Times of Tunbridge Wells 23rd January 2019

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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Markerstudy buys Co-op Insurance for £185m in a ‘perfect fit’ deal Purchase package pushes overall workforce of the group to more than 5,000 nationwide

by Jonathan Banks

Contrast The move will add another 1,000 people to the Markerstudy payroll, pushing its head count to around 5,000. The jobs will be based in Manchester.

“It’s taken over a year of hard work to achieve this tremendous deal that will catapult us into 2019,” said Lizzie SmithForeman, Group Marketing and Communications Director, based at Salomons.

She added: “The Co-op is, of course, a household name that started trading almost 200 years ago, and now has in excess of 4.6 million active members.

“In contrast, Markerstudy is in its 18th year, yet we have an impressive track record of success due to our people, our culture and our marketleading products.”

The deal is seen as a ‘perfect fit’, with the Co-op and Markerstudy both looking for growth in the insurance market and sharing common values when it comes to supporting community causes. Since 2012, Markerstudy has donated around £5million to charities and projects.

PHOTO: Sarah Bond

FOLLOWING a year of ‘hard work’ behind the scenes Markerstudy Group is set to acquire the motor and home insurance business of the Co-op, one of the biggest household names in the country.

The group, which employs some 700 people in and around Tunbridge Wells, is paying £185million for the package.

Its existing local portfolio includes One Warwick Park Hotel, Bewl Water, Salomons Estate, Auto Windscreens, VisionTrack and Times Local Newspapers.

PRESENCE Markerstudy has a number of local offices, including Kenwood House (above) As part of the 13-year agreement, Markerstudy will be distributing motor and home insurance products using the Co-op brand, and have access to their membership base. The transaction, which it hopes to complete in approximately six months’ time, is subject to regulatory approval.

The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, with interests across insurance, food, funerals and legal services. It also has an online electrical store.

Yesterday [Tuesday], Tunbridge Wells MP and Secretary of State for

‘I am sure Markerstudy’s positive involvement in the local community would have appealed to the Co-op’ Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark responded to the deal. He said: “Markerstudy is one of Britain’s most successful businesses and we are proud Tunbridge Wells is its home.

“I am sure Markerstudy’s positive involvement in the local community will have

appealed to the Co-op.”

The Markerstudy Group of Companies [MSG] is a privately-owned UK organisation headquartered in Bessels Green, near Sevenoaks. The CEO is Kevin Spencer.

Established in 2001, it has been recognised as a Best Company to Work For in the UK at The Sunday Times Best Companies Awards for five years running, and was a Top 5 company in 2017 in the Best Big Companies category.

Read more on Page 4

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

this week… Fly posters a ‘matter for the police’ warns the Electoral Commission MONEY TALKS: Local business leader Ron Roser wants reform to Prompt Payment Code page 6

CALL TO ARMS: Wealden MP Nus Ghani asks for help to reduce singleuse plastics page 8

LEARNING CURVE: Education expert reveals the findings on parents’ school survey page 19

By Richard Williams ELECTION fly posters that have been put up around Tunbridge Wells’ town centre and several parks are illegal and a matter for the police, the Electoral Commission has warned.

The posters, erected by opponents to the council’s theatre and civic development, highlight the date of the local elections in May and lists councillors, and the wards they represent, who support the Calverley Grounds scheme, urging people to not vote for them.

Under strict election rules, all political

‘The Electoral Commission provides clear guidance on the use of electoral material’ campaigning and electioneering posters require an imprint - information that includes the name and address of the printer and promoter of the material to prevent inaccurate and unaccountable information from reaching the electorate.

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said: “This material is from what is called a non-party campaigner.

“Imprints are required to be on all election material and this literature falls into that

In a statement on their category. Imprints help to website, the council says: “Fly ensure that there is transparposting is illegal advertising ency about who is campaignusing posters, flyers or types ing, and must therefore be of other literature. clear and visible.

“We can take enforcement “As this poster is candidateaction against anyone caught specific election material and flyposting and any venue or does not have an imprint, it is business benefiting from an a matter for the police to look illegal advertisement.” into,” he warned.

Nobody has taken responsiKent Police said nobody has bility for the posters, which yet made a formal complaint started to appear before to them about the posters, but Christmas but have continued they would investigate and to spring up around the town. liaise with the council if the ON THE FLY Several were spotted in matter was reported.

One of the illegal election Dunlorlan Park last weekend.

Returning Officer for posters Tunbridge Wells Alliance, Tunbridge Wells Borough which was founded to oppose Council, William Benson, said: the £90million Calverley Square civic complex, “The Electoral Commission provides clear denied the posters have anything to do with guidance on the use of electoral materials and them but has not condemned them. posters to ensure there is transparency about In a statement on their Twitter account, they who is campaigning. said: “A number of these A3 posters have been “If anyone is concerned about an electoral offence, they should contact the police using the seen across the Borough.

“TW Alliance is not responsible for these 101 non-emergency number or report the issue posters, but is aligned with the sentiments of anonymously by calling Crimestoppers.” them.

Regardless of their political content, fly “The words have not come from TW Alliance or posting is illegal and the perpetrators could face any known member of TW Alliance.” a fine if the council takes enforcement action.

Farmers’ market stallholders hold Ice rink to remain ‘productive meeting’ about future FULLY IMMERSED: Why Skinnners’ interactive drama production was a unique theatrical experience page 20

CONTACTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 DEPUTY EDITOR EILEEN LEAHY eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 CHIEF REPORTER RICHARD WILLIAMS newsdesk@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

Runcie Court, David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 0TF

CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS HERE at the Times of Tonbridge we strive to deliver fair, accurate and balanced reports. When we don’t meet our own high standards we will accept the responsibility and publish clarifications and corrections.

If you would like to make a comment on any aspect of the newspaper, please write to the editor at Runcie Court, David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TF, or email newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk Markerstudy Leisure is a trading name of One Media and Creative UK Limited registered in England and Wales under company number 5398960 with registered office at 45 Westerham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2QB.

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The developments that forced the market’s closure include the semi-pedestrianisation of STALLHOLDERS held a meeting with council officials Mount Pleasant Road, not due for completion until the summer of this year, and the new £13million last week in a bid to find a new location for the Amelia Scott culture hub – which won’t be finished beleaguered farmers’ market. until 2021.

It was announced in December that Tunbridge Now in another twist, traders from the market met Wells Farmers’ Market was to close after 20 years of council officials last week, and the market may not trading at the Civic Way site due to building work in be doomed after all. the town centre, with no indication of it ever “It was a really productive meeting,” said Paul reopening.

Saxby from Arcade Fisheries at the market.

At the time, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said “We have come away with some options. I think there was ‘no suitable alternative site’ for the we have come away knowing in our heart of hearts market, leaving the 25 or so traders out in the cold that there is still going to be market for the people with little or no prospect of seeing the event restart. of Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas.”

Councillor Tracy Moore, who met with the market representatives said: “I explained to stall holders our interests are aligned.

“Having responsibility for economic growth for Tunbridge Wells I absolutely recognise that we need to drive footfall to the town centre and that events like a farmers market and music events MARKET VALUE help brings people to the town.”

The final farmers’ market Despite the meeting, no new will be held on Friday location has yet been found.

by Robert Forrester

Holocaust remembrance A BRIEF ceremony will be held on Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday, where the mayor will lay a wreath in commemoration of the millions killed in the Nazi Holocaust.

The event, organised by the Royal British Legion, Tunbridge Wells Branch, will take place at the War Memorial on Civic Way at 11am.

Holocaust Memorial Day is held each year on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, and the RBL wishes for members of the Jewish community to join them as they commemorate the event.

John Cohen, chairman of the Royal British Legion in the borough said: “We are reaching out to members of the Jewish community in the town who

wish to come along and pay their respects on Sunday.”

Holocaust Memorial Day is internationally recognised and commemorates not only the millions of people killed under Nazi Persecution, but also subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

In the 1940s Rusthall Beacon in Happy Valley was used as a residential home for refugee children, and from 1938 and throughout the Second World War, Happy Valley played host to some of the 10,000 unaccompanied children, the majority of whom were Jewish, who came to Britain from Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland as part of the Kindertransport.

THE council has confirmed that the ice rink will return each year during the construction of its controversial Civic Square project.

There have been concerns that construction on the Calverley Grounds site would hamper access to the popular festive attraction, resulting in the council reneging on its promise that it would be business as usual for the winter event.

Last year 40,000 skaters took to the ice, generating more than £56,000 for the borough council.

Concerns Last week the council confirmed that the ice rink will remain open during the construction phase of the Calverley project amid concerns raised on social media about access to the site.

There are three entrances to the park, Mountfield Road, Mountfield Gardens and Calverley Park – the latter being affected by construction.

A spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: “The project team is working on plans for access to the ice rink during the Calverley Square development which will then be submitted as a planning application for approval.

“It is envisaged that access for the set-up of the rink will be through the development site and public access to the rink through the side entrances to the park.”

The latest tender for the ice rink lasts five years, past the construction time of Civic Square.

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Police Commissioning Chief wants tax rise KENT PCC, Matthew Scott, has said he wants to increase council tax by £24 per year but has promised to spend the money on 180 new rank and file police officers.

The Police and Crime Commissioner wants to increase the policing aspect of resident’s council tax bill, what is known as the precept, by the maximum amount allowable by government.

He said: “For an increase in the policing element of council tax of £2 a month for a Band D property in 2019/20, I can provide Kent Police with another 180 fullywarranted police officers.”

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By Richard Williams PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN star Johnny Depp enjoyed a roast Sunday lunch in Mayfield this week, amid rumours that he is in the area looking to buy a home.

Depp, 55, who this time last year divorced wife Amber Heard in a very public and acrimonious split, is rumoured to be considering buying Davina McCall’s £3.2million mansion in Wadhurst.

The actor, who rose to international stardom following the film Edward Scissorhands, was spotted in the Middle House, Mayfield on Sunday, and it is not the first time he has been in the pub.

“He was in with his manager and a couple of other people,” said a pub regular who wished not to be named.

“He came in the Sunday before too, but we get quite a few celebrities in here. The other week we had Jeff Beck, Cate Blanchett and Davina McCall all on the same day.”

The star, who did little to hide his appearance,

A TUNBRIDGE WELLS man is facing a life sentence after being convicted of the murder of his neighbour.

Gordon Locke had denied murdering his neighbour, Gordon Farnes, in Sherwood Road following a row about noise last July.

But a jury at Maidstone Crown Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict last Friday. Judge David Griffith Jones QC will sentence Locke tomorrow (Thursday)

TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS will be hosting their beer festival on Friday February 1 from 5-11pm and Saturday February 2 from 11am-11pm at the club’s Slade headquarters. Live Six Nations rugby will also be screened.

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wearing a cowboy hat and scarf, posed for a few selfies with regulars but mainly ‘kept to himself’.

“He tends to sit with his back to the room so most people do not know he’s there,” said the pub regular.

Depp’s latest film, City of Lies, a crime drama about the murder of rapper Notorious BIG, was reportedly beset with problems due to the actor’s erratic on-set behaviour.

But the Hollywood A-lister could be seeking a more tranquil future, as locals believe he has been to see Davina McCall’s sprawling six-bedroom home in Wadhurst, which comes complete with 38 acres of private parkland, its own swimming pool, tennis court and private access to the local train station.

The former Big Brother presenter has had the property on the market since her split with husband Matthew Robertson last year.

The property was listed on estate agent Savills website before Christmas but is no longer showing it is for sale.

Work begins on traffic-free zone

Landmark vandalised

Beer festival returns

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Johnny Depp seen in Mayfield – amid rumours he’s relocating

Guilty verdict for killer

A WATER feature in the luxury property development, Royal Wells Park, has been vandalised.

Vandals removed stainless steel lettering from one of the water features on the estate, situated off Mount Ephraim, some of which are valued in the tens of thousands of pounds.

A spokesperson for the developer, Berkeley Homes, said: “We are very disappointed that our water feature at Royal Wells Park has been damaged.

“The water feature celebrates the historic spa waters of Royal Tunbridge Wells and provides a key landmark and meeting point at the development. It’s an important part of Royal Wells Park for our residents and the wider community, and we are keen to restore the damage at the earliest convenience.”

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GRAND TOUR: Owners George Smith (far left) and Michele Harriman-Smith with KCC Chairman Mike Harrison (near left) and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, Mark Dance

KCC officials get a tour of Childrensalon ONE of Tunbridge Wells’ largest companies played host to the Chairman of Kent County Council, Mike Harrison, and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, Mark Dance, last week.

The Kent County Council officials said they wanted to visit Childrensalon, which employs

360 people in the area, since learning of its Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade last year and the Kent Excellence in Business Award (KEIB) for Employer of the Year and Best Customer Service.

Mark Dance said he was ‘amazed’ at the Childrensalon operation.

MOTORISTS could be facing delays and tailbacks in Tunbridge Wells town centre from next week as the next phase of the council’s plan to develop another stretch of Tunbridge Wells town centre begins.

The reported £1.3million scheme follows the semi-pedestrianising of Fiveways around Royal Victoria Place in 2015.

‘Phase 2’ of the scheme, which will begin on 28 January, will see the pedestrian friendly zone extended to the cross roads of Church Road and Crescent Road, where the ABC cinema stood.

During the works, which are expected to take around seven months, traffic will be prohibited between Monson Road and the traffic lights, from 9am to 6pm. There will also be restrictions on Monson Road leading up from Camden Road.

The scheme will lead to the narrowing of the main road and widening of pavements - providing priority to pedestrians and buses, and limiting vehicle access - similar to the current scheme in the Fiveways area.

The council have confirmed that bus stops in Mount Pleasant will be temporarily relocated to Monson Road during the works and motorists leaving York or Dudley Road will be able to drive across Mount Pleasant to Monson Road.

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

New deal will boost Markerstudy’s presence in the insurance market THE Co-op Insurance acquisition by Markerstudy is an ‘excellent strategic fit’, according to a company spokesperson.

The deal increases Markerstudy’s UK share of the motor insurance market to 8% and supports their growth strategy.

The company is already active in both the personal and motor insurance space, with brands, which include Geoffrey Insurance, Zenith Direct, Paws and Claws, Lancaster Insurance and Insurance Choice.

The new deal will add around 1.3m policyholders to their existing client base, and increases their annual gross written premium (GWP) to around £600m, which is expected to hit £1billion over the next five years.

Pippa Wicks, Deputy CEO at the Co-op said: “Markerstudy have shown a clear willingness to partner with us, and to develop a compelling range of products which will increase our insurance footprint and extend our Co-op

difference.

“We have always been mindful of our insurance colleagues and a key factor in our CO-OPERATION The Co-op’s Deputy CEO Pippa Wicks

selection was the commitment given by Markerstudy to maintain and then look to expand the operation.”

The group has several other well-known businesses, including Auto Windscreens, the vehicle glass repair company, and under its leisure subsidiary, the company also owns One Warwick Park Hotel in Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate, Bewl Water, as well as One Media, which publishes the Times of Tunbridge Wells, Times of Tonbridge and So Magazine.

‘The Co-op purchase is great news for both our local and national companies’ Louise Clark, Managing Director of Markerstudy Leisure, said: “As the group’s regional leisure division, it’s important that our four leisure businesses are viewed as an integral

COMMUNITY Markerstudy’s Louise Clark part of the community, which is why we are happy to work with and support local sports clubs, charities and events within the town.

“This, along with support from the Markerstudy talent acquisition and development teams, also allows us to attract a high calibre of staff from the area.

“The recently announced Co-op purchase is great news for both our local and national companies as it reinforces the group’s exciting strategy for growth, development and opportunity.”

‘Shared values of honesty, openness and responsibility’

CHARITABLE CAUSES: Markerstudy Group are well known for their commitment to charity and the community. They regularly volunteer at Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre and the Big Cat Sanctuary

SOAP STARS Crazy Jean’s Soap Box race at Dunlorlan Park

THE acquisition of the Co-op’s underwriting business by Markerstudy not only makes sense from a business perspective, with The Cooperative one of the country’s leading insurance groups, but also the two businesses have similar ethics and culture.

Set up in 1867 to provide fire and fidelity guarantee insurance to co-operative societies, Co-op insurance follows the basic principles of co-operatives, which includes self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and the ethical values of honesty, openness and social responsibility.

Likewise, Markerstudy has been named an ‘Extraordinary company to work for’ by Best Companies for five consecutive years, and listed fourth place in The Sunday Times 30 Big Best Companies to Work For. Their organisation’s values committees promote fairness and integrity in customer service, prioritise staff wellbeing and support

them in their community and charity fundraising activities, provide positive employment opportunities, encourage green initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint and promote safe driving for the next generation.

Additionally, since 2012, the company has donated around £5million to charity, with tens of thousands going to local causes, in and

‘From our point of view, the link with Markerstudy is the perfect marriage’ around Tunbridge Wells, including Nourish Food Bank, Samaritan’s Purse ‘Operation Christmas Child’, and last year they were headline sponsor of Crazy Jean’s Soap Box race in Dunlorlan Park, which raised thousands for Hospice in the Weald and ellenor.

A Markerstudy team also painted the wire fences to one of the tiger enclosures at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent in November last year.

The insurers are also regular fundraisers for Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre, which helps more than 3,000 people a year.

Co-founder Polly Taylor said: “As a totally self-funding charity we rely so much on the support of local businesses and the community and Markerstudy has certainly come up trumps time and again.

“People at every level of the company have shown us so much love and given us so much of their time. They have helped us out in everything from fund raising, to cleaning and decorating our centre. We owe them a huge thanks as do so many other good causes.

“The local Co-op has also worked with us so from our point of view, the link with Markerstudy is the perfect marriage.”

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

An award-winning local business…

THE buyout of the Co-op’s CIS General Insurance Ltd is expected to add around 1,000 jobs to Markerstudy Group’s 4,000-strong team.

While the new jobs will be based in the North, the employees will benefit from the company’s investment in talent, something which the group’s 700-strong Tunbridge Wells workforce knows only too well.

The insurer, which turns eighteen this year, has been a Best Company to Work For, for the last five years in a row, and was also awarded the Investors in People Gold Champion Standard for a further three years in 2016.

Last year Geoffrey Insurance were voted ‘Best Car Insurance Provider 2018’ and ‘Treating Customers Fairly Champion’ at the Insurance Choice Awards, and Moneyfacts also rated Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited fourstars for its Private Car Insurance product and the company won ‘Data Mastery and Analytics 2018’ at the Celent Model Insurer Awards.

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Markerstudy Group has 20 active trading companies in a range of sectors that cover a number of major brands including the following:

A survey conducted for the Sunday Times found that 82% of Markerstudy employees believe they CONFERENCE AND EVENTS VENUE can contribute to the success of the organisation, and that staff go out of their way to help each other and have fun together.

Gary Humphreys, Group Underwriting Director, said: “Since establishing our offices in Kent, we’ve been extremely fortunate with the talent available on our doorstep, and as our organisation has grown, so has our need for enthusiastic colleagues who are motivated to provide a great service to our customers. business “We’ll be maintaining our southern stronghold, LOCAL NEWSPAPERS awards but are now relishing the opportunity of moving north to increase our capacity.”

Through its Apprenticeship Learning Experience (ALEX), Markerstudy provides an alternative route LOCAL NEWSPAPERS to a career and a relevant qualification alongside business a realistic apprentice wage and benefits package.

The Group currently has 38 apprentices in the L O C A L N E W S P A P E R S awards ALEX scheme.

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Times business awards 2019

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THE KEY BENEFITS OF ACQUISITION ON TRACK Simon Marsh, MD, VisionTrack

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Times LOCAL NEWSPAPERS

and ambition, we have become one of the ONE BUSINESS that has recently profited from a leading providers in vehicle CCTV and camera buyout by Markerstudy has been Tunbridge telematics and developed a cutting edge Wells-based VisionTrack, which was acquired Internet of Things platform for connected three years ago. vehicles – and, testament to our success, we’ve Simon Marsh, Managing Director explained LOCAL NEWSPAPERS business won 10 industry awards to date!” how his company benefited from the Since the takeover, VisionTrack has won the acquisition.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS awards ‘Best IoT / Telematics-based Project of the Year’ “We have always been based in and around for the Digital Insurtech Awards consecutively in the Tunbridge Wells area having joined the 2017 and 2018, the ‘Technology of the Year Markerstudy Group of Companies three years Award 2018’ for the Commercial Insurance ago in the real infancy of our offering.

Awards, as well as the ‘Customer Service Award “The Group saw the potential of VisionTrack 2018’ for Fleet News Awards. and with their unwavering guidance, support

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business awards

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Local business leaders join the calls for Greg Clark to reform Prompt Payment

by Richard Williams LOCAL business leaders have joined calls for minister Greg Clark’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to reform the Prompt Payment Code that is doing little to prevent tens of thousands of small business going to the wall each year.

The code, a voluntary system set up in 2002, should ensure businesses pay contractors and suppliers promptly, but it was made a mockery of during the collapse of Carillion last year, who had signed up to the agreement but left businesses waiting up to 120 days before settling bills.

Ron Roser, Chairman of Caxtons Chartered Surveyors and Langton Business Services as well organiser of the popular Muesli Mafia business breakfast networking event, said that late payment had a ‘significant effect’ on small businesses.

“Some of the worst offenders are big household names. When people pay late, it causes cash flow problems, and businesses struggle to pay wages and make necessary investments,” he said.

“It is a contractual agreement but the problem is when these big businesses don’t pay within 30 days, small and medium sized enterprises haven’t the wherewithal to take them to court, so they get away with it.

“We need to make it a system that is as easy and simple as taking them to an independent body for a penalty.”

The Association of Accounting Technicians [AAT] released a survey this month of 100 MPs, threequarters of whom backed the calls.

Currently, under the voluntary scheme, there is little businesses can do to protect themselves from late payers.

After the collapse of Carillion, Greg Clark, the

MP for Tunbridge Wells and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, requested a call for evidence on how to strengthen the Prompt Payment Code.

Small Business Commissioner Paul Uppal announced earlier this month that he wants to ‘name and shame’ companies that fail to pay promptly, but business leaders want further action.

“Late payments lead to thousands of insolvencies every year, damage productivity, restrict investment and can also impact on the mental health of small business owners and their employees,” said Phil Hall, Head of Public Affairs and Public Policy at the AAT, who conducted the MP survey.

He added: “Having a clear late payments strategy can help to focus minds and increase the likelihood of bills being paid on time. In certain circumstances, businesses may also need to take on the services of a third party debt collection service to help put pressure on trade customers.”

The Federation of Small Businesses [FSB] estimates that 50,000 enterprises fail each year due to cash flow problems caused by late payments.

“The UK’s economic success and productivity rests on the success of small and micro businesses,” explained FSB Chairman Mike Cherry.

“The FSB has long highlighted that some larger companies exploit the imbalance of power with small suppliers to impose unacceptable terms.”

Disproportionate “Greg Clark has requested evidence, but we want him to change the code so it does three things: • “Be compulsory for any business employing more than 250 people, including local authorities and public bodies.

• “Half the maximum payment term from 60 days to 30.

• “And have a simple and clear financial penalty system.”

Mark Holborow, restructuring advisory director at Tunbridge Wells audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, said that if you are trying to run a business, nothing is more frustrating than not being paid on time.

“It can result in a disproportionate amount of stress and lost management time,” he said.

“Smaller suppliers to larger businesses are particularly susceptible, and this can cause havoc when it comes to trying to manage cash flow.

“In the worst cases, late payment can lead to a company going under.

PAY UP Caxtons’ Chairman, Ron Roser, wants penalities for late payers

NEWS IN BRIEF

Aldi store uncertainty BUDGET supermarket Aldi, which has been planning a new supermarket in Tunbridge Wells, is still no closer to confirming when and if it will open in the town.

The chain, which owns land off Eridge Road near to the existing Sainsbury’s store on Linden Park Road, has still not filed a planning application for the site.

The German-owned discount chain has said it is continuing to look at new store locations ‘across the UK, including Tunbridge Wells’.

FSB: ‘Get Brexit done’ THE Tunbridge Wells-based Federation of Small Businesses [FSB] had a simple message for local MPs at their monthly Business Breakfast last week: ‘Get Brexit done’.

Small business owners at the event, which was held at Tonbridge Fire Station, were all in agreement that the uncertainty caused by Parliament rejecting the government’s deal is distracting politicians.

“Our message is to just get Brexit done,” said event organiser and Development Manager for FSB Kent, Alison Parmar.

She said the uncertainty caused by the delay in Parliament getting a deal together is resulting in many businesses being hesitant when it comes to investment.

“They just want to know what is going to happen.

“We want Greg [Clark], Tom [Tugendhat], Michael Fallon and all the other local MPs to make time to look at business rates, to look at skills shortages and staffing, to look at the problems with our infrastructure that are hampering small businesses.”

Ms Parmar added that the federation will be meeting both Greg Clark and Tom Tugendhat next month.

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Gyms flourishing as the next generation shuns going out HEALTHY APPROACH Thanks to healthier lifestyles, gyms are prospering

LOCAL gyms are prospering thanks to a health-conscious next generation, a recent consumer spending report shows.

Unlike baby boomers, those born just after the war, and Generation X, people who grew up in the late 70s and early 80s, the next generation of Millennials and Generation Z are shunning traditional pastimes such as going to the pub or eating out in restaurants in favour of healthier pursuits.

In research conducted by audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, who have offices in Tunbridge Wells, London and Bromley, nearly half of the 2,000 people surveyed said they had a gym membership, but for the younger generation that goes up to three quarters.

While the survey also showed a fifth of UK adults eat out at restaurants at least once a week, nearly half of the latest generation, Generation Z, say they eat out only once or twice a month. Instead, nine in ten buy more takeaways than their par-

ents and grandparents’ generation.

Paul Newman, a partner at RSM, and the national Head of Leisure and Hospitality, said: “Operators are reacting to the spending and lifestyle habits of the ‘sensible generation’.

“The increase in gym spend is being driven by niche operators.

“Certain groups, especially Millennials, are attracted to specialist ‘drop in’ and ‘pay as you go’ fitness classes and boot camps in addition to their main club membership.”

Gym owner Charlie Foulkes, who runs Energie Fitness in High Brooms, which opened three years ago, says membership has grown steadily in that time.

“When you open a business you expect it to explode straightaway, but it takes time for word of mouth to get around. We have grown steadily each year and I hope we continue to do so.

“We have people here of all ages, but the majority of our members are in the 25 to 35 year age range.”

Hotel recruitment drive targets parents

by Richard Williams BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge has launched a major recruitment drive in Kent – targeting parents looking for flexible shift patterns.

The firm, which has a hotel on Mount Ephriam, Tunbridge Wells, says the hospitality industry is perfect for busy mums and dads looking for employment that fits around the school run.

“Peter Gowers, Chief Executive at the hotel chain, said: “Travelodge is growing quickly and we want to unlock the potential of Britain’s mums and dads as they return to work.

“Hospitality can offer a great career for parents with jobs close to home, hours that can match the school run, benefits that suit families, and a path into management.”

The company says they hope to create 3,000 jobs over the next five years.

YouGov research reveals that 86 per cent of parents want to return to work, but nearly two-thirds find the lack of flexibility a barrier to

getting back into employment.

Andrea Starbuck, who runs Ten2Two, a recruitment firm that specialises in finding work for parents in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and other areas of West Kent, said that many businesses are now waking up to this ‘untapped talent’.

“I started Ten2Two with my business partner Kirsteen Allen because we were two mums who wanted to add value to local business with the skills we had worked hard for.

“We didn’t want or have the capacity to work the traditional nine-to-five because of family and other commitments.

“As you can imagine, in the West Kent area with its close connections there is a massive untapped talent pool of other local professionals, in particular parents, who are in the same boat as I was eight years ago.”

She said back then it was difficult to educate businesses on the real benefits of recruiting mums and dads as ‘companies were resistant to change.’

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Calls for businesses to get tough on plastic Wealden MP Nus Ghani [left] has called for local businesses to help in the fight to reduce single-use plastics.

Backing Wealden Council’s ‘Refill’ campaign, which asks local cafés, restaurants and bars to provide ‘refill stations’ which people can use to fill up water bottles for free rather than discard them, she said: “Looking after our environment is one of the most important issues for our generation, ensuring we protect Wealden’s stunning natural beauty.

“Cutting down on single-use plastics is a great way to limit our impact on the environment, and it’s great to see Wealden District Council set out their three-part action plan.”

The MP’s words came at the same time Marks & Spencer announced it is to start selling more than 90 lines of loose fruit and vegetables, free of all plastic packaging, in a trial that will revive the use of paper bags.

In June last year, Morrisons came up with a similar scheme, and frozen food specialist Iceland has also carried out a trial to see whether its shoppers would pay 10p for a paper bag as an alternative to single use plastic bags.

Twenty six major companies involved in the production of plastics, including Procter & Gamble [P&G], Veolia and ExxonMobil, have formed an alliance to reduce plastic waste, committting more than 1 billion dollars [£777million].

Law firm celebrates record financial year

KEEPING MUM Travelodge’s Peter Gower “Since then we have seen legislation change supporting flexible working, and a huge amount of ‘return to work’ initiatives, mostly by large corporates like BT, Credit Suisse, Virgin, etc, giving exposure and credence to this type of talent engagement.”

ONE of Kent’s oldest law firms is celebrating its most successful financial year in its 123-year history.

Maidstone-based law firm Brachers saw turnover increase just shy of 10% to £13.5million, with corporate and commercial work in particular experiencing strong growth.

The firm provides legal services to a broad range of clients, from private individuals and their families and businesses to SMEs, multinational corporations and public sector organisations.

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

A firm that has West Kent and the welfare of its clients at its heart Paul Reader, of Berry & Lamberts Solicitors, became Managing Partner at 43 – one of the youngest in Tunbridge Wells. Here, he tells us how both he and the firm have made their mark involved with the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and conducted lectures on employment law for their members.

When I turned 30, the firm started to talk to me about partnership and heading up the Dispute Resolution team in our then Maidstone office.

In that year I was made partner, got married and my wife became pregnant with our first child – it was incredibly hectic!

When the recession hit in 2008, we were forced to re-evaluate what was important to us as a firm. It was during this time that we came to the realisation that our roots were in West Kent, and that our standing in the community was key to our identity. As a result of this, I was transferred back to the Tunbridge Wells office in 2009 and have been based here ever since.

Paul Reader

PERSONAL LIFE Paul Reader has been a qualified solicitor for 18 years, is married, a father to two girls, and in his spare time enjoys playing guitar and basketball. He is the lead guitarist in Tunbridge Wells-based band Kharma & the Devil, who have headlined the Speldhurst fete, played as part of the Local & Live events, and regularly play in local pubs and music venues.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME AT BERRY & LAMBERTS I started as a trainee, based in the Tunbridge Wells office. At the end of my training period I decided that I wanted to work as a Dispute Resolution solicitor. Once I qualified, I was moved to the firm’s Tonbridge office, and cut my teeth there for about eight years.

It was my job to handle any cases that would come through the door; landlord and tenant work, contract disputes, harassment injunctions and employment cases. I got

WHAT’S THE MAIN SPECIALITY OF THE FIRM? Helping people at key points in their personal and professional lives.

We provide the full range of legal services that you might require, and we want to supply those services whenever you need them. We assist in property transactions; preparing Wills and Powers of Attorney so that you can plan for your and your family’s future; buying and selling businesses; regulating relationships between business owners; relationship breakdowns; and criminal defence work.

We work with many of our clients at significant

points on their journey through life. As a firm, we understand that legal work is never just about documenting a set of circumstances, it often accompanies an emotional journey, which means we form close professional bonds with our clients. We create meaningful relationships that are beneficial for both parties.

HOW DOES YOUR FIRM SET ITSELF APART? We have been in the local area for over 260 years and work as a team with our clients. Our specialist knowledge is an absolute given, and we pride ourselves in working alongside clients to help them achieve the results they seek.

For more than 20 years now, Berry & Lamberts Solicitors has been a part of a group called LawNet. It is a national network of legal firms, with wide geographical and technical expertise spread out into a wide range of services.

LawNet is a collective that not only enables independent law firms to pool together their

‘We understand that legal work often accompanies an emotional journey’

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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CENTRAL LOCATION The firm has offices in a distinctive Church Road row resources, but also provides members with training, networking events and conferences.

We are the only firm in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge that is a part of LawNet. WHY IS LAWNET IMPORTANT? LawNet enables us to access so many more resources than your typical high street law firm.

Being a member, which involves rigorous audits twice a year, is about improving quality and service and enables us to tap into even greater knowledge and discussions that we can pass on to our clients.

We have access to high quality training, in both soft skills and legal skills, and receive regular feedback from clients through services that LawNet have provided to us which enable us to spot trends in our work and focus on where we can make the business run more smoothly.

It’s quite an elite group as there are only

just over 70 law firms nationwide that are currently with LawNet. WHAT ARE THE FIRM’S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? Our main focus is the continuing provision of quality legal services to the people of West Kent and the locality. We offer personalised service to our clients and I feel this is an area that we really excel at. We pride ourselves on being trusted and reliable advisors and our future plans aim to further consolidate this.

We also need to look at embracing new

‘We pride ourselves on being trusted and reliable advisors’

technologies in order to assist our clients.

At a recent LawNet conference, an idea that really inspired me was the possibility of running an app for our clients where they can check on the progress of their case without having to take the time out of their day to call their solicitor.

Exploring these opportunities in technology so that our clients can contact us in a way that is efficient and convenient for them really excites us.

legal work to be done. As for other businesses, they ultimately remain in a period of uncertainty.

The effect of Brexit is dependent on the final deal (or no deal). I think it’s important that businesses look into who they’re buying goods or services from and making sure those contracts are robust enough to deal with any eventuality.

WILL BREXIT HAVE A BIG EFFECT ON BUSINESS FOR YOU AND YOUR CLIENTS? Who knows what’s going to happen? After the initial referendum result we certainly saw an anxiety within the property market as people halfway through their transactions were worrying whether they were going to be affected.

Interestingly, at the moment property is the busiest it’s ever been. I think that for law firms, whatever happens, there’s always going to be

Berry & Lamberts Solicitors have been an established firm in Tunbridge Wells for over 260 years. They serve individuals and businesses in the West Kent community, the South East and all over England and Wales. They also have offices in Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Sevenoaks and Kings Hill.

THE FIRM

n 11 Church Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1JA

01892 526344 • berryandlamberts.co.uk

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Community News

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Rotary Club helps homeless and Ground-breaking rural dramatists Scotts Project’s new production seek trustees to THE Rotary Club of Tonbridge has presented donations to two local charities totalling more than £1,100.

The Scotts Project Trust at Delarue Close in Shipbourne Road has received a cheque for £620.

And the homeless charity Porchlight, which has a branch in Tonbridge, was handed £500 after the fundraising drive.

The President of the Rotary Club, Sonia Williams, said: “We were delighted to be able to support both of these charities, particularly at this time of year.”

The Scotts Project supports adults with learning disabilities through three interlinked services: independent living on site, day services and residential care.

The donation will go towards a show called This Is Me, which residents and service users are putting on next month.

Rosanna Colclough, Performing Arts Director for the show, said: “A big thank you to Tonbridge Rotary Club’s Brian Piner, who popped in to see us with a very kind donation from Rotary for our show This Is Me, which is being performed in February by our Drama Group.

“This Is Me is a one-night-only performance celebrating the amazing talents and unique personalities of adults with learning disabilities.

“We thank Rotary very much for

reach out further

SETTING THE SCENE (L-R) Rosanna Colclough with Rotary Past President Brian Piner and Scotts Project residents their generosity and look forward to seeing them at the show.”

This Is Me, which will be staged in the Ship Theatre at Walthamstow Hall School in Sevenoaks on February 22, has a cast of 36, who have spent a year rehearsing.

Ms Colclough said: “It’s so magical getting to work with a brilliant cast who all want to do well and achieve the best.

“Rehearsals have been a mix of laughter, tears – happy ones – and discovering new skills.”

She added: “I can’t wait for them to have this opportunity to show the audience their talents and brilliant personalities.”

Chris Thomas, of Porchlight, said: “We’re so grateful to the Rotary Club of Tonbridge. The money they raised can be used to help fund life-

saving services such as our Street Team and Helpline.

“Homelessness in Kent is getting worse, but we’re determined to help everyone who needs us.

“We can’t do that without the community’s support, and it’s heartening to see the effort involved.”

Tickets for This Is Me are available from scottsproject.org.uk

A TOURING theatre group which brings live shows to small and isolated venues in the countryside across Kent and Sussex is looking for trustees to help its expansion.

Applause Rural Touring, which is based in Southborough, provides challenging and inspiring performances that can be enjoyed in familiar places.

It offers affordable theatre, music and other performing arts in village halls, community spaces, pubs and outdoor fetes and festivals.

Applause also commissions new and exciting work and supports artists and companies to stage their productions.

Its ethos is to bring life-enhancing experiences to people who often have limited access to the arts because they live outside of major towns and cities where theatres and cultural institutions are concentrated.

The Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation has a non-executive board of six trustees and a small team of full and part-time employees.

Executive director Dawn Badlan said: “Working with artists, performing companies and a network of local promoters, our work reaches rural and isolated communities in Kent, bringing creativity and culture to local people in familiar community venues, outdoor events and pubs.

“With ever decreasing spend on public services, rural communities are at risk of further isolation, particularly for those with limited mobility.

“Applause works on a local level to ensure that small communities are not marginalised from a cultural offer and can experience high-quality,

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

UNFORGETTABLE Nearly There Yet’s rural outdoor production of Memory Man

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

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Workout for armchair fans at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

By Andy Tong

inspiring and enjoyable events that are affordable and easy to reach.”

The group is looking to recruit up to three new voluntary trustees to join the board and lead it through its next phase of growth and development.

It is particularly seeking people with experience in the areas of digital, business, health and wellbeing, rural issues and education.

Applause would also like to hear from anyone who is excited about its work and feel they have something to offer.

For further detailed information, including the time commitment and role expectations, visit applause.org.uk/aboutus If you are interested in joining the board of trustees, email your CV and a covering letter to: dawn@applause.org.uk

Community News

A PROGRAMME of leisurely physical pursuits is helping patients with their recovery at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital.

The activities being offered include armchair football, games of catch and skittles.

The physiotherapy team, run

by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, introduced the sports equipment to their weekly exercise group thanks to a donation by the hospital’s League of Friends.

Patients are supported to perform warm-up exercises to improve their mobility and muscle strength.

Afterwards they join in the series of games, which are designed to work different muscle groups – all from the safety of their armchair.

The brainchild of physiotherapist Sherree Kempton and rehabilitation assistant Sue Colley, the activities not only support physical health, but also emotional wellbeing.

Sherree said: “We know how important it is to get people up and moving when they are in hospital, so we can get them home safely and managing as independently as possible.

“The challenge for us is creating a physiotherapy session for people with reduced mobility that supports their rehab but is also good fun.

“It’s not just their muscles that get a good workout, there is lots of laughter and social interaction, too, which is so important.”

John Ashelford, the League of Friends Vice-Chair, said: “Sherree approached us with a wish list of items that she wanted to support her exercise group and we were delighted to help.

“We are so pleased it’s being put to such excellent use to support

local people to recover faster.”

Tony Stevens, an 88 year old from Paddock Wood, was rehabilitating at the cottage hospital after a stay in the Pembury hospital because he was having trouble breathing.

He said: “It’s been hard being in hospital for so long, but they are very good here and it feels very homely. The exercise group gives you a break and it makes a nice change to talk to different people.”

Barbara Foster, 85, was admitted for physical therapy after falling and breaking her hip.

She said: “I have been so well looked after. I am excited to get up and moving. You have to stay positive and keep going.”

Sherree said: “We are really grateful to the League of Friends.

The equipment is really making a difference to the experience our patients have when they are here.”

GOOD SPORTS: (Back row, L-R) John Ashelford, Daphne Males and David Goodridge of the League of Friends; (Front) physiotherapist Sherree Kempton, patients Tony Stevens and Barbara Foster, and rehabilitation assistant Sue Colley

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National News THE FAVOURITE Olivia Colman

Colman and Bale in running for Oscars BRITISH stars Olivia Colman, Christian Bale, Rachel Weisz and Richard E Grant have received nominations for the Oscars on February 24.

Regal dark comedy The Favourite and Alfonso Cuaron’s black-and-white epic Roma each picked up 10 nominations, more than any other film.

They are both nominated for best picture with A Star Is Born, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Vice and Green Book.

Colman is in the running for best actress for her starring role in The Favourite, alongside Glenn Close for The Wife, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born, Yalitza Aparicio for Roma and Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me? Bale was recognised in the best actor category for his portrayal of controversial former US vice president Dick Cheney in Vice.

An Academy Award winner for 2010’s The Fighter, Bale is up against Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born, Willem Dafoe for At Eternity’s Gate, Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody and Viggo Mortensen in Green Book.

Colman’s The Favourite co-star Weisz is up for the award in the supporting actress category.

Grant is named among the best supporting actor candidates for Can You Ever Forgive Me?

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Football club left in shock after new signing’s plane disappears CARDIFF CITY’S chief executive has said everyone at the club is in ‘shock’ after a plane carrying new record signing Emiliano Sala disappeared over the English Channel.

Ken Choo was speaking as one of the men leading the search warned that the chances of finding survivors were ‘reducing very rapidly’.

The search was launched on Monday night after the Piper PA-46 Malibu light aircraft disappeared from radar en route from Nantes in France to Cardiff.

The Argentinian striker, who cost £15million from Nantes, was due to join his new teammates for training yesteray [Tuesday].

Mr Choo said: “We were very shocked upon hearing the news that the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team.

Hungry gerbil set free by armed response unit ARMED police in Derby helped to rescue a ‘hungry’ gerbil after its owner went to prison, leaving it trapped at home.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team [SNT] received a tip-off from the RSPCA. A spokesperson said: “Our officers forced entry to the address with some help from the armed response unit and found the gerbil, who was thankfully still alive but very hungry.”

Derbyshire Police added: “Armed officers are routinely called on to provide support in gaining access to properties where there is a cause for concern.”

SUPPORT Tributes are laid outside Cardiff City Stadium

Challenging “Our owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, and chairman, Mehmet Dalman, are all very distressed about the situation.”

He added: “All of us at Cardiff City FC would like to thank our fans, and the entire footballing family for their support at this difficult time.”

Mr Choo said the Premier League club had called off training on Tuesday morning, adding: “The thoughts of the squad, management staff and the entire club [are] with Emiliano and the pilot. We continue to pray for positive news.”

Over 1,000 square miles has been searched by five aircraft and two lifeboats but ‘no trace’ of the plane has been found, Guernsey Police said.

John Fitzgerald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, said: “I think with the sea temperatures and the sea conditions the chances of finding anybody alive are reducing

NEWS IN BRIEF

all the time. The sea temperatures are very, very cold and just sap the core temperature of anybody in the water very, very quickly.”

Guernsey Police said: “Conditions during the search last night were challenging, with wave heights of up to two metres, with heavy rain showers and poor visibility.

“Today the sea is much calmer and although visibility was good, it is now deteriorating.”

The plane, a single turbine engine aircraft which was carrying the footballer and his pilot, left Nantes at 7.15pm for Cardiff and was flying at an altitude of 5,000ft.

As it was passing Guernsey, the pilot ‘requested descent’ but Jersey air traffic control [ATC] lost contact while it was flying at 2,300ft around 15 miles north of Guernsey.

Portrait Gallery facelift THE National Portrait Gallery has unveiled plans for a £35.5million transformation of its new building.

Plans include a new main entrance, ‘bringing back to life’ its East Wing, which is closed, and making a public forecourt.

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched, with people able to sponsor a piece of mosaic or even adopt one of the busts which adorn the front of the building.

Light-fingered thief A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of stealing the blue lights from a police car after officers shared an appeal for information on social media.

British Transport Police said a 28-year-old was held after the incident at 4.30am on Boxing Day at Sunderland railway station.

Earlier this month, the force shared a photo of a man with the large blue roof lights of a police car under his arm.

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Submarine almost crashed into ferry A NUCLEAR-powered Royal Navy submarine has been involved in a near-miss with a ferry.

An investigation has been launched into the incident in the Irish Sea, which was reported to the authorities on November 6.

The ferry was Stena Superfast VII operating between Northern Ireland and Scotland. It has a capacity for 1,300 passengers and 660 cars.

The submarine was submerged at the depth needed to extend its periscope above the surface of the water.

The Royal Navy would not confirm which of its 10 submarines was involved. Only four carry Trident nuclear missiles.

A spokesman for Stena said: “Stena Line can confirm that on Tuesday 6 November 2018, Stena Superfast VII and a submerged submarine came into close proximity during a scheduled crossing between Cairnryan and Belfast.

“At no stage were the vessel, passengers or crew in any danger. The incident is now under investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.”

National News

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk Snow fell across parts of the country and temperatures struggled to get much above freezing as a band of wintry weather hit the UK yesterday [Tuesday].

A Met Office yellow warning for ice came into force at 4pm and continues until 11am this morning, covering much of the country.

Europe warns of hard border

Suspended sentence for Ronaldo over tax

A NO-DEAL Brexit will lead to a hard border in Ireland, the European Commission [EC] has said.

And Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said Dublin would face a ‘very difficult job’ to avoid the need for physical infrastructure on the border with Northern Ireland if Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement failed.

The warnings came as MPs tabled amendments in Parliament to the Prime Minister’s deal.

The rejection of the deal by 230 votes last week has thrown into doubt proposals for a backstop to keep the Irish border open.

CRISTIANO RONALDO pleaded guilty to tax fraud and received a two-year suspended sentence.

The Juventus forward, who faced charges from his time at Real Madrid, was in court in Madrid for about 45 minutes and signed an agreement which will cost him £16.7million in fines.

He made the deal to plead guilty with Spain’s state prosecutor and tax authorities last year.

In 2017, a state prosecutor accused him of four counts of tax fraud in relation to image rights from 2011 to 2014 worth £12.3million.

Speaking in Brussels, EC spokesman Margaritis Schinas said there was ‘nothing new’ in Mrs May’s statement to MPs on Monday.

The Prime Minister promised to seek a means to keep the Irish border open in a way which can win the support of Parliament.

Asked whether the EU commitment to the peace process would last ‘whether or not there is a deal’, Mr Schinas told reporters: “If you like to

Obvious

push me and speculate on what might happen in a no-deal scenario in Ireland, I think it’s pretty obvious, you will have a hard border.

“Our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and everything that we have been doing for years with our tools, instruments and programmes will have to take inevitably into account this fact.

“So, of course we are for peace, of course we stand behind the Good Friday Agreement, but that’s what a no-deal scenario would entail.”

Mr Coveney later said: “In the absence of the backstop and a Withdrawal Agreement, we have a very difficult job to do to prevent border infrastructure, but of course that would have to be our focus.”

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said it was ‘very concerning’ that Mrs May had not removed the option of a no-deal from the table.

Speaking outside the Irish parliament in Dublin, Mrs McDonald said: “As each day and as each week passes, we come perilously closer to the prospect or at least the possibility of a crash Brexit.”

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‘Feminist army’ will ensure proxy voting A ‘FEMINIST army’ will be unleashed against anyone who seeks to block proposals to make proxy voting in the Commons available to new parents, MPs have heard.

Labour’s Jess Phillips pledged to ‘make a misery of the lives’ of any MP who objects based on their ‘patriarchal, paternalistic, draconian, oldfashioned sensibilities’.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom confirmed the motion to implement a one-year trial to enable new parents to nominate a colleague to vote on their behalf will be brought forward for the Commons to ‘nod it through’ on January 28.

She added: “If somebody objects then I will need to look at further measures, which I will do in very short order. But this is the quickest way to get it through.”

The issue of proxy voting was raised during last week’s Brexit votes on Mrs May’s deal as a heavily pregnant Labour MP, Tulip Siddiq, chose to delay her Caesarean by two days to take part.

Heathrow’s drone flyer fined £2,000 A MEMBER of a model flying club has been fined after he was caught using his plane near Heathrow Airport days after a scare at Gatwick grounded more than 1,000 flights.

Plant operator George Rusu, 38, was branded ‘reckless’ by a judge after admitting flying the £160 Tundra model aircraft 500 metres from the perimeter fence of Britain’s busiest airport.

Police spotted the plane flying close to the airport’s Leonardo Hotel on December 24.

Deputy District Judge Robert Roscoe fined him £2,000 plus a £200 victim surcharge and £85 costs, and ordered his drone to be destroyed.

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BUSINESS

National News

EasyJet disappointed by slow drone reaction EASYJET has said the drone disruption at Gatwick was a ‘wake-up call’ to airports after it cost the airline £15million and affected 82,000 customers.

The low-cost carrier accumulated £10million in passenger compensation costs and £5million in lost revenues after more than 400 of its flights were cancelled before Christmas.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said he was ‘disappointed’ the airport took so long to resolve the situation and reopen the runways.

But he said it was a ‘criminal act and illegal activity’, adding: “You can’t always protect yourself from that, but it’s a wake-up call and airports will be better prepared going forward.”

In its first-quarter update, easyJet’s capacity rose 18.2 per cent to 24.1million.

Total revenues in three months to December 31 lifted 13.7 per cent to £1.3billion, while passenger revenues rose 12.2 per cent to £1.03billion.

Patisserie Valerie has to shut 70 concessions CAKE chain Patisserie Valerie has collapsed into administration, putting 3,000 jobs at risk.

The firm said discussions with its lenders HSBC and Barclays to extend a standstill agreement on its debts had failed, leaving it with no option but to appoint KPMG as administrator.

KPMG said that it would continue to trade 121 out of 200 stores, but added that 70 cafes and concessions would close soon, resulting in a ‘significant number’ of redundancies.

Blair Nimmo, head of restructuring at KPMG, said: “Our intention is to continue trading across the profitable stores, as collectively the brands have a strong presence on the high street and have proven very popular with consumers.

“We will be seeking a buyer for the business and are hopeful of a good level of interest.”

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

‘Nothing to do with Brexit’ but Dyson moves HQ to Singapore

NEWS IN BRIEF

Safe Houses of Fraser follows deal with Intu FOUR more House of Fraser stores look set to be saved from closure after new owner Sports Direct reached an interim deal with shopping centre giant Intu.

The move means a last-minute reprieve for the shop in Lakeside, alongside others in Norwich, Gateshead and Nottingham, which had been earmarked for closure.

It comes after Sports Direct said in November the stores would be shut in the new year when initial talks had failed.

After he acquired chain in August, Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley pledged to save around 47 of House of Fraser’s 59 outlets.

BREXIT-backing businessman Sir James Dyson is to relocate the Dyson head office from the UK to Singapore.

The move will mean Dyson is no longer a British registered company and Singapore will become its main tax base.

The switch from Malmesbury in Wiltshire is likely to prove controversial given that Sir James – the company’s chairman, founder and owner – is an outspoken proponent of Brexit.

It is the second blow Dyson has dealt to Brexit Britain after last year’s announcement that it will manufacture its new electric cars in Singapore, rather than the UK. In justifying the move, chief executive Jim Rowan dismissed the idea of Brexit and lower taxes being a motivation.

P&O under Cyprus flag

Negligible “The move is nothing to do with Brexit or tax, it’s about making sure we are future-proofed,” he said.

“There are huge revenue opportunities in Singapore, China is the poster child of that.

“The tax difference is negligible for us, we are taxed all over the world and we will continue to pay tax in the UK. “We will continue to invest in the UK, in Malmesbury, in Bristol and London.”

Mr Rowan confirmed that Sir James was integral to the decision to ditch Britain.

Two of Dyson’s senior executives will move to Singapore initially, with the head count to grow over the coming years.

The company is working on developing an electric vehicle in the Asian nation.

The firm said in a statement: “An increasing majority of Dyson’s customers and all of our manufacturing operations are now in Asia.

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

HOOVERING UP: Customer base is now in Asia “This shift has been occurring for some time and will quicken as Dyson brings its electric vehicle to market.

“We are now at a point where Dyson’s corporate head office will relocate there to reflect the increasing importance of Asia to Dyson’s business.”

Dyson was keen to stress its commitment to Britain, pointing out that it is investing £200million in new buildings and testing facilities at its campus at Hullavington Airfield.

The announcement was made alongside Dyson’s full year results for 2018, when profits topped £1billion for the first time.

Turnover rocketed 28 per cent to £4.4billion and profits jump 33 per cent to £1.1billion, with Mr Rowan pointing to the success of products such as its Supersonic hairdryer.

FERRY company P&O is to re-register its UK fleet under the Cyprus flag ahead of Brexit.

A spokesman for the firm said the six ships will be reflagged to enable them to continue to benefit from the tax arrangements of EU states.

The announcement follows a decision last month to re-register two ships in Cyprus.

Barclays jobs at risk BANKING giant Barclays told its staff hundreds of jobs are at risk under changes to its business.

The move will affect 280 employees in Leeds, with around 115 roles relocating to Manchester, Liverpool and Sunderland.

A spokesperson said: “Barclays currently employs over 12,000 colleagues across the north of England over a number of sites.

“We don’t take these decisions lightly and will do everything we can to support these colleagues.”

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Letters

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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 Runcie Court, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG Having to wait for my prescription was a very bitter pill to swallow FRESH SUPPLY Cllr Brown with a new batch of pills

Has Greg Clark earned his stripes?

My Sunday newspaper described Greg Clark as ‘Tiggerish’: Lively, energetic, playful.

Really? He strikes me as more like Private Frazer from Dad’s Army as, it seems ‘we’re doomed, we’re all doomed’ when we leave Europe. He’s a bit short on the detail though, more scaremongering than substance.

James Sommerville Tunbridge Wells

The record’s stuck, change the tune So, Simon Parker blames Brexit for the failure of his business [January 2]. Why is it that every loser in the country readily attributes their woes to the UK leaving the EU, without offering a shred of evidence? Why would Brexit stop someone buying an LP? Roy Haycock Tunbridge Wells

Boost your mind and your pocket Cllr Heasman wrote concerning forecast ticket sales at our new theatre, highlighting the success of a similar one in Canterbury [January 9]. I agree that the Marlowe Theatre has been a big hit. In the first five years of operation it sold nearly two million tickets and, according to Canterbury City Council, boosted the local economy by £150million.

We expect our own theatre to replicate this success. It will not only bring some of the world’s best theatre productions to town, but will also revitalise our local economy.

A detailed study by consultants GVA looked at the economic impact of the Calverley

I have, for some years, relied on the excellent telephone service for ordering repeat prescriptions; which are then waiting to be collected from the local pharmacy.

I was quite surprised when asked, round about the middle of December, just how many of the little red blood thinners I still had, and on replying ‘about 15’, I was told I would have to wait before putting in my order.

Unfortunately, Christmas preparations overtook my good intentions and I found myself without the tablets and improvising by dissolving aspirin in water – and then waking up fighting for breath on the Saturday just before Christmas.

I remember nothing of the ambulance journey to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford where I came to, in the early afternoon, to be told I’d had a heart attack.

I’m now home and thankful to be alive, but wondering how on earth I shall be able to regain just a fraction of my normal energy, hardly able to believe that I went on the march to try to stop Brexit. Also wondering how many other folk couldn’t get their medication quite so easily for fear of stockpiling.

Cllr Fiona C Brown Southborough Square development, in particular how wages, payments to suppliers and additional spending by theatregoers will help the area. It found the buildings will boost the local economy by over £34million per year and inject nearly £50million annually into the wider economy.

So there are many reasons to be optimistic about the new theatre and the benefits, financial as well as cultural, it will bring to local people.

Cllr Peter Oakford Councillor for St Johns

Canterbury is dramatically different Cllr Heasman gave an assurance the proposed new theatre in Tunbridge Wells would achieve the forecast sales of 400,000 tickets per year.

He justified this by giving details of the sales achieved by the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury.

The size of the two theatres may be similar but there are significant differences between Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury. Canterbury is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and major tourist destination that attracts double the overnight visitor stays compared with Tunbridge Wells.

Surely this creates additional demand for the Marlowe? For the resident population, the train journey from Canterbury to central London is also significantly more expensive and longer than that from Tunbridge Wells, making it much more likely that Canterbury residents will choose to visit a local venue.

Simply quoting the performance of a theatre in a different city is not evidence of the level of demand in Tunbridge Wells. Has the council asked residents if they want this new theatre?

The enormous cost of this proposed project

and the burden it will place on council taxpayers for many years to come makes it essential that we are given a proper choice.

Siobhan O’Connell Via email

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

Did dinner serve our best interests?

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire’s department is involved in a public inquiry next month into appeals against Compulsory Purchase Orders raised by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in connection with a very contentious proposal for a new civic centre, office and 1,200-seat theatre complex.

The council is Tory-led and most of their large majority support the proposal. Opponents see it as an unaffordable white elephant.

Mr Brokenshire’s guest-of-honour attendance at the Tunbridge Wells Conservative Association annual dinner was therefore surely unwise and inappropriate, as it lays him open to allegations of a conflict of interest, given that the subject will inevitably come up in off-the-record conversation. That will be seen as lobbying, exercising influence, perhaps prejudicial.

Andrew James Tunbridge Wells

Contactless help for the homeless Tunbridge Wells, like many other towns, is plagued by street begging, and it seems to be tolerated by our borough council who, as on many other issues, are uninterested beyond their single-minded focus on a suite of new offices and new theatre, both unwarranted and unwanted by the majority of council taxpayers.

They could mirror what Peterborough City Council has instigated – a ban on begging, and those who want to give money to help the homeless can pay (contactless) into a fund via a machine at the Town Hall. This fund would help provide support to those genuine unfortunates.

Martin Dawes Via email

BABIES have to be amongst the most beautiful things on earth, whatever their shape or size. Apparently, though, some new mums and dads think they can and should be improved. They are now Photoshopping pictures of the new arrivals before circulating to friends and family. Photoshopping is, of course, where you transform or alter the image of someone. How sad is it when you can’t be proud of the way your baby looks?

BANANA WATCH: Calverley is grateful to the follower who kindly sent in a picture that was taken at the Costa Coffee shop at the hospital in Pembury. It shows the price of a single fruit at 65p, making it the most expensive single banana discovered so far. Down the hall, as reported in this column earlier, a banana will cost you 59p at the hospital shop. The investigation started when Calverley was charged 35p for a single banana at Waitrose.

Petrol prices fuel sense of injustice Thank you, Calverley, for your witty anecdotes.

Regarding your comment on petrol prices, it’s so true about the price differential – the closer to Tunbridge Wells, the higher it is. Recent drives have shown this: Asda in Rochester’s petrol per litre was approx 112p, Asda on the Isle of Wight around the same. Closer to home, Crowborough was also a big difference. Other supermarkets exist, but many know of the Asda ruse.

It’s worth pointing out petrol prices.com to readers for comparisons. However (and Yourself has probably received many notes on your ‘deliberate mistake’), petrol is of course quoted in pence per litre. Your prices were written as £114.70 up to £126.90… are you thinking about the running costs of your 4x4 and yacht?

Thanks for the end-of-year quiz. A lot of effort clearly went into that, along with some funny tongue-in-cheek options among the answers that we noted.

Claire Backhurst Via email

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

STILL on the subject of families, living with kids can be a fine balancing act. Take the mum who prepares the lunch boxes for her two sons. Last week she put oranges in the boxes and drew a picture of a heart on the skins and wrote: “Eat meeeee…” Funny, yeah? Not to everyone. The 13 year old storms into the house after school and screams: “Don’t ever do that again – it was really embarrassing.” His ten-year-old brother pipes up: “Loved it, Mum. You can write to me all the time.” You win some…

FINAL WORD: Food fads must drive waiting staff mad. Favourite tale this week is about the restaurant customer who declared: “I’m a lactose-intolerant vegan. What should I order?” Waiter replies: “A taxi home.” Boom boom! (Sorry)

Chin Chin, dear reader

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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EDUCATION Times

Education

NEWS

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ADVERTORIAL

Revealed: What parents really think about their children’s school education Parentkind is an education charity based in Tonbridge. Michelle Doyle Wildman is its acting CEO, and here she shares the findings from its latest annual survey, which reveal the views and experiences of parents with school-aged children and how they engage in school life

The GCSE Options Maze UP and down the country, Year 9 pupils are currently navigating their way through GCSE options. For some, the way through is clear and they are able to make their choices quickly and easily. For others it can be a much more difficult process and there doesn’t seem to be a simple path. A useful starting point is to think about the subjects that pupils enjoy the most. It is also worth considering which subjects will give a broad foundation to demonstrate that they have acquired a good range of skills.

EVERYONE’S idea of a good education is different. So, in our efforts to understand what parents think about school life and education, Parentkind, an educational charity based in Tonbridge, carries out an annual survey of 1,500 parents and carers Michelle Doyle Wildman in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The findings shed light on their concerns and what they value when it comes to their child’s learning.

In our latest poll, questions were asked about emotional wellbeing; the cost of sending a child to school; how parents are participating in their child’s education; and how they can share their views with school leaders.

The results, some of which are published in this article, make interesting reading and could be used to start a conversation with your school on how parents can help shape school policies and improvement for the benefit of every child.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING Young people today are faced with many challenges and pressures. Our research showed that three in five parents are worried about their child’s emotional wellbeing and mental health at school. Stress relating to homework and exams, anxiety and bullying, as well as the pressure to constantly engage with social media, were reported to have affected their child.

In addition, over half of all respondents were worried about the school’s high expectations of their child, and nearly a fifth said their child had suffered from depression, rising to nearly a quarter of parents with children aged 16 or older.

Significantly however, over a quarter (27%) said they were not satisfied with the way their child had been helped by the school in this regard.

When asked about the attributes of a successful school, most parents identified their child’s happiness (55%) in the top three, followed by children enjoying learning (44%) and children learning positive behaviours such as resilience and self-confidence (41%).

FUNDING ISSUES When it comes to parental contributions to the school fund, parents have told us they are giving more than ever before, with an average voluntary donation of £11.35 per month (up from £8.90 in 2017).

What’s more, they are coming under increasing pressure to pay for clubs, materials and events that used to be free. For example, some have been asked to pay to attend sports days and concerts, supply teaching equipment and, in a few cases, to supply essentials such as toilet paper.

Around half (49%) of all parents believe the pressures on school budgets have negatively impacted their child’s education.

PARENTAL VOICE Parents have always played a key role in their child’s education, whether as volunteers, PTA members, homework helpers, fundraisers, governors, and in so many other ways.

Indeed, more than eight in ten parents want to play an active role in their child’s education and describe themselves as supportive of their child’s school.

Despite this, our research found that two thirds (66%) of parents want schools to be more accountable to them, with three quarters wishing to have a say on their child’s education at school. Only half of parents believe their school listens to or takes action based on their views.

More encouragingly, when it comes to satisfaction

levels, nearly three quarters (71%) of parents are happy about the overall quality of their child’s school, with two thirds (67%) positive about the school’s effectiveness in communicating with them, or in their ability to help parents support their child’s learning outside of school (62%).

WHAT NEXT? Our research provides an interesting snapshot of the issues that matter to parents when it comes to their child’s school education.

The positive contribution and their willingness to participate should be harnessed by schools, working in partnership to help every child reach their potential.

A consultative parent body where parents views are sought in an inclusive and representative way, and where a broad range of topics can be discussed, is a good starting point – and parents should be encouraged to participate in their child’s education in whichever way they can and want to.

The top four areas of school life in which parents would like a say include: • The curriculum • Pupil behaviour • Homework • Budgets and school costs

It is helpful to remember that universities are primarily interested in the top 8 GCSE subjects when making offers, so it very much is a case of quality rather than quantity. I would say that 10 GCSEs with good grades are more valuable than 11 or 12 average grades.

Then, what if you are worried about GCSEs vs I(nternational)GCSEs? Independent schools are able to choose between these IGCSEs and GCSES and many offer a mixed economy. It has been suggested that independent schools offer IGCSEs because they are easier. To be clear, and dispel any myths, there is little evidence to suggest that IGCSEs are easier than GCSEs. In fact, the IGCSEs were used as a model for the new GCSEs, due to their rigorous nature.

Perhaps the solution is for the Department for Education to give state schools the freedom of choice to offer IGCSEs alongside GCSES and then include them in the league tables? Freedom of choice can only be a good thing.

• Only 3 in 10 parents and carers report having been consulted on these key four issues •2 in 5 parents and carers say they have not raised issues, contributed ideas or offered feedback on matters that affect their child’s education at all in the past year.

For further information and a full review of the Parentkind Annual Parents Survey for 2018, visit parentkind.org.uk

Ms Julie Lodrick Headmistress Kent College Pembury

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

All the school’s a stage thanks to this special theatrical production TEAMWORK (L-R) Helen Kirk, Claire Fenton and Mike Taylor EVERY year at Skinners’ we do a senior and junior theatre production. We try to do something completely different each time in terms of style, genre and content. This year, inspired by the work of Punchdrunk, an immersive theatre company, we decided to do a piece entitled The Rest is Silence, which is based on the framework of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

We started the planning process back in May last year, held auditions in September, and started rehearsals in October, and the show ran for four days earlier this month.

The piece, which boasted a cast of 22, is set in the present day and follows the struggles and strained relationships of the characters within a record company.

Every person in it was taken from Shakespeare’s original Hamlet, but unlike in his play, each

Pupils at The Skinners’ School have just staged an exciting, engaging and extremely challenging piece of immersive theatre. Here, Claire Fenton, the school’s Head of Drama and Theatre Studies, tells the Eileen Leahy more about it recognisable main plot to ensure the audience could follow a general sense of the play.

Immersive theatre is about creating a world in which the audience can be absorbed, and in this they were certainly not passive.

They could walk freely through the 12 different spaces finding their own pathways and exploring the world however they saw fit.

We had reactions where people said they were ‘in awe of our vision and confidence’ putting on a production like this, and others saying they’d never experienced something like this before but would now ‘look out for more immersive theatre’.

Everything in our set was purposeful, every drawer was filled with hints and evidence giving depth to the characters, every book, magazine, photograph, computer screen and phone had a purpose and contained relevant information.

character in The Rest is Silence is absolutely pivotal. They all have their own stories to tell, and while they are all set in the same time and place, they have varying levels of interaction.

In Shakespeare’s original text some may appear in just one scene, but in our production that one scene is merely a moment in each character’s own journey. And that’s what has been really exciting on both the production and the performance side: Working out who all of the characters are. It’s also a story full of extremely interesting situations, and deals with issues that are all poignant to our young people.

Reactions We used the plot of Hamlet as the framework in our production because it needed to be a

Scenes were set in classrooms, offices, corridors, and even the alleyway. All of which were transformed into the world of Revenge Records.

The braver you are as an audience member the more you get out of it, and seeing the work done

by Punchdrunk has certainly taught me and my team that.

As none of the current A level students had the opportunity to attend the 2014 Punchdrunk performance of The Drowned Man we saw, I wanted to give them a flavour of what it would feel like to experience their work, and therefore I decided to create our own version, and so began the journey.

It has certainly been full of challenges, not only in terms of getting the timings right so that the piece flowed properly, but also the funding

GRIPPING

PHOTOS: Craig Matthews

INVOLVNG

IN CONTROL

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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COMMUNICATING

SHARING

‘We have been really overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and positive feedback ’ aspect and the commitment required.

We have produced it on a shoestring budget, and balancing rehearsals against a teaching schedule, studies and general life was difficult.

But as challenging as it has been, it’s also part of what makes this piece so exciting.

A particular highlight was the collaboration demanded by the project. It was part scripted and part devised, so everyone had a sense of ownership over the work.

Every cast member was involved in some way with the set building or technical elements of the production, too, and that has resulted in a very strong bond between cast and crew and given us a lovely sense of community.

Proud We have been really overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and positive feedback we have received for this production, and we are very grateful to our friends, family, supporters and colleagues for joining us on this journey.

We couldn’t even begin to think about a project of this size without the continued support of the senior management at Skinners’.

Their belief in the arts as an essential element of the curriculum, and their continued support of projects beyond the curriculum, are what allow us to be so adventurous.

We are very lucky to be part of such an enriching school EMOTIONAL environment.

As for what it has taught our pupils, I would say independence and perseverance.

Everyone had to be completely committed to the project. It wasn’t enough to just turn up. They all had to be completely present at every moment. The amount of personal input each of them has had is huge. Each character has a history, a purpose and a motivation. The cast had to delve deep in order to portray the characters with depth and interest.

In the rehearsal room, we worked on both scripted and devised scenes. When working on the devised ones I would turn up with an outcome, such as what information did the audience need to get from this, a general sense of relationship and dynamic for the characters, etc. And then we would work to create the actual scene, with the students often taking the lead with this. They are a very talented bunch of young actors and have had the opportunity to really invest themselves into the work. They should be very, very proud of themselves.

I have been assisted by a very strong team, which included Helen Kirk, one of our drama teachers, and also our assistant director, as well as one of the school’s English teachers, Harry Straw. An ex-colleague, Mike Taylor, should be thanked for taking my very poor design sketches and bringing them to life, thus creating the world in which the play exists.

Every year we are very lucky to have some very talented alumni who come back to help us with our annual productions, and this year they included Tobias Cornwell, Dara Hughes, Harrison Plant and Matt Holland.

Two other former pupils we couldn’t have done this without are James Dean and Jordan Wilkes, who created the lighting and sound for the piece.

The Rest is Silence has been a huge project and there have been many emotional highs and lows, but I’m sure everyone will agree that every moment of it was worth it. I can’t express how proud I am of everyone involved and how grateful I am for all of the support we’ve had.

ATMOSPHERIC

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Bjorn Simpole Tunbridge Wells Constituency Labour Party Policy Officer

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Bjorn Simpole is Policy Officer for the Tunbridge Wells Constituency Labour Party. Bjorn is also Chair of the Tunbridge Wells Branch Labour Party and stood as Labour Candidate for St John’s ward in 2018. He is a policy adviser for a London local authority.

Where’s the focus on reducing poverty?

TUNBRIDGE WELLS is a really great place to live, but a profoundly unequal place. Streets away from handsome £1million plus detached villas live children in families who struggle to afford the basic necessities of life.

Those whose choice in the winter can be between heating or eating, and are increasingly dependent on emergency support such as Nourish Community Food Bank. The latest statistics show that there are at least 2,000 children in our borough in families who are defined as living in poverty.

Under the 1997-2010 Labour Government, 800,000 children were lifted out of poverty. Since 2010, the Conservatives – aided in coalition by the pro-austerity Liberal Democrats – have overseen a reversal of this trend. There are now half a million more children in poverty than in 2010.

A recent UN report on poverty in Britain, released in November 2018, makes clear that decisions to reduce the budget deficit by freezing working-age benefits, reducing Local Housing Allowances, and the Bedroom Tax were always a political choice and not a necessity.

While tax rates for the richest residents and corporations have fallen, it is the poorest and those such as the disabled and lone-parent (mainly women) families who have been affected most. Most disturbing has been the huge recent rise of in-work poverty. Over two

thirds of families in poverty in the UK have at least one household member working.

Since the 2008 crisis, as wages have not kept pace with rises in the cost of living, more families simply cannot earn enough to provide their family with a reasonable standard of living.

While wages have stagnated, employment has become less secure and the cost of housing has continued to rise beyond the reach of lowincome households. Local rents of £1,100+ a month for small family homes eat into a huge proportion of low-income family incomes.

Meanwhile, access to much-needed social and genuinely affordable housing is a distant dream with the record of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in delivering being so abysmally bad.

GETTING BASIC NOURISHMENT Should so many have to rely on foodbanks?

Stockpiling Labour believes that the current poverty crisis has been allowed to develop due to the failure of Conservative policies at a national and local level. Low-income residents are too easily ignored, and we have a council whose regeneration strategy is based on the pipe dream of attracting West End theatre shows for the benefit of mainly well-off residents.

Brexit looms large over everything, sapping our collective energy to actually make a difference.

Instead of a government focused on improving life chances for all our citizens, it is wasting millions of pounds buying fridges and stockpiling drugs, practising traffic jams in Manston and paying ferry companies without ferries, just in case we get a ‘no deal’. Brexit will make us

all poorer, not least our poorest residents.

Both the government and the council have a responsibility to make reducing poverty one of their number one priorities, and then deliver it.

As the UN report concludes, all that is required is the political will to do so.

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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A home near the old railway line Page 25

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Best property buys for...

We all love to see homes with the ‘wow’ factor – which could apply to the kitchen, reception room, garden or something else. Sarah Bond homes in on specific aspects that make these properties well worth a look…

The KITCHEN-DINER…

Whinfell

Turners Green Road Wadhurst

Asking price

£925,000 CONTACT • Hamptons International, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 516611 • hamptons.co.uk A lovely family home surrounded by gardens and lying on the edge of the village close to open countryside. The property also enjoys the benefit of having 2 of its 5 bedrooms on the ground floor.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Spacious L-shaped entrance hall n Sitting room with wood-burning stove and French doors to garden n Study, which could be used as a family room or bedroom n 2 ground floor bedrooms n Ground floor family bathroom with an oval bath, walk-in shower and underfloor heating n Superb kitchen/family/dining room with a range cooker, dresser unit and French doors to veranda n Principal bedroom with covered balcony n 2 further bedrooms n Further family bathroom with underfloor heating n Gardens with covered veranda and small pond n Driveway providing parking, plus garage and car port

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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The PRICE… The GARDEN VIEW…

Tetley Mews

Willicombe Park Tunbridge Wells

Guide price

£375,000 CONTACT • Kings Estates, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533367 • kings-estates.co.uk A modern 2-bedroom mid-terrace house with a garage located in a convenient cul de sac.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Sitting/dining room with doors to garden

Field End

Argos Hill, Nr Mayfield

Price region

£849,500

n Kitchen n 2 bedrooms and family bathroom n Enclosed garden with secure rear access n Garage en bloc and parking n No onward chain

CONTACT • Batcheller Monkhouse, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 512020 • batchellermonkhouse.com A roomy 1930s property which is great for riding or walking. It has around 3.5 acres of land, including a stable yard, paddock and its own bit of bluebell wood, and also has access to a public footpath on to the disused Mayfield/Rotherfield railway line with Victorian tunnel.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Double-aspect sitting room with open fireplace and French doors to garden n Dining room n Family room with cast iron fireplace, gas fire and bifold doors to conservatory n Conservatory

St George’s Park Tunbridge Wells

Guide price

£545,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk

n Triple-aspect ground floor bedroom with en-suite shower

An elevated 3-bedroom detached bungalow enjoying far-reaching views to the horizon from a cul-de-sac off Broadwater Down, close to Hargate Forest. It is also ripe for improvement and has been priced to allow for modernisation.

n 4 first floor bedrooms

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Family bathroom

n Spacious reception/dining room with stone fireplace and sliding doors to garden

n Kitchen/breakfast room with archway to larder and utility area

n Staircase to large attic room, currently used as a bedroom

n Kitchen with door to garden

n Gardens and grounds of around 3.5 acres, including an area of bluebell woodland and:

n Master Bedroom with en-suite shower room

n Paddock, stable yard, 2 loose boxes and tack room/store

n 2 further bedrooms

n Large driveway providing parking, with electric gates

n Driveway and single detached garage.

n Additional 0.9 of an acre available by separate negotiation

n Family bathroom n Landscaped garden with large patio n No onward chain

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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AT A GLANCE NEWLANDS FARM DEWHURST LANE, WADHURST n A spacious property built around eight years ago by Tatham Homes, and designed ‘from the inside out’ for family living n Reception hall n Drawing room n Dining room n Study n Large kitchen/breakfast/family room with an island n Utility room and WC n Extensive lower ground floor with a magnificent games/entertaining room over 33ft long, including a bar area and space for a full-size snooker table. Plus laundry room, storeroom, WC and doors to garden n Double-aspect master bedroom with dressing room and bathroom n 4 further bedrooms, 2 en suite n Family bathroom n Timber-framed triple garage, driveway and parking n Timber stable block with 3 stables, tack room and hay barn n All-weather manege plus paddocks n Extensive gardens and grounds, including terraces, all surrounded by woodland n In all about 13 acres

GUIDE PRICE

£2,500,000 CONTACT • Knight Frank, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 883633 • knightfrank.co.uk

A stunning modern house with equestrian facilities just a mile from Wadhurst station

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

An opportunity to purchase a newly built fourbedroom family home located in the Knights Park area of Tunbridge Wells. The property is beautifully presented throughout with a large reception room, four double bedrooms and has well appointed kitchen and bathrooms. There is off-road parking for a couple of cars and a large garage. Viewing is highly recommended.

The property is located in Knights Park, which is close to the retail park area of Tunbridge Wells, and there is newly built Skinners’ Primary School within walking distance of the property. It is also within walking distance of the cinema and shops, including Marks & Spencer and John Lewis. There is very good access to the A21, which in turn leads to the M25, so it is very well located for the motorways. Additionally, there is a shortcut to High Brooms mainline station, with trains to London and the south coast in under one hour.

AT A GLANCE 31 GOLDING ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS n Newly built 4-bedroom semi-detached house n 4 double bedrooms n Large reception room n Fully integrated kitchen with dining room n En suite to master bedroom n Large family bathroom n Guest cloakroom n Utility room n No chain n Viewing highly recommended

£615,000 CONTACT • McAuley Miller, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 614777 • mcauleymiller.com

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Plenty of room in the new Park

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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Property Focus

NEW HOMES

Coppice Drive Ryewood Nr Sevenoaks

£790,000 CONTACT

• Ryewood Sales • 01732 740402 • ryewood.co.uk THE last chance to own one of the stunning family homes in Berkeley’s award-winning new woodland development just five minutes from Sevenoaks. There is just one 4-bedroom house remaining, and being the former show home it even comes fully furnished!

It is also perfect for country-loving commuters being right beside Rye Wood itself and Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, yet only five to seven minutes’ walk from Dunton Green railway station.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST • L inked-detached, low maintenance former show home • Fully furnished and sold as seen • I ndividually designed open-plan kitchen/ dining room with integrated appliances

•B ifold doors from the dining area to the landscaped garden • F irst floor living room with French doors to balcony •M aster bedroom with dressing area and en suite • Bedroom 2 also has a dressing area • I ntegral garage and off-street car parking space • L andscaped grounds and direct access to the newly rejuvenated Rye Wood •P rivate residents’ gym, children’s play area and public amenity spaces, including water feature

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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Property Focus

RETIREMENT

The Dairy set to show off the cream of flats for sale TWO upcoming events will be ideal for those in their later years looking for friendship as well as an easier way of living.

They will be able to join a social meet-up as well as find out more about the remaining retirement apartments on the site of the old Dairy Crest Depot in St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells.

Now named The Dairy, the assisted living development is designed to give homeowners aged 70 and over peace of mind with staff on hand 24 hours a day – perfect for a little extra support while maintaining an independent lifestyle.

Specialist housebuilders McCarthy & Stone have issued a public invite for ‘afternoon tea and a good old natter’ with some of the residents already living there this Friday, January 25, from 2pm to 4pm.

The tea is part of its Friendship Fridays scheme, created to offer older people living locally who may be experiencing loneliness the chance to meet new faces. Family and friends are welcome, too, and it will certainly be worth popping in to see the development’s social lounge and Bistro restaurant!

There will also be two back-to-back Open Days, on Friday February 8 and Saturday February 9 from 11am to 3pm, to show off apartments for sale, with prices starting at £349,950.

Visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the ‘Retirement Living Plus’ development and put any questions to the sales team over light refreshments.

Even better, if you take a tour of the show complex

by February 28, you will receive a £20 Marks & Spencer gift card! (Terms and conditions apply).

There are 50 one and two-bedroom apartments in total at The Dairy and 50% have already sold.

The developer has also recently shown its goodwill to the community by donating £250 each to the Grove Bowling Club and Culverden Bowling Club, which recognise the importance of participating in sporting and social activities, and fostering companionship across the generations. n For further information, call 0800 201 4743 or visit mccarthyandstone.co.uk

A LUSH OUTLOOK An impression of The Dairy

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Broadmead

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AT A GLANCE BROADMEAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS n A semi-detached house on the south side of town finished to a high standard n Entrance hall n Living room with modern feature fireplace n Dining room open plan to: n Spacious garden/family room with vaulted ceiling, 2 Velux roof windows and bifold doors. Opening through to: n Kitchen with underfloor heating and door to garage n Cloakroom and utility room with door to garden n Loft hatch with pull-down ladder n 4 bedrooms n Shower room n Bathroom n Air conditioning to the first floor landing and the 4 bedrooms n Landscaped garden with patios and shed with lighting n Driveway with off-road parking for 2-3 cars n Integral garage with electric door

GUIDE PRICE

£575,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk

Fine family home with a striking wall of glazed doors to garden and air-conditioned bedrooms

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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The great escape

Luxury holiday locations Page 56

SEE CHRIS LARNER LIVE

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DOLLS PLAY THE SUSSEX ARMS

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HOW TO EAT WELL FOR LIFE

Jazz hands

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Down For The Count play Trinity Page 44

TWO YELLOW CARDS FOR WELLS

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And all that jazz Who’s up for seeing Down for the Count at Trinity Theatre on February 2? Eileen Leahy discovers more about this swing, jazz and rock ’n’ roll combo from its Musical Director, Mike Paul-Smith

SWING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING The band get on great and have a good time on stage

So Mike, please can you tell us a little bit about Down for the Count?

We’re a ten-piece swing orchestra and are based in London – although we travel all over the country and abroad, too.

We started in 2005 and now perform at over 100 events each year – from theatres and jazz clubs to wedding receptions, festivals and private parties.

How did you come to be appointed the orchestra’s Musical Director?

I started the band in my last year of school, back in 2005.

The band actually grew out of the pit band from a pantomime in a village near my home town of Aylesbury, so there’s always been a streak of the theatrical about us!

Do you perform a variety of styles of music, or is it one specific genre?

We perform all sorts of different styles. Our first love is vintage swing and big band music, and that’s what we’ll be performing at Trinity Theatre on February 2.

However, we’re all classically trained musicians and also perform other genres at certain events, such as soul, pop, Motown and disco.

We love to mix it up and try new things – although at Trinity we will very much be all about the swing music as we’ll be performing the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

What else can we expect of your evening at Trinity Theatre?

We’re not a tribute act, so we won’t be trying to imitate Ella and Louis. Our aim instead is to bring their music back to life by performing some of their most popular songs. You’ll hear our versions of some of their famous duets, such as Dream a Little Dream of Me and They Can’t Take That Away From Me, along with some of their solo hits, including Cheek to Cheek, Hello, Dolly! and Mack the Knife.

What do you think of Trinity Theatre?

Have you played there before?

This is the first time we’re performing there, and we couldn’t be more excited about it! We went to

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see a production at the theatre recently, and it’s such a small, intimate space which makes it the perfect place for a concert like this.

The audience is really close to the stage and that helps them feel like they’re really part of the action.

There aren’t too many venues where you can get so close to great live music, and we think that is particularly exciting about a performance at Trinity.

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Is there anything that makes your ensemble different to all the others out there?

One thing that everyone comments on is how exciting and dynamic our performance is. We’re genuinely really good friends off stage as well as on, and audience members keep telling us how much that bond really comes across.

We think vintage music is really exciting, and we try and make sure our performance is fresh, lively and uplifting.

Arts & Culture

What is your personal favourite music, and why?

My favourite artists are Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.

Stevie Wonder and Duke Ellington both forged new paths in music, taking it to places it hadn’t been before; and as for Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald, they were just wonderful performers who I never get tired of listening to.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT Mike Paul-Smith (standing third from right) founded the band

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‘One thing that everyone comments on is how dynamic our performance is’ What are your plans for the rest of 2019?

We’ve got a really busy year ahead planned, with loads of shows at jazz clubs and vintage dances and festivals in the summer.

In the next few months we’ll be heading into the studio to record a new album, and we hope to tour that later in the autumn.

That’s all on top of performing at loads of weddings and private events, so it’s going to be a very busy year!

Down for the Count perform at Trinity Theatre on February 2 at 8pm. To book tickets, which cost £20, visit trinitytheatre.net

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goingout 7 days of activities

WEDNESDAY

This evening An Instinct for Kindness will be on at the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge. This is a one-man performance by Chris Larner, who tells the story of accompanying his critically ill wife to Dignitas in Switzerland. Larner’s delicate and understated script draws us into the story of making the ultimate decision. The critically acclaimed play starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £15 per adult and £13 for concessions, and can be bought at emftheatre.com Eve Best and Anne Reid star in a new production of Oscar Wilde’s A Woman of No Importance, broadcast to Tunbridge Wells Odeon Cinema as an Encore performance. A satire on the Victorian WATCH THE BIRDIE… At Grovesnor and Hilbert Park

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

SENSITIVE TALE Chris Larner displays an Instinct for Kindness at the EM Forster Theatre

By Jerome Bowman

upper classes, it was first performed in 1893, but has since become a classic. The show starts at 6.30pm. Tickets cost £14.25 per adult and can be booked at odeon.co.uk THURSDAY Curator Naomi Collick will host the Buddhist Collection Evening Talk at Chiddingstone Castle.

It will cover the collection of Buddhist artifacts left by the eccentric Denys Bower to the public.

There will also be an opportunity to hold a genuine Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheel. More information, including bookings, can be found at chiddingstonecastle.org.uk Give the RSPB a helping hand by going along to the Big Garden Birdwatch at Grovesnor and Hilbert Park. Take your binoculars, a warm coat and suitable shoes for a 10am start. See what birds you can spot, and maybe get your kids interested in wildlife, too. For more information, go to fogh.org.uk Ryan Gosling stars in First Man, showing at Trinity Theatre at 7pm. This is one of the last chances to see a semi-biographical film described as a quietly moving and unique perspective on the first Moon landing. Tickets cost £13 per adult and can be booked online at trinitytheatre.net FRIDAY If you fancy a wee dram of whisky and some neeps and tatties with your haggis, Salomons Estate are holding Burn’s Night Celebrations.

Enjoy a three-course meal and readings of Robert

Burns’ verse. The food and whisky are included at £19.50 per person. For more information, visit salomons-estate.com SATURDAY The Assembly Hall will be hosting its fifth TEDx talk, TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells, with 12 new speakers and opportunities for audience members and guests to discuss ‘ideas worth spreading’. So far, these local TEDx talks have had three million viewers from around the world, so now is your chance for a seat at a live event.

Tickets cost £30 per adult and £20 per child plus booking fees. For more information, and to book, visit assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk You may not know your Vox humana from your Voix celeste, but don’t let that stop you from going to see one of a series of Organ Recitals at

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

St Dunstan’s Church in Mayfield, performed by talented young organists. Tickets cost £10 and include a glass of wine. For more information, go to mayfieldfestival.co.uk SUNDAY The Groombridge Film Society will be showing political drama The Post at 7.15pm. Starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, this tense drama tells the story of two journalists who must choose between telling the uncomfortable truth and hiding the damage of Vietnam War. The doors open at 6.30pm for drinks and nibbles. Nonmembers are welcome. For more information, email: Janet Sharples at horshar@horshar.net

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk MONDAY Jurgita Nakos’ exhibition, Winter Portraits, will be showing at 10am. Does looking at a portrait in a wintery mind-set affect the way you see it?

This collection asks us to consider the portrait as ever-changing, even with the weather. Entry is free and more information can be found at trinitytheatre.net TUESDAY Bring a team of up to five of your smartest friends to The Trading Post Pub Quiz starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets are £2 per person and brain food can be purchased at half-time for £6.50 per brain. For more information go to thetradingpostbar.co.uk

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Going Out

The Babel Exhibition at The Old Big School Gallery Tonbridge School January 26-March 3, 12noon-4pm

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The Babel exhibition will be an exploration of the tower, in both literal and metaphorical terms. Artists Johnathan Wright and Wayne Warren have created installations using both contemporary and historical sources for inspiration. Entry is free. For more information, visit oldbigschoolgallery.co.uk

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live music With Paul Dunton

T

ONIGHT [Wednesday], The Forum host Their popular Stable showcase with live sets from The Family Chain, Hallan, Haze and The New. While over at The Grey Lady, local singersongwriter Shep headlines with great support from Jez Harley and Nick Stephens.

On Friday, I highly recommend The Violet Jive at The Spa Hotel. They are renowned for incredible musicianship and a retro spy-style swing/alternative sound. For fans of alt-thrash metal, Evil Scarecrow are at The Forum with support from Ten Foot Wizard.

Saturday night is jam-packed with an array of superb live gigs. My top recommendations include Sophie Mullan at The Beau Nash Tavern,

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

Alex Gold at The Trading Post and Cracks In The Land at The Royal Oak. The Live in The Living Room launches its music night at The Vale Vault, and Heavy Lungs headline at The Sussex Arms Basement with support from Placid. And Dino Baptiste and Derby Todd return to The Grey Lady.

For classical music enthusiasts, the Assembly Hall hosts a Celebration of Dvorak with The English Symphony Orchestra this Sunday afternoon.

For fans of alt-folk, country and Americana, local acts Kotz & Co, Niamh Mc Smith and Gary Lucas are all at The Grey Lady on Sunday night, and Dolls are at The Sussex Arms.

Looking ahead to next week, The George hosts the TWUNTS Ukulele Jam session on Monday night.

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE, THE PANTILES Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Shep!, Jez Harley, Nick Stephens Friday Salsadelic Saturday Dino Baptiste Duo Sunday Kotz & Co, Niamh McSmith, Gary Lucas Monday Singers Night

THE SPA HOTEL Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry, booking advised on 01892 520331 Friday Live music from The Violet Jive in Zagotas Bar

THE FORUM Event information at twforum.co.uk Wednesday The Stable: The Family Chain, Hallan, Haze, The New Nervous Friday Evil Scarecrow, Ten Foot Wizard

THE TRADING POST 5 Culverden Down Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Alex Gold

Dolls

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Sophie Mullan THE VAULT Vale Road Music from 8.30pm More information at thebedfordtw.co.uk Saturday Live In The Living Room’s Music Club THE ROYAL OAK Prospect Road Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Cracks In The Land THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Sussex Mews Music from 8.30pm Tickets available at twforum.co.uk Saturday Heavy Lungs, Placid Sunday Dolls THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE Crescent Road Event information at assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Sunday English Symphony Orchestra: A Celebration of Dvorak THE GEORGE PUB Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Monday TWUNTS Ukulele Jam Session

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Healthy eating for pregnancy

is simply child’s play

Cook Adam Shaw wants new parents-to-be to get inspired about nutritional meals to help both mother and baby during – and after – pregnancy. Here he reveals the motivation behind starting his blog, At Dad’s Table, and why we should pass on a passion for healthy eating to our children

I

TRAINED at Leith’s School of Food and Wine in 2016 and have always loved cooking exciting and original food for friends and family. I have over ten years’ experience in the conference and events industry and currently manage a team spread across the US and Europe.

When my wife became pregnant in 2017, I couldn’t wait to start researching all of the different dishes I could make that were good for both her and our unborn child.

I also thought that this could be a good way to stay involved with my wife’s pregnancy.

So I started looking into professional advice on eating well during pregnancy, but unfortunately I found that the vast majority of information focused on what you can’t have. All the advice mentioned how you mustn’t touch blue cheese

SUPER SALAD Roasted fig, feta, orange and walnut

or runny eggs (the eggs part was hysterically overruled in the last week of my wife’s pregnancy), but failed to give any guidance on how best to combine important food groups so that both mother and child felt healthy and good.

‘I hadn’t realised just how much her tastes would change throughout the three different trimesters ’ Sitting in Tunbridge Wells in the middle of winter, I was unsure why my wife was warned about the dangers of eating swordfish and marlin but given no positive help on how to

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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Enjoy one of these wee drams on Burns Night

ADAM FOUND THE FOOD ADVICE A BIT FISHY So he came up with his own dishes

BURNS NIGHT celebrates the birth of Ayrshire poet Robert Burns on January 25, 1759. This much-fêted Scottish bard penned more than 550 well-known verses and songs before he died aged 37 in 1796.

Celebrations are centred around the Burns Supper, with a Scottish piper sometimes starting proceedings

with neeps, tatties, peppery haggis and readings of his poetry. If you’re throwing a Burns Supper then you’ll need some fine Scottish whisky, and Times Drinks Editor James Viner has got a great selection so you can raise a glass to Rabbie this Friday…

Follow James on Twitter @QuixoticWine

VISCOUS BEER MATURED IN EXPENSIVE USED MALT WHISKY CASKS

best consume food that not only was perfectly safe to eat, but nutritionally contained all the right things.

I therefore started to create my own recipes to eat during pregnancy, and this is how my blog At Dad’s Table was first created.

DIFFERENT FOODS FOR DIFFERENT TRIMESTERS My wife’s pregnancy followed the seasons, with her first trimester over winter, second over spring and third over a long hot summer.

I hadn’t realised just how much her tastes would change throughout the three different trimesters as her body changed growing a life.

For those first few weeks my smoothie-downing and veggie-

embracing wife craved only beige food, full of as many carbs as possible.

My challenge, therefore, was to try and hide vegetables in and amongst carbs, so I made a lot of soups, omelettes, pesto dishes and stir frys.

All of this changed in her second trimester, also known as the honeymoon trimester, as her appetite returned and we enjoyed lots of fresh fish, pulses and colourful salads.

Finally, as her due date approached she (and I) needed more high-energy food, so I focused more on wholegrain carbs and protein rich foods.

and on my website, and I’m over the moon about how it seems to be helping people to enjoy eating well throughout pregnancy and beyond.

I have always been clear from the start that I have no specific nutritional training and people have responded really positively.

I receive a lot of messages from those in the same situation as we were in and now have a following on social media of over 19,000.

I really do think the way that we think and talk about food during pregnancy needs to change.

GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT EATING WELL IN PREGNANCY

To find out more about Adam Shaw and At Dad’s Table, visit his website atdadstable.com or follow him on Instagram @at_dads_table

I started posting pictures of our pregnancy-friendly meals on Instagram

SALMON FILLETS With cumin-spiced chickpeas and country vegetables

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Wood-Aged Beer, Alva, Scotland £5.03-£6.70, 33cl, Beers of Europe & Beer Hawk Sensational! Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Orkney distillery Highland Park, and based on the former’s award-winning Old Engine Oil aged in casks formerly used to mature the latter’s 18-year-old single malt.

It’s complex (think vanilla, coffee, dark chocolate, peaty smoke and dried fruit) and perfect for haggis. Alc 8%

MUST-TRY SMOKIN’ BARGAINBASEMENT SUPERMARKET SINGLE MALT

Glen Marnoch Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky £17.49, Aldi And so to the true fuel of most Burns Night celebrations: Whisky. This single Islay malt is a joy to nurse, with a peaty and vanilla taste, gentle iodine character and a peppery-salty finish. After a couple of glasses you’ll feel as though you’ve been drinking a whisky-fuelled bonfire at the seaside. It is mediumweight but fabulously persistent on the palate, too. A must for smoke-heads on a Burns Night budget. Alc 40%

SPLASH OUT, MEDIUMPEATED, RICH AND PEPPERY ISLAND SCOTCH

SOME BENEFICIAL INGREDIENTS FOR MOTHER AND BABY Figs Feta Oranges Cucumber Avocado

Fibre, magnesium, iron, vitamin B, D, K Protein, calcium, vitamin B, D Calcium, Folate, Vitamins A, B, C, potassium Vitamin A, B, C, K, folate, magnesium, potassium, fibre, iron Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, K, folate, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids,

fibre, magnesium, calcium, iron Pumpkin seeds Calcium, protein, iron, vitamin B, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids Rocket Vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium, fibre, protein Walnuts Omega-3 fats, vitamin B, E fibre, protein Spinach Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A, B, C, K, folate, magnesium

SOUP STAR Chicken, pea, broccoli and carrot

Talisker 18-Year-Old Whisky, Islands, Scotland £69.90-£73.70, The Whisky World/Master of Malt Talisker is the only distillery on Skye. Sitting on the beach of Loch Harport, it is Diageo’s second best-selling single malt, after Cardhu, and was introduced in 2004 to sit alongside the fierier ten-yearold bottling. A firm favourite at Viner Towers, this is an intense, peppery, spicy and moderately peaty masterpiece, with a trace of honeycomb. It’s a whisky of astonishing beauty with startling bravado and character; an exquisite dram for the price.

Indulge yourself. Alc 45.8%

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Talking Turkish This week we visited up and coming Turkish restaurant Zorba and spoke to owner and creator Sedat Zorba. The café has recently been expanded, doubling its size, and we wanted to find out about the challenges of running a successful restaurant How did you make this dream a reality?

I was born in Turkey and have been in this country for seventeen years now. I came to Tunbridge Wells because it is one of the best places in Kent! My brother has a Turkish restaurant in the Isle of Sheppey that is takeaway only, so hospitality is in the family.

We wanted to move to Kent though, and when we asked locals where the best place in Kent was, they told us about Tunbridge Wells. After we moved here, we ran a little café for years.

But we wanted a restaurant – somewhere we could truly showcase some of the best of Turkish cuisine. We were doing very well with the Café, but we did not know whether the restaurant would be a success. This was an investment built up over nine years. When we started the restaurant, we were not expecting it to be busy, especially in the current climate, when shops are opening and closing, but so far we have done really well.

SIZZLING A quick pan round the kitchen

Tell us about your menu, do you think it is different because of the locale?

We sit down and talk with the chefs about what it is we want to create. We need to cook up dishes inspired by the people who live in Tunbridge Wells. People in this town have an open mind and want to experience authentic food from all over the world including Turkey.

With that in mind, we decided to offer both hot and cold mezes, as well as a Mangal section which includes yoghurt, sauces and a variety of trimmings. We’re hoping to have some vegan dishes coming in soon. We are just printing the [new] menus.

Your drinks menu has also been revamped recently, could you tell us about that?

Our new drinks menu is inspired by Turkey.

The gins and wines compliment the food really well. We still have the basics, but we wanted something that makes the experience here more true to Turkish culture. Our Turkish beer, Efes, is our biggest seller. I think about 60% of our drinks sales are probably this beer; it’s very light and smooth.

Our Turkish wine is doing really well too – the Yakut and the Villa Doluca are great reds, and the Cankaya is a really delicious white.

How important are the quality of the ingredients you use?

We don’t use frozen food and we don’t buy anything readymade everything is freshly prepared daily. Forge Farm provide all our meat. We are very particular with the meat we use - the middle neck, which is a cut of 4% of the lamb and you only get one portion per lamb. It’s a very fine meat and that’s what makes it so special.

Turkish food is healthy!

What changes have you made with the new renovation?

We had chairs specially made in Turkey, just for us. You won’t see this sort of thing anywhere else around here with this particular style and texture. We don’t like to copy anything, this sort of thing adds a certain value.

‘We want Zorba to be known as a Tunbridge Wells business’ Can you tell us about some of the challenges you have faced running your business?

A lot of people want their own pub or restaurant, and they are prepared to take a gamble. I would advise them not to go for it! What we do, we do it properly. We source the best local meat that we can find. We do the best that we can, because I love this business. It was our dream to open a restaurant and we have achieved this. It is not as easy as it looks! He added, It is really hard work. You want to please staff, and most importantly the customers.

What has been the most frustrating obstacle for you?

I have only one complaint, which isn’t really a complaint; initially everyone mistook us for a Greek restaurant because of the name. The name Zorba is our family name so, although people often think we are a Greek restaurant, it’s great to have our name on the door here in Tunbridge Wells.

What are your ambitions for the restaurant in the future?

We want Zorba to be known as a Tunbridge Wells business, we have business cards and support other small, local businesses.

ZORBA 4 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2EN www.zorbamezegrill.com Phone: 01892 530051

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Travel

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Going for the wild life – with

luxury safaris in Namibia Known for dramatic landscapes, the African country of Namibia is now also luring visitors with its wildlife. Sarah Marshall reports…

DRAMATIC SETTING Look carefully and you’ll see the Etoshu Mountain Lodge

A

N ERUPTION of feathers rudely awakens the day in the grassy Namibian wilds, sending billowing clouds of rusty, sun-singed dust into the dawn sky.

Wings beating frantically in a syncopated rhythm, large flocks of Quelea birds shift and shape, creating a strobe effect which is both dazzling for us and disorientating to any potential predators.

When distances are vast and environments extreme, safety in numbers makes sense.

In Namibia, a sparsely populated, semiarid expanse with landscapes of cinematic proportions, life seems that little bit larger than anywhere else.

Lone oryx are dwarfed by sculpted dunes the colour of cayenne pepper, and the Atlantic-lashed coastline is smudged by an overpowering, clogging fog.

Dramatic scenery has always been this southern African country’s tourism USP, but now its rich and varied wildlife is getting airtime, too.

Historically, most land was used for farming, putting pressure on wildlife by cutting off vital corridors; wide-roaming cheetah, for example, were hit particularly hard.

But following the declaration of Namibia’s

independence in 1990, nearly three-quarters of the country is now managed by community conservancies, and an increasing number of private landowners are shifting to tourism.

One of last year’s big profile openings was Omaanda Lodge, a first foray into safari by Belgian-born hotelier Arnaud Zannier.

An hour’s drive from Nambia’s international entry point, Windhoek, the fenced 9,000hectare private Zannier Reserve is a neighbour of Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary, run by conservationists Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren.

NOT TO BE MESSED WITH A defensive lion guards his prey

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WIDE OPEN VISTAS At Omaanda Lodge

The charity’s latest project, the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary, was set up by film star Angelina Jolie, a friend of the couple, to care for orphaned elephants and rhinos. When Jolie became aware that adjacent farmland was for sale, she urged the Zannier family to get involved.

A luxurious lodge of ten hand-thatched, adobewalled huts is now a vital part of the Naankuse story, with the reserve providing a stepping stone into the wild for rehabilitated animals.

But the mountain-fringed savanna also has its permanent residents, who I meet on an afternoon game drive.

Passing a mob of meerkats, who spring from their burrows like jack-in-the-boxes, we go in search of ‘blankets’ – the code name for rhino.

Emerging from a camouflage of grey camphor bushes, two pregnant white rhino females make their way to a man-made watering hole.

“One more and we wouldn’t allow you to post that on Instagram,” informs my guide, Jonas, referring to the dangers of geotagging one of

Africa’s most endangered animals.

The cost of 24-hour security runs into thousands of dollars per month, he tells me, which explains why financial support from the private sector is of growing importance to Namibia’s antipoaching efforts.

Another company with conservation at its heart, who are also investing heavily in Namibia, is Natural Selection. I visit two of their newest management acquisitions in Etosha Heights, a former hunting concession on the southwest border of Etosha National Park, a sprawling game reserve in the northwest equal in size to Israel.

Built ten years ago, Etosha Mountain Lodge is a collection of seven wood-panelled villas hugging a hilltop, with 180-degree views begging to be photographed at every hour of the day.

More modern, the revamped 11-chalet Safarihoek features a convivial open-air bar and dining area, with equally splendid panoramas of the plains.

Both operate game drives in the 60,000-hectare reserve, and with rates starting from around

Travel

£200 per night, they offer one of the best value safaris in Africa.

The acacia scrubland surrounding them is streaked with brilliant-white calcium carbonate trails and glinting dolomite rocks. And it soon leads to grasslands baked blonde by the sun, which beam brightly even on overcast days.

Not far from our early morning explosion of quelea birds, two bat-eared foxes appear from their den, bathed in a buttercup light. We watch them guard their young fervently, chasing off an opportunistic jackal who dares to come too close.

Around us, shepherd’s trees sag with gargantuan sociable weaver nests, which tug at their twiggy crooks and laden the boughs like a leaden toupee; while at our feet, frenetic ground squirrels ricochet like pinballs, calling game over by disappearing into their holes.

No branch or burrow goes to waste; everyone has learned to make use of available resources.

Although fenced to prevent the potential transmission of diseases, there are pockets along the reserve’s 70km border with Etosha where animals can easily break through.

There’s even talk of creating direct access to the park sometime in the future, cutting down the current journey time of 90-minutes each way to the nearest official gate. Although Namibian red tape can be thicker than most.

But there’s enough game in this private area to keep guests amused, minus the self-drive crowds leap-frogging between Etosha’s water holes, and with the bonus of being able to drive off-road.

Testing the strength of our 4x4’s tyres, we tussle with dense, thorny acacia bushes to catch glimpses of black rhinos, and we spend hours in the company of laid-back elephants as they shower themselves with dust.

Cats are also pussyfooting around the reserve, scoping out a potential new home.

During my stay, a lone male lion makes a kill outside Safarihoek’s photographic hide, his conspicuous drag marks leading us to his lair beneath a bush. But his snarling behaviour in defence of his hard-earned prey is a stark reminder that the transition from a hunting

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lodge to safari camp cannot happen overnight.

That’s especially the case with antelopes, who were the main quarry for hunters. Stocked in large numbers for that very purpose, they still have a dominant presence, but, understandably, many are on high alert.

Sitting still in silence, we watch a herd of muscular eland saunter over the horizon, their hulking, boxy shoulders broader than a team of NFL American football players. Numbering more than 50, it’s a formidable sight.

Once alerted to our presence, however, they vanish in a storm of dust, hooves thundering louder than a cavalry bidding retreat.

“Trust takes time,” my guide, Matthias, assures me. And in a world fraught with dangers, you need be careful about who you trust.

It’s a survival instinct that keeps Namibia’s wildlife wild.

HOW TO GET THERE Cox & Kings offer a private self-drive 13 days/1ten nights Highlights of Namibia tour from £5,365 pp (two sharing), staying at Omaanda Lodge, Etosha Heights Safarihoek Lodge and Etosha Heights Lodge. The price includes international flights from London, car hire, the services of a private guide and some meals. coxandkings.co.uk

I’M ALL EARS: Unsurprisingly, this alert inhabitant is named the bat-eared fox

58

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Motoring

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Motoring News COOL NEW COLOUR Shadow Grey

Order books now open for hot new Hyundai i30 Fastback N HYUNDAI has announced pricing and specification details for the second model in its ‘N’ family of performance cars – the i30 Fastback N, and order books are now open.

The new model shares the majority of its components with the regular i30 N, but hides them under a slinky, coupé saloon-style body with a lengthened rear aspect and sleek profile.

The four-door Fastback features a large ducktail spoiler, but is only 1cm longer than its hatchback cousin. The roofline, meanwhile, is 3cm lower.

There’s only one Fastback grade, and it’s generously equipped for its £29,995 starting price.

The standard kit includes 19-inch alloy wheels clad in N-specific Pirelli

P-Zero tyres, plus an electronic limited-slip differential and adjustable suspension. Torque vectoring aids tidier cornering, and buyers can choose between driving modes via a switch on the steering wheel.

A manual handbrake and six-speed manual gearbox help to up the driver involvement, while clever tech, such as launch control and rev-matching, make for smoother progress.

All cars feature LED lights, cruise control, keyless entry and an eightinch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There are also N-specific sports seats, performance gauges it comes in six colours, including Fastback-specific Shadow Grey.

This week…

A new Hyundai n VW’s EV plans n Engine fine alert n

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Leaving vehicle motor running may cost you

VW plays an electric Trump card over Euro tariff tension VOLKSWAGEN is to use an American production site for its future range of electric vehicles [EVs], which could help to ease tensions with US President Donald Trump, who has caused controversy with business leaders in Europe over trade tariffs.

The move will see the German manufacturer spend some £623million as part of ambitious plans to sell more than one million EVs each year by 2025, using an existing factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee to build some of them.

According to Reuters, VW Chief Executive Herbert Diess said: “We hope that with the investment in Chattanooga we could make a contribution, step forward, to avoid tariffs between Europe and the US, and we will work further on it.”

Trump Tweeted his support for it, saying: “Volkswagen will be spending 800 million dollars in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They will be making Electric Cars.

Congratulations to Chattanooga and Tennessee on a job well done.

A big win!”

The plant is set to create 1,000 jobs by 2022, when the first EV rolls off the production line.

Eight global factories will

subsequently produce these new electric models, with further plants expected to be built in North America as well as in Europe and China.

The Chattanooga factory will become the home of the ID. Crozz SUV – Volkswagen’s first pureelectric SUV to be launched as part of its ‘ID.’ range.

Campervan The plant has been open since 2011 and builds the Atlas SUV – which isn’t offered in the UK – and the USspecific Passat, both of which will continue to be made there.

It is also likely to produce other electric Volkswagens – possibly the ID. Buzz, which is a modern reinvention of VW’s iconic bus and campervan.

The US is set to be one of the largest markets for this electric van.

The ID. Crozz has already been previewed as a concept – first seen at last year’s Shanghai Motor Show.

It will be the second model launched as part of Volkswagen’s ID. line-up – all of which are electric.

An all-new Golf-sized EV expected by the end of 2019 will be the first ID. vehicle from the manufacturer.

KEEPING your engine running – for instance to defrost during the upcoming cold spell – could result in a £40 fine,or even the theft of the vehicle.

It’s an offence to leave an engine running while parked on a public road under regulations 98 and 107 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

This reinforces rule 123 of the Highway Code, which states: “You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”

Failure to switch an engine off when instructed can result in a £20 fixed penalty notice – which can rise to £40 if the initial fine is not paid within a specified time frame.

And while leaving a car to defrost with the engine running on a private road or driveway may not be an offence, it does leave the vehicle at risk of theft. Many insurers are likely to void a claim, stating that the vehicle has not been left secure.

Speaking previously on the subject, AA President Edmund King said: “Keys really are the weakest link in the car security chain, and you should treat them like cash…

“Low temperatures may tempt more drivers to leave the car running. It really can be a case of ‘gone in 60 seconds’ .”

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Motoring

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Recruitment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

WITH THE

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

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

NIGHT PORTER SALOMONS ESTATE – TUNBRIDGE WELLS 45hrs per week up to £20K pa doe The Front of House department at Salomons Estate is now recruiting for a reliable and enthusiastic Night Porter to join our successful team. As the Night Porter you will be assisting the team in achieving the estates goals and providing guests with superior service.

Salomons Estate, part of the Markerstudy Leisure Group, is situated just two miles outside of Royal Tunbridge Wells, and is a stunning Victorian mansion build in 1829, set in 36 acres of rolling gardens. Comprising of the main country house and a number of outbuildings, we have 47 well-appointed bedrooms, 14 flexible event and meeting spaces, offices which house 18 different local companies and an impressive Victorian theatre which can seat over 300 guests.

As a Night Porter you are responsible for managing the reception department during the night and take on all reception duties. To attend to any guests needs efficiently and effectively as needed to deliver an excellent Guest experience, and to ensure all buildings are secure at night. A Night Porter is always working on behalf of our Guests and working with other Team Members. To successfully fill this role, you must have a proactive approach to work and a positive attitude which reflects the ability to work on one’s own initiative. You must have excellent verbal communication in the English language, the ability to work methodically and to an agreed time frame.

Key Responsibilities: To manage reception during the evening hours • Check in late arrivals and check out early departures in line with hotel procedures • To answer any calls/emails and to take effective messages • Ensure set up of the hotel for the day’s next business including function and conferencing rooms.

• To ensure all access to the hotel is secure and perform any related security jobs as required overnight • Report any faulty equipment to the relevant persons • Perform all pre & post night audit duties • Liaise with the housekeeping department to see what areas need cleaning during the shift • To take part in scheduled training and to proactively take part in relevant hotel meetings at • To have extensive knowledge of all hotel facilities • Identifying and removing potential H&S hazards To apply please email your CV and covering letter to eileensweeney@markerstudy.com Closing date for applications: 1st February 2019

CODEWORD 3

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A B C D E F GH I J K L MNO P QR S T U VWX Y Z 11

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

14 1

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26 21

7 1

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Codeword:

9 2 3 3 9 1 4 5 2 6

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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.

3 6

9 5

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8 6 7 9 6 3 2 7 2 6 1 8 3 4

2 3 9

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★★★

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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY RATING: ★✩✩✩

CLASSIFIEDS

Life&Times

Puzzles

In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply.

Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.

Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue

C O C K P I T P I Q U E

A T E R B R H U O A R I B O U O I N U B I C C R O E U B I N G M E F L A Y F U L M U A U I S S K E S E E P H E S U S

AMB L E C A V C A N V A R G D A C K L E O A R K U P N R AWA R E L W T Y H O L E Z K X E J E C T

Sudoku:

1 9 4 8 6 2 7 3 5

7 8 3 5 9 1 6 4 2

5 6 2 4 7 3 9 1 8

3 4 5 6 2 7 1 8 9

9 7 6 1 3 8 2 5 4

2 1 8 9 5 4 3 7 6

4 3 7 2 8 9 5 6 1

8 4 9 6 3 1 5 7 2

6 1 7 9 4 5 3 2 8

1 5 2 3 8 6 4 9 7

6 2 1 7 4 5 8 9 3

8 5 9 3 1 6 4 2 7

Jigsaw Sudoku:

5 7 1 4 2 8 6 3 9

2 8 5 7 6 4 9 1 3

4 9 3 2 5 7 1 8 6

3 6 8 1 9 2 7 5 4

9 2 4 5 7 3 8 6 1

7 3 6 8 1 9 2 4 5

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

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Sport

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk Please send sports stories to: newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Mackley double sees Ladies battle through to semi-final

By Dan Couldridge FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS Ladies are through to the semi-finals of the KCFA Women’s Plate but were made to work hard for it by a spirited Diamond United side.

There was a delay of an hour and a half after 18 minutes of the match when Diamond’s midfielder Olivia Macdonald had to be taken to hospital with a dislocated knee.

At first the home side were outclassed by their lower-division opponents but the break in play allowed them to regroup.

After forcing a series of corners they opened the scoring on 38 minutes, an interception by Leanne Foster finding Becky Mackley free to score.

The young side from Ashford again looked stronger after the break, but crucially the hosts

doubled their lead on the counter-attack.

Mackley broke free down the left on 59 minutes and her cross into the box was handled by a defender and the referee pointed to the spot, Sam Burton converting the penalty.

Diamond reduced arrears to 2-1 six minutes later. The pacy Jordan Langstone got behind the defence down the left and curled a neat finish into the net to take her season’s tally to 20.

This served as a wake-up call for the Angels, who produced a fine 20-minute spell to reclaim a two-goal cushion and see out the game.

The crucial third goal arrived via Mackley, who finished with ease after being played in by Angels newcomer Rona Wignall.

Tonbridge will contest their semi-final on February 24 against either Bromley, Glebe or Thamesview with the draw to be made this week.

PHOTO: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels Ladies 3 Diamond United 1

CUP OF CHEER Alex Weston (centre) celebrates as Angels go through to the last four

Turner and McKenzie keep up Angels revival Bishop’s Stortford 3 Tonbridge Angels 4

DOUBLE TROUBLE Chinedu McKenzie heads in his second

PHOTO: David Couldridge

By Jim Rowe FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS have found their goalscoring touch but their travelling fans were treated to a rollercoaster ride.

The Angels seem to have become more resilient and rediscovered the confidence to fight their way back into the game.

The arrival of Chinedu McKenzie from Haringey has allowed manager Steve McKimm to play two up front and has taken the pressure of Alex Read, which has helped him improve.

McKenzie is a handful for defenders with his unpredictable style and gives the option of playing the ball long in a more direct style.

In the ninth minute Joe Turner, who tirelessly worked the flanks, struck a free kick from a wide position straight into the goal.

Bishop’s Stortford were on level terms in the 17th minute when Ben Warman’s low shot from 20 yards out bounced past keeper Jonny Henly into the far corner.

On the half-hour the Angels went behind when a James Folkes clearance fell to Ryan

Charles, whose accurate cross evaded Henly and Jamie Cureton converted at the back post.

The home defence was struggling to cope with crosses, however, and the Angels were to ruthlessly expose this frailty in the second half.

The 47th minute saw Tom Parkinson head Turner’s cross back across goal for McKenzie to place the ball past the home goalkeeper Arthur Janata for the equaliser.

Two minutes later the Angels saw their lead restored when Turner claimed his second, bursting through and giving Janata no chance after excellent work from McKenzie.

The visitors were well on top at this point and Arthur Lee’s long throw in the 67th minute was headed on by Parkinson, McKenzie applying the finishing touch to make it 4-2.

With two minutes remaining, the home side had a lifeline through Johnvile Renee but the Angels hung on to remain unbeaten in 2019.

Tonbridge move up to eighth in the Bostik League Premier, two points off the playoff places, and now host league leaders Haringey Borough on Saturday [January 26, kick-off 3pm].

Cup hopes ended by agony after 22nd kick of shootout Tunbridge Wells 3 St Peter 3 (St Peter win 11-10 on penalties)

By Victor Bethell FOOTBALL: AFTER 21 successfully converted penalties in the shootout at the end of the Kent Senior Trophy quarter-final, Tunbridge Wells bowed out as their final kick sailed over the bar.

With key players Ola Williams and Dane Moore cup-tied the Wells defence looked less robust than it had during their 11-game unbeaten run, which had ended the previous week.

After eight minutes St Peter opened the scoring with Scott Solomon getting the finishing touch on a long ball that eluded the Wells defence.

Tom Pearson levelled the scores five minutes later, only for Sam Denham to put the Jersey islanders in front again.

Harrison Carnegie equalised again with a fine solo effort but Callum Weir scored to put the visitors 3-2 ahead at half-time.

Wells were lacking their usual spark of late, but the second half was brightened by an equaliser

from Jake Beecroft in the 70th minute.

There were no further goals, even as the match went into extra time, during which the Wells’ Perry Spackman received a straight red card for a reckless challenge.

St Peter kicked first in the shootout and went on to score all 11 of their kicks, and eventually the home side’s nerve faltered as the outfield players began their second round of efforts.

Tunbridge Wells are now away to AFC Croydon in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division on Saturday [January 26, kick-off 3pm].

LONGEST SHOOT-OUT SINCE OK CORRALL The prolonged shootout at the Culverden Stadium brought back memories of the match against Littlehampton in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary round in 2005 in which the Wells won the shootout 16-15 after 40 spot-kicks.

It remains the English record for the longest shootout in a senior cup match. In total the contest lasted three hours 10 minutes.

CONSTANT THREAT Franck Ndouga shows his pace

Honours even at top after Gallie levels Rusthall Reserves 1 Snodland Town 1

By Joe Croker FOOTBALL: RUSTHALL Reserves faced Snodland Town with the league leadership up for grabs.

The Rustics’ Franck Ndouga was a constant threat with his strength and pace.

In one attack the home side hit the post twice and saw the ball cleared off the line, leaving the score goalless at half time.

After a period of Rusthall pressure, Snodland broke away and scored.

This spurred the home side into action and after a goalmouth scramble Craig Gallie equalised with a shot from distance.

Rusthall’s Development team beat Green Street Green Rovers 6-4 in the quarter-final of the Fisher Shield, coming from behind several times before securing victory.

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Wednesday January 23 | 2019

Sport

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63

Tunbridge Wells 12 Guildford 29

By Roger Clarke RUGBY: A DISAPPOINTING display saw Wells lose to the team one place below them in the London & South East Premier Division and they know they must pick up some form to stay clear of the relegation places.

The match was marred by a serious injury to one of the visiting forwards which led to a 15-minute delay and a change of pitches.

Guildford produced two tries in the time added on, to eventually run away with the contest.

Both sides came to this game on equal points but Wells got off to a slow start which saw Guildford score a converted try through a Bradley Smith after four minutes.

After a period of penalty pressure the visitors added a second try from a lineout and rolling maul inside the first 10 minutes to stretch their lead to 12-0.

Wells slowly eased their way into the game but the Guildford line held strong until the 41st minute, when a sustained attack saw skipper Ryan Taylor-Dennehy score under the posts.

Frank Reynolds added the extras to reduce

the arrears to 12-7 before half-time.

In a disrupted second half the hosts’ Josh Hawkins was yellow-carded, to be followed four minutes later by Brendan Crosilla.

The handicap of playing with 13 eventually told with the visitors scoring a pushover try through No 8 Joe Garner in the 56th minute.

Once back to full strength, Wells applied pressure with good attacking phases featuring Mike Hathaway, Mike Doherty and some physical drives from Crosilla.

This paid dividends as Taylor-Dennehy got to a metre out and the ball was eventually recycled to Matt Spicer, who went in for the try.

Taylor-Dennehy then hobbled off with a hamstring injury and a Guildford forward sustained an injury which meant he could not be quickly moved and the sides changed pitch.

After the long delay Reynolds missed the conversion with 77 minutes gone, leaving the deficit at five points.

Guildford maintained their concentration in injury time to run in two tries, one of which was converted, and confirmed their victory.

Wells now face a tricky trip to Brentwood, two places and three points behind them in 12th, on Saturday [January 26, kick-off 2pm].

PHOTO: Bruce Elliott

Wells suffer in injury time after two yellow cards

Galbraith-Lowe leads rout as rampant TJs run in nine tries

After the break Toby May ran down the left and fed Hugo Watson, who offloaded to GalbraithLowe for his third try, which Robinson converted.

OAs bounced back and, via a series of penalties, opted for a scrum inside TJ’s 22. The home pack managed to shove TJs back over the line and score.

A sweeping crossfield move took replacement centre Rob White close to the line. The alert scrum-half Charlie Edwards picked up and dived over for a converted try.

After a prolonged attack by OAs, Watson broke away and ran two thirds the length of the field to

Old Albanians 12 Tonbridge Juddians 57 RUGBY: TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS took Old Albanians apart in their first encounter with the St Albans side with a show of pace and accuracy.

The visitors started well, Murray Galbraith-Lowe off-loading for Finlay Coxon-Smith to power his way over after five minutes, Will Robinson converting from the touchline.

Three minutes later Coxon-Smith burst through the tackles and passed to fly-half Robinson, who scored again and converted for a 14-0 lead.

The in-form Galbraith-Lowe crossed for another try built on a break by Duncan Tout and a crosskick from Robinson.

A string of penalties eventually led to Ryan Jackson going to the sinbin along with one of the home players.

Lock forward Matas Jurevicius showed strength and determination to break through the middle for Galbraith-Lowe’s second and TJ’s bonus point.

OAs got on the scoreboard with a try just before the interval and went in 24-5 down after Max Hayes had also been sent to the sinbin for TJs.

PHOTO: Adam Hookway

By Adam Hookway

TURN ON THE POWER Matas Jurevicius goes on the charge

Leaders show class to break away Tunbridge Wells Men 1 Old Cranleighans 5

By James Harris HOCKEY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS came unstuck against the South Premier League Division One leaders Old Cranleighans at Kent College.

An even first half saw few chances but Wells made the breakthrough, Ben Allberry dispatching a penalty flick after a foul in the circle.

Old Cranleighans equalised from a penalty

corner just before half-time, and the visitors then took control of the game in the second half.

The hosts had chances but it was indicative of the two sides’ respective league positions that Old Cranleighans were more ruthless in the D. Wells, who are 10th in the table, now travel to Winchester on Saturday [January 26, 2pm start].

Tunbridge Wells Ladies lost a tight encounter 2-0 at Canterbury.

LEADING THE LINE Captain Ryan Taylor-Dennehy offloads before his injury

score an excellent solo try which replacement fly-half Nathan Holmes converted.

TJs were in relentless mood and a fine, long pass from Holmes reached Watson on the left wing to score his second try.

Holmes added the extras, his conversion bouncing in off the post.

White, showing good pace, supplied centre Tom Nicoll with the chance to complete the rout with an unconverted try, TJs’ ninth of the match.

The win keeps TJs in fifth place in National Two South and they welcome Bury St Edmunds to The Slade on Saturday [January 26, kick-off 2.30pm].