Times of Tunbridge Wells 28th August 2019

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Heatwave makes it hottest festival on record

HIGH TIME: Temperatures touching 90°F helped attract 20,000 people to the weekend’s Local & Live free music festival. For the full story and pictures, see pages 4-6

Brexit blamed for pushing up the cost of the theatre project

By Richard Williams THE theatre and civic centre development earmarked for the edge of Calverley Grounds has gone nearly £20million over budget. But it will not cost local taxpayers an extra penny.

Calverley Square, the council’s proposed mixed-use facility that aims to replace the ailing Town Hall and Assembly Hall Theatre, as well as provide much-needed extra office space in the town, was originally forecast to cost £90million.

The actual cost of the theatre is now £108million.

According to the final technical report on the project, the RIBA [Royal Cllr David Scott

Institute of British Architects] Stage IV report, released today [Wednesday], the construction cost of Calverley Square has increased by £18million.

But plunging interest rates mean taxpayers won’t have to pay any more for the project, which is being funded through

‘There has been a shortage of EU workers that has pushed up the construction cost’ the Public Works Loan Board.

The Council blames Brexit for the hike in the overall cost of Calverley Square, which has seen

labour costs for the construction industry increase.

They also say high profile industry collapses such as Carillion and British Steel, along with the tightening up of building regulations following the Grenfell disaster, have added to the rising cost of the development.

Council Leader, Alan McDermott, said that uncertainty over EU contractors was one reason for the increase in costs.

He said: “There’s the unknown impact of tariffs, which the contractor has to bear the risk of, as well as bearing the risks of the labour supply.”

He added that as the Council intend to borrow £10million more than planned, it will have to be approved by Full Council, which is set to meet to discuss the project on September 25.

The project was originally given the

Continued on page 2

Alliance banned from website after hijacking it to try to block theatre A GLOBAL social media company has banned members of the Alliance political party that was set up to oppose the Calverley Square development for hijacking its community website.

The move follows an investigation by this newspaper into intimidatory tactics used on social media by Alliance supporters against anyone with different views.

The results of those investigations were brought to the attention of Nextdoor, a social media platform similar to Facebook but which limits a person’s followers to those in their direct neighbourhood.

The site is designed for people to recommend tradesmen or advertise items for sale.

Continued on page 2

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this week…

TOP FORM Teenagers across the borough celebrate the best set of GCSE results so far p10 BLUE CHIP Company at cutting edge of Silicon Valley but based in Tunbridge Wells p8

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THEATRE COST: Continued from page 1 green light in 2017, with cross-party support from Full Council.

Since then, a political party, the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, intent on blocking the development, has formed.

Currently, a cross-party group of councillors are discussing possible alternatives while the project has been temporarily frozen.

“These talks are progressing well,” said Cllr David Scott, the Cabinet’s head of Property and Major Projects and the man in charge of Calverley Square.

He continued: “A number of things have come out, including that there are not really any alternative sites – there is either Calverley Square or revamping the current Town Hall site.

“While there has been a shortage of EU workers that has pushed up the construction cost of Calverley Square, the important thing is that the annual cost has not increased,” said Cllr Scott.

He said originally, the council planned to borrow £77million at an interest rate of 2.75 per cent to pay for Calverley Square, at a fixed repay-

ment of £2.3million a year, costing the borough £115million over 50 years.

The Council is in talks for £5million of funding from Kent County Council and outlined another possible £3million in fundraising.

Despite this, it will still need to borrow £10million more than planned – £87million in total – but at a lower interest rate of 2.15 per cent.

This means taxpayers will pay the same £115million over the life of the 50-year loan at the same yearly payment of £2.3million.

Opponents to the now £108million development say they are ‘concerned’ by the overspend.

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Ben Chapelard [St James’] said: “As expected, the costs of the Conservatives’ new Town Hall complex have risen further.

“No amount of financial spin will hide the problem that it is still the wrong project in the wrong location.”

He continued: “We Liberal Democrats remain concerned that the Conservative leadership appears to want to rush through to the construction stage without fully considering alternatives or listening to residents.”

CENTRE STAGE How the new Calverley Square theatre will look and [inset] the current Assembly Hall Theatre

DOWN MEXICO WAY Get a taste of what makes this local LatinAmerican restaurant so special p68

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

OBJECTORS RAMP UP THE COST More than £10.5million has already been spent on the Calverley Square project, and much of this money has gone on fighting objectors to it.

In July 2018, Brian Ransley, a member of the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, sought a High Court Judicial Review on the project.

The application was thrown out by the court, which said it was ‘totally without merit’.

Alliance founder Dr Robert Chris also forced the ouncil to request an independent report ‘in the public interest’ from an external auditor.

This ‘highly expensive’ report by local authority auditors Grant Thornton concluded there was not ‘any significant weakness in the Council’s decision-making arrangements in respect of the New Theatre’.

They also went on to say: “We do not consider that any decisions have been unreasonable or have indicated the absence of arrangements for achieving Best Value.”

In May this year, a public inquiry brought about by a letter-writng campaign organised by the Alliance was held into Calverley Square, at an estimated cost of several million.

The Planning Inspector gave the project a financial clean bill of health after hearing more than three weeks of evidence.

COST OF DOING NOTHING Opponents to Calverley Square have argued that the existing buildings should be renovated to bring them up to standard rather than spend more than £100million on a new theatre and civic centre.

The Council say the cost of renovating the Assembly Hall Theatre to bring it up to modern standards and increase capacity to 1,200 will be in the region of £30million – and that would not improve any of the backstage facilities.

Renovating the current Town Hall could cost close to £20million.

All money would have to be borrowed, and after completion, the current Crescent Road and Civic Way buildings would only be worth a combined total of £15million.

RAMPANT RUSTICS Rusthall knock the opposition for six for the second week in a row p78

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ALLIANCE BANNED: Continued from page 1 However, some members of the Tunbridge Wells Alliance have been banned after being accused of ‘hijacking’ the community platform to promote their opposition to the council’s theatre and civic centre development.

This is despite the website’s own terms of service, which prohibit political campaigning.

Among the most active and vociferous accounts was that of Francis Harris, a Tunbridge Wells Alliance activist who has made more than 800 comments on the website, nearly all about the theatre. He lives near the planned site.

Last week, Nextdoor UK CEO Nick Lisher, himself a resident of Tunbridge Wells, banned Mr Francis along with a number of other political activists for the Alliance following an investigation by the Times.

“We have simple guidelines that include not using Nextdoor as a soapbox,” said Mr Lisher.

“The problem is that when people are pushing causes too hard it will inevitably rub your neighbours up the wrong way.”

He said last week they ‘suspended’ a number of users for political posting.

“Our community managers looked NEXTDOOR NEIGHBOUR at the regularity CEO Nick Lisher of postings on a

specific local political subject [understood to be the theatre] and looked at some of the cases, which led to a number of interim suspensions.

“When this happens, we ask people to take down the posts and change their behaviour before reinstating the accounts. In this instance, some of them have been reinstated.”

While he said it was not common to ban people for political soapboxing, it does happen during periods of political controversies, such as the election of Donald Trump and the EU referendum, where social networks such as Nextdoor have been used to spread fake news.

Behaviour “We are not trying to curtail people’s opinions, but if there’s a weight of posting on one side of a particular local issue, the people not so vocal may find it unsavoury,” said Mr Lisher.

Mr Harris took to Twitter to complain about his expulsion from Nextdoor, which he likened to a ‘digital Venezuela’, admitting he had been expelled for ‘soapboxing’.

Another regular user of the website is Alliance co-founder Cllr Nicholas Pope.

He also took to Twitter asking his followers if anybody else had been affected after a number of people had contacted him saying they had been expelled from the platform.

Cllr Pope, who changed his mind about Calverley Square after his wife

purchased a property next to Calverley Grounds, did a similar U-turn on using the website for political purposes when he first registered on it.

Before being elected in May 2018, Cllr Pope censured another local councillor on the platform for mentioning the theatre project by saying: “I’m not sure we should be having a political discussion here on Nextdoor.”

Since then, he has made 555 comments on various pages on the website, many of which are politically motivated. It is not clear if Cllr Pope has been banned from the website or has had to remove a number of his posts.

Other Alliance members also write regular political posts, including Chairman Robert Chris, who recently used the platform to air his grievances with this newspaper.

Conservative Cllr Matt Bailey, who uses Nextdoor to communicate with the people he represents in his own ward of Paddock Wood West, says many people no longer feel comfortable using social media.

He said: “There is a small group, mostly linked with opposition political parties, who have hijacked local social media.

“They use Nextdoor, Twitter and Facebook to spread misinformation and attack anyone who doesn’t agree with their entrenched views.

“Despite having the time to write thousands of posts, they never have a few free seconds to disclose their political links or vested interests.

“This failure to come clean is dishonest and risks undermining our local democratic process.”

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Animal rights activists’ slaughterhouse protest SIX animal rights activists were arrested yesterday [Tuesday] after protestors stormed an abattoir in Tunbridge Wells.

Forge Farm Meats said a ‘handful’ of protestors had walked onto the property in the early hours, police were called and a number of arrests were made.

An activist at the site, who went by the name of ‘Paddle’, contacted the Times to say around 10 protestors from ‘London and all over’ were at the Southborough slaughterhouse where they had chained themselves to machinery.

Kent Police said they were called at 3.35am to reports of a protest at a business in Powder Mill Lane, Tunbridge Wells.

A spokesman said: “Five women have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and a man on suspicion of aiding and abetting aggravated trespass.”

Foodbank fundraisers A NEW fundraising initiative has been launched to raise money for Nourish Community Foodbank.

Royal Tunbridge Wells Takeover September 2019 aims to encourage local businesses to provide donations to the Foodbank in a number of ways.

Businesses can add a marked up donation to products, host a food donation station, or organise a specific event through the month of September.

The Foodbank is also seeking crew members for the Dragon Boat Festival at Bewl Water on September 7.

Anybody interested in helping should contact: fundraising@ nourishcommunityfoodbank.org.uk

Pembury craft fair PEMBURY Village Market is to hold a pre-loved and craft fair where shoppers can grab a bargain whilst giving something back to local charities.

The public are invited to browse through handmade gifts and purchase pre-loved goods on Saturday, August 31 from 2.30pm to 5pm at Pembury Village Hall.

All the money raised from the event will be going to for various charities.

The event will be free to enter, with a raffle, arts and crafts for children and an assortment of refreshments to buy, including homemade cakes.

For more information or to join as a stallholder email suzanne@leviton.co.uk

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Sabrina’s death is still ‘unexplained’ say police They also revealed that Sabrina had reversed her jacket while she was walking home on Sunday morning.

POLICE are continuing to appeal for witnesses Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief following the death of the popular local Inspector Tristan Kluibenschadl said: “We are photographer, Sabrina Goacher. continuing to investigate the circumstances The 30-year-old’s body was discovered in surrounding Sabrina’s death and are appealing undergrowth near to the Common off Church for information from anybody who may have Road in Tunbridge Wells last week. seen her between 18 and 19 August.

“Sabrina was last seen at 6.17am on Sunday, ‘We are deeply saddened to August 18 in St John’s Road wearing a yellow hear this news. Sabrina was reversible jacket and then at 6.23am on Mount Ephraim with the jacket reversed a well-liked and valued and showing a dark green material with member of our team’ yellow lining.”

She is described as being 5ft 4in tall and of slim build with a shorter, bobbed haircut than she had in Police are as yet unsure the images which were released how the front of house last week by police. supervisor at West Kent Ms Goacher was a popular College died. figure around the town’s music Post-mortem results have scene, and had worked at proved inconclusive and Cassidy’s Sports Bar in detectives are now awaiting Tunbridge Wells for more than the results of toxicology tests. ten years.

While officers did last week Last week, owner of Cassidy’s, arrest a man in his 30s known John Hoare paid tribute to the young to Sabrina, he has since been DISTINCTIVE HANDBAG photographer: “She was a released on bail.

Sabrina was last seen diminutive, lovely girl but she had The death is currently being carrying this bag no problem telling people to leave treated as ‘unexplained’ rather when they were being rowdy. than suspicious.

Everyone seemed to respond to her, it was Her body was found on Monday, August 19, beautiful to watch. after being reported missing the same day.

“She was perfect. It’s so sad.”

She was last seen on Sunday morning and West Kent College, where she worked as front police have released an image of a distinctive of house supervisor as well as events handbag the amateur photographer was co-ordinator, also paid tribute. carrying and found at the scene of her death.

By Richard Williams

Police chief right to give Tasers to officers THE Chief Constable of Kent Police said the recent killing of a police officer in Berkshire has justified his decision to arm all police in the county with Tasers.

As reported in the Times earlier this year, Chief Constable, Alan Pughsley, outlined plans to allow all police officers, including Specials, the option of carrying the conducted electrical weapon – used to disable criminal suspects.

Speaking to Policing Insight magazine, the Chief Constable said: “Nothing in the last six months has persuaded me that my decision to give a Taser to every officer that wants one was wrong – indeed as we see the stabbing of PC

Outten from the Met and the tragic and senseless death of PC Harper from Thames Valley, I am more than ever certain it was the right thing to do.”

He added that the number of knives now being carried by criminals is unprecedented in his 35-year career and that arming officers means they now have the ‘confidence in tackling the violent criminals who have come to carry knives routinely’.

He continued: “Assaults on officers have increased.

“Over 1,100 assaults on police officers occurred in Kent last year.

“I have also seen an increase in knife crime of 182 per cent in three years in Kent.”

He went on to back current Home Secretary Priti Patel’s tough stance on policing.

SABRINA GOACHER Pictured on her Facebook page In a statement, they said: “We are deeply saddened to hear this news. Sabrina was a well-liked and valued member of our team.

“Our sincerest condolences go out to her family and friends. Our thoughts are with them at this time.”

Close friend of Sabrina, Chris Parris, was meant to open Local & Live on Friday but pulled out following the news of her death.

Both Sabrina and Mr Parris were close friends with local bass player David Saunders, who ended his own life before Christmas.

TOWN CENTRE STABBING A MAN was stabbed and rushed to hospital after a row in Tunbridge Wells town centre.

Police say they arrived at the scene on Calverley Road, shortly after 7pm where officers cordoned off the road.

It is understood that the incident occurred following an altercation between two men.

Police say they are looking for one man in connection with the attack and are appealing for witnesses.

The injured man, who was in his 50s, was rushed to a London hospital suffering from knife wounds following the attack last Wednesday night [August 21]. His injuries are not said to be life-threatening.

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Town soaks up the sunshine as biggest free music festival lives up to its billing WHAT a Bank Holiday weekend! Great music, plenty of food and drink plus temperatures hitting 90F [32C] all helped to make it a memorable Local & Live festival.

The town’s biggest free music event lived up to its billing with more than 100 acts attracting some 20,000 people across six sites from the Friday evening to late Monday night.

The venues were Calverley Grounds, The Forum, The Bedford, Cassidy’s, The Royal Oak and Spa Hotel.

Food choices over the weekend ranged from Indian to Thai to vegan and everything in between with beer tents and bars nearby to quench the thirst.

area’. All the acts were invited to play and charged no fee, although some made money from royalties and selling their CDs. The four-day free festival was made possible with help from the Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Together who between them donated £6,650. Local businesses also played a big part, particularly A H Partnership, Helios Homeopathy, Berkeley Homes and DJM Music.

The media sponsor was Times Local Newspapers.

PICS (left & right): © Nigel Martin Photography

It was all so different to last year when heavy rain almost made the festival a washout.

Organiser Paul Dunton said yesterday [Tuesday]: “This time round we had four days of glorious weather along with some fantastic local bands that helped make it the best so far.

“It was good to be back in Calverley Grounds, which is perfect for us, and we intend to keep the festival going.”

This year was the 14th staging of the festival and the first time Local & Live operated under charity status.

“Being a registered charity definitely made a difference this time round,” said Mr Dunton. “It made it more appealing for businesses to get involved and we were also able to apply for grants.”

The festival costs about £50,000 to stage with the bulk of the money being spent on staging, PA systems, security and marshals plus insurance.

The festival is designed MUSIC MAN to ‘showcase the leading Local & Live organiser original soloists and Paul Dunton bands from the local

PIC: © Lauren Gray

‘This time round we had four days of glorious weather along with some fantastic local bands’

CROWD PLEASER Mike Wilton from the Standard Lamps performs a solo set

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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PICS: © Nigel Martin Photography/Lauren Gray

FUN IN THE SUN The crowds enjoyed both the music and scorching sun at Calverley Grounds

ALOHA Clifford Gray from the Ukelear Fallout

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THE STORE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR PREPARATION

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

THE CHARLIE RIVERS BAND Entertaining the crowds at Calverley Grounds

CHIN CHIN People enjoy a tipple at the Gin and Jazz Festival on The Pantiles

STEFFAN JAMES At The Forum

Gin and Jazz festival adds that extra twist

BIDDLE Performs at the Bedford

MORE than 60 different gins were available, along with various rums and cocktails, on The Pantiles over the weekend.

Around 4,500 people took advantage of the Gin and Jazz Festival to soak up the sunshine and sip the odd tipple.

“It was a truly wonderful weekend,” said the

LOCAL & LIVE PICS: © Nigel Martin Photography/Lauren Gray

STREET SCENE Crowds gathered at Cassidy’s, The Forum and The Bedford

organiser, Julian Leefe-Griffiths.

“People were coming down here for a gin and tonic before heading off for Local & Live events,” he added.

“The two festivals work great together, appealing as they do to slightly different demographics.”

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Question: Question: I have a limited company and we are about to move

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This is what should be reflected in your accounts it clear that it is the responsibility of the contractor to This is what should berent reflected in your accounts which will the is shown over the account for mean VAT. HMRC have issuedevenly some suggested which will mean the rent is shown evenlywill overnot the period of the lease and your tax liability wording, one example of which is “Reverse charge:be period of the lease and your tax liability will not distorted.to pay VAT to HMRC”. You will need tobe Customer distorted. make certain checks with the contractors you work for, such as are they VAT registered and are they an end user or intermediary.

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BUSINESS

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

At cutting edge of Silicon Valley but based in the heart of Tunbridge Wells

By Richard Williams BIG tech companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Uber and a raft of other businesses have dramatically changed nearly all our lives from their headquarters in California’s Silicon Valley.

But some of the latest and leading technology companies setting up in America’s west coast tech region are turning to a Tunbridge Wells-based company to build their reputations.

GingerMay, a PR enterprise that was started on the kitchen table of founder Victoria Usher nine years ago, has now become a leading PR firm for the very latest tech companies to emerge from Silicon Valley.

The company represents a number of big technology companies in California and elsewhere – all from their PR head-

quarters overlooking The Pantiles.

These businesses include the American telecommunications conglomerate Comcast, Cyber adAPT, a Silicon Valleybased cyber security firm, and digital camera specialists Canon UK, as well as DynamicAction – another Silicon Valley business, which provides retail analytics solutions.

Location “These companies deal with AI, smart city technology that is automating traffic flows, the internet of things – really cutting-edge, world-leading stuff,” explained Mrs Usher.

“Our job is to promote them to their audiences, and do research and analysis on these emerging markets.”

While GingerMay has a presence in

London, New York and Berlin, Mrs Usher explained that they choose to base themselves in Tunbridge Wells because it is not only cheaper than working out of London, but also makes little difference to these big tech firms.

She said: “Why put our staff through that commute? Tunbridge Wells is a lovely place to work, and there is no reason why being based here can’t mean we can operate at the highest levels in today’s high-tech industries.

“These companies are based in Silicon Valley, the west coast of the US, New York and some in Europe. Our location is irrelevant to them. It doesn’t matter where we are based.

“Technologies such as these are new.

We are as much an expert on these emerging landscapes as anybody else.

So why do we need to be based in London?” she said.

‘Our job is to promote them to their audiences, and do research and analysis on these emerging markets’

Neill Thomas is a partner in Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited. He specialises in employment law and works between his offices in the City and Tunbridge Wells. Each month he will answer readers’ questions. In this article he looks at the legal risks involved in using Whatsapp at work.

Imagine, if messages you sent on Whatsapp could be viewed and used against you by your employer! Well, that’s exactly what happened recently in a situation involving police officers in Scotland.

A detective constable discovered some group chat Whatsapp messages between officers (one of whom was a suspect in a sexual offences investigation) that have been described as “sexist and degrading, racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, mocking of disability” and having a “flagrant disregard for police procedures by posting crime scene photos of current investigations.” There were 17 members in one Whatsapp group and 15 in the other.

The detective conducting the investigation decided to pass the messages to the Professional Standards Department. As a result, misconduct charges were brought against a number of officers.

The officers complained to a Scottish court that using their WhatsApp messages to bring non-criminal misconduct proceedings against them was unlawful and a breach of their right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The Scottish court decided that the Police Service of Scotland was entitled to use Whatsapp messages as a legal basis for bringing misconduct proceedings against a group of officers. It cited the fact that the police are subject to professional standards which apply both on and off duty, as a reason for their expectation of privacy being limited.

Police officers are in an unusual position as they swear on oath to behave in accordance with the Standards, which apply when the officer is on or off duty. The Standards refer to, among other things, honesty and integrity, equality and diversity, discreditable conduct and challenging and reporting improper conduct.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Investment managers hoping to make a splash

Ringside seats for sale at networking dinner

INVESTMENT management firm Brewin Dolphin has opened an office in Tunbridge Wells as it continues its expansion plans.

The new Lonsdale Gardens office comes after the FTSE 250 wealth management provider opened offices in Winchester and Bath during the last year.

The firm has also purchased and integrated Investec’s Irish wealth management business into its own Eire portfolio.

The new office will be run by Lee Clark, the current Head of Office for Reigate, who will manage both offices, and employees from both Reigate and London will relocate to the Tunbridge Wells office to look after local clients.

Mr Clark, said: “We are thrilled to open up in Royal Tunbridge Wells to serve the financial needs of those in the area.”

He continued: “We’re seeing an increasing need for trusted and expert advisers to take the strain from those who need help with their finances in these uncertain times.

“We look forward to becoming a part of the local community.”

A BUSINESS networking event featuring spectacular circusthemed cabaret acts is being arranged in Tunbridge Wells for October.

The business dinner, which features Jay Rawlings from TV’s Britain’s Got Talent, has been arranged to raise money for a local cancer charity, and is being organised by Markerstudy’s Shooting Stars apprentices.

The Markerstudy employees are taking part in an Apprentice-style task similar to that in the hit BBC TV series, where the task has been set by company CEO Kevin Spencer.

The gala dinner and networking event is raising money in aid of the Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre in Tunbridge Wells.

To be held in the Victorian Science Theatre at Salomons Estate on Thursday, October 3, the evening will also feature a live auction with a range of prizes available.

If you wish to buy tickets to the business dinner, which cost £70 per person and include a three-course meal and an arrival drink, or make a donation, please email: shootingstarsevents@markerstudy.com

The general public will be reassured by Lord Bannatyne’s comments that it was clear that, for the average individual, who does not work in a regulated environment, messages such as this will remain private regardless of how unpalatable their content is. However, for individuals subject to professional standards or working in otherwise regulated industries, there will be limits on the right to keep such messages private. This includes solicitors, barristers, doctors, and financial services workers but may extend to individuals working in many other sectors.

We have a lot of information on our website www.thomasmansfield.com

Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited First Floor, 121-123 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QG Telephone 01892 337540 London - Sevenoaks - Tunbridge Wells – Tonbridge – Maidstone

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10

NEWS

Exam Results

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Teenagers celebrate best GCSE results so far SCHOOLS across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge saw some of their best GCSE results on record last week as hundreds of pupils across the two boroughs celebrated exam success.

The results come two years after the biggest shake-up in the exams’ history, where grades changed from A*-G to numbers 1-9, reflecting GCSE reforms that included more demanding content and the elimination of coursework.

Despite the change, some schools in the area saw a record-breaking pass rate, and dozens of pupils across both Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge joined around 800 teenagers in England and Wales by getting a clean sweep of the highest grades in all their subjects.

Nationally, around 700,000 pupils got their results last Thursday [August 22]. The pass rate was up 0.4 per cent to 67.3 per cent, and the percentage of papers given a top grade rose by 0.3 per cent to 20.8 per cent from last year.

At Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School [TWGGS], three pupils gained 11, 9 and A* grades, while The Judd School in Tonbridge saw more than half of entries graded A*, 8 or 9 for the fourth successive year.

Boys at Tonbridge School managed to achieve a 100 per cent pass rate in their GCSEs this year.

Kent College, Pembury said they celebrated their best results, with a quarter of girls achieving an average of level 8 across all subjects.

CLEAN SWEEP Tonbridge boys celebrate 100 per cent success rate with Headmaster James Priory

SUCCESS Blythe RobersonLeech and Beth Colley from Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School

‘Some schools in the area saw a record-breaking pass rate, and dozens of pupils across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge got a clean sweep of the highest grades in all their subjects’ MAKING THE GRADE: Evie Pengelly and Enya Turner from TWGGS

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

RESULTS ARE IN Bennett’s Lucy Whitbym, Tabitha Hall and Emma Stevenson

Exam Results

NEWS

top marks in their GCSEs in another ‘exceptional’ year for the boys’ school.

Resilience She told the Times: “We are exceptionally proud of all of our students and the effort and enthusiasm they have put into their GCSE studies for the past two years, and commend them for their resilience during an intense exam period.

“There have been some exceptional results, with many students celebrating the full complement of the top grades of 9s and 8s.

“We look forward to welcoming those students returning to us for the Sixth Form, and wish all of them the very best in their future endeavours.”

ALL SMILES Tunbridge Wells Grammar boys [above] and Bennett’s Sean Thewlis [left] getting results on Thursday

Benenden’s busy Bee

12th GCSE, Further Maths, which is graded under the old system.

“I thought it was an accident! I A THIRD of all results (34 per kept thinking I’m going to refresh cent) at Benenden School were the page and they’re going to go awarded level 9, up from 30 per down,” said Bee, after getting her cent last year, and 60 per cent of results online. all grades were at levels 9 and GCSE pass rates for sciences and 8 – equivalent to an A* on the mathematics were exceptionally previous system. strong at Church of England school Headmistress Samantha Bennett Memorial.

Price said: “What a wonderful Headteacher Jon Sparke said large set of results! The girls should numbers of students achieved the be immensely proud that all top grades 8 and 9 in science and their enormous hard work and dedication has paid off so BEST GIRL: Bee McDougall maths subjects, which he hopes they will continue to study at A level incredibly.” and beyond.

One pupil from the independent School near At Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Cranbrook took 11 grades at level 9.

Boys [TWGSB], Headteacher Amanda Simpson Bee McDougall, 15, also took home an A* with said they had many Year 11 pupils scoring Distinction – the highest grade possible – in her

11

TWGSB BOYS: Charles Raoms, Lewis Dyer, Lewie Cameron, Max Campbell and James Laidler

12

NEWS

Exam Results

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Almost 100 per cent pass rate for TWGGS AROUND 150 pupils at Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School [TWGGS] sat exams this year, with 44.4 per cent achieving grades 9 and 8, and a staggering 99.2 per cent received passes with their grades between 9 and 4.

The top performers were three TOP MARKS Two girls from Skinners’ Academy showing off their grades

pupils who gained 11, 9 and A*, while 19 pupils had all marks between 9 and 7, or A* and A. A school spokesman said: “We are incredibly pleased with our GCSE results this year.

“Our girls have attained some really superb sets of grades, and

PASS RATE: Pupils from Skinners’ Kent Academy [left] and Siennna Riefolo, Dria Miszta and Ella Elston from St Gregory’s their results show that they have also made exceptional progress during their time at TWGGS, which is particularly pleasing.

“We would like to thank both the girls and staff for their dedication and hard work in achieving a really tremendous set of results.”

More than 70 per cent of students at St Gregory’s Catholic School achieved standard passes (grade 4 or above) in their GCSEs, and several students gained the new top

grade, 9, across a range of subjects.

Principal Sean McQuillan said: “This is just the second year of the new GCSEs and I’m delighted to see that our students have fared so well.”

Highlights YEAR 11 students and staff at The Skinners’ Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells were celebrating record-breaking success on Thursday when the GCSE results were announced.

Executive Principal Dr Hilary Macaulay said: “I am incredibly proud of the achievements of all our students and the progress they have made this year.

“Highlights across the Academy this year include a record-breaking 27 Grade 9s, 80 Grade 8s and 123 Grade 7s.”

In East Sussex, one in five girls at Mayfield School were awarded all A*/A equivalent grades in ten or more subjects, and at Claremont School every student passed Biology, Physics and Chemistry with grades 9-4.

GREGORY’S GIRLS: Pawani Anand and Lilli Harris-Beale [left] and Eugenie Godin-Llugaliu [right] with her mother

Mayfield B OA R D I N G & DAY S C H O O L F O R G I R L S AG E D 1 1 TO 1 8

Celebrating another year of exceptional A Levels and GCSEs Rachel, from Tunbridge Wells, who is excited to be taking her place at St Anne’s College Oxford to read English said of her time at Mayfield: “I am absolutely thrilled with my results and to have gained a place at Oxford. Mayfield has encouraged and supported me every step of the way and I’m so grateful to the School for helping me to aim high and achieve my goals.”

IT IS A GREAT JOY TO SEE SO MANY GIRLS ACHIEVE SUCH IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AGAIN THIS YEAR AT A LEVEL AND GCSE. We are delighted that Mayfield

“I remain convinced that

continues to achieve consistently

Mayfield girls are successful

high results across the board.

because they are able to have

I hope that every girl is proud

fun and balance involvement in

of what she has achieved as

a range of activities with their

each grade reflects real effort

examination preparation: this in

and application. It is particularly

turn means that they are calm

pleasing to see girls who joined

and collected when they enter

us lacking in confidence, who

the examination room. Of course,

inspired them. Such a balanced,

have flourished at Mayfield and

knowing that they have been

open minded approach reaps

been rewarded by outstanding

taught well also helps calm the

rewards not only in the exam

ANTONIA BEARY,

grades which reflect their ability

nerves and all credit goes to the

room, but more importantly in

MA MPhil (Cantab), PGCE,

and confirm their potential.

teachers who have supported and

preparing girls to respond to the

Headmistress

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14

NEWS

Community News

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Town scents success after visit of In Bloom judges

By Andy Tong

MOMENT IN THE SUN Tour guide Arran DawsonMcNally of Oakley School (centre) with the judges at Dunorlan Park

TUNBRIDGE WELLS is awaiting the results of the In Bloom competitions run by the Royal Horticultural Society following tours by the judges of the regional and national contests.

South & South-East In Bloom judges Barry Newman and Ian White arrived this summer, and were followed a week later by Britain in Bloom judges Rae Beckwith and Dale Hector.

The regional awards will be announced on September 13, with the national verdict to be released on October 25.

Positive Last year, Tunbridge Wells won a Silver Gilt award in the Britain in Bloom finals in the Large Town category.

It was the first time the town has been recognised at national level since 2012, when it won a Silver medal. However, it has not entered the national competition every year.

The town also secured the Gold award for the South and South-East regional competition, an accolade which they have achieved for the past seven years.

Helen Timms, Parks and Sports Team Administrator for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, said: “The judges give nothing away but both days went well. They made lots of positive comments about the town, and were impressed with the developments in Tunbridge Wells and also with our community participation.

“They are always impressed with the Common, asking lots and lots of questions. Thank goodness we have Steve Budden from the Commons Conservators to answer them!”

She added: “We had to change our route this year because of the works in Mount Pleasant

Road, which meant we had the opportunity to show the judges a new area – Trinity Theatre – and the great work that their volunteers do in the gardens.”

Another new feature of the tour was Sherborne Close in Hawkenbury. Among the other highlights

was a display at Lloyds Bank in Mount Pleasant Road celebrating 50 years of the moon landing.

For more information, visit royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk Twitter: @RTWinBloom and Facebook: @RoyalTunbridgeWellsinBloom

‘Extreme dribbling’ helps armed forces

KEEP GOING St James’ Eddie Dennett in goal (pictured right) and (left) with the charity mascot Hero Bear

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PUPILS at St James’ Junior School in Tunbridge Wells took part an ‘extreme dribbling’ challenge as part of a hockey event to raise money for the armed forces charity Help for Heroes.

Students from Bennett Memorial School and Crowborough Hockey Club came to the school in Sandrock Road to assist the Year 3 children.

The young coaches showed them how to complete a complex dribbling course around the school field, with Bennett’s Head of Sport, Justin Singleton, in one goal and Eddie Dennett, from St James’, in the other; the latter recorded the most clean sheets.

Justin said: “It was great to see how well the Year 12 coaches were able to help the Year 3s, many of whom were new to hockey. They learned quickly and I hope had lots of fun.”

The dribbling exercise was the starter event for a Hockeython, which has so far raised more than £4,500 for the military charity.

The event was timed to coincide with Hockey

for Heroes’ successful record-breaking attempt to play the highest altitude game in Nepal.

Crowborough Hockey Club invited teams from East Grinstead, Lewes, Hailsham, Edenbridge, Sussex Martletts and Brighton to help them keep

the ball live for 12 hours of match play.

Four St James’ pupils took part in the marathon on a sweltering day: Eddie Dennett, Loch Piper, Roisin Merrick and Riyad Fguennou.

Young players were helping behind the scenes, too, running the tuck shop, umpiring and manning the registration desk.

Justin and fellow Bennett student Vicky Dennett captained the three-hour Endurance challenge, which the latter won 21-18.

She said: “It’s a cause we all believe in. It was lovely to see the hockey community come together to create such a fun event and raise so much money for Help for Heroes.

“It was very unusual for me to be on the winning side against Justin! This victory actually helped the home side win on the day, with the score after 12 hours of hockey an incredibly close 45-44 in favour of the Crows.”

To make a donation, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/hockeython

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NEWS

National News

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Ask the Lawyer

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Urgent talks with French in bid to solve growing migrant crisis

Andrea Houston

Andrea qualified as a Solicitor in 2002. She has always been based at law firms in Kent and joined Keene Marsland earlier this year.

Andrea deals with a large range of Private Client matters including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection, estate administration, Trusts and estate planning.

She is also a member of The Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She has a wealth of experience in dealing with complex matters in a sensitive and timely manner.

Why should I make a Will?

Making a Will is not just for the elderly. It is arguably the most important legal document that you can ever make. However, over one half of adults in the UK have not made one. It is important for a number of reasons: - You can appoint a person or persons that you trust to be your Executors to ensure your wishes are carried out and that your estate is administered in accordance with your instructions.

- If you have children under the age of 18 you can appoint guardians of your choosing to look after them whilst they are minors.

- You are able to choose at what age your children should inherit as some people feel that 18 could be too young to be responsible for a sum of money.

- If you have been married previously and perhaps have children by a previous marriage or relationship, your Will can be drafted to ensure that the needs of your spouse or partner are met.

- For couples that are unmarried, it ensures that the survivor of them inherit as the law does not recognise “common law” partners as far as inheritance is concerned.

- It provides you with scope to undertake some inheritance tax planning ensuring that your estate is passed as tax efficiently as possible.

- It also provides an opportunity to shelter some of your estate from any potential care home fees.

- If there is a vulnerable beneficiary in the family, it enables a particular discretionary trust to be drafted to look after their needs.

- Most importantly, it enables you to pass your estate to whom you wish to benefit.

Where your Will has been drafted by a Solicitor there is less scope for it to be challenged at a later date as careful instructions have been taken and detailed attendance notes have been prepared. Problems often arise during the administration of an estate where a “DIY” or “home-made” Will has been drafted incorrectly by someone unqualified without all the relevant issues considered and incorporated.

Why should I make a Will NOW? Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Ensuring that your children, other dependents and loved ones are provided for, protecting the estate you have built and avoiding paying more inheritance tax than you need to is key.

Major changes in your life such as buying a house; marriage; children should all be prompting you to make a will.

To make a Will you also have to have the requisite mental capacity. Often people leave it too late and the only option is to apply to the Court of Protection for a Statutory Will. This is not a straightforward process and can be time consuming and expensive.

What happens if I die and I haven’t made a Will?

If you die without making a Will then your estate will pass in accordance with the intestacy laws. These are a fixed set of rules whereby your estate passes to certain family members. For unmarried partners and for many other people this can be far from ideal.

We can help you with all aspects of preparing and drafting a Will including structuring your affairs to minimise your tax liabilities.. Please contact us for further advice and assistance.

Telephone: 01892 526442 | Email: enquiries@keenemarsland.co.uk www.keenemarsland.co.uk Address: Keene Marsland, 6 Clanricarde Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1PH Parfitt Cresswell SRA No. 71480 is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

SAFE HARBOUR Border Force intercept suspected migrants HOME Secretary Priti Patel is to meet her French counterpart this week in a bid to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis.

Ms Patel is expected to travel to Paris tomorrow [Thursday] to speak with the French Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner.

She has given the Home Office 72 hours to come up with a solution to the wave of attempts by migrants to cross the English Channel.

Small boats continued to travel from France to the UK yesterday, with Border Force officers seen intercepting dinghies heading towards Dover.

About 20 people were seen being taken to a quayside Home Office facility on the Kent coast after the boats were towed towards land by a Border Force cutter.

It was reported the body of the migrant believed to have died attempting to swim the

Channel had been found near a Belgian port, with swimming flippers and a life jacket made of plastic water bottles.

The Home Office offered its condolences to loved ones after the ‘tragic’ incident, reiterating warnings of the risk anyone takes when making the ‘dangerous’ crossing.

An Iraqi man has been found dead in Belgian waters after trying to swim to the UK. The man, believed to be in his forties, was found dead at a windfarm near Zeebrugge.

The governor of West Flanders, Carl Decaluwe, said the man was found wearing an improvised buoyancy aid made of plastic water bottles and wearing one flipper.

Police identified the body using fingerprints.

The man is understood to have been refused asylum in Germany.

Opposition leaders plan legislation to stop Johnson’s no-deal Brexit BORIS JOHNSON has been warned he will face a Parliamentary battle as opposition leaders united around a plan to stop a no-deal Brexit.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly promised that the UK will leave the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal.

But after cross-party talks led by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a co-ordinated effort to thwart Mr Johnson’s plans has been promised.

The leaders agreed to prioritise a legislative approach, although a joint statement said they also considered a confidence motion.

The focus on legislation suggests Mr Corbyn will not immediately push ahead with a move to oust Mr Johnson in a vote of no confidence.

A joint statement from Labour, the SNP, Liberal

Democrats, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the Independent Group for Change said: “The attendees agreed that Boris Johnson has shown himself open to using anti-democratic means to force through no deal.

“The attendees agreed on the urgency to act together to find practical ways to prevent No Deal, including the possibility of passing legislation and a vote of no confidence.”

A Number 10 source said: “We are now making progress because our European partners realise we are serious about leaving the EU on October 31 - no ifs, no buts.

“It’s utterly perverse that Corbyn and his allies are actively seeking to sabotage the UK’s position.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Call for carnival review after officers assaulted A POLICE federation is calling for a full review of the Notting Hill Carnival after 30 officers were assaulted during the event.

Over two days, 353 people were arrested, including 37 for assaulting the police.

The Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, Ken Marsh, commented: “It’s an absolute disgrace.

“It is not on,” he added. “And it cannot be allowed to go on like this.

“We have said before – and we say it again – there must be a full review of this event.”

Brazil wants retraction BRAZIL’S President Jair Bolsonaro has said he will only accept £35million of international aid pledged to help fight Amazon fires if the French President, Emmanuel Macron, retracts

comments that Mr Bolsonaro says are offensive.

He said Mr Macron called him a liar, and accused him of questioning Brazil’s sovereignty amid tensions over devastating fires sweeping the Amazon region.

Mr Macron has questioned Mr Bolsonaro’s trustworthiness and his commitment to protecting biodiversity.

‘Beeb’ is the new Alexa THE BBC is developing its own Alexa-style digital voice assistant for next year, capable of understanding regional accents.

With ‘Beeb’ being mooted as the wake-word, it is designed to work on existing devices such instead of the broadcaster launching its own physical gadget.

The BBC wants to experiment with new features without being forced to seek permission from someone else to build it in a certain way.

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

You’ve had your chips: Harry Ramsden’s sold

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

DISTRIBUTION and outsourcing giant Bunzl is in talks with ‘a number of acquisition targets’ as it looks to accelerate growth for the rest of 2019.

The FTSE 100 firm reported a 1.6 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £200.5million for the six months to June 30, while revenues were also higher.

However, Bunzl said it hopes to boost its finances for the rest of the year through ‘additional deals’.

Maternity won’t grow A MATERNITY brand that was boosted when it was worn by the Duchess of Cambridge has warned that a no-deal Brexit threatens its international business.

British-based company Seraphine said there were ‘unacceptable risks’ attached to a no-deal scenario which could scupper its efforts to become a global brand.

Founder and chief executive Cecile Reinaud said: “A no-deal Brexit shows no consideration for growth businesses such as ours.”

Mortgage approvals at 10-year high due to concerns over no-deal Brexit THE total number of mortgage approvals last month was the highest monthly total for a decade, as the possibility of a no-deal Brexit prompted borrowers to act.

There were 95,126 mortgages approved by the main high street banks in July 2019, the highest since July 2009 when there were 99,970, according to UK Finance.

Andrew Montlake, Managing Director of mortgage broker Coreco, said: “July was the month when the odds of a no-deal Brexit got a lot shorter and this clearly incentivised people to act.

“Borrowers have become increasingly worried that lenders could easily pull down the shutters in the event of a disorderly Brexit and also increase their rates so they’re getting on with it.”

Remortgage approvals were the biggest driver of growth, but new home purchases also contributed to the rise.

Compared to the same month last year, home purchases loans were 16.4 per cent higher,

BUSINESS

17

Topshop’s stores in US will follow plan

FLAT OUT Borrowers are ‘getting on with it’

HISTORIC fish and chip shop chain Harry Ramsden’s has been snapped up by a rival chain from the Boparan Restaurant Group.

Fish and chip competitor Deep Blue Restaurants will take over Harry Ramsden’s 34 sites, as well as its brand, in a debt-free deal.

The sale comes after a period of slow decline for the Yorkshire business, as the casual dining sector continues to battle rising costs and falling footfall.

Bunzl looks to expand

National News

remortgage approvals up 19.4 per cent and other secured borrowing 12.7 per cent higher.

Tim Waterlow, Development Director of lifetime mortgage provider Responsible Lending, said: “Mortgage approvals haven’t reached these dizzying heights since the depths of the financial crash so it’s quite remarkable it’s taken us a decade to get here.

“This fact alone drives home the long-lasting impact the crash has had on the housing market and, with murmurings around Europe of more economic turmoil, lenders will be hoping this is not a peak before yet another collapse.”

Meanwhile, credit card spending reached a record £12billion, up 8.2 per cent on July 2018.

UK Finance said a record high of repayments showed that consumers were managing their finances effectively.

Personal borrowing through loans was 9.3 per cent higher than last July, but remained lower than levels seen between 2015 and 2017.

TOPSHOP owner Arcadia will press ahead with store closures and rent cuts after two US landlords withdrew their opposition to the plans.

Sir Philip Green’s retail group said the landlords had agreed to drop their challenges following ‘significant and constructive dialogue’.

Following the withdrawal, Arcadia is free to move forward with its Company Voluntary Arrangements [CVAs] which were voted through by creditors in June.

As part of its restructuring plans, the company decided to push its US subsidiary into administration and close 11 Topshop and Topman stores in the market.

The shake-up of Arcadia’s shopping empire also includes 23 store closures in the UK, putting around 1,000 jobs at risk, along with 25 operating under the Miss Selfridge and Evans brands.

Meditor buys debt to stabilise Carpetright CARPETRIGHT’S biggest shareholder has bought the retailer’s debts and vowed to engage with the business to provide longer-term, stable funding.

Meditor will now control Carpetright’s revolving credit facility of £40.7million, instead of previous lenders NatWest and AIB, although a day-to-day overdraft of £6.5million with NatWest and Ulster Bank will remain.

Carpetright has been struggling with a huge debt pile for several years and was forced to turn to Meditor for two short-term loans last year.

But the high street flooring specialist said debts have been falling following the sale of two properties in Amsterdam.

Last year a CVA insolvency process led to 80 stores closing and creditors taking a hefty cut to their debts.

18

Life&Times

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Young entrepreneur celebrates his start in tax advice business This week Jerome Bowman speaks to Jack Sales, the owner and director of firm TN Accountancy, about his career so far and what he hopes to do differently now that he has his own practice…

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Why don’t you start by telling us about your background?

After finishing my A Levels I decided to go straight into work and I joined a local firm to train as an accountant. Later on, I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to work in London at one of the ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms.

While I really enjoyed learning more about the industry and was lucky enough to work alongside some intelligent and talented people working in such a large and established firm, it was around this time that I started to think about having my own business; I knew the corporate life wasn’t for me.

Did you feel you could approach accounting differently?

I am very grateful for the opportunities I was given in London, but in my experience very large companies can have issues with efficiency and bureaucracy that can end up stifling the ability of advisers and ultimately limiting the amount of time that can be spent serving clients. I felt that working on a smaller scale would allow me to have a hand in the whole process from end to end and most importantly, develop substantive and direct relationships built on trust with clients.

Having left London I began to work locally again for a couple of years and I qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser. In September last year I set up TN Accountancy and we have been trading for the last ten months.

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

How have these first months of business been so far?

I feel as if I have learnt more in the last 9 months than in the previous seven years! Of course part of this has been refining my knowledge of tax law and accounting, but the larger part has been understanding how to run my business. I try to keep an open mind and to engage with new ideas and methods.

Owning my own business has also helped me to empathise with my clients positions and understand what their objectives might be.

What have you achieved so far?

Business has started to really pick up on the strength of word-of-mouth recommendations which is fantastic and indicates that I am on the right track. I am also very proud to have been shortlisted in the category of Best New Tax Practice for the Tolley’s Taxation Awards, a UK wide awards group, earlier this year. To have only been running for 6 months at the time of short-listing for these awards was a great feeling.

How has the industry changed in the time you have been working in it?

Even in the eight years I have now been working it has changed enormously, mostly due to technology. Many of the things we used to do manually, such as processing data, can now be automated and then simply checked for accuracy.

Technology has affected clients as well, with the government’s Making Tax Digital legislation moving us towards doing VAT Returns, and eventually Income Tax, using specific software.

Making tax digital will bring about a huge change in the industry over the next few years.

‘What a client pays for is the quality of my service and not for inefficiencies’ I’m always looking at these changes and what could be on the horizon next, for example a

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk cashless economy or the rise of crypto-currency, because these will also have long term implications for tax advice and accounting.

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KICKER Caption body to go in this style thankyou

In an ever-evolving industry what can you offer to clients?

The cornerstone of my approach is a high level of efficiency. If the time spent doing admin, navigating red tape and even data processing is reduced, I can spend more time focusing on the client and their needs. This also means that what a client pays for is the quality of service and not for inefficiencies.

Transparency is also important. I only ever charge fees which have been agreed up-front, which in my experience helps establish a level of trust and consistency. My aim is to always advise the client to do the right thing for them. To do this we might start by establishing clear objectives.

Maybe they would like to grow their business for profit extraction, to support a lifestyle, or with a view to increasing the value of the business in order to sell it when they retire.

Having established our goals, what I try and offer to clients is a level of service you might receive from a large established firm, but with none of the potential hidden costs, lack of scrutability or impersonal customer relationships. Expertise and efficiency are promised and as the business grows I will be looking to hire talented accountants and advisers to allow us to offer the highest quality of service.

Finally, what are your aims for the future?

My plan is to expand the company gradually, eventually to a team of five to eight people in our own premises. I want to diversify our advice and knowledge base: My own background makes me well qualified in Taxation but not all kinds of accounting, particularly for larger companies. But I want to keep the business small and focused on delivering to our customers above all else and finally, here’s hoping we can do even better next year in Tolley’s Taxation Awards!

TN ACCOUNTANCY The Pantiles Chambers, 85 High Street Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1XP Tel: 01892 576550 Web: tnaccountancy.co.uk LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter: @TNaccountancy

20

NEWS

Letters

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Wednesday August 28 | 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, Times Local News, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG No comparison between a town like ours and a city like Canterbury I cannot understand why Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Cabinet insist upon comparing the future performance of a new theatre in the town to the current performance of the Marlowe [Theatre] in Canterbury, because the differences are huge.

First, Canterbury is an historic cathedral city destination with some eight million visitors each year and, including the university population, there are some 50,000 more residents than in the town of Tunbridge Wells.

A train journey from Canterbury to London would take you up to 1 hour 40 minutes, and an off-peak ticket would cost you more than £25, whereas Tunbridge Wells to the same destination is 55 minutes and off-peak £15.

Of course, journeys by road are even more horrendous from Canterbury to the metropolis.

There are also very dubious statements being made that as the Marlowe operates without a subsidy, so a new theatre here would not need a subsidy. Well that is tosh.

It may be correct to say that Canterbury City Council does not now subsidise the Marlowe, because it has shed itself of the responsibility of operating it to a charitable trust, but you can

bet your bottom dollar that one of the main reasons for doing so are the tax advantages gained from such status, so that now any subsidy will come from the exchequer as opposed to the council.

So we, the taxpayers of this country, are still paying for the operation of the Marlowe and other provincial theatres throughout the country.

Roy Bullock Lamberhurst

PAY IN STAGES Taxpayers are still funding the Marlowe Theatre

Battersea shows what can be done

We need facts locally and nationally

Having recently visited Battersea Power Station to see the amazing renovations, it made me wonder if anyone on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has actually commissioned an architect to explore what could be done with the old Town Hall and Assembly Hall.

Everywhere in London and Europe are old buildings that have been reworked for the 21st century, like Tate Modern. I suggest the council visit Battersea to see what can be done with an old neglected building. All they need is vision…

Colin Walton Via email

I conject that local democracy, just as in national democracy, is failing its constituents. The inability, or unwillingness, to present all relevant facts to stakeholders, without the distortion of ideology, whenever a significant change in policy beckons, has permeated and blighted our political life.

This has been exposed within the ongoing Brexit national argument and the Calverley Square local debate. Is it now impossible to provide absolute transparency on the matter in hand, for example, the history of ownership of our police station? i.e. how and when did ownership change, or have we already drifted into an environment of fake news?

It must be time for a reset.

Those that are supposed to represent us must deliver all the facts, hold genuine consultations and present a joined-up proposal for this town, which must be sanctioned, ultimately, by their tax-paying public. Similarly, we rely on local journalism to play its part.

Martin Dawes Via email

POWER PLAY Battersea shows what can be done

Council inaction comes home to roost

Tunbridge Wells Alliance clarification I was delighted you re-published a somewhat dated photo of me [August 14]. However, my pleasure was somewhat tempered by the fact that the photo unaccountably appeared alongside an article accusing Tunbridge Wells Alliance members of online intimidation.

As your lawyers will be able to confirm, I have not been a member of the Alliance since it became a political party in early 2018, nor do I have a Twitter or Facebook account.

I am sure you were not intending to associate those who appeared in the photo with the accusations in your article, but to ensure no confusion, a clarification would be appreciated.

James Tansley Via email

It would appear that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council have finally decided to think about talking about doing something about attracting visitors to Tunbridge Wells.

May I suggest that the first task of the committee when appointed and briefed should be to meet with the instigators and protagonists (including the previous council leader) of the ‘shared space’ area which stretches from the Coronation Parade to Monson Road.

They should point out the broken and uneven sections of paving and unrepaired road surfaces, together with the paving in the Calverley Road shopping precinct, where broken slabs have been replaced by Kent County Council Highways, standard quality tarmac splodges; and the benches beneath the trees that are covered in bird poo, as apparently no one told the planners that birds roost in trees?

And ask them, firstly, whether this really was the ‘difference’ that they wanted to ‘so create’ and, secondly, having seen it, would they as visitors bother coming to this town again?

Victor Bethell Tunbridge Wells

We must build more affordable homes I was interested in your article about the proposed increase in housing creating the idea of a dormitory town [August 14].

My interest is to increase the numbers of what we call council homes. This would create homes for our children and grandchildren.

There are a large percentage of low earners in every area, and probably in excess of 20 per cent who will not be able to buy.

Supply and demand will always provide for those who have the ability to raise a mortgage and therefore are taken care of.

A large proportion of new homes are retirement apartments, and most others in the new-build sector in Tunbridge Wells will be nearly £400,000.

It would be great to highlight this dilemma locally and try and create a consensus to build these much needed homes, perhaps looking at the waiting list of families and others waiting for a roof over their heads.

It’s only by getting the problem out there that we can move forward.

Trevor Long Via email

Garden charge part of growing service I was slightly surprised by Mr Packman saying that I had not responded to a letter from him concerning the introduction of the garden waste charge [August 14], particularly as he wrote further to my own letter.

This is an opt-in charge for collecting garden waste and part of introducing improved collection services from September 30 that will enable residents to recycle additional items such as glass and plastics from the kerbside alongside a new weekly collection of food waste.

The new service will also provide the kerbside collection of textiles, household batteries and small electrical items, providing residents with greater recycling opportunities.

I might add that not all residents have the need for garden waste to be collected.

To address the legal position, the charge is being levied in accordance with the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012/811, which specifically allow a collection charge for garden waste and brings Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council in line with most of our neighbouring authorities and those nationally.

Nicolas Heslop Leader, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council

six consecutive years, it will continue to fall and we will continue to obtain fossil derived energy. I say let it be safe, secure, cheap – and UK-based.

Finally, there are broader geo-political issues to consider; following the single-minded thoughts and views of an idealistic young woman makes no sense, unless you’re a political band-wagoner.

Sam Goodenough Tunbridge Wells

False impression of local opinion?

It is pointless for Alexander Magnus to ask Leavers to answer his questions if the responses are not printed [August 21].

While Tunbridge Wells voted to Remain in the EU referendum, the voters of Tonbridge & Malling, where your publication is distributed, supported Leave by a margin of 12 per cent.

Nevertheless, the number of letters you publish from the former far outnumber those sent in reply, sometimes two or three from Remainers appearing each week, while only occasionally is a missive from a Leaver printed.

This bias is deplorable; not only do neutral observers receive a totally false impression of local public opinion, but the wish of a majority of the electorate is treated with contempt.

As far as Mr Magnus is concerned, he deliberately ignores the fact that the Prime Minister gives greater weight to the reality of seeing our democracy destroyed if we remain within the EU, than of pandering to those who are promoting an unproven theory of anthropological global warming.

In addition, the EU itself imports vast amounts from China and the rest of the world, so his concerns about transportation are merely another red herring, aimed at overturning the referendum result, and allowing the losers to get their way.

Colin Bullen Tonbridge

Safe, cheap, secure – and based in UK Clearly Paul Stepto [August 7] did not read my letter properly. I did not say, unpatriotically or otherwise, that we should locate our wind farm industry abroad. I said that if other countries wanted wind farm technology, they would build their own, cheaper: There will be no export market for our product.

Neither did I say that we should relocate the wind farms because the Royal Navy can’t protect them. I merely pointed out their vulnerability.

That the fracking industry, such as it is in this country, is owned by foreign firms seems to exercise Mr Stepto further; does he imagine that only British firms should own British industries?

He goes on to cite the Netherlands as an example of the fracking industry causing seismic damage. But this resulted from poor planning and decision-making by the Dutch government given the geological character of the country; in this country it would be ‘mined’ from very stable substrata.

The rest of the world continues to burn fossil fuels; we contribute 1.2 per cent of the total global CO2 emissions. This has fallen for the last

DOWN THE TUBE The Bell’s toilet in Ticehurst

Wind instruments that aim to please After his recent kicking, I thought Calverley could do with a somewhat friendlier response.

If he was intrigued by the facilities at Brussels Airport, he should check out The Bell in Ticehurst. Not wishing to be crude, but a tuba is slightly easier to aim at than a saxophone.

I also couldn’t agree more with his frustration and suggestion that there should be a rebate on recently discounted items.

This happens to me so often I’m getting paranoid that they’re doing it deliberately.

Mark O’Callaghan 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. Calverley is recovering from the Local & Live festivities

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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Greg Clark

Weekly Comment

NEWS

21

Greg Clark was first elected to Parliament as a representative of Tunbridge Wells in 2005. The Conservative MP has held a number of positions in Government, inluding Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. He currently sits on the back benches.

MP for Tunbridge Wells

We need to accelerate the roll-out of UK electric vehicle charging points – including at stations ONE of the benefits of a large constituency postbag is that it can be relied upon to highlight a problem for an individual constituent that also affects many others.

One of my regular commuters contacted me recently to say that he would like to buy an electric vehicle to replace his current car, but he drives to the station every day and is deterred by there being no charge points for vehicles in his station car park.

Taking this up with the Southeastern management, I was astonished to discover that not a single charging point has been installed in any of the station car parks operated by Southeastern.

By contrast, our neighbouring network, Southern, currently provide 50 charging points, and South Western Railway are in the process of installing 60.

Southeastern are not in a hurry to rectify the situation, with no concrete proposals to offer electric charging points. Instead, they say they are holding back in case the technology they installed would be obsolete in the future.

One of the things I learned as the Government minister responsible for tackling climate

change, is that in order to maximise the take-up of electric vehicles, prospective buyers need to be confident that there will be sufficient opportunities to recharge their batteries.

Range anxiety stymies take-up. So one of the big pushes that the Government is making is to expand and accelerate the roll-out of charging points.

PLUG THAT GAP! Electric vehicles cannot run without plug-in points

Grant A £500 Government grant is available for people installing charging points for electric vehicles at home or at the workplace – with over 100,000 home charging points supported so far.

But it is also important for reassurance that charging points are available in public locations.

There are now more public electric vehicle charging points than there are petrol stations in the UK, and the Government has doubled the finance available to authorities to install new points.

Station car parks are an ideal place for people – whether commuters or other travellers – to give them confidence that a top-up is easily available.

The lithium ion battery was invented in Britain, and this country is now at the forefront of developing the next generation of battery technology.

But if we want to make the most of that lead and be the place where the next generation of electric vehicles are manufactured, we need to remove the worries consumers have about

Mark Hood Councillor, Judd ward and Co-chair, Tonbridge and Malling Green Party

whether they run out of charge.

Southeastern can play their part in that. I will be pressing its management to reconsider its plans. And this is a good example of a wider point: We should put investment in infrastructure first, in anticipation of the demand that it serves, not as an afterthought – a theme I will be expanding on in this newspaper shortly.

Mark Hood has established the Barden Residents’ Association, is a founder member of Keep River Lawn Green, and campaigned to save the Barden Boatyard and River Lawn from development. He is also one of the organisers of the Tonbridge Calling festival.

Pushing for reforms in light of the Climate Emergency TIME is running out. That is the mantra in these troubled times, whether it concerns the looming Halloween Brexit deadline or the unfolding climate catastrophe illustrated by disappearing glaciers and Brazilian rainforest fires raging out of control.

Key to almost everything is sustainability, whether it is maintaining supplies of medicines, preventing power failures, or protecting the lungs of the planet from deforestation.

We live in a world where a country’s success is invariably entirely measured in terms of economic growth in GDP. The Green Party is alone in acknowledging that infinite growth is unsustainable on a planet with finite resources.

education, justice, the environment and economy as barometers for a healthy nation. The obsession with the creation of wealth should not overshadow the long-term welfare of a nation.

Closer to home, Tonbridge’s earliest council had the motto ‘Salus Populi Supremus Lex’, which translates as ‘The Health of the People is the Highest Law’.

This wasn’t just a lofty aspiration. Tonbridge Urban District Council [TUDC] cleared the

disease-ridden slums and literally lifted the town out of the quagmire which incubated cholera and dysentery.

It demolished the west side of the High Street then raised the ground level and rebuilt the thoroughfare we see today.

Today our town faces different challenges.

In light of the recent declaration of a Climate Emergency by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, the Green Party is pushing for

Declaration There is an alternative. Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand – all countries led by inspirational women – have formed the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and they are championing a different way to measure a country’s performance.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says: “Growth in GDP should not be pursued at any and all costs… The goal of economic policy should be collective wellbeing: How happy and healthy a population is, not just how wealthy a population is.”

Scotland introduced a National Performance Framework which acknowledges health,

ERROR: The sale of River Lawn is incompatible with its proximity to an Air Quality Management Area

reforms to improve air quality for modern-day Tonbridgians.

We continue to point out that the sale of River Lawn is incompatible with its proximity to an Air Quality Management Area and its status as part of Tonbridge Conservation Area.

It was actually purchased by TUDC for recreation specifically to protect it from development, and the prospect of the trees there being felled to make way for luxury apartments, unaffordable to most local people, is at odds with the recent change in environmental policy.

We urge the Council to engage with the public by setting up a Climate Emergency Forum to develop a strategy that will transform our borough into a model of sustainability with regards to planning policy, energy use and transport solutions, including improving public transport and the provision of charging points for electric vehicles.

We want the council to look afresh at its own properties to ensure the most efficient use of them economically and environmentally, including the opportunity to install PV solar panels across its estate, especially on the two hugely energy-consuming swimming pools run by the TM Leisure Trust.

We all want what is best for our communities and environment. With the Climate Emergency Declaration the council has ‘talked the talk’, now we want to work with them and ‘walk the walk’.

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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INSIDE Property Interiors Top trends and more…

KINGSDOWN MEADOW SHOW HOME OPEN EVENT From Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th of September

Find us at Kingsdown Meadow Residential Park Romney Street, Knatts Valley, Sevenoaks, TN15 6XW Contact Us FREE on 0800 644 4499 to arrange your viewing Or by email info@serenityparks.co.uk Visit serenityparks.co.uk for more information

PLOTS ARE QUICKLY GETTING RESERVED...

Following on from exhibiting at the Kent County Show, Kingsdown Meadow opened its doors to a raft of visitors, with four reserving homes in one day, having been so impressed with the quality of the homes on offer.

A fourth show home will be unveiled at a fantastic open event on the 5th, 6th and 7th of September, which will give visitors the opportunity to see the different styles of home and all that they offer. The event is a great time to visit for the the first time or indeed visit once again to progress your home buying journey with Serenity Parks.

Design your very own park home One of the many benefits of choosing Kingsdown Meadow is the ability to customise your new park home, so you can create the perfect home you’ve always dreamed of!

Contact Us FREE on 0800 644 4499 to arrange your viewing Or by email info@serenityparks.co.uk Visit serenityparks.co.uk for more information

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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AVAILABLE EVER Y WEDNESDAY – A MUST-READ

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PROPERTY, IN TERIORS & TOP TRENDS

A handy home for updating

With a large garden Page 27

37 26

A haven in the high street with parking and a barn Page 27

ELEGANT COUNTRY HOME WITH POOL

55

PRETTY COTTAGE ON A VILLAGE GREEN

26

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Best property buys for...

Luibeg

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…

£950,000-£995,000

The VAULTED WINDOW…

Corseley Road Groombridge PRICE RANGE

CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk A standout single-storey village home with a striking front elevation, park-like gardens, a paddock and superb views across the countryside.

Forming part of a small, exclusive development it is also close to a highly regarded primary school.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n External light and storm canopy n Triple-aspect, L-shaped reception room with a central chimney breast and patio door to:

n Sun loggia with vaulted ceiling, remotecontrolled Velux window, exposed brick feature and patio doors

n Dining room, open-plan to: n Kitchen, plus laundry/utility room with door to garden

n Conservatory with underfloor heating n Principal bedroom with en-suite shower room and double doors to garden

n 3 further bedrooms n Bathroom and separate WC n Delightful gardens with centre water feature, well-maintained lawn, timber summerhouse and around 24 fruit trees, plus a paddock

n Off-road parking, detached double garage and shed/workshop

n Just over 0.75 of an acre

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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The PRICE…

The BEAMED BEDROOM…

Orchard Heights Furnace Lane, Horsmonden OFFERS IN EXCESS OF

£475,000

CONTACT • Barnes Kingsnorth, Pembury • 01892 822880 • bkestateagents.com A standout home on the edge of the village with a contemporary design, huge windows, a long front garden and views over orchards.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Exclusive gated development n Sitting room with smart home wiring hub n Stylish kitchen/dining/family room n Master bedroom with en-suite shower n 2 further double bedrooms n Family bathroom n Allocated parking for two cars, with further visitors’ parking n Front and rear gardens

Chandler House High Street, Cowden GUIDE PRICE

£775,000 CONTACT • Savills, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 507003 • savills.co.uk A delightful, Grade II-listed village home with period features in abundance, including exposed timbers dating back to the 16th century and a functioning indoor well!

It comes with a barn offering an extra office/family room, and is convenient for a mainline station.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Central reception hall and dining area n Sitting room n Kitchen with an antique cast iron range

Dorset Road Tunbridge Wells PRICE RANGE

£525,000-£550,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk Priced for modernisation is this detached bungalow in Hawkenbury with good-sized gardens, gated parking and two garages.

n Breakfast room

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Utility room, boot room and cloakroom

n Reception room with fireplace

n 4 double bedrooms

n Kitchen with larder

n 2 bathrooms

n Family bathroom and separate cloakroom

n Working indoor well

n Bedroom 1 with chimney breast

n Secluded garden with attractive

n 2 further bedrooms

brick walling

n Barn with office/family room upstairs n Off-street parking for a number of vehicles

n Gardens of 0.20 of an acre with greenhouse n Off-street parking for several cars n 2 garages

Properties to call home

Savills Tunbridge Wells 01892 507 050

Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 Luxury apartment, Town centre location, Close to pantiles area and mainline station, Off street parking for one car, EPC Rating = C, Council tax =D

Unfurnished | £1,495 pcm + fees and other charges may apply*

Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 Newly renovated, 4 bedrooms, Courtyard garden, Allocated parking space, EPC Rating = D, Council Tax = D

Unfurnished | £2,500 + fees and other charges may apply*

Talk to us today Michael Churchill Negotiator 01892 507057 Michael.churchill@savills.com

savills.co.uk | savills.co.uk Follow us on what can we do for you? * Fees to include drawing up the tenancy agreements and reference change for one tenant - £282 inc VAT one-off fee. £39 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee - charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependant on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details visit savills.co.uk/fees

Commercially Minded If you think your land or property has development potential, why not give us a call without obligation and in confidence.

Office blocks

Shops with uppers

Garage sites

Commercial investments

Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs.

Commercial buildings for residential conversion, former public houses, redundant buildings for redevelopment, buildings for conversion or replacement, houses for improvement, large sites on the edge of town, barn conversions, large gardens in residential areas and major regeneration projects.

Contact Stephen Donnelly on 07739 514350 or 01892 579937 website: sjd-projects.com email: steve@sjd-projects.com

WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LAND AND PROPERTY WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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AT A GLANCE WARRENSIDE THE WARREN, MAYFIELD n Updated family home with modern kitchen and contemporary bathrooms n Large L-shaped drawing room/dining room with two open fireplaces and patio doors to garden n Sitting room/snug with fireplace and double doors to garden n Large, fitted kitchen/breakfast room with stone floor and back door n Cloakroom n Landing with loft access n Master suite, comprising a double bedroom with fireplace and faux balcony, a second double bedroom (currently used as a dressing room) and an en-suite shower room n Guest bedroom with en-suite shower n 2 further bedrooms n Family bathroom n Beautifully landscaped garden with terraces and lawn n Swimming pool with pool cover and chalet pool house n Detached garage block with single garage and studio/home office over

Improved character house in the pretty village of Mayfield

n Approached via a private lane

GUIDE PRICE

£1,095,000 CONTACT • Jackson-Stops, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 521700 • jackson-stops.co.uk

CENTURY PLACE TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Air Conditioned Offices 2000/4233sq.ft 22 On Site Car Spaces.

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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COM M ERCIA L PROPERT Y

CENTURY PLACE LAMBERTS ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Broadlands Commercial Property Agents have been busy at Century Place Tunbridge Wells. Having just completed on agreeing new reversionary leases with two of the major tenants we have just completed on a new letting of 2881sq,ft of Ground Floor offices in Building 2 to a major organisation who now occupy a substantial amount of space in this landmark building. There are now only two suites left available one of 2000sq.ft and one of 2200sq.ft approx. .They can be taken together or separately. A new FRI lease is available and there are 22 on site car parking spaces available. The rent being £24.50psf pax.

DEACON ESTATE LAMBERTS ROAD

HIGH STREET

TONBRIDGE

We have just been instructed to market an office suite of 2650sq.ft on the 1st floor of Bridge House 97/101 High Street Tonbridge. A new FRI lease is available on terms to be agreed at a rent of £42,400pax.

There are 2 car parking spaces included and the space is available for immediate occupation.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

LONDON ROAD

Acting on behalf on institutional clients we are offering Units 3 & 4 Deacon Estate Lamberts Road Tunbridge Wells. The units are currently being completely refurbished to a high standard and will be available by way of new FRI lease[s]. Unit 3 is 5644sq.ft & Unit 4 is 5594sq.ft. Rent £9 psf pax.

Broadlands are shortly to be marketing 120 London Road Southborough. This former Coscutter store is arranged over Ground & First Floors with some rear loading facilities. A new lease will be available at £50,000pax.

Southborough

FURTHER DETAILS ON THESE AND OTHER COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES CAN BE OBTAINED

BY CONTACTING Shane Raggett at Broadlands Commercial Property Agents 01892 512422 shane.raggett@broadlands.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

Knights Wood’s ‘Green Heart’ is the perfect spot to relax in Tunbridge Wells this summer…and beyond Residents of Dandara’s Knights Wood development in Tunbridge Wells can now relax in the peaceful surroundings of a newly- opened Central Green.

Located in the very heart of Knights Wood, the picturesque village-style Green is accentuated by a striking stone sculpture – ‘Elemental’ – from talented artist Jason Mulligan, who was selected following a design competition.

The Green also boasts a children’s safe play area with top-of-the-range equipment, which is currently proving extremely popular with young families keen to enjoy Knights Wood’s tranquil setting.

Speaking about the launch of The Green, Kyle Fennell, Dandara’s Sales Manager said, “It was extremely important to us that The Green provided a focal point where residents can take a minute to relax and reflect. It’s also somewhere for kids to stretch their legs and play safely in the fresh air, without parents or carers needing to drive them there first.

“Knights Wood really comes into its own during the summer and it has been great to see residents enjoying life outdoors, away from the hustle and bustle of Tunbridge Wells town centre.”

For buyers drawn to Knights Wood’s unique charms, there are currently a number of generously sized two-bedroom houses and apartments available.

Priced from £360,000, the fantastic twobedroom Holly house-type benefits from a spacious open-plan, fully-fitted kitchen/ dining/living room, with two doublebedrooms and off-road parking for one

vehicle.

Also perfect for first-time buyers, the luxurious two-bedroom Park House apartments at Knights Wood are proving a big hit. Priced from £275,000, these stylish properties benefit from a high-specification throughout, a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a second contemporary bathroom, open-plan living areas with a private balcony and an allocated parking space.

As well as the two-bedroom apartments and houses at Knights Wood, there is also a beautiful selection of three and four-bedroom houses available. All properties at Knights Wood have been carefully designed for stressfree living, with Help to Buy currently available on all plots.

Knights Wood is a fantastic example of the type of development that has made Dandara one of the UK’s largest independent property development companies. Dandara has been at the forefront of commercial and residential property design for over three decades, crafting practical, comfortable homes – and winning more than 100 industry awards for design and quality in the process.

For more details about the stunning properties available at Knights Wood, please call 01892 800580, visit www.dandara.com or drop into the Knights Wood Marketing Suite, which is open seven days a week from 10am until 5pm.

DIVINE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE COVERS EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS 01892 329772 | Enquiries@divinebm.com | www.divinebm.com

Homes of Distinction

01892 838363 www.fireflyproperties.co.uk www.rightmove.co.uk e. carol@fireflyproperties.co.uk

Join us for a Macmillan Coffee Morning in the show home at The Foundry, Horsmonden, TN12 8HF at 10.00 Friday 6th September

LADDINGFORD

£750,000-£775,000

Grade II Listed, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Receptions, 1 Bathroom with en suite to master, 2,466 Sq ft, Integral garage and off road parking, EPC: D

PADDOCK WOOD

£500,000

4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Receptions, Off road parking 3/4 cars, Character features, 1,679 Sq ft, EPC: E

BRENCHLEY

£1,100,000

Grade II listed, 5 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom with en suite to master bedroom, 4 Receptions, Approximately 3 acres, Tennis court, 3 Bay barn style garage, 3,042 Sq ft, EPC: D

EAST PECKHAM

£295,000

2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, 1 Reception, Off road parking, Garden, 598 Sq ft, EPC: D No stamp duty for First Time Buyers

YALDING

£599,500

3/4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom/ 1 shower room, 2/3 Receptions Garage, Annex potential, 1,475 Sq ft, EPC: D

PADDOCK WOOD

£505,000

4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom/ en suite to master bedroom, 2 Receptions, Conservatory, Double garage, 1,718 Sq ft, EPC: C

COXHEATH

£355,000

4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, 2 Receptions, Tandem garage, Off road parking, 1,924 Sq ft, EPC: D

HORSMONDEN

£665,000

5 Bedrooms, 2 Bedrooms with en suites, 1 Bathroom, 2 receptions, Double tandem garage, Kitchen/breakfast/family room, 2,278 Sq ft

YALDING

£875,000

4/5 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom with en suite to master bedroom 2/3 Receptions, Stunning vaulted drawing room, Secluded location, 2,420 Sq ft, EPC: F

PADDOCK WOOD

£675,000

3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom/1 shower room, 2 Receptions, Equestrian facilities , Detached offices/annex, Off road parking for 6 vehicles, excess of 2 acres, 1,853 Sq ft, EPC: D

SBI Ltd SUPPLY AND INSTALL A RANGE OF CANOPIES THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO ADD STYLE AND PRACTICALITY TO YOUR HOME.

Durable and attractive aluminium structures are available with a range of glazing or fabric covers, allowing you to choose the perfect structure for your setting and budget. SBI’s bespoke awnings are remote control, have LED lighting built into the arms, have a motion wind sensor and a manual override, fully loaded as standard. Any size up to 7m wide by 3.5m projection.

SBI Ltd established 1998 – Over 1000 satisfied customers – Members of the BBSA

CALL NOW 0800 0742 721 www.sbiproductsltd.co.uk

We would like to invite you to our coffee morning at The Foundry, Horsmonden TN12 8HF on the 6th of September at 10am in the show home.

We hope to see you there, for more information please contact The Firefly Team on 01892 838363

Organised in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

The Walks

The glorious countryside, with numerous foot and bridle paths, is literally on your doorstep

Move

WITH THE

Times 55

AT A GLANCE THE WALKS THE GREEN, GROOMBRIDGE n Grade II*-listed three-storey cottage in elevated position overlooking green n Timber front door n Reception room featuring inglenook fireplace fitted with log-burning stove and views to the horizon n Kitchen with vaulted ceilings, two skylights, butler sink and larder n Rear lobby with stable door to patio n Dining room with real oak flooring n Cloakroom plus utility room n Master bedroom with decorative fireplace and treetop views n Bedroom2 n Bedroom 3 with vaulted ceiling, which could also make a good home office n Spacious family bathroom with double-ended roll-top bath n Well-stocked and tended garden accessed across communal pathway n Timber summerhouse and large shed

Cottage overlooking village green and beaming with period features

GUIDE PRICE

£495,000

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

Visit our Show Home Open Event 5th to the 7th of September at Kingsdown Meadow Residential Park, Romney Street, Knatts Valley, Sevenoaks, TN15 6XW

WHY CHOOSE KINGSDOWN MEADOW? Nestled in the heart of Kent just a few minutes’ drive from the popular town of Sevenoaks, Kingsdown Meadow has everything you could want and need, ample outdoor space offering residents an inviting place to watch the world go by and socialise with neighbours. It enjoys a peaceful and tranquil setting yet there is much to enjoy and explore in the locality should you wish to do so. Residents can also benefit from a new community transport service, more details of which can found at serenityparks.co.uk/news-events. Furthermore, the park are offering a shopping delivery pass for one whole year so that the nearest supermarkets (Sainbury’s and Waitrose) can deliver direct to each and every brand new front door at the park!

Contact Us FREE on 0800 644 4499 to arrange your viewing Or by email info@serenityparks.co.uk Visit serenityparks.co.uk for more information

JOIN US AT OUR SHOW HOME OPEN EVENT; 5th to the 7th of September

Thursday 5th September – from 12pm until 8pm Friday 6th of September – from 10am until 6pm Saturday 7th of September – from 10am until 6pm At Kingsdown Meadow Residential Park, Romney Street, Knatts Valley, Sevenoaks, TN15 6XW Omar Ikon fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £275,000

KINGSDOWN MEADOW RESIDENTIAL PARK Come and view our Four Stunning Show Homes

Oakgrove Waverton fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £265,000

Prestige Sofia fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £275,000

Prestige Buckland fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £250,000

Choose your 40ft x 20ft plot and design your own home from £250,000

Contact Us FREE on 0800 644 4499 to arrange your viewing Or by email info@serenityparks.co.uk Visit serenityparks.co.uk for more information

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

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ARTS & CULTURE LIFE & STYLE FOOD & DRINK MOTORING SPORT and MORE...

IN PRINT AND ONLINE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK timeslocalnews.co.uk

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RELIVE THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

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HUNTING HOLLY ALBUM LAUNCH

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Music, Maestro, please!

THE SPICE OF MEXICAN LIFE

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A major classical music event returns Page 60

GET ON YOUR BIKES IN ITALY

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Fine tuning people’s M love of classical music

The eighth Music@Malling festival takes place from September 15-28, including an event at All Saints’, Tudeley. Its founder and organiser, musician Thomas Kemp, tells Eileen Leahy what is involved, and why you should get involved, too…

MUSIC FOR THE MALLING MASSES One of the previous concerts

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

USIC@MALLING began in 2011 and brings outstanding musicians to historic venues in and around West Malling in concerts and outreach programmes. The idea was to bring music to people’s doorsteps and get young people engaged with the arts, many for the first time.

West Malling and its surrounding villages have fantastic historical venues lying in beautiful countryside, but no arts provision to speak of. So we had to develop everything from scratch.

When I initially checked on Facebook to see how many people liked classical music in the area, there were six, and one of them was my dad!

I grew up in West Malling and began my musical life learning the violin in the kitchen at primary school. From playing open strings next to a tray of gypsy tarts, I have gone on to perform all over the world as a violinist and conductor.

I wanted to develop something locally that brought the community together through the shared experience of music, that encouraged new people to visit the area and, crucially, embedded music in local schools to enrich learning and creativity – something that in 2011 had been seriously eroded. So we formed a committee and got cracking!

From the outset, we had an eclectic variety of music featuring the work of contemporary composers alongside jazz, film, world, vocal and classical music.

In 2011, the internationallyrenowned Mark-Anthony Turnage, CBE, came to the festival, and last year the music of Judith Weir, CBE – THOMAS KEMP Festival founder and organiser

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Arts & Culture

Soldier’s Tale – one of the first pieces of classical music to incorporate jazz and narrated by the legendary actor Charles Dance, OBE. Other highlights include a series of chamber concerts in the fabulous setting of Malling Abbey which explore 450 years of music – From Berlin to Broadway with The Callum Au Big Band; a solo recital from worldclass guitarist Craig Ogden; A Life in Music with contemporary composer Alexander Goehr; concerts for toddlers with The Wheels on Debussy; and premieres of chamber works by leading film composers Ilan Eshkeri and Danny Elfman – the composer of The Simpsons Theme tune!

The festival runs from September 15-28 and has 30 events. There is something for everyone in this programme: A unique mix of bespoke concerts, outreach and participatory events that engage, inspire and inform.

MUSICAL EDUCATION Thomas Kemp conducts a schools workshop

PHOTO: Shani Hancock

Master of The Queen’s Music – was featured.

In 2016 the film and TV composer Barrington Pheloung memorably came and conducted music from Inspector Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. He sadly passed away recently, but his concert will be fondly remembered by all those that were there.

I used my contacts and interests to develop all aspects of the programme, coming up with ideas for concerts and workshops.

Hundreds of young people from across Kent have been involved in these projects, which include developing ensembles Actor Charles Dance in schools; side-by-

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Symphony Orchestra

side projects with leading ensembles such as Tenebrae, Stile Antico and Chamber Domaine – giving young musicians the chance to rehearse and perform with professional musicians; and Primary Inspirations, which develops pieces in whole class groups.

In 2019, this will involve 15 primary schools in workshops and performances of Roald Dahl – The Three Little Pigs, set to music by Paul Patterson.

Fifteen new pieces will be developed in whole class groups that will be woven into each performance.

James Pearson – Artistic Director of Ronnie Scott’s – has performed every year at the festival and this year will be performing a tribute to the legendary jazz collaborations between Oscar Peterson and André Previn and Stephane Grappelli and Yehudi Menuhin. Pearson will also feature in a unique programme performing the world premiere of his new work exploring the jazz influences on Stravinsky, alongside The

Life&Times

MORE STRINGS TO HIS BOW Thomas Kemp playing the violin

For full information and tickets, please visit musicatmalling.com JUST GRAND A magical piano performance

AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE

Outstanding music in historic venues 15th-28th September 2019

Howard Shelley

Amy Harman

29 September 2019

3 November 2019

Howard Shelley Piano Roderick Dunk Conductor

Amy Harman Bassoon Barry Wordsworth Conductor

Dvořák: Slavonic Dances Op46 (1,2&8) Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 2 Shostakovich: Symphony No 1

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite Weber: Bassoon Concerto Schumann: Symphony No 3 (Rhenish)

RTWSO CONCERTS Tickets £27, £29, £32 & £35

includes booking fee (18 or under & students £1)

Box Office: 01892 530613 www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

For Season Tickets contact Gale Smith call 01892 826196 or email tickets@rtwso.org

www.rtwso.org

Presented in association with the Assembly Hall Theatre

For full details visit www.musicatmalling.com And from Was Down Swan Street, 72, The High Street, West Malling, ME19 6LU.

Box office and general enquiries: 0345 3191043 Thanks to

WM Flowers A6 Ad.qxp_WM Flowers A6 Ad 08/06/2015 09:58 Page 1

72 high street

Fresh Ideas with Beautiful Flowers

Two floors of beautiful gifts, furniture, jewellery, homeware and a large selection of

Brookline Coaches

Based in the beautiful village of West Malling in Kent.

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Going Out

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goingout 7 days of activities

By Jerome Bowman

REVEL IN REGGAE The One Love Festival is on at The Hop Farm

WEDNESDAY The Fairfax Gallery’s Summer Exhibition is still open in The Pantiles, featuring new work from gallery favourites as well as new artists. The gallery is free to enter. For more information including opening times, visit fairfaxgallery.com THURSDAY Heroic police pup Chase, of PAW Patrol, fame has left Adventure Island and will be at The Spa Valley Railway all of today. Chase will be at Groombridge Station to greet fans from 10.50am onwards, and there’s plenty to see at Tunbridge

Wells West Station, too, including a model railway and a working engine shed. You can view the timetable for the day and book tickets online at spavalleyrailway.co.uk In the evening, for a laugh or two, head to The Royal Wells Hotel for another Out of Bounds Comedy Night. Ex-wrestler Danny Garnell, rising star Gerry K and quick-witted Danny Ward form part of the eclectic bill. Headlining the evening, which starts at 8.15pm, is Dominic Holland, whose son, Tom Holland (Spider-Man), is a tad more famous than him. But Dominic has quietly become one of the masters of observational

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

comedy. Tickets are £10, or £20 if you would like to arrive earlier for steak and chips. For more details, and to book, go to outofboundscomedy.co.uk FRIDAY If you’re looking for a chilled out weekend of reggae, look no further than the One Love Festival at The Hop Farm in Paddock Wood. The theme is ‘Hop meets Hemp’ and the packed line-up includes Eek A Mouse, Benjamin Zephaniah and The Revolutionary Minds Band, and Dub FX. There will also be a Rasta Village, meditation workshops, yoga classes and, of course, the family park attractions of The Hop Farm itself. Ticket prices vary and family camping is available. There is a generous buy one get one free offer on tickets right now, so to book, go online to onelovefestival.co.uk The Weald of Kent Country Craft Show opens today at 10am in the grounds of Penshurst Place. There will be 150 stalls selling everything from artisan sausages to handcrafted willow baskets, painted glass and organic perfumes. As well as the various stalls, there will be a plenty of other activities, including a pop-up petting zoo, clay pigeon shooting, and an adventure playground for the children. Tickets prices and more information can be found at thecraftshows.co.uk SATURDAY Bewl Water’s Big Dog Day Out will

SEE THE STAR ATTRACTIONS At The Weald of Kent Country Craft Show, Penshurst Place be on today, and promises that small dogs will also be allowed to attend. There are plenty of activities for you and the four-legged friends to get up to, including an agility course for dogs, dog grooming and professional dog photo shoots. There will also be a treasure trail and food and drink available at The Waterfront Café. All day parking, which includes admission, is £4. For more information, go to bewlwater.co.uk Find the balance in Ying and Yang at Smallhythe Place, near Tenterden, with their Tai Chi in the Garden session today from 11.30am-12.30pm. The class, which is free to attend once you have paid the normal admission fee, is an hour of gentle exercise promoting mental relaxation and fitness by focusing on breathing, posture and well-balanced movements. To find out more, and book, call 01580 THE ‘CHASE’ IS ON At The Spa Valley Railway

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Going Out

and no audition or previous singing experience is required, but the group are looking specifically for sopranos and tenors. For more information, visit rtwcs.org.uk

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: Join the Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society at St John’s Church 762334 or visit the Smallhythe Place website at nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place/whats-on

tree, you can book tickets, which cost £13, at emftheatre.com

SUNDAY What’s brown and sticky? In this instance, it’s Freckle Production’s Stick Man Live at the EM Forster Theatre – a play based on the much-loved children’s book of the same name. Stick Man’s morning jog is interrupted when a dog decides to play fetch with him, followed by a swan building a nest with him, and somehow he ends up on fire. To find out if he ever gets back to his family

MONDAY Calling all vocal chords, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society need you! After a successful summer concert in June, the new season begins with rehearsals today at St John’s Church.

The rehearsal starts at 7.30pm and finishes at 9.30pm, and will take place every Monday during term time. The first piece on the agenda is Haydn’s Creation. New members are welcome,

ENJOY A STICKY OUTING For Stick Man at the EM Forster Theatre

TUESDAY Film director Lindsay Anderson’s 1968 counterculture classic If… will be screened at Picture House, Uckfield tonight at 7pm. Leading cast member David Wood will be attending to discuss his experience of the shoot and also sign his new book, ‘Filming If…’ The film itself, which also stars Malcolm McDowell and Richard Warwick, satirises the British public school system and is most remembered for its explosively violent finale. Tickets, which cost £12.50, can be booked online at picturehouseuckfield.com

PICK OF THE WEEK: Napoleonic Re-enactment Weekend Hole Park, Rolvenden Saturday August 31 & Sunday September 1

Load the guns, rattle your sabres and expect loud bangs as muskets and cannons fire, leaving smoke billowing across the battlefield.

The event is being staged by The Napoleonic Association, who are recognised for the authenticity of their displays and battles as well as the detail in their costumes.

You can also tour the camps and chat to the soldiers (just don’t tell them about the Channel Tunnel as this may cause mass hysteria!)

Standard admission fees to the park apply. For more information, go to holepark.com

HHHHH TIME OUT

HHHHH SUNDAY EXPRESS

HHHHH WHATSONSTAGE

CELEBRATING 10 STICK-TACULAR YEARS FRECKLE PRODUCTIONS PRESENT

LIVE

ON S TA G E

Stick Man © 2008 Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Published by Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books.

11AM, 2.00PM & 4.30PM

SUN 1 SEP

01732 304 241 | EMFTHEATRE.COM

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DOGS WILL HAVE THEIR DAY At Bewl Water’s Big Dog Day Out

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FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk JAZZ ON THE PANTILES The Pantiles Bandstand Donations welcomed Thursday Derek Nash & Protect The Beat MUSICSTATION Bank Street, Tonbridge Booking essential For information, call 01732 350629 Thursday & Friday 8pm-9.30pm Adult band workshop, all levels welcome

live music With Paul Dunton

T

omorrow night [Thursday] sees world-renowned saxophonist Derek Nash & Protect The Beat entertaining in the open air at Jazz On The Pantiles.

For Elvis fans, Friday night brings a fantastic tribute show – One Night of Elvis with Lee Memphis King at Hever Festival Theatre.

Other fine options for Friday evening include The Informers at The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Opposite Origins at The Bedford Pub, and the superb Scowl headlining at The Forum, with support from Speaker Freak.

Saturday night is a brimming with live gigs, including J.E.M at The Beau Nash Tavern, Off The Cuff at The Royal Oak Pub, and the

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

brilliant Hunting Holly launching their new album in The Sussex Arms Basement.

I must also pay special mention to Denny’s Fest this weekend, which is free to attend and sees an array of talented local singer-songwriters and band acts performing in aid of a fantastic cause – Mental Health Resource – at Denny’s Barbers and 14 Arrows Barbers.

And you can close out the weekend in style on Sunday with some acoustic vibes as local soloist Bruce Harding makes his debut at Verdigris in Tonbridge.

Looking ahead to early next week, folk fans can enjoy Broomdasher playing at The Tonbridge Folk Club on Monday night.

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7, websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Friday The Informers THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM The Common Event informationat twforum.co.uk Friday Scowl, Speaker Freak Saturday Tim Cullen Presents Switch (House & Techno night) HEVER FESTIVAL THEATRE Hever, Nr Edenbridge Event information at heverfestival.co.uk Friday One Night of Elvis: Lee Memphis King

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

ONE LOVE FESTIVAL The Hop Farm Family Park, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood For the full line-up and tickets, visit onelovefestival.co.uk Friday to Sunday 12noon-11pm THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Free entry, music from 8.30pm till late Friday Soul Night Saturday J.E.M. Sunday Open Mic Night THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Free entry. Event information at thebedfordtw.co.uk Friday Opposite Origins DENNY’S FEST Denny’s Place Barbers, 55-57 Grosvenor Road Hosted with 14 Arrows Tattoos Free entry, BBQ, raffle, bar area Information at mentalhealthresource. org.uk/event/dennys-fest Saturday 9am-11pm, live music from: WVM, The Maverick Turtles, Ryan Weeks, Stone Tooth, Harry Sinatra, Hickmott,

Derek Nash The River Flows, Coney Island Maybe, Riff Raff, Arthur O’Hara, Chloe Marcela, Candy Stripe Messiahs THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Sussex Mews Event information at twforum.co.uk Saturday Hunting Holly (album launch) THE ROYAL OAK PUB Prospect Road Free entry, music from 8.30pm till close Saturday Off The Cuff THE NEW TELEGRAPH CLUB Priory Road, Tonbridge Free entry, for more details search for New Telegraph Club Ltd on Facebook Saturday Nicole Maria as Madonna VERDIGRIS Tonbridge High Street Free entry, music from 6pm Sunday Bruce Harding

Hunting Holly

TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB Flying Dutchman, Hildenborough Hat collection with suggested contribution of £7 (£5 concessions).

Music from 8pm, all welcome. More information at tonbridgefolkclub.org Monday Broomdasher

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Advertorial

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PHOTO: Hannah Patterson

Tunbridge Wells Beer Weekend

returns for another round The best of the town’s pubs, brewers and experts come together to champion a thriving local beer scene from September 5-8, as part of Tunbridge Wells Food Month…

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here’s no need to head to Belgium or Munich this year to enjoy the best of the brew. From September 5-8, celebrate the thriving local beer scene with a series of exciting events during Tunbridge Wells Beer Weekend! With a rich history of brewing to explore – we’ve been flavouring our beer with hops since Henry VIII was on the throne – this is an opportunity to delve further into the process, thanks to the town’s leading pubs, brewers and experts.

Organised by Fuggles Beer Café owner Alex Greig, the weekend will involve more than 20 events over four days, ranging from rare beer tastings, to workshops on how to make your own home brew.

“This festival was designed as a collaboration between some of the best pubs, brewers and beer journalists,” Alex says. “It’s to draw attention to everything that’s going on in the

area, and just how exciting it all is. This isn’t something we should be keeping to ourselves – we should be shouting about it!”

Hosted by some of the leading names in the game, including Fuggles, Sankey’s, The Ragged Trousers, The Pantiles Tap and many more, Tunbridge Wells Beer Weekend is sure to put the town on the map as a vibrant location for an ever-growing industry.

“Festivals like these are great for Tunbridge Wells’ exposure,” adds Karen Pengelly of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together.

“There will be many more events over our Food Month of September, involving so many businesses from the food and beverage industry, and Beer Weekend is the perfect way to kick it off.”

Whether you’re a beer enthusiast, or a newcomer to its nuances, there’s something that’ll quench your thirst.

VENUES

PHOTOS: Hannah Patterson

The Royal Oak 92 Prospect Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN2 4SY Sankey’s 39 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells TN4 8AA The Ragged Trousers 44 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TN The George 29 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells TN4 8AA The Sussex Arms Sussex Mews, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TE

Fuggles Beer Café 28 Grosvenor Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2AP The Guinea 78 Calverley Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2UJ The Bedford 2 High St, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1UX The Pantiles Tap 39 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TE

5TH SEPTEMBER TUNBRIDGE WELLS BEER WEEKEND BEER LAUNCH – All venues from 5pm VERDANT BREWING CO TAP TAKEOVER – Fuggles Beer Café, all day CHEESE AND BEER TASTING – Fuggles Beer Café, 7pm QUIZ NIGHT: Special beer WEEKEND Quiz – The Royal Oak

6TH SEPTEMBER RARE DARK BEER TASTING – Fuggles Beer Café, 7pm FREE PINT OF BREWDOG PUNK IPA FOR FIRST 50 PEOPLE – Sankey’s Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 7pm FREE BREWDOG GOODIES FOR FIRST 15 PEOPLE – Sankey’s Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 7pm BREWDOG RAFFLE – Sankey’s Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 7pm LONG MAN BREWERY TAP TAKEOVER – The Ragged Trousers, 5-9pm KENT VS SUSSEX BEER FESTIVAL – The Sussex Arms, 5pm (continues all weekend)

7TH SEPTEMBER SENSORY DEPRIVATION BEER TASTING – Fuggles Beer Café, 3pm RARE SOURS TASTING – Fuggles Beer Café, 7pm JAMES BEESON PRESENTS… BEER MEETS BRUNCH – The Royal Oak, 12 noon IRON PIER BREWERY – MEET THE BREWER– The Bedford, 2pm OPEN DAY – Pig and Porter, 11am-4pm HISTORICAL WALKING TOURS – The Beer Cavalier

8TH SEPTEMBER BEER SCHOOL SESSIONS: HOPS AND MALT TALK –Fuggles Beer Café, 1pm BEER SCHOOL SESSIONS: OFF FLAVOURS IN BEER – Fuggles Beer Café, 2.30pm BEST OF BELGIUM SHOWCASE – Fuggles Beer Café, all day HISTORICAL WALKING TOURS– The Beer Cavalier

ALL WEEKEND LAGER REVOLUTION –The Guinea BEERS FROM FONTHILL BREWING CO – The George THE GIN BOX OPEN HOUSE – The George THE BEST SCOTTISH BREWERIES – The Pantiles Tap

For more details and information, go to www.tunbridgewellsfoodmonth.co.uk. Some events may require tickets/booking in advance, please check availability.

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Down Mexico way…

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

HOT SPOT Dishes are deliciously spicy

Expect plenty of spice as Richard Williams gets a taste of Latin-American cuisine in a quiet corner of Tunbridge Wells

THE LOWDOWN The Mexican Kitchen is in Castle Street, which straddles the London Road and High Street in Tunbridge Wells, making it an ideal location for either a quick lunch or relaxed dinner.

While Tex Mex and other variations of Mexican cuisine are available in the area, owners Jamie Tsui and Fiona Berg want to offer a very authentic Central American dining experience.

LATIN LUNCH Its location and variety of dishes make The Mexican Kitchen a great place for lunch

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Stepping inside the Mexican Kitchen early on a Thursday evening, the bright and colourful restaurant offers an informal, relaxed atmosphere. There’s a clever use of green and red accessories dotted about in a nod to the Mexican flag, and an even cleverer use of mirrors, which gives a real sense of space, making it feel airy and roomy.

It’s ideal for a fun lunch with friends, but there are a few intimate corners for those coming for a romantic dinner. Upstairs, there’s a private room which is ideal for a private function or work do.

Thursday night is a good night to go along as the restaurant offers a buy one, get one half price deal on its fajitas. Not only was this a pleasant surprise for us as diners, but when we walked in we were also treated to mouth-watering aromas coming from the sizzling skillet.

UNDER STARTERS ORDERS There’s a friendly, welcoming atmosphere here and the staff are attentive. After a quick selfie in a sombrero to get into the swing of things, my guest ordered a Marguerita and I went for a bottle of native Mexican Corona, which we enjoyed while we perused the Central American delights on the menu.

Starters range from taquitos (crispy rolled tortillas) topped with avocado, sour cream, cheese and a choice of chicken (£7.75); sweet potato and feta (£6.95); empanadas – fired pastry filled with either vegan cheese and refried beans (£6.95); or chicken, cheese or chorizo (£7.95) to baby calamari (£6.95) and jalapeno peppers stuffed with cheese (£6.95).

We enjoyed the garlic prawns (£7.95), which were fried in olive oil and chilli and served on a bed of sliced garlic, beautifully presented and wonderfully succulent and spicy served with floury tortillas.

The quesadilla, a folded tortilla with a choice of fillings, which in our case was the chorizo (£6.95), would have made a good lunch just on its own, especially as there was large variety of nibbles, nachos and dips on the menu, too.

THE MAIN EVENT Mains here are just as plentiful. There’s a choice of tacos, with fillings including marinated pork shoulder (£7.25), slow-cooked brisket (£7.95), chicken (£6.75) and pulled jackfruit cooked in paprika as a veggie option (£5.95). The enchiladas (filled tortilla) have a similar range of fillings (£10.95-£12.50), as do the burritos (£10.95-£13.95). And there is a choice of burgers (beef, veg, chicken or jackfruit £10.95-£13.95), chilli dogs (£10.75) and steaks (£17.95) for perhaps the less adventurous.

Being fajitas night, it would have been rude not to have indulged, and our rump steak fajitas (£17.95) arrived as a sizzling platter of beautifully cooked meat served with an assortment of peppers, mushrooms, onions and a good selection of dips. It was a big enough meal for two, let alone one.

My guest ordered the chilli beef (£14.95),

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Food & Drink

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Cheers to the gin boom Times Drinks Editor James Viner goes on a juniper-fuelled adventure

AL FRESCO The restaurant has great outdoor facilities which was beautifully presented in its own ceramic pot, served with rice, tortilla chips and an accompaniment of black beans and sour cream.

This was not your typical minced beef chilli, but made with succulent slow-cooked brisket with a subtle chilli spicing.

We never quite made the pudding menu, since there was nowhere either of us could have put it!

One thing the Mexican Kitchen does not scrimp on is portion size.

THE MEXICAN KITCHEN’S USP Most people will have tasted Mexican before, and even assembled their own fajitas at home, but the real thing is

something else. Whatever your expectations of what a chilli or a burrito should be like should be left at the door.

The authentic flavourings and combinations of the real Mexico are a world away from the packets and faux Tex Mex all too often offered out as Mexican cuisine.

The restaurant also caters for the takeaway and delivery market, offering Deliveroo for the people of Tunbridge Wells.

But if you want my advice, you’ll make a reservation for lunch or dinner and enjoy a real taste of Mexico in comfortable and welcoming surroundings. themexicankitchentw.com

We are in the midst of an astonishing gin craze where nearly every week a distillery opens and a new bottle of the nation’s go-to hooch is launched, and we enjoy a host of gin-makers in Kent.

According to recent data published by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, the UK’s gin bubble has yet to burst, with domestic sales and exports hitting a record £3billion in the past year, and projected national sales set to smash the 100-million-bottle barrier over the next 12 months.

Getting into the spirit of this refreshing ‘ginaissance’, James finds himself both shaken and stirred by the skill of a trio of modern gins…

1) BANG ON THE MONEY MUST-TRY OWN-LABEL SUPERMARKET GIN Hampstead London Dry Gin (£9.99, Lidl, 50cl, Alc 40%) It’s seriously difficult to resist another Negroni when Lidl make a classic London Dry Gin this characterful and vend it at such a keen price. My kind of bottle with delicious notes of spice, juniper, lemon verbena, a citrusy finish and change from a tenner. Mix it with a premium tonic over ice and you’ve got a scrumptious late summer sipper fit for a queen or king.

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Follow James on Twitter: @QuixoticWine

2) AWARD-WINNING FRUITY/‘FLAVOURED’ GIN Greyson’s Seville Orange & Persian Lime Gin (£14.99, Aldi, Alc 37.5%) Aldi just launched 11 new spirits as part of its first-ever in-store ‘Spirits Festival’, including the other hottest spirits of the moment – tequila and mezcal – plus a selection of ultra-Instagrammable rums and innovative gins (Didsbury Tutti Frutti gin liqueur anyone? Chacun à son gout). Love limes and oranges? Then you must try this award winner, which collected a coveted ‘Masters’ title, the

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highest medal available, beating off stiff competition from bottles costing twice the price, at this year’s Gin Masters competition. It’s a great flavour journey that’s sure to bring a taste of the Med to your garden with distinctive juniper notes, carefully balanced by subtle aromas of tangy orange, sweet lime and juniper. Serve with a slice of orange for a delicious, juicy, citrusy G&T. 3) EXCEPTIONAL, MODERN CLASSIC ‘SUPER PREMIUM’ GIN FOR A KILLER G&T/DRY MARTINI Berry’s No 3 London Dry Gin (£33.95£36, Ocado/Master of Malt/Waitrose/ Berry Bros & Rudd [BBR], Alc 46%) Splash out on this chic, crisp, piney juniper-forward deluxe gin, fragrant with smouldering cardamom and orange peel, plus a bright and zesty freshgrapefruit finish, distilled since 2010 at De Kuyper in the Netherlands using a recipe devised

by BBR. The gin gets its name from BBR’s building number in St James’s Street, and also the three fruity flavours and three spicy botanicals (coriander seed, angelica root and cardamom pod). Its invigorating 46% ABV makes for a supreme Martini or G&T with a garnish of cardamom/ a grapefruit wedge.

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Books

The bookcase…

This week’s bookcase includes reviews of I Never Said I Loved You

by Rhik Samadder and Platform Seven by Louise Doughty

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Truants

by Kate Weinberg

7.5/10

Published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £14.99 (ebook £8.68) In this mesmerising debut, Kate Weinberg combines literary suspense and deftly executed narrative, slowly unravelling each thread. A first-year university student in search of a personality, Jess is primed to be drawn under the spell of her professor’s rock-star presence. She also jostles for her place amongst her friends – a band of misfits and rule-breakers comprised of Alec, a South African journalist and teller of dark tales; Georgie, a wealthy and beguiling teenage aristocrat; and Nick, a solid-as-a-rock geology student – and battles to find her own moral compass. As relationships unfold and dramas manifest, Jess quickly finds herself overwhelmed by desire and tragedy. The Truants is as charismatic as its characters.

Packing a punch, with plenty of references to Agatha Christie and echoes of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, its has a hefty abundance of twists and is a riveting read.

(Review by Nicole Whitton)

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Platform Seven

by Louise Doughty

Published in hardback by Faber & Faber, priced £14.99 (ebook £12.99) Louise Doughty is best known for Apple Tree Yard, and fans of that smash-hit thriller won’t be disappointed with her latest offering. Admittedly, it takes a while to get going, but Platform Seven slowly reels you into the eerie tale of two suicides (or so it seems) within 18 months at Peterborough Station. Unnervingly, the narrator is one of the people who died, now a ghost trapped in a strange sort of purgatory at the station while she discovers who she was and why she’s gone.

Doughty has the ability to completely unsettle her readers, at the same time creating real emotional attachment to her characters – both the dead protagonist and the people working at the station going about their ordinary lives. You’ll need a bit of patience as narrator Lisa frequently goes off on a tangent, but the beautifully written prose makes it worth it. Narration by ghost is a risky trick, but, once again, Doughty pulls it off.

(Review by Lauren Taylor)

7/10

7/10

Girl In The Rearview Mirror

by Kelsey Rae Dimberg

Published in hardback by Macmillan, priced £12.99 (ebook £8.99) The publishers of this US crime debut draw comparisons with Laura Lippman – nice try, but Kelsey Rae Dimberg doesn’t earn that honour yet. There’s much to enjoy here, but the gathering storm takes its time and the multiple metaphors distract. The concept is compelling, however, and once the tension increases, the narrative flies. Desperate to escape her past, Finn Hunt leaves the Midwest for Phoenix, Arizona.

A chance encounter with the son of a US Senator leads to a position as nanny to his smart four-year-old daughter and an affair with a political aide. But when a mystery woman follows Finn and the child, her perfect world unpeels as past lies send out long tendrils. A tragic turn and a few plot twists (one predicted by this reader) keep the pot on the boil.

(Review by Julian Cole)

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

NON-FICTION

I Never Said I Loved You by Rhik Samadder

8/10

Published in hardback by Headline, priced £16.99 (ebook £4.99) You may have stumbled across Rhik Samadder’s kitchen gadget’s column in the Guardian – irreverent, witty, cannily written. He applies those same traits to this memoir, but instead of mad, egg-cooking contraptions (although they do get a look-in), the subject is his brain, his memories, and the devastation mental ill health can inflict on a human.

But that makes it sound bleak, CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW

Let’s All Creep Through Crocodile Creek

by Jonny Lambert

Books

and although Samadder confronts experiences of sexual abuse, depressive breakdowns, his father’s death and the dissolution of several relationships, I Never Said I Loved You is sad without being indulgently melancholic, and uplifting without being saccharine. Nothing is neatly tied in a bow, but he explores growth and is frank about the sort of thoughts that whir inside when your chemical make-up is (to an extent) out to get you.

Insightful, radiant, brave and so, so sharp, it very much adds something to the conversations we’re increasingly having about mental health.

(Review by Ella Walker) spotting the fearsome creatures hiding in plain sight, while older readers will enjoy Lambert’s creative wordplay and clever illustrations.

(Review by Verena Vogt)

Published in hardback by Little Tiger, priced £11.99 The perils of taking shortcuts are illustrated beautifully in Jonny Lambert’s latest children’s book.

Three animal friends decide to venture into a creepy, crooked creek (and the alliterations don’t end there) full of strange lumpy bridges and scratchy thorns – and realise just in time that all is not as it seems… Let’s All Creep Through Crocodile Creek is a humorous and slightly scary journey to where the wild things are. Little ones will have fun

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BOOK CHARTS

HARDBACKS 1. The World’s Worst Teachers

by David Walliams 2. Pinch Of Nom by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone 3. Dog Man 7: For Whom the Ball Rolls

by Dav Pilkey 4. Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read

by Philippa Perry 5. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo 6. Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls 7. Time To Eat by Nadiya Hussain 8. Fleishman Is In Trouble

by Taffy Brodesser-Akner 9. Diary Of An Awesome Friendly Kid

by Jeff Kinney 10. Mudlarking: Lost And Found On The River Thames by Lara Maiklem PAPERBACKS 1. The Last by Hanna Jameson 2. The Confessions Of Frannie Langton

by Sara Collins 3. The Land Of Roar by Jenny McLachlan 4. No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference

by Greta Thunberg 5. Normal People by Sally Rooney 6. Seashaken Houses: A Lighthouse History from Eddystone to Fastnet by Tom Nancollas 7. Top Marks For Murder by Robin Stevens 8. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 9. This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor by Adam Kay 10. The Tattooist Of Auschwitz

by Heather Morris (Compiled by Waterstones) TOP 5 EBOOKS 1. How To Be Right by James O’Brien 2. Borderlands by LJ Ross 3. One Minute Later by Susan Lewis 4. Burial Of Ghosts by Ann Cleeves 5. The Man Who Didn’t Call by Rosie Walsh (Compiled by Amazon)

9/10

B A R . R E S TA U R A N T. R O O M S . C AV E . G A R D E N “Loved it, Cosy & Perfect”

T: 01892 618854

TripAdvisor EmmaKelly496

TripAdvisor JPH5678

E: hello@themountedgcumbe.com W: www.themountedgcumbe.com

“Outstanding”

The Common, Tunbridge Wells,

TripAdvisor 295petere

Kent, TN4 8BX

“Quality, Quirky & Stylish”

Opening Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-11pm Thurs-Sat 11am-11.30pm Sunday 12-10.30pm

#EatDrinkStayEnjoy @MountEdgcumbeTWells

@TMountEdgcumbe

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@themountedgcumbe

Food Service Times: Mon-Thurs 12-3pm 6-9.30pm Fri-Sat 12-9.30pm (3-6pm Light Menu) Sunday 12-8pm (4-8pm Light Menu)

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Travel

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Rejuvenate by hiking and biking in the Dolomites Ready to exercise her body and inspire her mind – and enjoy a festival song and dance or two – Natalie Bowen seeks out walking and cycling wellness amid the mountains and rivers of Val di Fassa

RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH Cycling along the Aviso stream

T

emporarily setting down his fiddle 1,975m above sea level in the Italian Dolomites, musician Alasdair Fraser asks: “How many of you know Breton folk dancing?”

Filled with enthusiasm, a couple of thousand hikers and I rise to our feet from blankets spread on the Malga Canvere grassy plain.

We have walked for almost two hours to watch Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas play Gaelic folk music – and now we eagerly attempt to follow the duo’s instructions to link fingers and dance with strangers on top of a mountain.

Our clumsy attempts are more funny than flowing, but as hundreds of groups turn (roughly) in time to the reel, overhanging storm clouds hold back their threat of rain over the peaks surrounding us.

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS I’m at the Sound of the Dolomites festival, a summer-long series of music now in its 25th year. A day earlier, I had flown to Verona, then taken a 2.5-hour transfer to the alpine-style village of Canazei in Val di Fassa, Trentino, which was one of the host venues.

Earlier that morning, I had taken a cable

PEAK VIEWING… Gazing out over the Salvan mountain range from the Lina Pederiva ridge walk

car to Le Cune, in the Alpe Lusia – a popular ski resort in the winter and part of the sprawling Dolomiti Superski region.

My group had trekked down a red run then followed a well-marked trail for an hour and a half, before spreading our picnic blanket.

But as I’m here in summer, there was no snow.

Instead, the ski slopes are grassy green or earthy

‘Aperol spritzes on the terrace as the sun sets behind the hulking Sella group of mountains unwinds my coiled mind still further’ brown, with wildflowers dotted yellow, blue, pink and orange through the verges, and cow bells ringing clearly over the fields.

A herd of stocky, chestnut Haflinger ponies graze, barely registering us as we pass. It sounds idyllic and clichéd. In truth, it is both.

Away from the stresses of real life, I understand that relaxation need not involve sunbathing on a white sandy beach – mountain air and scenery have the same effect.

TAKE A HIKE The beauty of visiting the Dolomites in summer is how easy they are for people of all ages to access. Even without the motivation of a music festival, cable cars remove all the strain of struggling uphill, so hikers can set straight off on the network of trails that ribbon across the ridges and summits.

My home for the week was the family-run Hotel Cesa Tyrol, which – like most of Canazei – looks like it has been plucked from Austria.

I can imagine its large rooms, spa and dining hall packed with noisy skiers excitedly planning or recovering from a day on the slopes. But for me, it is blissfully subdued.

Aperol spritzes on the terrace as the sun sets behind the hulking Sella group of mountains unwinds my coiled mind still further.

Until 1918, this region of Italy was part of Austria-Hungary, and the influences are seen from the buildings to the menus.

As I tuck into schnitzel and chips, followed by apple strudel, host Marta explains: “We say our mind is Austrian and our heart is Italian. We feel more like mountain people.”

And Val di Fassa does have its own people –

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Travel

ARCHITECTURAL HINTS OF THE AUSTRIAN TYROL Canazei town one of the host venues for the Sound of the Dolomites festival the Ladins – who speak their own language and are fair-skinned and pale-eyed. They look more Germanic than Italian.

Many people who live in the valley work winter and summer seasons, switching from pistes to pedals as the snow falls or melts.

Stefano Davada, from Bikeasy (bikeasy.it), who we meet for an e-bike mountain trail the next day, is one of these with a decade’s experience of guiding. He is also a freelance graphic designer.

‘We quickly learn that Turbo would not be welcome when flying downhill on steep gravel tracks in the rain’ Stefano talks us through the settings on the bike’s electric battery to help weary legs, starting with Eco (around 50% boost), then Tour (120%) and up to Turbo – a mighty 300% boost of power. This sounds fantastic – but we quickly learn that Turbo would not be welcome when flying downhill on steep gravel tracks in the rain.

Stefano leads us on a 15km cycle ride from Canazei, climbing roughly 850m up to 2,300m to Val Duron, another valley. With a liberal use of Turbo, this isn’t anywhere near as arduous as it could be, although a few stops to ‘admire the view’ are still necessary.

Stefano uses these pauses to point out coriander, gentian (used for making local grappa) and strawberries growing wild along the route.

He also explains a little more about traditional homes built in Pian, a small hamlet whose few picturesque wooden buildings sell for one million euros or more.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT We stop for lunch (and escape the rain) at the family-run Rifugio Micheluzzi at 1,850m, where only the antipasti platters of cheese and cured meats remind me we are in Italy.

Two local cheeses stand out – one red-rinded, due to being matured in wine for 18 months, and the sharp yet creamy ‘Cher de Fascia’ (Heart of Fassa in Ladin). And the Ladin traditional dish is a type of dumpling.

That evening, we visit the nearby QC Terme Dolomiti spa (qcterme.com), which has glorious views of the mountains from its outdoor pools and hot tubs. Entry without a treatment starts from E36/£33.50, and I spend hours enjoying its themed saunas, relaxation pools and hot/cold sensory experiences.

The most memorable of these is a shoulderdeep pool that mimicks being outside in a

storm – ‘thunder and lightning’ crackle as warm ‘rain’ falls from the ceiling. I sleep dreamlessly that night.

BACK ON THE BIKES On my final day, I trade my e-bike for a standard one and cycle along the Avisio River, which eventually reaches Trento on an asphalted path.

The terrain is flat and our guide, Nicolo Cincelli, threads us around young families on two wheels and older hikers carrying poles and backpacks.

It is an enjoyable, sunny ride to the Buffaure ski lift, which whisks us up towards the waiting blue skies at 2020m, above Val San Nicolo.

The Lino Pederiva ridge walk stretches for two kilometres before us, directly towards another ski lift and the chalet restaurant Rifugio Ciampac Hutte. While the track is never too narrow, it is single file only.

When we stop for antipasti at the summit of a

particularly steep climb, those with vertigo in our group have to look anywhere but down, and praise Niccolo for bringing the cheese and speck (a type of ham) up with him.

This awe-inspiring adventure is a summer pleasure because even off-piste skiers wouldn’t get to replicate the journey. Ice and snow would render the path unusable.

Off to the right, Nicolo points out the Salvan range, ahead is the Marmolada glacier, and far off to the left is Pordoi – a 2,950m peak that was bisected by tunnels and trenches as AustroHungarian and Italian soldiers hunkered down to defend borders in the First World War. Such an idea seems at odds with the beautiful, arresting landscape now.

As I walk along at my own pace, I realise that the network of ski runs, hiking paths, via ferrata and bike trails have conquered the Dolomites peacefully – and my wellbeing is much improved because of it.

JUST FOLLOW ME! Mountain bike tour guide Stefano Davada

HOW TO GET THERE Inghams offers a sevennight summer holiday on a half-board basis at the four-star Hotel Cesa Tyrol in Canazei from £976 per person, based on two sharing in June 2020. Price includes return flights from Manchester and airport transfers (inghams. co.uk; 01483 494826) For more information on the region, visit fassa.com

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Motoring

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Motoring News

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

This week…  Classy hybrids  Nod to EB110  Aston garages

New Aston Martin building designs

Bugatti pays tribute to iconic supercar with the Centodieci Mercedes sparks more life into A and B Class with hybrid models MERCEDES has unveiled a pair of plug-in hybrid versions of its popular A and B Class models.

Badged A250e and B250e, the pair use the same 1.3-litre fourcylinder petrol engine linked to a 75kW electric motor and 15.6kW lithium-ion battery. Driven through an eight-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain develops 215bhp and 450Nm overall.

The A250e will go from 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds, topping out at 146mph. In terms of all-electric range, Mercedes claims the A Class will cover between 37 and 42 miles before all of the charge is depleted. It also claims that the A250e will return up to 188.3mpg combined, with CO2 emissions between 33-34g/km.

A saloon version of the A Class hybrid will also be available, of-

fering up a slightly slower performance compared to the hatch, with 0-60mph taking 6.5 seconds, though the pair share the same top speed. Economy is up, however, to 201.7mpg, though emissions worsen a touch to between 32-33g/km CO2.

The B Class is slightly slower owing to its larger size, with 0-60mph taking 6.6 seconds. The all-electric range is reduced, too, falling to between 35 and 42 miles. Economy-wise, the B Class should return a claimed 176.5mpg and emit between 32-36g/km CO2.

Prices for the A250e start at £32,500 for the hatchback and £33,100 for the saloon, while the B250e starts at £33,700.

Order books are expected to open in October, with first deliveries due to start early next year.

BUGATTI has revealed the Centodieci – a modern interpretation of one of its most iconic models, the EB110, which in 1991 was acclaimed as the fastest and most extraordinary supercar of its time.

Based on the Chiron, the Centodieci was designed with the classic car’s wide wedge shape in mind, but with a modern twist that could incorporate the cooling requirements of the 8.0-litre W16 engine.

Those cooling requirements dictated the car’s design, with five round air intakes in the shape of a diamond fitted to the front, while the rear end features a wide air outlet to dispel hot air from the engine bay.

The engine produces 1,578bhp and contributes to the hypercar’s 0-60mph time of 2.2 seconds. It can also hit 124mph in 6.1 seconds and 188mph in 13.1 seconds before going on to a top speed of 236mph.

It’s claimed the Centodieci is 20kg lighter than the Chiron, due to a lightweight windscreen and carbon-fibre stabilisers.

Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann said: “With the Centodieci, we pay homage to the EB110 super sports car, which was built in the 1990s and is very much a part of our tradition-steeped history.

“With the EB110, Bugatti catapulted itself to the top of the automotive world once again after 1956 with a new model.

“We are proud of our long Bugatti history, of which the EB110 is very much a part. That’s why we’re celebrating a reinterpretation of this extraordinary vehicle with the Centodieci – Italian for 110.”

Just ten Centodieci models will be built and all have already been sold, with a starting price of £7.3 million.

THE CENTODIECI Marking 110 years of exceptional design

DID you ever imagine having a garage designed around your car? Well, Aston Martin has and could make it a reality.

With its newly-unveiled Aston Martin Automotive Galleries and Lairs division, the British luxury car manufacturer is expanding into architecture – offering a service to clients for bespoke buildings.

Having recently designed the 66-storey Aston Martin Residences in Miami, a team of designers led by the firm’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, will be on hand to create an ‘automotive gallery’ for clients – effectively a garage designed around their own Aston vehicle – or even an entire house, dubbed an ‘Automotive Lair’.

Reichman said: “Picture creating the ultimate space to showcase your own automotive works of art. This is now achievable with this new offering.

“For the car enthusiast, the garage is as important as the rest of the house, and a bespoke auto gallery designed

by Aston Martin that either focuses on showing off the car or is part of a larger, integrated entertainment space with simulators and such like, takes Aston Martin ownership to the next level.”

Pricing has not been revealed, but Aston Martin will listen to requests.

Recruiting Now

Set in beautiful countryside, just a ten minute drive from the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate represents the true beauty of Kent itself. It combines a picturesque setting with comprehensive conferencing facilities, fabulous function rooms and one of the best and most affordable wedding venues in Tunbridge Wells. Salomons Estate offers quality accommodation and luxury bedrooms in addition to Salomons Pub & Dining Rooms; an eclectic pub/restaurant offering the best in locally-sourced produce where possible.

We are looking for passionate individuals to provide our guests and clients with an unforgettable experience.

Available positions in Salomons Estate: Restaurant and Conferencing Supervisor Housekeeper Reservations Coordinator

One Warwick Park Hotel Composed of thirty nine rooms and suites and a range of entertainment spaces, One Warwick Park Hotel brings a luxury guest experience to the historic spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells’ in Kent.

Right next to the famous Pantiles area and only a few minutes from Tunbridge Wells train station, the hotel is perfectly located for enjoying all the activities that this beautiful Kentish town and its surrounding countryside has to offer.

Guests can expect a personalised welcome, knowledgeable and well-presented staff, a perfect setting for dining and unwinding in our restaurant and bar, multi-purpose event spaces for weddings and conferences, a unique underground art gallery, and bedrooms where relaxation and style are the priorities.

We are looking for enthusiastic personalities to provide an exceptional customer experience for our guests.

Available positions in One Warwick Park Hotel: Receptionist Concierge Housekeeper Housekeeping Supervisor Reservations Coordinator

SEVENTEEN Restaurant at One Warwick Park We are looking for talented individuals to join the team at SEVENTEEN Restaurant at One Warwick Park.

We take British dishes and ingredients and revitalise them using flavours and influences from around the world, modern cooking techniques and seasonality and presentation.

With the restaurant sourcing local produce, our menu is driven by the freshest and most seasonal ingredients, which can be enjoyed in our elegant restaurant featuring a stunning double height glass atrium - eating at SEVENTEEN will always be a pleasure.

Available positions within SEVENTEEN Restaurant Sous Chef Junior Sous Chef Chef de Partie Commis Chef F&B Assistant Kitchen Porter

To find out more, please visit our careers page at http://www.markerstudygroup.com/careers or contact us on: Email address: TalentAcquisition@markerstudy.com Telephone: 01892 553384

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Recruitment

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

WITH THE

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

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

Fill your vacancy now in print or online

From just £99 For more information contact our commercial team on 01892 779650

PUBLIC NOTICE LICENSING ACT 2003 An application has been made by: Forestry England for the premises Bedgebury National Pinetum, Lady Oak Lane, Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 2SJ On the date of: 19 August 2019 Summary of the proposed licensable activities and the proposed hours of opening: Supply of alcohol Between the hours of 15:30 and 22:00 from 1 November to 31 January inclusive (on set days throughout this period, excluding Christmas Day) Any person wishing to view details of an application may contact the Licensing Partnership on 01732 227004 Any person wishing to make representation about the application should make them in writing on or before the : 16 September 2019 Licensing Partnership, PO BOX 182, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1GP licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk http://pa.sevenoaks.gov.uk/online-licensing It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence is £5000.

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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

3

DIFFICULTY RATING:★★★✩

2

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

2 1 6 3 7 7 1 8 3

7 8

2 9 2 3 9 6 5

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

1

77

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

B O A F J A F A I R O C E R E S E A R I D N O E D U E T E X

T H E R P I Q E E R U F A WA YWA T A L H A R D T I M D E I N S T E S T S Z U S T O T L E R A K B I P U S I C I E I E N A N S O L V E

U E N R D U E S E E R A P I N G S D

Sudoku:

1 8 2 9 5 3 7 4 6

6 9 5 7 4 8 3 2 1

3 7 4 2 6 1 9 8 5

7 3 8 6 1 2 5 9 4

5 2 9 8 7 4 1 6 3

4 1 6 3 9 5 2 7 8

2 4 7 1 3 6 8 5 9

8 5 1 4 2 9 6 3 7

9 6 3 5 8 7 4 1 2

4 3 1 2 7 9 8 5 6

1 9 6 4 3 5 2 7 8

7 5 8 3 4 6 1 9 2

9 6 4 8 1 3 7 2 5

3 2 7 1 5 8 4 6 9

Jigsaw Sudoku:

8 7 3 9 6 2 5 1 4

6 4 2 5 8 1 9 3 7

5 1 9 7 2 4 6 8 3

2 8 5 6 9 7 3 4 1

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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Wednesday August 28 | 2019

78

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Sport

FORsports EVENstories MORE to: NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk Please send newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

Rampant Rustics keep up six-hitting heroics good wing play from Steve Camacho.

Thamesmead suffered another blow when they went down to 10 men in the first half after a reckless challenge.

The visitors started the second half better and were rewarded with a goal of their own from Tim Beckford after 54 minutes.

However, this sparked the Rustics back to life and Powell-Downey scored a wonder goal when firing into the top corner from an acute angle with 20 minutes left.

Adams then completed his hat-trick on 78 minutes. Powell-Downey, who scored twice against Lydd, did the same three minutes later with another fine volleyed finish.

The result moved Rusthall up to fifth place in the table. They now turn their attention to the FA Vase with an away tie at Balham, who beat them earlier in the season in the FA Cup.

By Dean Jacquin FOOTBALL RUSTHALL hit the opposition for six for

the second weekend running in the Southern Counties East League Division One. SC Thamesmead were on the receiving end at Jockey Farm Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday.

Two young players registered hat-tricks – Reuel Powell-Downey, 20, and Luke Adams, 22.

As in the previous match against Lydd Town, the Rustics got off to a flyer, Adams scoring from close range after three minutes.

Five minutes later Adams found the net again when he profited from some weak defending.

Picking up the ball 25 yards out he advanced, rounded the keeper and slotted home.

Powell-Downey made it 3-0 on 29 minutes after

YOUNG GUNS Luke Adams (right) celebrates with Reuel Powell-Downey

PHOTO: Dean Jacquin

Rusthall 6 SC Thamesmead 1

Angels drop to bottom of league as mistakes bring double defeat

Unlucky Cowdrey miss out again by narrow margin

Welling Utd 4 Tonbridge Angels 2

Cowdrey 190-9 lost to Catford Cyphers 191-9 by 1 wkt

By Jim Rowe FOOTBALL TONBRIDGE ANGELS endured a

Test Two minutes before half-time a Joe Turner free kick was headed home by Ade Yusuff, the first goal by a Tonbridge striker this season.

But instead of feeling like they were getting back in the game going into the interval, they allowed Gavin McCallum to head home from a free kick in stoppage time.

Anthony Cook scored Welling’s fourth goal in the 64th minute after an error by James Folkes.

The visitors managed to pull a goal back through the hard-working and impressive D’Sean Theobalds in the 83rd minute.

It was always going to be a test of the Angels’ credentials against Havant & Waterlooville.

Their newly installed manager Paul Doswell had garnered a fine reputation at Sutton United, where he gave the Angels manager Steve

PHOTO: David Couldridge

difficult August Bank Holiday double-header, slipping to two defeats which have left them at the bottom of Vanarama National League South.

After a 3-1 defeat at home to title favourites Havant & Waterlooville, they committed defensive errors to lose 4-2 at Welling United 48 hours later on Bank Holiday Monday.

At Welling, Sonny Miles gave the ball away when not under pressure after 27 minutes, Bradley Goldberg taking full advantage.

Goldberg was again able to profit in the 35th minute when the Angels lost the ball carelessly on the right flank.

FANCY FOOTWORK D’Sean Theobalds shows his skills at Welling McKimm his first coaching position.

Angels got off to the best possible start with a goal after just four minutes when Tommie Hession-Harris took advantage of a slip in the Havant defence to score from close range.

But within 14 minutes the home side were in front with goals from Jonah Aylinga and Nicky Bailey, who struck an unstoppable free kick.

Then on the stroke of half-time again, Tonbridge were unable to clear their lines and

went 3-1 behind through Andy Drury’s finish.

The home side enjoyed more possession in the second half as Havant were largely content to sit on their lead and play on the break.

There was a fine save to deny Theobalds and Miles had a chance with a header before Joe Turner’s fine shot clipped the inside of a post and ricocheted along the goal line to safety.

Tonbridge now host Weymouth at Longmead on Saturday (August 31, kick-off 3pm).

CRICKET COWDREY lost another nail-biter to leave them with a feeling of what might have been after their fourth narrow defeat of the season.

Relegation-threatened Cyphers won the toss and asked Cowdrey to bat on a tricky wicket.

The visitors showed patience but no one could kick on after making a start.

Jason Carver (32) and Jake McGroarty (23) put on a good partnership for the third wicket but Cowdrey had mustered 133 for 5 with 11 overs left.

Ross Pilkington and Stuart Clarke (25 not out) added 57 to reach a respectable total of 190 for 9.

In reply opener Trevor Fabien (29) went on the attack and Catford posted 50 inside 10 overs.

As so often this season, the introduction of Minhaj Jalill’s spin had a major impact with Fabien being dismissed in his first over.

The Sri Lankan went through the top order and received good support from Ralph Yeats-Brown.

With Cyphers rocking at 120 for 7 and Jalill having bowled his quota to return 5 for 23, the visitors were in the box seat.

But Damion Grossett, who had earlier taken 3 for 40, added 60 with Naven Senerath (23).

Another twist in the tail saw Glen Warner come on to take his 500th wicket to removed Senerath and then next over Thom Brown (2 for 46) clean-bowled Grossett for 57.

Yet Cyphers skipper Bill Perera got his team home by the narrowest of margins, allowed them to leapfrog Tonbridge, which left the latter in the relegation zone in Kent League Division Three.

With two games left, Cowdrey and Tonbridge meet at Swanmead on Saturday (August 31) in a high-stakes derby match that Tonbridge.

Wells lose to relegated HSBC again despite destructive Barker HSBC 153 beat Tunbridge Wells 138 by 15 runs

By Alan Cutts CRICKET TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ slim title at the Kent League Premier Division title suffered a terminal blow as they lost for a second time this season to HSBC, who are rooted to the bottom of the table and already doomed to relegation.

It turned out to a low-scoring contest at the Nevill. The two players to make half-centuries were only able to notch up three boundaries apiece.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat first, reaching 104 for 2 after 26 overs of careful play.

Opener Richard Golbourn produced a key innings of 51 off 72 balls, and received useful support from Sam Perks (28) and Matthew Abbett (24).

But the introduction of in-form speed merchant Matt Barker saw him grab 6 for 27 in a memorable display of accurate pace bowling.

The fourth-change bowler, who had taken a wicket with his first ball on the last two matches, hit the stumps five times in his seven overs.

The other dismissal was a caught-behind to

veteran wicketkeeper Simon Routh, whose tally of victims since 1980 has passed 1,000.

Alan Slater (31 not out) offered resistance, but the left-arm spin of Christian Davis collected 2 for 8, and the innings ended at 153 after 43 overs.

The home side’s reply was rocked by the loss of two quick wickets, both openers falling to Ishmail September (4 for 27), who grabbed a third by dismissing new Kent signing Marcus O’Riordan.

Soon the chase had slipped to the depths of 47 for 6 by the 23rd over, Richard Golbourn (2 for 23) and Andrew Faulkner (2 for 43) inflicting the damage on the middle order.

But Marcus’s younger brother Julian, with 50 off 93 balls, showed excellent technique that allowed him to survive and slowly prosper.

But O’Riordan fell as soon as he had reached his half-century with the score at 94 for 8. Routh and David Smith (29) wagged the tail to add 35 and close in on the target.

However, both fell leg before - there were five lbw decisions given in the home innings - and HSBC duly completed the double over their hosts with three overs remaining.

Wells now travel to Bickley Park for their penultimate game on Saturday (August 31).

Wednesday August 28 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Dylan Smith reached the final of the Victoria Snooker Centre Summer League singles competition in Tunbridge Wells.

The 11-year-old was facing Dan Brazier and took the first frame, but the experience of his opponent began to tell and the latter won 4-2.

A miscalculation on the colours at 3-2 meant that the prodigious talent missed an opportunity to level the scores for a decisive seventh frame.

According to the handicap system Dylan, the only junior in the tournament, had a 28-point headstart for each frame The tyro, who is about to start at Mascalls School in Paddock Wood, played nine matches in a round-robin, which featured three groups of 10.

He went through to the knockout stages in second place, having won six matches. Only Spencer Flowers, who won the competition last year, was above him in the table.

In the last 16 Dylan beat Gavin Crowhurst 3-1, then Dave Craven 3-0 in the quarter-finals and Carl Bell 3-1 in the semis. Dan had gone through to the final after beating Nick Wall 3-1.

Dylan’s father Lee Smith said: “He hammered Dan in the first frame but Dan was only finding

his feet and cleared the colours, though he was miles behind, to get his cue arm going.”

Dan then dominated the next two frames with good potting and strong safety play to stamp his authority on the match.

Dylan recovered his composure and took the fifth frame convincingly with two breaks of 25.

“He had his chances to take frame six but miscalculated the final two colours,” said Lee. “He thought it was all over but he actually could still have won it.

“At 3-3 Dylan would have looked good for the title. But Dan ran out a worthy winner.

“But Dylan will be back. It was a great achievement – to even make the final of an all-adult tournament was quite something.”

Lee says the Summer League has been an important stepping stone for Dylan before the packed winter season begins.

“It was a good way of him keeping his cue arm going over the summer, and to keep him under a little pressure before the winter season.”

Dylan now faces more than 20 tournaments in the coming months – against adults again – at the Castle Club in Brighton.

Frame scores (Dylan Smith first): 86-35 (1-0), 48-72 (1-1), 29-68 (1-2), 61-83 (1-3), 80-48 (2-3), 51-67 (2-4)

Tale of the tape for Ironman debut

By Adam Dennis TRIATHLON TUNBRIDGE WELLS Triathlon Club’s

Guy Whitby (M35-39) achieved a personal best as he took on Ironman Copenhagen with his wife Pippa (F35-39), who was competing at the distance for the first time.

Guy, a seasoned competitor at the long format (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run) was taking part six weeks after his previous race.

Pippa had never cycled or run as far during training or racing, and her preparations had been curtailed for five weeks after a skiing accident.

The couple started together with the swim in the calm, walm waters of an artificial lagoon.

Pippa being the stronger swimmer of the pair slowly moved ahead and finished in 1hr 11min, followed three minutes later by Guy. The bike leg was a mix of city centre, coastline and countryside and proved to be fast as Guy, on his favourite discipline, set a down an extremely strong 5hr 1min.

But ill fortune awaited Pippa, who had lost her repair kit early in the race and then suffered a puncture after 50km.

Showing impressive ingenuity she removed some electrical tape she had on another part of her bike and wrapped this around the tyre and wheel, then rode on cautiously.

On her first outing after the skiing injury she had sustained a torn tyre which she managed to fix using some gaffer tape.

COPING WITH PROBLEMS: Pippa and Guy Whitby During the second loop of the course Pippa came across her repair kit and was able to make the repair slightly more permanent - remarkably, she posted a time of six hours.

The marathon run was completed through the heart of Copenhagen with 20,000 spectators.

Guy completed it in 3hr 46min, giving him a total time of 10hr 13min, 74th in category. Pippa finished in 11hr 30min, 21st in category with a final marathon time of 4hr 7min.

PHOTO: Bruce Elliott

Dylan bows out in Victoria final SNOOKER PROMISING young snooker player

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79

Belgians hand out tough test

RIGHT ON CUE Dylan Smith (right) with Dan Brazier

By Andy Tong

Sport

FLYING START Max Hobbs dives over for a try

By Graham Withers RUGBY BELGIAN side RC Soignies were deserving winners in a friendly at St Marks as Tunbridge Wells continue their build-up to the London and South East Premier League season.

The visitors were runners-up in the top flight Belgian Elite League last season and three of their squad represented Belgium in their most recent international game against Romania.

In sweltering conditions, it was to prove a competitive and productive contest for Wells with plenty of positives to be drawn.

For the home side there were tries from George Montgomery, Ollie Allman, Max Hobbs, Mike Doherty and Academy player Jack Palmer on debut. Montgomery and Frank Reynolds kicked

two conversions apiece.

The contest was marred, however, by a straight red card in the closing minutes after one of the Soignies side threw a punch.

Post match festivities continued long after the final whistle with talk of a return tour in the spring. Wells President Alan Skinner said: “We have found a sister club on the continent.”

Neighbours Tonbridge Juddians come to St Marks for the traditional pre-season match on Saturday (August 310 ahead of the new campaign, which starts at Guildford on September 7.

This year the derby includes a warm-up fixture with the TJs Pink Ladies taking on an invitation Tunbridge Wells Ladies team in a Sevens format match at 1.30pm.