessorise around it’

How to turn up the heat with the tropical homes trend

T

HE recent spate of hot weather may have made you yearn to escape to a tropical paradise, but you can easily create your own exotic sanctuary at home, sunshine or no.

Combine vibrant shades and bold palm prints with a sprinkling of tropical touches – it’s one of the easiest ways turn up the style dial in your interior and add a little sizzle to your space.

So, put away your passport and pick one of these sun-kissed looks…

Wing it with tropical birds “Exotic birds – parrots, flamingos and toucans – are winging their way into our homes, as they’re the perfect way to introduce the colour we’re craving, to give rooms a punchy personality,” says Nadia McCowan Hill, style

advisor for the online interiors specialist Wayfair – www.wayfair.co.uk “Why not flirt with this feathered trend with bold bed linen, cushions, wall art or some eyecatching glassware?

“Alternatively, give an unloved space (such as your downstairs loo or the inside of a cupboard) a quirky makeover, with a striking splash of flamingo or parrot-decorated wallpaper,” she suggests.

“Lush leafy patterns are another easy way to bring this hot summer look home, because palms are evocative of far-away destinations.”

Who can resist? Let the imagination take flight!

PENELOPE ACCENT CHAIR Fabric Upholstered, Green Leaf, £129, Cult Furniture

AVENIDA HOME TROPICAL TIGER TRAY £32, Eclect Design

ANIMAL PRINTS GIRAFFE CUSHION Cream, £120, Jan Constantine

Gardening

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Top tips to create a

Mediterranean style garden W E’VE been enjoying a Mediterranean summer, with long, sunny days and hot, balmy nights – perfect for enjoying evenings in the garden. And despite the recent rain, the sun is set to return.

Those with fast-draining or sandy soil may be in an ideal spot to create their own Mediter-

ranean haven, going with gravel, tiles or paving to make a courtyard-style space rather than focusing on a water-guzzling lawn.

So, how can you get that Mediterranean feel?

Use terracotta planters Think bright pink or red trailing geraniums tumbling over old terracotta or stone pots, or if

you’ve limited space, attach some smaller terracotta planters to a south-facing wall and fill them with trailing droughtlovers which won’t need endless watering.

If you have space – and somewhere to house them in winter, such as a conservatory – consider growing a pot of citrus such as lemons, to add a Mediterranean feel and scent.

You can grow dazzling bougainvillea in containers and bring it outside every summer from early June to late September, then move it to a frost-free conservatory for winter.

Consider gravel or cool tiles Gravel gardens are commonplace in the Mediterranean, and in this country the gravel surface acts as a permanent mulch, which helps prevent seed seedlings and conserves moisture.

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and prepare the soil, raking it level and then spreading 5cm (2in) gravel over the surface.

Create shade

Don’t forget succulents

Any garden worth its salt in the Med offers shade in the heat of the day. Consider how to achieve that naturally. Perhaps grow climbers that love heat, such as grapevine and trumpet vine, over a pergola with traditional seating underneath.

Cacti and succulents are regular features in the Mediterranean garden, growing out of old stone walls and rockwork. If you have a gravel gap between your house and your paving, a strip of sempervivums or other succulents will soften the line beautifully.

Use simple décor Once you are surrounded by terracotta and old stone or tile landscaping, you don’t really want contemporary, shiny furniture. So choose simple wooden benches or seats which will weather with age, to fit with the Mediterranean look.

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Wednesday August 15 | 2018

thekn w.guide IN PRINT AND ONLINE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

Ella the record breaker

Our youngest cricket centurion Page 62

ARTS & CULTURE | LIFE & STYLE |

FOOD & DRINK | MOTORING

49

MARCHING LOUD AND PROUD

52

Puzzles

To stretch your mind Page 61

FANCY A CRAFTY BREW?

56

Uplifting!

Fame the Musical comes to town

THE SPECTRE OF BOND

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ENGINEERED FOR ECONOMY

thekn w.guide

arts

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Arts & Culture

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Paying the price of

Fame

Jorgie Porter

Mica Paris

Keith Jack

The cast of Fame the Musical shimmies its way through the doors of the Assembly Hall next week. So the Times dons its leotard and leggings to find out what the high-octane show has in store

ext week, the Assembly Hall welcomes the hugely successful stage show Fame the Musical. Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, it’s based on the iconic pop culture 1980 film that went on to become a long-running TV series.

The musical, which has been touring for the past three decades, takes up the story of a group

of students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts, following the trials and tribulations they all experience as they strive for success in both their professional and personal lives.

The cast for the musical’s 30th anniversary tour includes Keith Jack, star of Any Dream Will Do and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat; singer-turned-actress Mica Paris, who has also

trodden the boards in Love Me Tender, Chicago and Mama, I Want To Sing; and Hollyoaks’ actress Jorgie Porter, who should already know a dance number or two having also been a contestant on ITV’s Dancing On Ice. Fame’s key themes of dealing with prejudice, discovering self-identity, and examining the price some people will pay to achieve ultimate success, have proved to be perennially popular since the stage show opened on Broadway in 1988.

Since then it has had an impressive seven West End runs, toured all over the globe and is one of the world’s best-loved musicals.

Gritty

MUSIC TO THEIR EARS Students tune into music teacher Mr Sheinkopf

But such impressive credentials haven’t phased Jorgie Porter, who has never done a stage role until now. In fact she is clearly loving every second of her debut theatrical experience.

“It’s a young girl’s life in the world of wanting to make it and be famous,” she says, explaining the bones of her character, ballerina Iris Kelly. “It’s quite similar to what I went through!” she laughs.

“I spent three years in the Hammond Dance School in Chester dancing every day. You would be

in the common room and there would be a trumpet going off, and drums, and everyone would be singing. So this is literally like when I was 16 years old. It’s really weird!”

Fame made an impact on Jorgie from an early age. She remembers going to her local church for dance lessons as a little girl, and Fame was one of the tracks that left an indelible mark on her.

“Those lessons were where I found my love of dance,” she recalls. “I would do the star jumps at the beginning of Fame! It gets your heart going because the music is just so incredible.”

After a long association with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Keith Jack, who stars as student Nick Piazza, also has the chance to stretch his wings a little, and he is relishing every moment.

He says: “It’s a completely different role for me, I don’t wear a loincloth, and I’m not topless, which is quite nice. People will come along and expect something of me and see something slightly different.

“My character Nick is an actor who started off doing a TV commercial, but he wants to go away and train to become a ‘real actor’ to do Shakespeare, not just be seen as ‘that TV boy’.

“He finds interest in a girl called Serena and falls in love with her as the show goes on. He realises there is more to life than just books and learning, and sees that he can let himself go a bit with her.

“Fame shows every character’s individual story and how they have got through the three years at theatre school. It’s about how their characters have grown up, and how they link along the way.”

Mica Paris is cast as Miss Sherman, the inspirational English teacher. Her character’s story centres around her trying to help a boy named Tyrone – an exceptional dancer with huge potential.

“She tells him to stop blagging his way through acting and dancing, and that he needs to have an education. It’s really well cast for me. I have got two kids and I am very good at telling them off!”

Although the musical is based on the original smash-hit film, this particular interpretation promises to be a little grittier than fans of the pop culture phenomenon might be used to.

Arts & Culture

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

WHO’S FOR THE HIGH JUMP? In Fame that’s a good thing!

“It’s a little bit darker, and that’s what is quite nice about it,” states Mica. “It’s gritty, but with heart and soul. It’s real and not just sweet.

“And the kids in it are so organically fresh and wanting to be great at the beginning of their lives.

That’s such a nice thing to see – and they are all so talented!

“Then you’ve got the old timer, me, going in and doing some craziness.”

Not that Mica has a problem with being the older cast member. Quite the opposite in fact.

“I love that I am always the oldest, I love being around young people, and they keep me so on point with stuff.

“We can all get a little bit samey in our little bubbles. The kids break you out of that and keep you fresh. They stretch me – that’s why I like collaborating, and I learn so much, too.”

And of course you also get to hear Mica, a renowned soul artist, to sing.

“One of my songs is These Are My Children, and that is a proper gospel song. I have reworked it a little bit and it sounds really powerful.

“You’ve got to feel stuff, it has got to resonate somewhere. That’s what is exciting; that instant feeling you give the audience. I live for that.”

Despite celebrating 30 years in showbusiness

herself this year, Mica admits she does experience the odd tinge of nerves but doesn’t allow fear to stop her.

“You never stop being nervous because you always want to be good, and you want to touch people and make them like what you do.

“We are all insecure artists at the end of the day, and we live for you guys liking us.”

“There is so much depth in this production,” adds Jorgie. “There are a lot of shocking things, and lots of subjects that are being touched on.

“The cast is super, and I get goosebumps every time some of these kids sing. I feel so lucky to be a part of something that feels so great.”

Keith agrees: “It is such an iconic show. Audiences will be on their feet at the end having followed a massive journey.

“They will really feel the heart of it, and obviously they will all be singing the show’s iconic number – Fame!”

Fame the Musical is on at the Assembly Hall Theatre from Monday August 20 until Saturday August 25. Ticket prices start from £15 per person. For group ticket deals and show times, including matinee performances, visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

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Going Out

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

going ut Seven days of activities at a glance WEDNESDAY

WHAT’S BUGGING THE CHILDREN? Find out on the family bug hunt at St John’s Park

By Eileen Leahy

ideally suited to those aged four and above, but booking is essential, so please email: steff.dagorne@tunbridgewells.gov.uk Today until Friday there will be another Camp Wilderness running at Penshurst Place. So if you have children who love being in the great outdoors, exploring their wild side, making dens, and learning bushcraft skills HISTORY FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Youngsters can go to and camouflage tricks, then make Hever Castle’s Knights & Princesses School sure you look into this great twonight camp. It costs £249 per person, including food and two nights in a bell tent, and is suitable for children aged six and up. To book, visit www.campwilderness.co.uk

There will be Pond Dipping sessions to enjoy at Grosvenor and Hilbert Park today running from 10am until 4pm. Why not go along and discover what creatures can be found in the wetland at this time of year? This event is free to attend and

THURSDAY

Bewl Water’s popular children’s camps are on throughout the summer holidays. So if you find it a challenge to keep your young ones occupied, then this is filled with exciting outdoor activities aimed to keep youngsters fit and entertained.

Full-day activities run from 8.30am5pm and cost from £37 per child.

Half-day activities run from 8.30am1pm and cost £19.50 per child. For more, see www.bewlwater.co.uk There will be another Family Safari today with local wildlife expert Dr Ian Beavis, who will lead a free family bug hunt – this time around

St John’s Park. The hunts take place on a weekly basis in a different location each time, and also run in the afternoon from 2pm. The morning and afternoon 75-minute sessions are suitable for all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. See www.tunbridgewellsmuseum.org

FRIDAY Today and tomorrow Hever Festival Theatre welcomes First Knight Theatre, which is putting on their Olivier Award-winning production of the Hitchcock classic comedy The 39 Steps. Today there will be both a matinee and an evening performance, with an evening performance tomorrow night. Tickets cost from £15 and can be booked via www.hevertheatrefestival.co.uk If you didn’t get round to seeing the hugely popular Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, starring Meryl Streep, Piers Brosnan, Julie Walters, Colin Firth and Cher – to name just a few huge stars in this much-anticipated sequel to the 2008 original film based on the West End musical – then you’re

in luck! It’s on from tonight until next Thursday at The Hop Farm’s Moonlight Drive-In Cinema. Tickets cost £25 per vehicle. www.moonlightcinema.com

SATURDAY Burrswood in Groombridge will be holding a Watercolour Painting Weekend with local artist Julie King overseeing the workshop. Julie specialises in painting flowers in the natural world and will provide expert hints to capture their floral magnificence. Tickets cost £225 per person and include tuition, all meals and one night’s accommodation from 10am Saturday to 4pm Sunday. £120 per person includes tuition, tea, coffee and pastries, a delicious lunch and cream tea each day. Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to book your place. www.burrswood.org.uk Tunbridge Wells Pride is on all weekend, so to find out what’s going on where and when, have a look at their Facebook page – @TWpride The Knights of Royal England return to Hever

Going Out

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Castle this weekend battle it out at their annual jousting tournament. Visitors will be treated to a thrilling show as the brave knights compete for points to find this season’s champion. Witness spectacular displays of action, stunts, falls and fights in an authentic arena, complete with Royal Box. Ticket prices start at £14.20 (adults) and a family ticket costs £38.90. And don’t forget the daily Knights & Princesses School for the children, up until August 27! For more information, visit www.hevercastle.co.uk Singer-songwriter David McAlmont brings his production girl.boy.child to the Barn Theatre at Smallhythe Place in Tenterden this evening from 7.30pm. girl.boy.child is the result of a two-year collaboration between McAlmont and Richard Sandell, Professor of Museum studies at the TAKE PRIDE in Tunbridge Wells this weekend

University of Leicester, as part of a larger project exploring and revealing the numerous LGBTQ connections across the National Trust.

SUNDAY

During the summer months, Penshurst Place hosts a fun day of activities every Sunday, which includes falconry displays courtesy of The Hawking Centre. And Aardvark Productions entertain children and adults alike with their brand new panto in the garden. This year, Mr Toad learns the importance of banning plastic, and how important it is to look after the environment. There will also be lots of crafting to keep you busy. For more details, see www.penshurstplace.com If you fancy venturing a little bit further this weekend, then why not consider a trip to Tenterden’s steam railway? All summer children can travel free as long as they are accompanied by an adult who has purchased a regular travel card. The ten-and-a-half-mile journey takes place on a beautifully restored steam locomotive which travels through the stunning Wealden countryside to Bodiam, where you can hop off and enjoy a trip around the castle. The promotion runs until September 3, and throughout the summer you can catch Punch & Judy and magic shows each Monday and Wednesday, as well as a face painter on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Adult fares cost £18. For more information and to book, visit www.kesr.org.uk

MONDAY This summer, children can go on an Egyptian adventure at Royal Victoria Place thanks to a free interactive

and educational Kids in Pyramids experience, which is on until Monday, August 27. Children can learn about life in ancient Egypt by dressing up, discovering the pyramids and digging for artefacts in the sand. The Egyptian Adventure Tour starts at the Great Pyramid of Giza, located on level 1 opposite M&S. Each tour takes 30 minutes, and on completion every child receives a free personalised certificate to take home.

There is a maximum of 25 children per tour session. Full event details and times are available at www.royalvictoriaplace.com Fame The Musical starts tonight at the Assembly Hall and runs all week until Saturday.

Cast members in this stage version of the original film and TV series – which focuses on the trials and tribulations experienced by students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts – include singer Mica Paris, Keith Jack, of ‘Joseph’ fame, and Hollyoaks’ Jorgie Porter. In Fame’s 30th anniversary year, this is one show not to be missed.

For tickets and timings, visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk See pages 46-47 for our special feature

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new members, particularly male voice singers (tenors and basses) to join them for their forthcoming season, starting in September. They rehearse every Tuesday evening from 7.30pm9.30pm at St Andrew’s Church, Paddock Wood. To find out more, contact the group’s Secretary, Adrienne Bishop, on 01892 833232, or email: secretary@paddockwood-choral.org.uk

PICK OF THE WEEK: Truckfest South East The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood August 18-19, 9am-5pm

TUESDAY

Hildenborough Farmers’ Market is held every Tuesday from 9am until 11am at St John’s Church Centre in the village. As well as a great selection of fresh local produce on sale, during the school holidays there’s also the chance to participate in some crafts, as well as a Cooking for Kids event where young visitors can get hands-on and make something different each week.

For more information, telephone 01732 838903, or visit www.hildenborough farmersmarket.co.uk Are you interested in singing with a vibrant, friendly & enthusiastic BRANCH OUT… group of singers?

And meet a bird of Paddock Wood Choral prey at Penshurst Place Society is looking for

Truckfest South East returns to The Hop Farm this weekend and is a must-see if you love amazing American monster trucks and supersize vehicles.

Truckfest is Europe’s Premier trucking event, showcasing a huge variety of jawdropping customised vehicles.

There will be entertainment and attractions to suit every taste, including fairground rides, and stunt drivers will thrill the crowds with their daring tricks!

If you want to stay all weekend you can take advantage of their great value camping packages, which include show entry for both days. To find out more information on tickets, visit www.truckfest.co.uk

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Going Out

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites www.pdag.co.uk & www.thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Cyrano, Steffan James, Barney Jameson Friday Soul Kitchen Saturday Dino Baptiste Sunday Miar Murphy, Michael Wood

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

live music With Paul Dunton

T

here is so much live music on offer this week! Tonight [Wednesday] you can catch popular local acts Cyrano, Steffan James and Barney Jameson all performing at The Grey Lady, and

Steffan James

The must-read guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead… www.paulduntonandguests.com

on Thursday night, The fantastic Dave Ital & Friends headline the Jazz on The Pantiles.

For a great Friday night out, I highly recommend the Patstonbury evening for photographer and huge Bowie fan Pat Pope at The Forum.

On Saturday night, Wayne Bridle is at The Beau Nash Tavern, Dino Baptiste is at The Grey Lady and The Soul Train is on in The Pantiles.

On Monday, folk enthusiasts will welcome the excellent Pete Metcalf & Paul Stepto at The Tonbridge Folk Club, and the superb Foot Down will be at The Punch & Judy in Tonbridge on Tuesday night.

Event information at www.twforum.co.uk Wednesday Ash, Brand New Friend Friday The Pat Pope Preservation Society: Patstonbury Saturday Mark Anthony, The Pop Tarts, Miss Di-Vour, DJ Kelly-Lee, Miss Luna Lestrange Sunday Hayseed Dixie, Funke and the Two Tone Baby

THE BANDSTAND The Pantiles Music from 8pm-10pm Donations welcomed Thursday Jazz on The Pantiles with Dave Ital & Friends Saturday Soul Train

Dino Baptiste Hat collection with a suggested contribution of £7 (£5 concessions) Monday Pete Metcalf & Paul Stepto

THE TRADING POST 5 Culverden Down. Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late Tuesday Gez Gold

THE ROYAL OAK PUB

THE SUSSEX ARMS (BASEMENT)

Prospect Road Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Thursday Two’s Company Squeeze A Crowd

The Sussex Mews Music from 8pm, all event details and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk Tuesday Fail The Enemy, Ashes to Angels, Red Coast, Kill The Silence

THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim. Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Wayne Bridle Sunday Open Mic Night

THE TOAD ROCK RETREAT

TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB

THE PUNCH & JUDY

The Flying Dutchman, Hildenborough Music from 8pm, all welcome, more info at www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

11 St Stephen’s Street, Tonbridge Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Tuesday Foot Down

Rusthall Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Tuesday Booga Red

Cyrano

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food

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STAY CONNECTED 7 DAYS A WEEK…

Food & Drink

They’re only here

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

for the beer

I

STARTED Pig & Porter in 2012 with an old friend, Sean Ayling, who had been experimenting and developing his skills as a home-brewer for several years. We thought we’d combine his passion for craft beer with mine for food and start an event catering business which offered its own beer.

In our first year we were very busy

The Pig & Porter is one of the area’s most respected microbreweries, with a national fan base. Here its co-founder Robin Wright tells the Times all about this successful brewing business…

with the catering side and brewed occasionally as guests at four different local microbreweries.

Our beers received rave reviews, and when we heard of a brewery site becoming available in Tunbridge Wells it was an easy decision to focus on brewing.

The town has a great beer scene, easily the best in Kent, and we’re based in the High Brooms Industrial Estate, a few minutes’ walk from the station. It’s a good location for us, allowing easy access to London where we sell a lot of our beer.

A GREAT MIX New Head Brewer Riina Laats with Robin Wright

‘We’ve developed a reputation for innovative beers that are full of flavour and very drinkable’ Initially, we shared the brewery with another start-up and Sean stayed in his day job and brewed at weekends, but we quickly needed the brewery to ourselves, so Sean came on board full-time in 2015.

Since then we’ve grown rapidly, producing a range of modern craft beers on keg alongside some more traditional cask ales. We’ve also recently introduced a canned range.

Our beers are sold in the South East and elsewhere around the country, and we’ve developed a reputation for innovative beers that are full of flavour

and very drinkable. Despite Sean recently relocating to Crewe, we’ve been very lucky to find an extremely talented new Head Brewer in Riina Laats, and her first beers for us have been very successful.

The inspiration for our name Pig & Porter came from Sean’s wife, Jacqui. We didn’t have a brewery when we started so couldn’t call ourselves anything like ‘The

Tunbridge Wells Brewery’. But we wanted a name that would reflect a combination of high-end barbecues and our own beer.

Pig & Porter sounded right as soon as Jacqui suggested it.

Brewing is a wonderfully open, welcoming industry and people are very happy to share their knowledge. Even with that help, though, you need the

Food & Drink

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

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owned bars at the moment, although I’m sure this will change as we grow. Our beer is always on at The Guinea, where we’ll be having a showcase over the August Bank Holiday weekend, and at The Royal Oak. You’ll also regularly find us at The Pantiles Tap, The Barn, The Mount Edgcumbe, Fuggles, The George, The Ragged Trousers and The Bedford in Tunbridge Wells.

Styles

VAT’S LIFE The fermenting heart of the brewery

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Our ‘Whispering Bob’ beer is named after DJ Bob Harris and came about as Sean was bottling a new Pale Ale while listening to the radio.

It was a documentary about the legendary broadcaster, who was marking 40 years in the business. It featured a clip from his BBC Two programme The Old Grey Whistle Test, where Bob advised his audience to ‘sit back, pour yourself a pale ale and listen to…’ whichever artists were appearing.

When we came to brew ‘Whispering Bob’ commercially, we got in touch with Bob through Twitter, then met him in person, and he was kind enough to let us use his name.

ability to imagine flavour combinations and understand which malts, yeasts and hops work in combination. It’s just like being a chef really, and both Sean and Riina have the ability to create some really great flavour combinations.

Currently, I particularly like our white IPA called Ingrid is a Hybrid, and our Mango Daiquiri IPA is another lovely juicy beer which is really popular.

We only sell to freehouses and independentlyHOPPING TO IT The ingredients for great beer

We believe our beers stand out in a rather crowded craft beer market first and foremost because they are really drinkable. We are always experimenting and developing new styles with interesting ingredients, but ultimately we have to want to drink the beers ourselves.

We are at capacity now in our current premises but need to produce a lot more beer, so we will be looking to add new fermenters and possibly move to a larger site locally.

For the immediate future, though, we hope to continue developing some great new beers with Riina. We always say people should try Pig & Porter beers because it will bring a smile to their faces. Cheers!

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Advertorial

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

All of our garden displays

are genuine Corkers

After outdoor living and landscape supplies business Small Loads transformed into Corker, they’re thinking outside the box. Hannah Patterson catches up with brothers Oliver and Harry Corkery to explore their horticultural wonderland at Whetsted Is this one of the major changes since evolving from Small Loads to Corker?

Oliver: We set out to completely transform the company during the rebrand. It was a journey from being a small building merchant, focusing on the trade market, to being a family-friendly business that anyone can come to.

Harry: There’s something for everyone – any age, any budget. Whatever a customer’s dream garden may be, we strive to provide all that’s needed to turn that into reality.

Photo: Craig Matthews

Has the rebrand attracted new customers?

WE ARE FAMILY!

(L-R) Oliver Corkery, Michael Corkery, Alice Corkery and Harry Corkery

H

ow has the last year been?

Oliver: Gardening is an industry that’s heavily dependent on the weather, so it certainly didn’t help that it snowed.

No one wants to leave the house when it’s sub-zero.

But now the sun’s out we’ve never been busier!

Harry: Our display area has expanded. We’ve had four additional display gardens constructed, bringing our total to 13.

Are your display gardens a huge draw?

Oliver: Very much so. Corker provides the materials and our associate landscapers create miniature gardens of varying styles for customers to explore. It’s a unique way of showcasing our products, and the landscapers love having a space to get creative with.

Where did the idea come from?

Harry: The whole family is creative. When we moved sites from Paddock Wood to a better

roadside location just outside the town, it was a top priority to get the displays up and running.

The gardens are representative of our ‘out of the box’ thinking. Previously, there had been a small display with some turf and basic furnishings, but we wanted to offer something so much bigger than that to truly inspire people.

Oliver: There are some customers who come here knowing exactly what they want, and others who don’t, but we always get compliments on the gardens, and are told how much they help. It’s an opportunity to visualise your own space and how your style can be reflected in it.

Harry: It’s a brilliant visual aid. They’re outside, so you can see what the products will look like in the rain and sun. Weather transforms an outside area, so it’s important to see how it changes with the seasons. No one, at least locally, has ever done display gardens like this before.

Oliver: Definitely, it’s been a roaring success.

Although we still work very closely with the tradesmen who’ve supported us since the early days, we wanted to also provide products for those who desire more decorative flourishes.

Harry: Our goal was always to sell more outdoor living and decorative products, such as sandstone and Italian porcelain, rather than focusing solely on building materials. We’ve started to see a whole new demographic come through the doors.

Are you seeing any garden trends?

Oliver: There’s a lot of demand for stone and cladding, and a big trend for ‘dressing up’ the garden with outdoor accessories.

Harry: Outdoor kitchens are still increasing in popularity. Gardens are no longer a separate area – they’re an extension of the home. Having a quality garden also adds a significant amount to the price of your property, and people have begun to realise the value of a great garden.

Do most people undertake huge renovations all in one go?

Harry: Most people take it step by step. They’ll come in for stone for their patio, then a few months later they’ll come back for their furniture, and so on.

Do you assist with design?

Oliver: No, but we’re well connected with plenty

‘We live and breathe it all 24 hours a day.

There’s not a single product we sell that we aren’t excited about’ of landscapers, who we’d be more than happy to recommend. However, we’re all very familiar with all of our products, and are more than qualified to explain them and their use. We can answer any questions regarding what we sell.

You have so many products, that’s a lot to memorise…

Oliver: We live and breathe it all 24 hours a day.

There’s not a single product we sell that we aren’t excited about. It’s taken years to source what we stock here, and it goes for the best price we can offer for our customers.

Harry: We have in stock some of the best products in the world, so when you spend with us you know you’re getting a quality item at a competitive price.

Advertorial

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Oliver: We weren’t always destined to join the family business – it wasn’t guaranteed by any means – but we care about what we and our family do. I never imagined that the company would evolve into Corker, but I’m so happy that it has. It’s such a great enterprise to be a part of.

Any hopes of future expansion?

Harry: Those plans are certainly in the pipeline, but you can’t rush it. It’s important to get the formula right with the offering we have right now – everything has to be airtight. When we open another site, it must carry the excellent reputation that we’ve built from the Corker brand and this original site.

Corker Outdoor Limited

Photos: Rose Bainbridge

Westdene Whetsted Road Whetsted Nr Paddock Wood TN12 6SD

Suppliers must be tripping over themselves to work with you…

Oliver: We get a lot of enquiries, but we’re also very loyal to our suppliers. There’s a very high standard here. The products we sell represent us, so there’s no skimping on that front. We aren’t looking for the best offer, we’re looking for the best quality.

Does that business ethic translate to your customers?

Harry: We’re about quality and service. It’s not a sale, it’s the start of a solid seller-buyer relationship.

There’s a real joy to be found in seeing how customers have transformed their gardens using our products. We have such a passion for what we do.

01892 833 325 Email: sales@ corker.co.uk www.corker.co.uk

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travel

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Travel

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Big, bold and Bond The new mountain-top secret agent’s lair you have to visit Used as a location for the Bond film Spectre, the snowy peaks of Sölden in Austria are now home to a James Bond museum. Ed Elliot was assigned to go spying…

A

ccelerating out of a narrow tunnel on to an icy mountain road, a small convoy is surprised by the sudden emergence of an aeroplane from the adjacent valley.

Gunfire is quickly exchanged, leading to a high-intensity chase through the snow-covered forest, which culminates with the light aircraft smashing through a chalet and into the side of the vehicles.

Not the normal behaviour in Sölden, I can assure you. But it is exciting. Sitting on a concrete bench in the new James Bond museum – 007 Elements – I am watching Spectre, the film that inspired its creation.

HIGH-ALTITUDE EATING At the sparkling ice Q restaurant, which opened in 2013

A high-tech attraction The cinematic installation is located more than 10,000 feet above sea level at the summit of the Gaislachkogl mountain, which looms over the ski resort in the Austrian Tyrol.

Scenes from the Bond adventure were shot here in early 2015, and one local businessman was determined his hometown would not disappear from the spotlight.

“I knew for us it was very good if they filmed here in Sölden, but what then?” says Jakob Falkner, who runs the mountain’s cable car company, Bergbahnen Sölden, which owns the new museum building.

“For me, it was quite clear that we had to do something.”

The mission accomplished The result is a 10-million-Euro-plus brutaliststyle bunker carved into the mountainside, TOUR DE TYROL Mountain biking through the Alps

SCREEN IN THE SKY The cinematic 007 Elements, built into the mountainside

designed by Innsbruck-based architect Johann Obermoser. Sitting in permafrost, it has the appearance of a villain’s lair.

There are nine zones in total, with the content closer to a film than a traditional museum.

A walk down the ‘barrel of a gun’ begins my journey into the attraction. It leads to a screen dedicated to the franchise’s elaborate title scenes which plays Sam Smith’s Oscar-winning

Writing’s On The Wall – the Spectre theme song.

To the left is an open-air terrace where British actress Naomie Harris – Moneypenny in the last two Bond films – opened the building in midJuly. A maze of ramps and tunnels follows.

Visitors are given a concise history of the 24 Bond films, while further inside they can get hands-on in an interactive ‘tech lab’, which displays props and gadgets.

‘As soon as they discovered ice Q restaurant, they knew immediately this was the place; absolutely perfect – super modern, stunning views, like a jewel of the Alps’ The bullet-ridden and partially-destroyed Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander flown by Daniel Craig in the film forms an impressive centrepiece. It’s suspended from a ceiling in front of a wall of windows showcasing the region’s majestic skyline.

Construction of the attraction took just over a year, and Jakob estimates 120,000 people will visit between summer 2019 and spring 2020.

“I knew this was a very, very special place up on the Gaislachkogl,” continues the 61 year old, who opened Elements in collaboration with EON Productions and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios – the film companies which jointly own the rights to the James Bond films.

The spirit of Spectre still looms Leaving Sölden’s five-star Das Central hotel, where Spectre director Sam Mendes stayed during research trips to the area, I arrive at the summit of the mountain via two cable car journeys lasting just over 15 minutes.

The gondola lift provided the backdrop for Spectre scenes involving Ben Whishaw’s Q. Crews spent around six months here, with 15 days of filming resulting in approximately ten minutes of footage for the final film.

They were initially attracted by ice Q, a gleaming three-storey restaurant with floorto-ceiling glass which serves gourmet food at altitude and is located next to Elements.

Fans of the film will recognise the building as the Hoffler Klinik, where 007 meets Bond girl Dr Madeleine Swann (French actress Léa Seydoux).

She is kidnapped there, prompting the typically thrilling chase sequence that was filmed in the nearby tunnel between the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers.

“Our director really wanted this character of Madeleine Swann to work in a clinic which was extremely modern and beautiful, but kind of cold and steely at the same time,” says 007 art director Neal Callow, who has worked on the last four films and is Elements’ Creative Director.

“As soon as they discovered ice Q restaurant, they knew immediately this was the place; absolutely perfect – super modern, stunning views, cold, frosty and shiny like a jewel of the Alps, so that’s why we are in Sölden.

Travel

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

thekn w.guide HOW TO GET THERE Doubles at Das Central Hotel in Sölden (www. central-soelden. com) start from E153/£136 per person/per night (summer) and from E200/£178 per person/per night (winter), based on two people sharing on a half-board basis.

007 Elements

Destined for success Seeing a montage of Bond villains reminds me that it is more than 55 years since Ian Fleming’s spy novels were first adapted for the big screen.

Talks are already underway for the next instalment, which is due to be directed by Danny Boyle and released in November 2019, and the museum will be updated to reflect the new film.

In half a century, the world’s most famous fictional MI6 agent has sipped vodka martinis across the globe, from Agra to Istanbul, and Monaco to Mexico City.

So Sölden’s 007 connections

could easily have been forgotten among the lengthy list of exotic filming locations.

But Jakob was determined that wasn’t going to happen. Thanks to his successful mission, the region now has a permanent bond with Bond.

If you fancy testing your own 007 credentials, then Austria’s Otztal Valley is packed with opportunities for adrenalinefuelled pursuits, including the country’s largest outdoor leisure park, Area 47, just a short drive from Sölden. Here are just three examples…

1

Rafting

Bond villain Jaws memorably takes a speedboat over South America’s Iguazu Falls while chasing Roger Moore in Moonraker. A slightly reduced rush at considerably less risk can be experienced on the grade 3 rapids of the Inn river.

2

Biking

Pierce Brosnan demonstrates how to travel at speed on two wheels when he rides a motorcycle across the rooftops of Ho Chi Minh City in Tomorrow Never Dies.

Sölden’s slopes – ideal for skiing during winter – transform into downhill mountain bike trails in the warmer months.

3

Wakeboarding

For those wishing to replicate Timothy Dalton’s waterskiing scene in 1989’s Licence to Kill, Area 47’s 20,000 sq m wakeboarding lake has a licence to thrill.

The sport involves riding on a small surfboard while clinging to a rope which is pulled at speeds of around 20mph by an electrically-driven cable.

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(www.007elements. com) is open daily from 9am to 3.30pm between July 12 and September 30, and October 26 and May 1.

Adult tickets cost E22/£20, combined tickets including cable car cost E54/£48.

Admission to Area 47 (www.area47.at/ en) waterpark starts from E22/£20 per adult/per day.

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Motoring

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Motoring News

A look at what’s happening in and around the world of motoring

More drivers could face fines for idling engines

Volvo opts for petrol power in new engine VOLVO has increased the number of available powertrain options for its S90, V90 and XC90 models with the addition of an all-new petrol engine.

Also available on the V90 Cross Country model, the new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been designed to provide decent performance alongside excellent economy figures.

Brisk As such, the engine delivers 247bhp and 350Nm of torque, while returning 42.8mpg and emitting just 154g/km CO2 in the V90 and S90, and 38.2mpg and 172g/km CO2 in the V90 Cross Country.

Performance is brisk, with the

sprint to 60mph dispatched in just 6.8 seconds in the V90 and S90, and 7.2 seconds in the Cross Country.

The economy figures for the XC90 T5 are just as impressive. Volvo claims 35.9mpg on the combined cycle, while emissions are set at 184g/km CO2. And reaching 60mph takes just 7.7 seconds.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “This cuttingedge engine brings increased choice for our customers, and offers strong performance with excellent efficiency and refinement.

“We’re sure it’ll be a hit.”

As standard, power is driven through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Prices start at £41,420, for the S90 T5 in R-Design trim.

THE trend of councils bringing in ‘anti-idling’ measures to reduce air pollution is increasing.

Nottingham is the latest city to propose a scheme similar to those adopted by Norwich, Wirral and Reading councils, plus the London boroughs of Camden and Southwark, and take the form of an onthe-spot fine for drivers who leave their engines running while idling.

Leaving a car’s engine running ‘unnecessarily’ has been an offence

FAR FROM IDLE TALK A study has shown that children could live longer with cleaner air

since 1986, and councils were given the power to combat it in 2002.

Initial fines are £20.

While a car produces fewer pollutants when idling than it does when moving, there’s still an environmental impact as there’s less airflow around the back of the car, allowing harmful gases to collect in one place instead of dissipating.

The RAC recommends motorists shut off their engines if they’re planning on being stationary for more than two minutes.

A study by King’s College, London, found that introducing measures to combat air pollution in the borough of Waltham Forest, such as road closures at peak times, green space and anti-idling operations, would give children born in 2013 an extra seven weeks of life.

Nottingham’s proposals come as part of a larger air quality consultation, which also includes projects to retrofit clean exhaust technology on buses, replace heavy vehicles such as bin lorries with electric equivalents, and bring in cleaner, more efficient taxis.

Such ideas could continue to spread to other councils throughout the country.

Maintenance costs of modern vehicles could be eased by cheaper insurance premiums THE price of car insurance is a real sticking point for UK drivers, and it’s no secret that modern cars packed with electronics and sensors can cost an absolute fortune.

But many of these sensors are for new safety equipment, such as autonomous emergency braking, and these items can actually keep insurance premiums down.

That’s according to the RSA Group, which runs motor insurance company More Than.

Ian Kemp, the group’s Director of Motor Underwriting, said: “While costs of repair will vary as to the level of technology fitted in the vehicle, they are all expected to be balanced by a reduction in accidents as cars become more sophisticated, using technology to improve safety features.

“The impact on insurers will be dependent on the makeup and profile of their own book of business – individuals’ insurance premiums will continue to be bespoke to their own vehicle and circumstances.”

Kemp also mentioned the shift towards fully autonomous vehicles, which was detailed in a recent report by the RSA Group. They conducted research with 10,000 UK motorists, and concluded that a reduction in accidents – 93% of which are caused by human error – would have a positive effect on insurance premiums.

But he warned the process could take a decade or more for new technology to be standard on more than 75% of vehicles on UK roads at any one time.

On the plus side, Kemp added: “As the technology becomes more mainstream, the additional costs of replacing and repairing them will reduce.

“Ultimately, we expect this to have a positive impact on insurance premiums.”

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FIND YOUR PERFECT JOB TODAY – A MUST-READ FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR WORK LOCALLY

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Puzzles CODEWORD 4

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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:

2 1

5

5 6 3 4 3 5 2 6 4 9

1 7 © 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

3

DIFFICULTY RATING:★III

2

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

9

8 6 3 2 5 7

4 6 1

2

7 1 5

9

4 7

2

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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JULY 25 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★II

CLASSIFIEDS

61

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

J A C O B E A N S T E P

U A N U N A M O O R S A I R O T E N C H F E R X E WE A Y U S E I Z E D S O R OON K R E I L E A S I N

D E R P I N M E O M A R T I I T R O E T U S R C V E B OO Q N U S E R S I N U I N G D OM E I E G S T A R

Sudoku:

7 9 8 6 3 1 2 5 4

2 1 6 7 4 5 3 9 8

4 3 5 2 8 9 7 1 6

1 5 2 8 9 7 6 4 3

9 7 3 4 6 2 5 8 1

8 6 4 1 5 3 9 2 7

3 8 9 5 1 6 4 7 2

4 6 2 3 1 8 7 9 5

8 1 3 5 6 4 2 7 9

7 2 6 4 8 9 1 5 3

6 2 1 9 7 4 8 3 5

5 4 7 3 2 8 1 6 9

Jigsaw Sudoku:

2 5 9 6 4 7 3 1 8

6 9 8 2 3 1 5 4 7

1 4 7 8 5 6 9 3 2

3 8 5 7 9 2 4 6 1

9 3 4 1 7 5 8 2 6

5 7 1 9 2 3 6 8 4

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

62

NEWS

Sport

CONTACT US: Please send your sports stories to newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Cox brothers inflict damage on Wells’ title hopes Tunbridge Wells 162 lost to Sandwich Town 164-6 by 4 wkts

By Alan Cutts CRICKET: TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ hopes of winning the Kent League Premier Division title were dealt a nasty blow when they were defeated by hosts Sandwich Town.

Having been inserted for the second week running, the captain Chris Williams was dismissed in the opening over.

With the pitch offering some help to the seam bowlers, the in-form Christian Davis (22) was the next to depart.

Mike Waller and the returning Alex Williams (38) embarked on a face-saving third-wicket partnership of 36.

But disaster struck in the form of Ashleigh Cox, who snapped up 4 for 31 to wipe out the visitors’ middle order.

The seventh-wicket pair of Will Stickler (39) and Julian O’Riordan managed a stand of 39 to repair the innings somewhat.

The bowling was inspired, however, with Ben Smith (3 for 15) wrapping up the Wells effort on 162 all out at the start of the 43rd over, the last four wickets tumbling for six runs.

The visitors struck back at once, however, led as usual by the belligerent Ari Karvelas, as the home batsmen found conditions equally as awkward.

Two wickets fell with just one run on the

board, but a third-wicket partnership between Finlay Beaman (26) and Jordon Cox added a stabilising 61 runs.

Alex Williams (3 for 33) then entered the attack and achieved a triple strike as the hosts stumbled again to 100 for 6.

The game was in the balance but Jordon Cox held his nerve despite enormous pressure to lead his team to a far-than-straightforward victory.

He found a staunch ally in Jan Gray (20 not out), and they worked hard to add an unbroken stand of 64 to bring up victory by four wickets on 164 for 6 in the 47th over.

There was no hurry and both men played carefully as the Wells bowlers were unable to find the breakthrough. Jordon Cox remained

Ella is Kent’s youngest ever centurion aged 11

TOAST OF THE TOWN Cowdrey celebrate their promotion to Division Three after the Tonbridge derby

CRICKET: LOCAL prodigy Ella Lockhart has rewritten the record books after becoming the youngest ever girl to score a century for Kent.

After battling for 25 overs against a good Surrey attack at Selling, the Kent Under-11 captain from Tunbridge Wells pushed the ball into the covers and reached the milestone.

She reached the magical milestone aged 11 years and 198 days, surpassing a record set 15 years ago by Kent and England’s Tammy Beaumont, who scored her maiden century in 2003 aged 12.

Kent coach David Sear, who has managed the Under-11s for 20 years, said: “We are all delighted for Ella in finally getting to the threefigure mark.

“She showed maturity beyond her years with an innings that included some beautifully timed strokes all round the ground.”

He added: “I witnessed Tammy scoring her first

Cowdrey are promoted as Fenwick leaves Tonbridge agonisingly short Cowdrey 194-9 beat Tonbridge 189 by 5 runs

By Stuart Clarke CRICKET: COWDREY gained revenge for their earlier defeat by local rivals Tonbridge with a narrow win which secured promotion from Kent League Division Four.

Tonbridge skipper Matt Smiles won the toss and inserted the hosts, but openers Ash Borella (27) and Jack Southwart made a promising start.

The introduction of Khurram Shehzad changed the complexion of the game as 57 for 0 became 63 for 3, with Borella dismissed and then Mills and talisman Ryan Addison back in the hutch.

Southwart continued to keep the Tonbridge bowling at bay, playing a masterful innings in tricky circumstances, and he found an able ally in veteran Glen Warner (26).

Their partnership of 56 seemed to put Cowdrey back in the driving seat but Shehzad removed the gritty Warner and keeper Barney Scott to return outstanding figures of 5 for 22 in his 10 overs.

Southwart was finally removed for 58 including three fours and two sixes. It was to prove an invaluable innings in difficult conditions.

Xavier Yeats-Brown struck the ball cleanly and was involved in an important 53-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Stuart Clarke (34).

That allowed the home side to post a decent total of 194 for 9 with Smiles returning 2 for 45 and Mike Jessop 2 for 36.

undefeated on 84 off 123 deliveries with nine fours.

The result was a disappointment for the visitors, coming just two weeks after they beat league leaders Blackheath, and it was another sign of their continuing inconsistency.

The victory propelled Sandwich Town up to fifth place in the table, just behind Wells, and there are now four teams on nine wins in what looks like a frantic run-in.

Just eight points separate second from fifth, with Lordwood keeping Blackheath within reach at the top following a powerful win there at the weekend.

Wells entertain second-placed Lordswood at The Nevill on Saturday [August 18], with Sevenoaks Vine also in the mix in third and Wells now down to fourth.

The Tonbridge response was marshalled by Stephen Hall whilst others looked to be aggressive. But this plan backfired when Chris Fenwick took early wickets to put the visitors on the back foot on 21 for 2.

The innings was rebuilt by overseas star Ben Salt (25) and there was huge relief among the home ranks when Addison bowled the Australian.

With an end open Cowdrey looked to push home the advantage and Warner (2 for 33) picked up two wickets in an over to leave Tonbridge 120 runs adrift with only five wickets remaining.

Hall, however, stood firm and was granite-like in defence. Partnerships with Jessop and Smiles seemed to change the momentum of the game and put Tonbridge within range.

The returning Thom Brown (2 for 36) picked up two crucial wickets clean bowled, which turned the match back in Cowdrey’s favour, and 40 runs were required with two wickets left.

Hall reached his half-century and looked to be nursing Tonbridge home but there was a twist in the tail as opening bowler Fenwick removed the last two wickets to return 4 for 38.

His victims included Hall, the opener being last man out for 66 with five boundaries to leave his side agonisingly five runs short on 189 all out with seven balls unused.

There were wild celebrations when the home players heard that Walmer had lost by two runs, thereby handing promotion to Cowdrey.

They entertain High Halstow on Saturday [August 18] knowing that victory will all but guarantee them the Division Four title.

ONE TO WATCH Ella Lockhart celebrates her maiden century for Kent

ton, and look where she has ended up? You cannot compare like for like, but I firmly believe that Ella has the potential to go all the way, and score more hundreds.”

No Kent Under-11 had ever scored a hundred before – Tammy was playing for the Under-13 age group when she recorded hers.

Tammy told Ella: “Many congratulations!

Scoring a century at such a young age is such a good achievement and I’m glad my record is finally broken.”

“I’ll be looking out for you in a Kent senior women’s shirt in a few years.”

Ella’s innings helped Kent to a record total of 201 for 2, beating the previous total of 192 set in 2015. Surrey were restricted to 155 for 5 in reply.

To round off a memorable day, Ella also took a stunning slip catch – a rare feat at at Under-11 level, there have only been a handful in the last 20 years.

Sport

Wednesday August 15 | 2018

Read grabs chance to shine and gives Angels flying start

NEWS

63

TEAM EFFORT Tonbridge celebrate their second goal

By James Rowe FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS made it five wins out of five on the opening day of the season as they cruised to victory over Merstham at the start of their Bostik League Premier campaign.

Three new players, central defender Arthur Lee, midfielder Tom Beere and striker Alex Reid, all caught the eye as the visitors played with vigour and intensity.

After the Moatsiders had made all their substitutions, one of their players suffered concussion and had to leave the field, resulting in a 10-minute delay and the home side having to finish the game with 10 men.

Joe Turner and Jack Parter causing problems on the left flank and on 15 minutes the former put

in a cross which Merstham’s keeper Chris Haig should have dealt with, allowing Jared Small’s looping header to find the back of the net.

Parter then worked the ball along the byline and his low cross ran along the goalline but no Tonbridge player was able to tap it into the net.

On the half-hour a fine free kick by Beere caused more problems, and after 38 minutes the Angels went 2-0 in front, goalscorer Small turning provider with a well-placed cross that Jelan Jones diverted into his own goal.

Four minutes into the second half, impressive build-up play between Beere and James Folkes allowed Read to score his first competitive goal for the club.

Assistant coach Barry Moore said afterwards: “Readie is the kind of player who may only get

PHOTO: David Couldridge

Merstham 0 Tonbridge Angels 3

one clear-cut chance during a game but he’s more than capable of taking that chance.”

The remainder of the match saw constant Tonbridge pressure. A Sonny Miles header hit the crossbar, another header from Lee was stopped by Haig, and a Joe Turner shot brought

out a fine save from the Merstham keeper.

With Merstham down to 10 men there were two chances for James Folkes as the visitors enjoyed a long period of possession.

The Angels now face Burgess Hill Town at home on Saturday [August 18, kick-off 3pm].

Rusthall up for the cup as Strachan adds finishing touch

PHOTOS: Jake Hall

Rusthall 3 Wick 0

FIRST STRIKE Right-back Tom Cameron goes on the attack

Young guns give TJs high hopes Wimbledon 14 Tonbridge Juddians 29

By Adam Hookway RUGBY UNION: TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS began preparations for the new campaign in National Two South with a win over old rivals Wimbledon, who were relegated last season.

TJs have managed to keep most of last season’s sixth-placed squad together, and there were also two Academy players returning to the squad.

Wing Ade Lipede was back from Saracens where he has added bulk to his electrifying pace - and Matteo Petrozzi was at scrum-half having been selected for Italy’s Under-18 squad.

Tom Simmonds was also in the mix having spearheaded the Academy’s National Cup-

TAKING WING Ade Lipede added bulk to his pace at Saracens

winning efforts in May 2015.

He had been out for a year with a serious injury but played at fly-half for part of the game, sharing the role with Will Robinson in what looks to be an exciting back line.

Duncan Tout switched from wing to centre but looked sharp after a stellar first season at The Slade, and Toby May was in good form after a spell at Cornish Pirates, slotting in at full-back.

The competition for places will be healthy, and it should be an exciting season for both the first and second XVs with the latter playing in a competitive revamped Invicta 1 this season.

TJs now take on neighbours Tunbridge Wells at St Marks on Saturday [August 18, kick-off 3pm].

FOOTBALL: RUSTHALL can dream of cup glory and big paydays from the Football Association after they romped to victory over Wick in the FA Cup extra-preliminary round.

The result completed an excellent week for the Rustics after their 3-1 victory over local rivals Crowborough Athletic in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.

Alex Carey played a sublime through ball to put Right-back Tom Cameron in on goal after 12 minutes and he swept his right-footed shot into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

Callum Ridley intercepted a pass on the half-hour and drove through the heart of the

pitch before lashing a shot over the crossbar.

Midfielder Carey deservedly doubled the home side’s lead five minutes after the break with a clinical finish from 25 yards into the top corner.

Then home-grown 18-year-old striker Callum Strachan came off the bench and scored the third goal two minutes from the end, set up by another young prospect in Regan Corke.

Joint-manager Andrew McKechnie said: “The two young lads were brilliant – Regan laid it on a plate for Callum.

“He’s a local lad, came through the youth and the reserves side, so that goal was very pleasing.

It was nothing more than what we deserved.”

Rusthall now return to league action at Deal Town on Saturday [August 18, kick-off 3pm].