Times of Tunbridge Wells 19th January

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

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Lib Dems’ would-be Council Leader under fire after his councillors quit

By Richard Williams

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THE leader of the Liberal Democrats at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has been accused of running the party like his ‘own personal fiefdom’ after a political infighting saw two members quit.

Ben Chapelard, the Borough councillor for St James’, is said to be suffering from a ‘messiah complex’ by two of his councillors who have now walked out.

One, a Town councillor who has been a member of the Lib Dems for 40 years, has now defected to Labour, while the party’s chairman informed the borough council last week that he was now an ‘independent councillor’ following a ‘factional’ rift in the party.

The news comes as the Liberal Democrats are gearing up for the next set

of local elections in May. The 48-seat Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, which is under No Overall Control, could fall to a coalition of opposition parties if the Tories lose enough seats.

If that happens, it is expected as head of the largest party – the Lib Dems now have 12 councillors following Cllr Rands resignation – Cllr Chapelard would be first choice for any BEN CHAPELARD coalition’s Council Leader.

But his former colleagues have said he is too ‘childish’ and ‘immature’ to take the top job.

Lib Dem chairman, Cllr James Rands, says he has now quit the local party following a row that first erupted last July over a compliance issue with an unnamed member of the party that has now escalated into a ‘factional’ rift.

The former soldier and Culverden representative said he was convinced to stay last summer to work as ‘de-facto’ party leader due to Cllr Chapelard’s absence in the Covid pandemic as the Lib Dem leader works as a secondary school teacher.

“Ben was AWOL [Absent Without Official Leave] throughout most of 2020 and well into 2021,” said Cllr Rands. “We were all very loyal and we covered for

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this week…

MONEY MATTERS: A new hub will bring business needs together with financial services over coffee and socialising. P6

WHAT’S YOUR TASTE?: Public voting in The Taste of Kent Awards, celebrating the county’s stars of food and drink, is now open, until February 28. P22

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk Continued from front page him and said how difficult it was being a teacher in these trying times.”

He went on: “I have spent hundreds of hours trying to get the local party on track. We have some fantastic councillors and a real strength in depth within the party and we ought to be doing a lot better, but every time we start making progress Ben interferes.

“Ultimately he is running the party as his own personal fiefdom.”

Dr Alan Bullion, a ALAN BULLION Southborough Town

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Councillor has also left the party and announced last week he had joined Labour due to the recent Lib Dem infighting, which he blames on Cllr Chapelard.

He said the Lib Dem leader was too ‘immature’ and ‘needs to JAMES RANDS grow up’ before he can be considered fit to lead a council.

Cllr Bullion, who had been a member of the Lib Dems and its forerunner the SDP for 40 years, told the Times: “Some of it is a clear clash of personalities with James, a former military man who is very combative, but also with Ben who has this Messiah Complex.

“It is very, very sad. Ben has not been doing enough but he still thinks he can be leader of the council.

“He is far too immature for that. He needs to grow up.”

Contribution The party resignations come two years after another Lib Dem stalwart, former mayor David Neve, quit the party after 40 years blaming Cllr Chapelard’s leadership. He has now retired from local politics.

Cllr Ben Chapelard declined to comment directly on the resignation of Cllr Rands, but in a statement a spokesman for the party said: “We thank James for his contribution to the group and wish him well as an independent councillor.”

MP declines to give reaction over PM’s ‘gatherings’ as Tory stalwart quits party

By Richard Williams TUNBRIDGE Wells MP Greg Clark has declined to comment on the allegations that the government was in breach of Covid rules by hosting parties during lockdown at Number 10.

Mr Clark was approached by the Times to voice his views on the scandal that has led to calls for Boris Johnson to resign, not just from opposition MPs, but also from his own party.

Local Conservatives have also voiced their ‘disgust’ at the allegations some of whom fear the scandal will result in a ‘bloodbath’ at the local elections scheduled for May.

INDEPENDENT SCENE: We celebrate Camden Road as the perfect place to socialise, shop and dine and discover other secrets of its success. P31

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SORT AND STACK: Local organiser Imogen Murphy advises ditching overambitious plans and taking a calmer look at clutter. P34

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But the Tunbridge Wells MP said that while he understood ‘the anger that people feel about the revelations about what happened in Downing Street in 2020’ he wanted to wait until ‘all the information is known’ before commenting.

The former cabinet minister said: “My normal practice, based on long experience, is not to give a reaction to daily disclosures but to wait until all of the information is known, including the report of the official investigation by the senior civil servant Sue Gray, and consider it in its totality, which I will do in this case.”

The scandal that has involved numerous gatherings being held in Downing Street during lockdown in 2020, escalated last week after the PM was forced to apologise to the House of Commons after it emerged that he attended a ‘bring your own booze’ gathering in the garden of No 10.

The Prime Minister insisted he believed it had been a ‘work event’ and he had not been sent the email encouraging staff to bring a bottle to

‘make the most of the lovely weather’.

An inquiry by senior official Sue Gray to establish what gatherings took place and who GREG CLARK attended is expected to report back in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, residents have written to Mr Clark and this newspaper [see page 15], to voice their ‘sheer disgust’ at the allegations.

And a former Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and a president of the local Conservative Association has said he will never vote for the party again if Boris Johnson remains in charge.

David Jukes who was Council leader between 2012 and 2019, and was Mayor of the Borough, told the Times this week that he is so ‘disgusted’ over allegations over lockdown parties at

Number 10 he has now quit the party.

He said: “I’ve been a member of the Conservative party, man and boy, for more than 50 years, DAVID JUKES but I’m so disgusted with Boris Johnson that I’ll never vote for them again while he remains PM.

Bloodbath “For the first time in my life I will not vote for anybody at the next election.”

And he warned unless the Conservative party do not remove Mr Johnson before May, the local Conservatives had no chance of holding on to the Council.

“If he is still there by May, regardless of what they do locally, it will be a bloodbath,” Mr Jukes said.

TIMES COMMENT: ARE WE BIASED? – ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WE ARE! Recently, the Times ran a story about the views of the deputy leader of the Council on the ABC Cinema Site in Tunbridge Wells and the chances of the new development being blocked by the town’s planning committee.

A legitimate and genuine question for a local paper to ask, you’d have thought.

Yet the story caused a minor political outcry from opposition parties and their supporters and was even followed by cries of ‘media bias’.

But who are we biased towards?

A story that resulted in the Conservative deputy leader having to make a humbling apology to the planning committee last week, can hardly be an example of Tory bias in the media – surely a biased

media would have been buried the story and not run it.

Can today’s coverage of the reaction to allegations of parties being held at Number 10 be seen as favourable to the governing Conservatives?

Community Perhaps then, there is a bias towards the opposition? Although today’s front page about disarray in the local Liberal Democrats is hardly proof of that.

But this newspaper most definitely does have a bias.

We are biased to the people that read the Times and to the businesses that through their support in advertising provide a local paper for their community.

We make no apologies for highlighting what we think is important to our readers and to the businesses that fund this newspaper, and we will continue to do so, whoever is in charge.

Maybe, with opposition support, the Liberal Democrats will take

control of the Council in May, or perhaps the Tories will hold onto power, or will the Alliance and Labour will be the new force in Tunbridge Wells politics?

Whoever takes charge, it will be the people who put them there.

We just report it. You decide it.

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fuller inquiry set to focus on two aspects AN INQUIRY into the issues raised by the case of murderer David Fuller, who sexually assaulted at least 102 women and girls after their deaths, will be in two parts, its chairman has announced.

The Heathfield electrician was sentenced to two whole life sentences in December for the 1987 murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sir Jonathan Michael who is conducting the independent inquiry into Fuller’s crimes, said: “The first stage will focus on Fuller’s activities in the Kent and Sussex Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

“The second part will be to look at the implications of Fuller’s activities and the issues identified in part one for the country as a whole, in order to safeguard the deceased and ensure that Fuller’s horrendous activity cannot be repeated elsewhere.”

Sir Jonathan also vowed that families of the victims will be at ‘the heart’ of the inquiry.

Holocaust remembered TUNBRIDGE Wells will be marking Holocaust Memorial Day next week with the laying of a wreath next Thursday [January 27].

Borough Mayor Cllr Chris Woodward will hold the service at the War Memorial, commemorating the victims of the Nazi genocide as well as those of more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

To mark the occasion, a poem recalling how Rusthall was a haven for Jewish children arriving on the Kindertransport in World War II and written by resident Sonia Lawrence is to be read at the service.

Lifeline for lifeboats PEMBURY and Tonbridge residents have raised more than £1,221 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Shoppers at Tesco in Pembury and commuters at Tonbridge railway station donated the funds in the period before Christmas, despite the introduction in mid-December of the Government’s ‘Plan B’, encouraging people to work from home if possible.

Pembury RNLI thanked their volunteers and the public for giving “so generously in these difficult times.”

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After raising a record firework giveaway organisers now struggling to give it away

By Sarah Bond THE organisers of the annual fireworks display in Dunorlan Park are appealing for good causes to come forward for a share of a record £50,000 raised at the event, after not enough takers for the money have come forward.

The Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table (RTWRT) generated its record charitable giveaway following the fireworks event in November – the most successful in the event’s 60-year history.

But the fundraising group is now in desperate need of applicants to give the cash to.

“We’ve made £50,000 for charity, which is a record amount – we've never raised that amount before in one event. It’s a massive result, we are really, really pleased with it, and that is down to the public and their support,” Round Table spokesman Andrew Mockford told the Times.

“The requests we have received so far are the lowest we have had, which seems a bit strange for the times we are in.

Support “I think we have had less than £10,000-worth of requests so far, so we are calling out for requests from individuals or organisations in need of support.”

The Round Table will host a special giveaway event in March to give cheques to some of the successful good causes that come forward.

“All the applicants’ requests will be reviewed by the charity committee and decided upon by Table as a whole. The successful ones will be invited to the official giveaway in March, although the venue has not been confirmed yet,” said Mr Mockford.

FUNDRAISERS The Round Table team are now looking for good causes to donate money to

Despite the pandemic, the fireworks display, which was held on November 6, was a massive success with crowds of more than 13,000 turning up in the park – the highest number recorded – for some much-needed cheer after the 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid.

RTWRT Chairman Daldeep Jaswal added: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to local people for coming along to support our event. It has enabled us to provide much needed funds for all those very worthy good causes and organisations.

“We are extremely proud to be able to hold what is likely to be one of our largest charitable giveaways to date, having recently held our most successful fireworks event.

“There are so many worthwhile causes in and around Tunbridge Wells and we are now pleased to be able to help them through what has been a difficult and challenging period for many.

“I’d like to express my gratitude for all those who helped on the night, including Pantiles Rotary, local Scouts and Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School and other volunteers, especially my amazing friends and colleagues of Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table who give up their time to make this fantastic event happen each year.”

To send in requests for funding to be considered by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table, please visit: rtwrt.org

SIX DECADES OF SUPPORTING GOOD CAUSES: FROM NEW TEETH TO A MOBILITY TRICYCLE Over the last 60 years, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table has backed a huge number of causes from its fireworks fundraiser, ranging from a lady in need of new teeth, to providing the Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance with a medical kit for one of their helicopters.

"When it comes to individuals, we were especially pleased to be able to buy a trike in 2017 for a child named Fenton Clark-Thomas, who had quadriplegic cerebral palsy and severe refractory epilepsy, that was specially adapted so he could get around by himself,” said

Andrew Mockford.

"On a smaller scale, we once helped an elderly lady who hadn't left her house in a long time because she was embarrassed by her teeth. So we funded some dental treatment which gave her the confidence to go out again.”

In the past they have also responded to requests for time rather than money.

Mr Mockford added: "A few years ago, the Round Table clubbed together and helped in terms of manual labour to repaint a property for a disabled lady in Rusthall who had been

living in not very nice conditions and was struggling. We also drafted in some favours from local tradespeople to provide new carpets and a boiler.

“It was a bit like a mini version of Nick Knowles' DIY SOS. It was great fun with a very satisfying end result and a much happier person living there.

"We also helped redecorate the Sea Cadets building in Tunbridge Wells, and one of our ex-Tablers who runs a large decorating company donated all the paint for free.”

Traders determined to stay after food hall collapse

By Richard Williams THE remaining independent shops that were part of the Royal Victoria Place (RVP) food court that went bust, have resolved to continue trading.

The Times revealed last week that the company set up to turn the empty Ely Court into a thriving street food market has been dissolved.

Central Market opened in 2019 in the empty Ely Court – the arcade attached to RVP that opens onto Monson Road.

Set up by Joan Ferras Quintero, the food hall had a number of stalls that were owned directly by the London-based businessman as well as several independent shops that paid rent through their tills to him.

As the Times revealed last week, Companies House has ordered Central Market be dissolved as the businessman has not filed any accounts since 2020 and the food hall had debts in excess of £125,000.

While one of the independent stores, Once Upon a Wish Events, has said they will now be

closing, the rest of the independent stores in Ely Court which includes Dessert Island, chocolate house Goupie, and Frankie & Fries, have vowed to continue.

Grace Simpson, who runs Goupie, told the Times this week that the opening of Central Market had been greeted with ‘excitement’ by all the traders back in 2019.

“The first few months were really good, and the concept worked really well but nobody expected what would happen with Covid-19,” she said.

Hospitality She said she was told just before Christmas of Central Market’s troubles.

“Mr Ferras informed us it was going to be wound down, but we have had no communication with him since then.

“This has definitely been a difficult year for hospitality businesses, and so for those of us who have survived and are now looking towards the future, it's more important than ever that our customers know we're still open.

“We have been chatting with RVP to create a new deal.

“All of the independents here are determined to stay. We are open and we are trading and whatever happens, even if we cannot stay here, we will open somewhere else.”

OPEN Goupie are continuing to trade in Ely Court

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

One in four still to be boosted as infection rates start to fall

By Victoria Roberts

COPING Admissions at Tunbridge Wells Hospital remain

ONE in four adults in Tunbridge Wells still haven’t had their booster jab, latest figures show, although infection rates in the area are beginning to decline.

According to NHS data, 66,520 third doses of the vaccine were given out in the Borough up to January 9, meaning that around one quarter of the 91,000 adults in Tunbridge Wells (27.5 per cent) had not yet received the booster.

Community

Compare The figures come as the number of new infections fell by around 230 cases last week, down to 1,324 in the seven days to January 10 from 1,554 in the previous week.

This translated into infection rates of 1,113.2 per 100,000 people – used to compare different regions in the country – falling from 1,306.6 per 100,000 inhabitants the week before.

Despite the declining rates, this was still above the average infection rate for England as a whole, which now sits at 1,272.4 people per 100,000 as the Omicron wave continues its surge across the UK. Despite higher levels of infection in Tunbridge Wells, the booster programme has kept hospital

occupied by Covid patients at both its hospitals.

The numbers of patients on a mechanical ventilator also reached 24 on four separate days over that month.

admissions well below the peak of January 2021.

In the week to January 6 this year, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [MTW] saw a maximum of 68 Covid-19 patients for any single day at both its hospitals in Pembury and Maidstone.

One patient was on a mechanical ventilator at MTW down from the previous week’s peak of five patients.

During the pandemic’s peak on January 4 last year, MTW was struggling to cope with 334 beds

Despite the lack of hospital admissions, local health officials have urged people not to be complacent, citing figures that showed the Tunbridge Wells booster rate was lower than that of the broader Kent region.

Over 82 per cent of the eligible population in Kent and Medway (1,010,411 people) have had a booster vaccination, according to the NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CGC).

“I would encourage residents to come forward and get vaccinated as soon as they can. Getting vaccinated is the best thing you can do to protect yourself, and your family, from Coronavirus,” said James Williams, Medway Council’s Director of Public Health.

“It’s also vital that residents continue to follow the latest national guidance to protect themselves and the wider community. I would urge everyone to keep taking symptom-free tests, particularly when they may encounter situations of high risks during the day.”

Group tasked with revamping the More beauty spots to go in Crowborough town centre holds its first meeting as another AONB development approved

By Jonathan Banks

TOWN PLAN Areas in Tunbridge Wells town centre need revamping

By Robert Forrester A GROUP of business leaders, politicians, the Town forum as well as representatives from Kent County Council were among a group of stakeholders who met for the first time this week to thrash out a new vision for the town centre in Tunbridge Wells.

As revealed in the Times in November, Council Leader Tom Dawlings wants to draft a new plan for Royal town to boost trade in the wake of the Covid pandemic and the changing face of the High Street.

The blueprint to revitalise the town centre comes after Robert Jenrick, the then government minister for Communities and Local Government said he was ‘surprised that the prosperous town of Tunbridge Wells looked so shabby’ following a visit last year.

On Monday [January 17], the first meeting of stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the town centre – met to discuss a new vision for the town.

Scheduled Once drafted, the town centre plan will be sent to the Planning Inspector and is scheduled for adoption by 2025.

It will be the first published plan for the town centre in Tunbridge Wells for more than a decade and a half.

Much of the focus of the new Town Centre Area Working Group, which met in the Town

Hall and over Zoom, will be looking at changing the top of the town – the area around the precinct and RVP shopping centre.

Traders at the top of Mount Pleasant Road have been struggling with footfall in recent years in comparison to their busier counterparts in the High Street and The Pantiles.

Leader Tom Dawlings, who has spearheaded the new town centre plan, has proposed to ‘shrink the town centre’ on the more extreme parts of the shopping areas and convert them to residential.

He told the Times this week: “When I was elected as leader, I expressed the view that the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells is vitally important for the economic wellbeing of the borough.

“With this in mind, I see the work being done by the new group set up to develop a Royal Tunbridge Wells Town Centre Plan as critical for the future.

“The Town Centre Plan will be the ‘land-useplanning’ element of the strategy with the Council’s other strategies – economic development, parking, transport and culture – all aligned.

“It will involve significant engagement with residents from all ages and sectors of the community, businesses and stakeholders and it is important that all these views are sought to make the plan relevant. I would hope that over time all organisations in the town centre will be working towards the same vision.”

A NEW housing development for 119 homes in Crowborough was approved last week, despite the project encroaching on the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The development by Vistry Homes on Eridge Road, will also not be the last to encroach on AONB, planners were warned, due to the lack of a Local Plan for Wealden.

AONB are areas where town planners normally cannot build on as they are areas designated for conservation.

But as the Times reported last year, Wealden District Council (WDC) is one of a number of local authorities in the area that has had its Local Plan rejected by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Local plans outline where houses and other infrastructure is to go. WDC, along with Sevenoaks District Council and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council had their plans rejected after failing to plan for enough houses to meet the local area’s needs or failing to communicate with other councils.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s local plan, which proposes a controversial garden village in the parish of Capel is currently under review with the Planning Inspector.

Because Wealden cannot prove it has met housing needs in the area, and despite the

authority’s Planning Committee (North) remaining divided in its vote on the new Eridge Road plan last week [January 13], committee chair Johanna Howell (Con, Frant & Wadhurst) said she had to grant permission.

Planners “There is encroachment into the AONB and there will continue to be encroachment into the AONB, because people need homes,” Cllr Howell stressed.

“It is just a fact of life that people need homes and there will be people desperate to live in these houses.”

It is not the first development that planners in Wealden have had to force through despite encroachment into AONB. As the Times reported in October, a housing project approved on Eridge Road for two detached four-bedroom houses was granted permission even though it was deemed to have a ‘significant impact’ on Ashdown Forest.

In comparing the two developments, Cllr Howell, said: “This [most recent project in Eridge] is considered to be a sustainable location,” adding that the area needed housing.

“If we don’t consider this [housing needs] in the round and properly then we are failing in our duty as Wealden district councillors,” she told planners.

ENCROACHMENT The deveopment north of Eridge Road in Crowborough will impinge on AONB

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TUNBRIDGE TUNBRIDGE WELLS LONDON SEVENOAKS SEVENOAKS TONBRIDGE TONBRIDGE MAIDSTONE TUNBRIDGE MAIDSTONE WELLS TUNBRIDGE TUNBRIDGE WELLS WELLS WELLS LONDONLONDON LONDON SEVENOAKS SEVENOAKS TONBRIDGE TONBRIDGE MAIDSTONE TUNBRIDGE MAIDSTONE WELLS LONDON LONDON SEVENOAKS SEVENOAKS TONBRIDGE TONBRIDGE MAIDSTONE MAIDSTONE

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BUSINESS

Local News

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

One stop financial centre set to open in The Pantiles’ latest development

An elite award for Elite leisure group

By Robert Forrester A NEW financial centre is set to open next month to provide all financial services under one roof.

From February, residents and businesses looking for a one-stop solution for their financial needs will find the help they need at 1887 The Pantiles.

The new Dandara complex is to host The Finance Hub, brainchild of former Xerox entrepreneur, Gillian Murphy.

Ms Murphy, who moved to Tunbridge Wells after selling her photocopying business for £7million, told the Times: “It is a whole new

A WEDDING, hotel and conference centre in Tunbridge Wells has been given a clean bill of health over its hygiene standards.

The Salomons Estate in Broomhill Road has been awarded an Elite Hygiene Award for food hygiene and safety.

The award, handed out by hygiene rating organisation, Scores on the Doors, is given to fewer than one in five businesses.

Salomons, which is owned by Elite Leisure Collection, which also owns One Media, publisher of the Times, is among just only 18 percent of businesses that qualify as ‘Elite’.

Dream deal for Cripps

concept. What we are aiming for is a hub that is a friendly atmosphere that is not full of daunting people in suits.

Chat

MONEY MATTERS: Gillian Murphy

“It is a relaxed place you can have a coffee and talk about your financial needs.

She said the Finance Hub is aimed at covering all aspects of both personal and businesses finance thanks to its team of eight affiliate businesses.

“Business owners often find it difficult to get

mortgages so they come to introduce to the mortgage guy, and perhaps they wish to speak to the insurance guy.

“Residents may wish to talk to people about their mortgage, insurance or pensions.

Everything is on hand but without all that sales pressure.

“We’re happy for people to come in and just have a coffee and chat.”

The Finance Hub is open for business from the start of next month with an official launch party on March 3. More details can be found at thefinancehub.money.

LAW firm, Cripps Pemberton Greenish, has advised a London-based video company during its takeover.

The Tunbridge Wells corporate team at Cripps advised Dreamtek, which provide innovative broadcast solutions and delivers creative video production services in its acquisition by US-based System One. The company has provided staffing and workforce solutions across a wide range of industries and disciplines for more than 40 years and has more than 650 staff members and 9,000 consultants based in the US and Canada.

Victoria Neeson, CEO of Dreamtek, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Cripps team for their support throughout this acquisition, which takes our digital and creative business to the next level.”

Supporting the Mayoral Charity

1922 2022

rtwsymphonyorchestra

Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra 1922 2022

rtwsymphonyorchestra

1922 2022

Celebrating

Fanfare for the Common Man – Copland Dance of the Comedians – Smetana Romance for Violin & Orchestra op.26 – Svendsen Romance for Cello & Orchestra op.255 – Johann Strauss (II) Konzertstück for Four Horns op.86 - Schumann Symphony No2 in Eb op.63 – Elgar

Conductor: Roderick Dunk Soloists: Julian Leaper (Violin) Sarah Butcher (Cello) The Dave Lee Horn Quartet (Dave Lee, Tom Bettley, Lindsay Kempley, Jane Hanna)

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SUNDAY 6 FEB 2022 3pm

rtwsymphonyorchestra

Centenary Season Finale

International Women’s Day D’un Matin de Printemps - Lili Boulanger Sortilège - Sylvia Villa Cello Concerto in A minor - Schumann The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - Dukas Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes - Grace Williams Capriccio Espagnol - Rimsky-Korsakov

Overture ‘The Magic Flute’ K.620 Mozart Concerto for Violin in D major op.77 Brahms Symphony No7 in E major Bruckner

Conductor: Alice Farnham Soloist: Laura van der Heijden (Cello)

Conductor: Roderick Dunk Soloist: Joo Yeon Sir (Violin)

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SUNDAY 6 MAR 2022 3pm

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SUNDAY 3 APR 2022 3pm

at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells Tickets from £22, Under 18s / Students £5 Available from www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk 01892 530613 Follow us on

www.rtwso.org The RTWSO is a registered charity No. 295781

The RTWSO reserves the right to change advertised programmes and artists without notice.

Assembly Hall Theatre

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Local News

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Car dealer is in the driving seat for this year’s Times Business Awards

BUSINESS

7

Ten chances to be shortlisted There are ten different categories at this year’s awards, ranging from Creative Business of the year award to Best Family Business.

And as long as you meet the criteria, there is no limit on how many categories your business can enter.

Start-Up Business of the Year Award – This award recognises new start-ups under two years old at the closing date for entries of February 14.

Creative Business of the Year – To recognise those businesses based on innovation and creative thinking.

Entrepreneur of the Year – The award for the most dynamic individuals who and are able to demonstrate significant success in growing their company.

Young Business Person of the Year – Entrants for this award must be aged 30 or under by the closing date on February 14, 2022 and need to show they have a clear vision/strategy for their business.

Resilient Business – The winner of this category will have risen to the recent challenges of the pandemic and diversified or come up with a new business strategy to adopt to the ‘new normal’.

SPONSOR TBC Best in Food and Drink – For those local business that provide truly remarkable food and/or drink in the area.

By Richard Williams A LUXURY Japanese car maker has strapped itself into the driving seat for this year’s Times Business Awards.

Lexus Tunbridge Wells are to headline the 2022 event, which has returned following a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.

The car dealer, which has just launched the all-new Lexus NX has signed up to join ten other local businesses as headline sponsor.

Ian Alsop, General Manager for Lexus Tunbridge Wells said: “We are delighted to be the headline sponsors for such a prestigious local awards event and to partner up with the

Times of Tunbridge Wells to celebrate the incredible efforts that the businesses community have made during these difficult times.

“We see this as an opportunity to connect with other local businesses and work together to support the local economy.”

Lexus will join the other sponsors to welcome this year’s finalists at the awards at Salomons Estate on March 24.

The gala night will see ten businesses take away a coveted award, which will be handed to them by none other than GB News anchor and former This Morning host, Eamonn Holmes.

Scores of businesses have so far applied to enter this year’s award, but there are dozens of

applications forms still yet to be returned.

While the deadline of this year’s shortlist is not until February 14, some of the early entries will have their businesses profiled in the Times over the next few weeks – so don’t miss out and get your entry forms in early.

If you are yet to apply, register your interest and choose your category please go to timesbusinessawards.co.uk or email info@ timesbusinessawards.co.uk Every year sees more organisations put themselves forward for the first time, but past winners and entrants are just as welcome. If you have entered the awards before, you can still re-enter this year and it’s completely FREE.

DEALERSHIP: Lexus Tunbridge Wells

Best Family Business of the Year – This category recognises those businesses that not only have the passion and commitment that comes with a company run by a family concern.

Best Business 25+ employees – For larger firms that have consistent growth and strong financial performance alongside an engaged workforce and a business plan.

Best Business 1-25 employees – Here we recognise owner-managers and SMEs employing up to 25 people that have maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance.

Outstanding Business of the Year – The ultimate award of all the categories will go to the business that can show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination in the enterprise, as well as sound management practices.

business

awards

Pre-dinner drinks courtesy of Elysian Residences

Eamonn Holmes

2022

8

NEWS

Community News

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Villages take a leaf out of Langton Green following Jubilee tree planting initiative

By Sarah Bond LANGTON Green Village Society have planted more than a thousand trees in the gardens of its homes in time for spring and to herald the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

A total of 420 cherry trees were donated by the Woodland Trust’s Free Trees for Schools and Communities programme after the village society successfully applied for them, working with Langton Green School to involve more children in the project.

The cherry trees were part of the Woodland Trust’s own Big Climate Fightback campaign, sending out over 600,000 trees to be planted across the UK.

Coincide Separately, the local branch of Friends of the Earth donated over 100 more trees to plant a thick hedge along the far end of the Langton Green Recreation Ground to provide a mixture of year round colour.

“Approximately 1,300 homes in Langton Green have been provided with a tree”, said village representative Nicci Levy. “After all the plantings, the village will look absolutely stunning this spring.

“We started Greenleaf in 2019 and then came up with Operation Cherry Blossom, and it all happens to coincide with the Queen's Green Canopy idea.”

With the slogan ‘Plant a tree for the Jubilee’, the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative was launched to mark the royal celebration in June, and to create a legacy in The Queen’s honour to benefit future

MIGHTY OAKS: Langton Green Village Society members taking a well-earned break generations.

“The response from the village has been overwhelmingly positive,” continued Nicci Levy.

“It generated some real community spirit and brought together villagers from all walks of life as they volunteered to help with packaging and delivering the trees. There has been much interest in the contribution to climate change as well as support for our vision of a village full of blossoming trees!”

Operation Cherry Blossom was the brainchild of Langton Green Village Society committee member James Bowdidge, who told the Prince of Wales

about the project when he met him at Sandringham in November in his role as Vice President of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Engage Carried out from November, Operation Cherry Blossom was the latest stage in the village’s Greenleaf tree planting project, which the society said was ‘conceived as a way of making our lovely village even greener and to engage with younger people as we work to protect our environment and to help combat climate change’.

The gift of the trees was also supported by a £4,000 grant to the village from Sussex Lund, a collaboration between the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty Partnership and the charitable fund The Lund Trust, who have also funded other projects in and around Tunbridge Wells, including construction of a new pond at St James’ Primary School and some tree planting at Calverley Grounds.

Thanks to all the donations, Langton Green has now been able to help out a couple of neighbouring villages with their own planting projects.

“We have also given some to villagers in Rusthall,” said Nicci Levy.

And in December, Fordcombe Village thanked Langton Green after they planted an avenue of Wild Bird Cherry Trees along a path to the playground named ‘Jubilee Walk’.

The village’s Facebook page said: “Many thanks to our village planters Cordellia, Colin and Robin… The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations should see them in full blossom.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to the Langton Green Village Society, High Weald ANOB partnership and the Lund trust for gifting these beautiful trees to Fordcombe Village. We are grateful to them all for their kind generosity.”

Leading environmental charity the Woodland Trust added that the trees are ‘a fantastic symbol of hope and regeneration, our biggest natural weapons in the fight against climate change, locking up carbon, converting it to oxygen, providing shade and shelter for wildlife and providing us with places to relax and to breathe’.

Turkish and Mediterranean Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells tel: 01892 512758

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Community News

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Citizen’s Advice issue urgent plea for support

NEWS

9

Fire service appeals for more recruits

By Jonathan Banks THE local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is seeking more volunteers to help them meet the increase demand for support and advice amid the current cost of living crisis.

CAB warn that people are being forced to make desperate decisions between eating or heating their homes as energy and other costs rise.

Citizens Advice Tunbridge Wells & District, which has helped over 5,000 people last year, is calling for volunteers of all backgrounds who are able to donate a day each week to help people struggling in the current financial climate.

Expected As an example, Jennifer Jadia, Chief Officer at Citizens Advice Tunbridge Wells & District, explained: “A person earning £30,000 will see their take-home pay plunge by £1,660 thanks to soaring living costs, stagnant wages and tax increases, according to new calculations by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.”

And she warned: “With the energy price hike in April things are expected to go from bad to worse, which is why it’s vital that we train up additional volunteers to ensure we are able to help all those in crisis.”

Although the charity is primarily looking for volunteers who can offer advice to people in person, online or over the phone there are opportunities for people to provide social media, marketing and fundraising skills to the charity. No experience is necessary for the adviser roles, as full training is provided.

“As well as making a difference to thousands

of people locally, our volunteers gain valuable experience, enhance their skills and enjoy the opportunity to work as part of a team,” Jennifer Jadia added.

Penny Lawne, who has been a volunteer with the Tunbridge Wells bureau since 2008, said: “I have found the work hugely varied, stimulating, demanding and immensely rewarding. The one thing I have loved most is knowing how many people have been helped who would not otherwise have been able to find help.”

As well as offering housing, employment, and consumer advice, the charity is able to refer those in crisis to Nourish Community Foodbank for emergency food parcels, advise on additional benefits and grants that are available to assist with fuel costs, and offer support with debt.

To find out more and apply, email: volunteering@catwd.org.uk or visit: catwd. org.uk

y t da en ur m at nt o S pm oi y t .30 pp da 5 A es – by Tu m ay n 0a d pe .3 on O 9 M & ay nd Su

RUNNING MAN: Callum and dog Squiffy on one of their epic runs

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS Recruits rehearsing in Tunbridge Wells last week THE local fire service has issued a shout out for more on-call roles in Tunbridge Wells, describing it as ‘an exciting job that makes a real difference to your community’.

Kent Fire & Rescue took to social media to post pictures of their latest raft of trainees carrying out drill training at the tower in Grove Hill Road, and said they were ‘working together to prepare for the variety of emergencies we are called out to’.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: “Training is an essential part of being a firefighter and we have a continuous training programme to ensure that you can do your job safety.

Respond “On-call firefighters are not based at a fire station. They carry a pager and respond to emergency incidents using the local station to respond from when this happens.

“They receive an annual wage to reflect the time they commit to being available plus additional payments for certain activities. They are expected to undertake and attend training at least once per week.

“This is an exciting job that makes a real difference to your community. Once trained you will be fighting fires, helping at road traffic collisions and other rescue operations. You will also maintain, test and clean equipment and kit and help raise awareness of fire and road safety at local events.”

On-call firefighters are wanted in Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Paddock Wood, Sevenoaks, Cranbrook, Hawkhurst and Edenbridge, among other areas.

To apply you must be 18 or over, and before applying the service encourages people to visit the station they are applying for.

For more information, visit: kent.fire-uk.org/ call-firefighter

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NEWS

National News

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Johnson denies lying about parties Aldi trials facial recognition as to Parliament after Cummings’ claim it rolls out checkout free stores

BORIS Johnson has insisted nobody warned him a ‘bring your own booze’ event in the No 10 garden during the first lockdown would be against the rules, as he denied lying to Parliament about parties.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday denied an allegation by former chief adviser Dominic Cummings that he intentionally misled MPs after being told the May 2020 event would breach coronavirus guidance.

In a major interview, Mr Johnson revealed he testified to the Whitehall inquiry into a series of allegations that ‘nobody told me that what we were doing was against the rules’ to the “best of my recollection”.

He insisted he does ‘humbly apologise to people for misjudgments that were made’ as he faces public calls to resign over the so-called ‘partygate’ affair, including from six of his own Tory MPs. But Labour said Mr Johnson ‘set the rules’ and ‘didn’t need anyone to tell him that the party he attended broke them’.

Backing As Chancellor Rishi Sunak refused to give the Prime Minister his unequivocal backing, Mr Johnson made his first public appearance after reducing his contacts last week, when No 10 said a family member had tested positive for Covid-19.

Asked if he had lied to Parliament over the parties as he visited a north London hospital, Mr Johnson said: “No. I want to begin by repeating my apologies to everybody for the misjudgments that I’ve made, that we may have made in No 10 and beyond, whether in Downing Street or throughout the pandemic.

“Nobody told me that what we were doing was against the rules, that the event in question was something that … was not a work event, and as I said in the House of Commons when I went out into that garden I thought that I was attending a work event.”

Mr Johnson said he ‘can’t imagine why on Earth it would have gone ahead, or why it would’ve been allowed to go ahead’ if he had been told it was anything but a ‘work event’ and was within the rules.

“I do humbly apologise to people for

UNDER PRESSURE The PM on Tuesday visiting a North London Hospital

XXXXXH xxxx xxxx xx xx xxx xxxx

misjudgments that were made but that is the very, very best of my recollection about this event,” he said.

“That’s what I’ve said to the inquiry.

“I carry full responsibility for what took place but nobody told me. I’m absolutely categorical, nobody said to me this is an event that is against the rules.”

Mr Johnson insisted he only saw the ‘bring your own booze’ invite his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds sent to more than 100 staff ‘the other day… when it emerged’.

He appeared distressed as he faced questions about two events in No 10 last April on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, during which the Queen sat alone as she mourned.

The Prime Minister audibly breathed heavily behind his mask as he said: “I deeply and bitterly regret that that happened.

“I can only renew my apologies both to Her Majesty and to the country for misjudgments that were made, and for which I take full responsibility.”

In a blog post on Monday, Mr Cummings said he is willing to ‘swear under oath’ Mr Johnson lied when claiming he did not know in advance that the May 20 2020 event would be a ‘drinks party’.

He said he and another senior official warned Mr Reynolds the event outlined in his invitation would be against coronavirus rules.

BUDGET retailer Aldi has opened its first checkout-free store, where shoppers will be able to pick up products and leave without queuing to pay.

The discount supermarket’s new site in Greenwich, south-east London, will also allow customers to buy alcohol, using facial age estimation technology to check whether they appear to be over the age of 25.

Cameras The move follows in the footsteps of rivals Amazon and Tesco, who have both opened checkout-free stores.

Staff will use a series of hi-tech cameras to follow customers as they do their shopping, and then bill them when they leave.

Aldi had been trialling the store with employees over the past few months before launching the service on Tuesday.

The aim is to end long queues in stores and could lead to more sites opening.

Customers must register with Aldi’s Shop&Go

app, which will allow them to enter the store, pick up their items, and then walk out.

Aldi said customers wishing to purchase alcohol will be able to use facial age estimation technology to authorise their purchase.

Trial The technology, provided by Yoti, enables customers to confirm their identity via the app.

Anyone who opts out will be age-verified in store.

Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley said: “Today is the culmination of months of work, not least from the team here in Greenwich, and I’m looking forward to seeing how customers react to our trial.

“This store utilises the very latest in retail technology.”

Store manager Lewis Esparon said: “We have been working towards this day for several months now so it will be great to see how our customers react to the new technology.”

Husband speaks of ‘guilt’ over death of charity worker wife in Tonga THE husband of a charity worker who died in a tsunami that swept through Tonga is ‘guiltridden’ over the tragedy, his wife’s family have said.

Angela Glover, from Brighton, died trying to save her dogs after an undersea volcano erupted near the Pacific island on Saturday.

Her brother, Nick Eleini, said he managed to speak to her husband, James Glover, who survived the incident, on Monday evening after he found her body.

TRAGEDY Angela Glover and husband James Glover

Condolences

Sustained The island is facing issues with communication as a result of an underwater cable being severed during the severe weather.

Mr Eleini told BBC Breakfast: “I was able to speak to James last night. He’s been able to communicate with us via satellite phone from the British Embassy. He’s safe, he has all his basic needs covered, he has shelter, food, water and money.

“I don’t believe he sustained any serious injuries. He is naturally just shattered and guilt-ridden as to the events that took place. He’s quite naturally blaming himself for not being able to save Angela.

“It doesn’t matter how many times we tell him he has nothing to reproach himself for. He is carrying an incredible burden of guilt at the moment.”

Mr Eleini said Mr Glover told him the damage to

breaking’.

Founder Karen Schade said in a statement: “Angela touched so many lives, both human and animal, through the selfless work she did for the Tonga Animal Welfare Society, which she cofounded, and in volunteering during Spaw clinics in the kingdom.

“Words cannot adequately express what her loss means to us.

the island is bad following the eruption, and the full extent is going to be “quite apparent” in the coming days.

“I think there is going to be a major humanitarian disaster unfolding there. I hope not, but there’s a lot of outlying islands in Tonga that haven’t been reached that people still need to get to,” he said.

“As far as the main island where James and

Angela were living, I believe is quite flat, so the wave from the tsunami would have extended quite a way over the land, particularly on that north and west coast.

“A lot of the infrastructure is above ground; that has probably been completely destroyed.”

South Pacific Animal Welfare (Spaw), which worked with Mrs Glover in her bid to rescue dogs in Tonga, said the news of her death was ‘heart-

“Angela was one of a kind. She loved animals, especially dogs, more than most people are capable of. She and James are part of our Spaw whanau (extended family) and our deepest condolences go out to James, their whanau and friends.”

Thick ash on runways is making it difficult for New Zealand to send drinking water and other supplies to the island, the military has said.

The country is also sending two navy ships to Tonga on Tuesday and has pledged an initial one million New Zealand dollars (£500,000) towards recovery efforts.

New Zealand’s Acting High Commissioner for Tonga, Peter Lund, has said there are reports of three people having died so far, but this has yet to be confirmed.

The scale of the damage is not yet known, but Mr Lund told a New Zealand TV broadcaster that there is ‘quite a lot of damage on the Nuku’alofa waterfront’.

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Health Secretary ‘optimistic’ Plan B will be lifted next week THE Health Secretary has said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the Government can “substantially reduce” Covid restrictions next week.

Sajid Javid told MPs it was likely ‘we have already reached the peak of the case numbers of hospitalisations’ as ministers prepare to review Plan B measures next Wednesday.

Speaking in the Commons, he added: “The action that this Government has taken in response to Omicron and the collective efforts of the British people have seen us become the most boosted country in Europe, the most tested country in Europe, and (have) the most antivirals per head in Europe.

Restrictions “That is why we are the most open country in Europe.

“I have always said that these restrictions should not stay in place a day longer than absolutely necessary.

“Due to these pharmaceutical defences and the likelihood that we have already reached the peak of the case numbers of hospitalisations, I am cautiously optimistic that we will be able to substantially reduce restrictions next week.”

Earlier, Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said scientists hope the “direction of travel” for Covid-19 variants is that they become less severe.

He told Times Radio it “doesn’t do the virus any good” to increase in severity, though new variants may prove to be even more transmissible than Omicron.

Any new variant would need to “out-compete Omicron” through increased transmissibility or escape from immunity, and not through changes

NEWS

11

Crossrail on track for services to start in June

in severity, he continued.

“It doesn’t do the virus any good to become increasingly severe,” he said.

“In fact, it looks like the Omicron variant, by becoming more transmissible, that it’s also become less severe, and we would hope that’s the general direction of travel.”

Evidence He said that in future not everyone would need booster vaccines, adding: “I think the people that we might want to think about boosting the most are the same as flu really – people with chronic illness and elderly people – and we’ll probably move into a sort of more regular annual vaccination programme, or it may not even need to be that frequent.

“We need to wait for the evidence on that.”

Prof Hayward agreed the “pandemic will end” and people will live with the virus continuing to transmit, “but causing much less disruption”.

He added: “It will tend to, I think, settle into a seasonal pattern – we may still get quite big winters of infection but not the sort of level where we can justify wholesale societal closedown.

“So, I think it is genuinely an optimistic picture, but we’re still not quite there yet.”

The University College London (UCL) expert said there were “very encouraging signs” of cases plateauing or dropping in some places, but nobody was sure whether they will stabilise at a very high level or dip down.

The latest UK data shows 84,429 people were reported as positive for Covid on Monday, with the seven-day rolling average showing a 42% drop in cases in a week.

Meanwhile, hospital admissions remain fairly static, though they are falling in some parts of the country.

National News

PASSENGER services on London’s delayed and over budget Crossrail project are on track to begin by the end of June, Transport for London (TfL) has announced.

The railway will initially operate between Abbey Wood and Paddington through new tunnels under central London.

It will be known as the Elizabeth line once services begin.

Crossrail was planned to open in full from Reading, Berkshire, to Shenfield, Essex, in December 2018, and was set a budget of £14.8 billion in 2010.

But it has been hit by numerous problems including construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems.

Population Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “The Elizabeth line will transform travel across London and the South East, benefitting millions and supporting hundreds of thousands of new homes and jobs.

“Its new trains and step-free stations will help us deliver a modern, truly world-class transport system that allows us to support the growth in London’s population over the coming decades.

“That’s why I’m delighted it is on track to open in the first half of 2022, in what will be a

landmark moment for the capital.”

It was announced in August 2020 that trains will begin running on the central section in the first half of 2022.

The full timetable is scheduled to launch by May 2023.

The total cost of the project has been estimated to be £18.9 billion, including £5.1 billion from the Government.

TfL said London will “ultimately fund the majority of the cost”.

Elizabeth line trains have been running through the tunnels for tests since May 2021.

The final phase of testing involving trials to ensure the safety and reliability of the railway began in November last year.

GREG CLARK MP ADVICE SURGERIES

If you have an individual problem which you think I can help with or you would like to have a chat about a more general issue, please do get in touch.

To make an appointment for one of my regular advice surgeries, please call

01892 519854 or email:

greg.clark.mp @parliament.uk

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Education

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EDUCATION Times

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Students go bold for gold in prestigious physics contest Tonbridge boys celebrate medals ranking in the British Physics Olympiad - and raise community spirits TONBRIDGE School boys are celebrating Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in the First Round of the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO).

This national competition encourages the study of the subject and recognises excellence in young physicists.

Two Upper Sixth Formers, Kenneth Lee and Yury Balabin, claimed the highest ranking on offer, with a Top Gold placing, which places them among the top 7 per cent of students in the country who took part.

Those with Top Golds can go on to compete in Round 2, which is taking place at the end of this month.

Highers or equivalent).

The BPhO includes a Junior Physics Challenge (online), an Intermediate Physics Challenge and an Experimental Projects students can enter.

Participation in a British Physics Olympiad is a challenge for able students which allows them to: Have fun problem solving; experience the perseverance and determination required to solve harder problems; test their knowledge with stimulating questions; see the real-world

“All students who gained awards should be very proud of their performance” problem-solving potential of physics; practise open-ended and unstructured questions, as seen at higher levels of study and gain a prestigious award for CVs and UCAS forms. In addition to

this students can develop the skills required for admission to top universities; compare their attainment with students from all over the United Kingdom; qualify for additional training with the best students, and have the chance to represent Britain at the International Physics Olympiad.

The British Physics Olympiad competition has many sponsors including Cambridge and Oxford Universities as well as Rolls Royce. This year’s contests run until the end of May 2022.

Proud Boys also gained seven Gold awards (placing them in the top 9 per cent of students taking part); three Silver awards, and five Bronze awards.

Chris Powell, Head of Physics, said: “This was an extremely challenging paper and so all students who gained awards should be very proud of their performance.”

The aim of the BPhO is to encourage the study of physics and to recognise excellence in young physicists through ten annual physics competitions.

These are designed to test understanding and problem solving skills and are open to able young physicists in school years 11-13 (GCSE to A2/IB/

TOP MARKS Tonbridge students celebrate

Meet The Amelia team!

Find out moreFUNDRAISING aboutHEROES your new cultural and community services, Beacon Academy students and meet the team who will be running them when The Amelia Scott building opens in late April 2022.

Pop along and have a chat.

First floor (near M&S) Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells.

26 – 30 January theamelia.co.uk TheAmelia_TW

TheAmeliaTunbridgeWells

Education

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

were referred to the scheme and invited to prebook to visit the market, which provided a little extra support to those wishing to obtain fresh produce ahead of the big day.

“For a £1 donation, guests were able to fill their bags with enough fresh produce for their families to help them enjoy a Christmas feast. More than a hundred local families attended, with more than 400 adults and children coming on site,” a spokesperson for the all-boys public school told the Times.

They continued saying that invited families were able to choose from a huge range of fruit and vegetables - and festive presents too.

“As adults shopped, children were encouraged to choose a gift for a parent from a fantastic array of toiletries, chocolates and games. Others chose to decorate a mug using ceramic pens as a seasonal gift, enthusiastically aided by the teenage children of several staff.

“Hundreds of gifts were wrapped and taken away for children to give to their parents on Christmas morning.”

The Tonbridge School spokesperson went on to say that all guests were also able to spend time in an outside café enjoying a hot drink and a mince pie: “A festive tombola offered Christmas goodies, including a large number of meat vouchers for Ian Chatfield Butchers of Tonbridge.”

Support

MARKET DAY Shop To Share day at Tonbridge In other Tonbridge School news... just before Christmas friends and volunteers of the educational establishment set up stalls as part of the school’s ‘Shop to Share’ operation.

“It is fantastic to team up with Tonbridge School and help ensure local families have access to fresh produce ….”

Volunteers and families affiliated with Tonbridge School transformed the famous front grounds of the historic 16th century school into a seasonal fresh fruit and vegetable market as part of its food donation scheme.

With seasonal music, lighting and a festive atmosphere, the all-day market on Wednesday December 22, was held in order to support local disadvantaged families in preparation for the festive period.

Working in conjunction with food banks, charities, schools and social services, families

In total more than 1,750kg of produce was distributed, including 150kg of potatoes, 140kg parsnips and 65kg of brussels sprouts, as well as onions, cabbages, cauliflowers, melons, satsumas, apples, bananas, grapes, lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, dates and walnuts.

Produce was funded by the Tonbridge School and sourced by Robert Smith from Pavilion Flowers on the High Street, who did a special run to the vegetable market and delivered everything to the School.

Robert said: “It is fantastic to team up with the School and help ensure local families have access to fresh produce … I am delighted to help.”

NEWS

STORE OF PLENTY Friends of Tonbridge School sold charity produce One young carer added: “Thanks to you, we will get a full Christmas lunch this year, including fresh vegetables and, because I won in the tombola, even a turkey.

“It is brilliant that it will be a proper Christmas this year. Thank you.”

Marie Wallace, Business Development Manager for Tonbridge School Events, who came up with the idea for the market, said: “It was an amazing event to be part of, and reaffirmed to me the meaning of Christmas spirit.”

Charity Tonbridge School’s spokesperson added: “We would like to thank Robert Smith at Pavilion Flowers, Ian Chatfield Butchers and more than 40 volunteer staff and families, who helped make the day such a festive success.”

Any leftover produce, as well as other food donations both from staff and the main school, was taken to food banks for distribution.

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Bringing learning to life

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NEWS

Weekly Comment

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Hugo Pound Labour Councillor for Sherwood

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Hugo Pound is a newly elected Labour Councillor for Sherwood Ward on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. He is a chartered psychologist specialising in corporate leadership and strategy. He has worked in the NHS, as a qualified social worker in a London borough, in industry, and latterly in consulting.

The country is fed up with a government mired by dishonesty IN JUNE 2021, I wrote to Greg Clark MP, saying: “Boris Johnson has created and is maintaining a culture in Government that is tolerant of dishonesty, willing to embrace cronyism as the norm and unwilling to deal robustly with challenge.

“He barges on as if none of these issues matter whilst around him, those already infected by and absorbed into the culture, defend his behaviour and that of their colleagues.”

As we know, it’s got worse since then. We’ve seen that the culture and actions of the present Government are rotten to the core.

arrogance. David Scott, Deputy Leader of the Council, spoke to this newspaper last week. He suggested that the Planning Committee was ‘very political now’.

He is trying to stop any challenges to, or discussion of alternatives to the development of a retirement village on the old cinema site.

CRITICISM: Cllr Pound believes Greg Clark MP is ‘out of touch’

Behaviour

Lobbying We have an MP who could speak out and say what residents are thinking. But we’ve heard nothing from Greg Clark in recent weeks. He voted in support of protecting Owen Paterson, only changing his mind after Paterson had resigned.

He voted to support breaking the triple lock on pensions. He voted against the Labour motion to firmly tighten the rules on lobbying, second jobs and a swift report by the Standards Committee.

The Government is out of touch with the public – and Greg Clark is out of touch with his constituents.

le

oping a new ng people.

The arrogance that comes from a large majority has been seen on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, too.

Two years ago, when challenged about why a Tory KCC member was attending a closed briefing for Borough Councillors, the then leader snapped back, “Because I invited him, so tough!”. That wouldn’t happen now.

Labour, Liberal Democrat and the TW Alliance have slowly and calmly reduced the huge Conservative majority locally to a minority administration. In May, we will hopefully see a new administration that brings fresh ideas, fresh priorities and fresh energy to your Council.

Some local Tories continue to show their

But Planning is not political, it is expected to be wholly independent. Democracy is about asking, ‘Is this the right scheme? Does it meet residents’ expectations? Are there alternatives?

Can we do better?’

Cllr Scott’s way of ‘doing politics’ doesn’t work anymore. He should not be trying to pre-empt a planning decision.

He should not try to influence the result. His behaviour is similar to that of the Prime Minister.

Locally, Labour Councillors lead the way in debates and action on the climate emergency, social and affordable housing, the regeneration of our town centres, scrutiny of the Council’s waste and leisure contracts, its overspends and under-investments.

In May, we hope to be part of a team that pushes the Tories out of office in Tunbridge Wells.

A New AService New Service for for Children Children and Young and Young PeoplePeople Hospice in the Hospice Wealdin is the developing Weald isadeveloping new a new service for children serviceand for children young people. and young people.

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Letters

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NEWS

15

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 you can write to the Editor, Times of Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Editor’s note: this is one of a number of similar letters received at the Times this week: Dear Greg Clark, I wanted to record my increasing concern, no, sheer disgust following the recent revelations concerning the breaking of coronavirus restrictions at No.10 Downing Street.

Forgetting my own family’s discipline including that of my teenage children, and that of my work colleagues and friends, we have done our duty and complied to the Government’s clear instructions.

I am deeply worried by the continued lack of leadership, discipline and basic integrity shown by the Prime Minister.

It would appear that it is okay to make false or disingenuous promises, laugh off people’s suffering and the pressures on the police and NHS, and have scant regard for the law.

This sets a very poor example, especially to the young. How on earth can we expect children and teenagers to act responsibly and in the national interest when those in our national leadership do not.

No decency at Number 10 Writing as a conservative, I’d be surprised if Boris Johnson is still PM when (if) this letter is printed.

If he is, then the Conservative Party and its MPs have lost any remaining shred of decency and moral compass.

Edward Baker Tunbridge Wells Our finances are not a mess Wrongly, Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem) declares the TW Borough Council’s finances are in a mess [Times, January 12], yet he is part of an open process to develop the budget.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) entered the pandemic with a balanced budget and ended 2020/21 with a small surplus.

This year (2021/22) with fewer people coming to the town, to commute, to work, to shop or for recreation, TWBC may result in using a small part of our substantial reserves.

Our plan for 2022/23 remains a balanced budget. Post-Covid, expenses and income, including new sources, will continue to be assessed and managed within that budget.

TWBC 2020/21 accounts, audited by September (achieved by only 9% of Councils) received a clean audit (the 12th consecutive year).

The external auditor’s ‘Value for Money’ statement found that, despite the uncertainty and challenges posed by Covid, the Council has maintained a good financial position and that the Council’s ‘business as usual’, governance and adapted structures has demonstrated clear understanding of its role in securing economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.

During Covid, the Council successfully worked in partnerships with other authorities and contractors to deal with many related issues .

We continue to strive to provide the best services, economically and environmentally. Our contractual process is rigorous and highly controlled (by government).

As a Council we get things done – consistently and sustainably, finding new income, reducing costs, while reducing CO2 emissions.

The Council’s performance and its staff during

PARTIES? One of the alleged ‘work gatherings’ held at Number 10 during lockdown last year Surely standards and integrity must prevail.

Especially at a time of national crisis.

I would be grateful to know what your opinion is on this matter, whether I can refer my family and friends to it, and whether you have or will be making representations to the Prime Minister.

Graeme Etheridge Tunbridge Wells pandemic should be applauded. We balance our books while keeping taxes at less than 20% of our expenditure.

Cllr David Scott Deputy Leader, TWBC Councillor should reserve judgement Councillor Chapelard seems never short of things to say even if they are, in the main, the same tired claims to fame like doorstop glass collection which, hitherto, I was happy to do myself.

His latest posture is to suggest that TWBC’s ‘raid’ (as he puts it) on reserves is foolhardy, but that is what reserves are for, to draw down in straitened circumstances – it’s what I have to do increasingly it seems these days.

May we infer from his criticism that his preferred option is to call on the taxpayer, an increase in Council Tax, so that I must draw down on my own reserves, again?

Ralph Steerpike Tunbridge Wells

PEPPY SAYS

ABC development welcome news Let’s not count our chickens, but personally I welcomed the news that AXA has acquired the cinema site for development as retirement flats: a well-capitalised group with realistic plans may at last put an end to the sorry saga of economic inactivity which successive Tory councils have presided over for more than 20 years.

Since the last owners retreated it has been obvious that only a build-out return in excess of £80m would meet the iron law in property developer land, that they must be allowed to make a 25-30% profit on a site – meaning that at least 150 dwellings would have to be built there.

If that is not what Cllrs Dawlings, Scott et al have been discussing with potential developers– then they should have been. One can only ask what took them so long.

What is not acceptable is Cllr Scott’s ill-advised outburst, in which he describes the planning committee as ‘very political now’. It is plain that Councillors who give voice to opposing views, however unrealistic he may think them, are simply reflecting the diversity of opinion amongst their constituents - as is obvious from their own comments to your newspaper!

It is his job to persuade people why this may be the least-worst alternative, not to sow division and ill-feeling at this critical moment. But then he is new to a world of forming alliances and achieving consensus, instead of steamrollering through whatever the Tory majority thinks is good for us. Hopefully he will learn.

Cllr Mrs Dariel Francis Southborough Town Council [Labour]

CARTOON BY PEPPY: (Follow her on Twitter @Peppyscott)

Open letter to Greg Clark

Rubbish bin service Today (Monday, January 10) at 14.45 my green bin and food waste bin were collected as usual… or so I thought.

I noticed that the bin man opened my food waste box then duly emptied the contents into our green bin then emptied things together into the back of the collection vehicle… how can this be right when we are all trying to do our bit when it comes to recycling, separating food waste from our main waste collection?

I think TWBC need to be aware of what I saw then perhaps take a close look at our service provider and act accordingly.

Nigel Snowden Tunbridge Wells

Calverley Observations on life and more important things

THIS is a shout out to a small group of parents. The ones who are anti-vax, antimask and anti-teachers. The ones who hurl abuse face-to-face and online against staff who suggest Covid precautions to better protect kids. Calverley is shocked to hear of local schools where heads, in particular, have been targeted. For goodness sake you antis, back off! Most parents support the schools. If you have concerns voice them in a reasonable manner. Better still become more caring and stop being so selfish putting others at risk.

NIMBY CAMPAIGNER Rag ‘n’ Boneman

QUICK tip for those trying to stop housing developments on their doorstep. Get a big name star involved. It worked in Heathfield where singer/song writer Rag and Bone Man (aka Rory Graham) threatened to move out if an ugly estate was built next door. Builders have withdrawn plans. Bet they’ll be back though with revised thoughts.

TO THE hospital at Pembury (nothing too serious, thanks for asking) where there’s a conversation with a young staff nurse. He told how he popped into a Tunbridge Wells pub at nine o’clock one morning and sank a pint of ale. Was he a heavy drinker? No, he rarely touched alcohol. It was just that he’d had such a tough time on duty during the night that his colleague insisted they unwind with a beer. A tale that says so much. (Calverley is keen to find the ‘early doors’ pub.)

BEING public spirited Himself is volunteering to serve on the next jury that considers ‘peaceful’ protests by Extinction Rebellion activists. He was saddened not getting the chance at the latest trial when they got away with bringing rush hour trains to a halt.

Houdinis the lot of them!

BIG thanks to all who contacted the Times to say how nice it was to have Calverley back after going Absent Without Leave for several months. To the others who got in touch, sticks and stones etc etc

FINAL THOUGHT: Himself really hopes it snows in the coming few weeks so that he can rush out into the back garden and build a snowperson. (Please, no letters.)

Chin Chin, dear reader

We do our best to publish letters in full. However, the Editor reserves the right to edit any letter. Please ensure that letters do not exceed 250 words

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times

Culture

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

• • • •

Arts Books Food & drink Wine

Books - Page 20

Recipe - Page 21

Food & Drink - Page 22

On parade...

Join the Winter Lantern procession Page 18

Arts

18

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

The town’s popular Winter Lantern Parade is back for 2022. Ahead of it happening on February 5, Eileen Leahy speaks to one of its co-organisers Nell Price to discover why it’s such an illuminating idea to get involved with ...

SOUND AND VISION: THE BLOCO FOGO BAND ACCOMPANY THE LANTERN PARADE

So Nell let’s start with you telling us a little bit about the Tunbridge Wells Winter Lantern Parade?

The event is the culmination of a series of public and community workshops helping people make their own lanterns to join in the parade from the town centre. This year the parade’s theme is ‘Food’ and it leaves from Calverley Road precinct on Saturday February 5 at 5.30pm. We will be heading down Mount Pleasant, then on to Monson Road, continuing down Camden Road and finishing in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, where there will be a chance to see some bigger lanterns up close and have refreshments. It really is an event for everyone to get together!

Fun

How did it all start and when?

The event, which has a different theme each year, has been taking place since 2010 and was established by local arts group CREATE. Here, one of its members Nell Price, who also runs the Arty Farty collective in Southborough, explains more about this popular event - which sees lots of amazing preparatory work going on behind the scenes as families make their own lanterns – either in organised workshops run by CREATE or courtesy of

Local artistic collective CREATE had already performed Camden Road the Musical in 2009 and so were familiar with the businesses and characters of Camden Road. It was noted that the council did not put up Christmas lights along the second half of Camden Road (and still haven’t!), so CREATE decided to put on an ‘Electric Lantern Parade’, bringing in the community from across the Tunbridge

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Weddings Weddings

the kits that are currently on sale at different shops in town……

© TALI PHOTO & FILM & FILM © TALI PHOTO

O

VER the past couple of years we’ve seen many of our muchloved events either cancelled or postponed due to Covid. But the good news is that thanks to the ongoing vaccine rollout and the Omicron variant being less severe than first thought, we are finally able to start socialising again.

One of the biggest events that had to be put on hold last year due to the ongoing pandemic was the popular Winter Lantern Parade which sees Tunbridge Wells town centre illuminated by all manner of amazing homemade lanterns as they make their way from Calverley Road precinct, through town, up the Camden Road and finally along to Grosvenor and Hilbert Park to a live samba soundtrack.

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arts

It’s time to light up your life

Arts

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

19

costing £5, to make for yourself at home. Local shops stocking them include Whirligig Toy Shop, Cook, Saltmarsh and Serendipity in Camden Road. Feel free to be as creative as you like: you can make a fish, a carton, a can, a jar, a lollipop or an ice cream cone! We’ve deliberately chosen a few that you can make into anything... I can’t wait to see what people have jars of!

ILLUMINATING FUN: PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CAN ENJOY THIS AMAZING PROCESSION

If readers who haven’t experienced this event before decide to go along what can they expect from the Winter Lantern Parade?

Wells borough to the town centre in order to light up the town at such a dark and dismal time of year.

How did you personally become involved in it?

I was brought on board by Veronica Dorset, who has been an instrumental member of not only the Winter Lanterns event, but also CREATE. She has been just brilliant this year along with Fran, Lucy, Katy and Jo who have worked so very hard to put this on! I have loved being involved in such an impactful community event. We always need more volunteers in CREATE and for the Winter Lantern parade, so if you can help please email hellocreatetwells@gmail. com.

How has the pandemic affected Winter Lanterns?

Because the first official lockdown didn’t happen until March 2020 we were able to go ahead with that one but we couldn’t obviously do the parade in 2021. However we did organise an online Winter Lanterns for people at home during February last year. It was

“The Winter Lantern Parade for 2022 will be full of colour, light and smiles” amazing to see how creative people got with their designs. The overall theme was Heroes and Villains and each week for four weeks leading up to the virtual event there was a subtheme: Heroes; Origin Stories; Villains; Final Showdown. It was great to see everyone’s homes lit up bright with colours – hopefully it brought some much-needed cheer to everyone.

Tell us about the workshops which lead up to the main event?

In 2020 we had just over 600 people attend them, making just over 500 lanterns. This year we have had to reduce our number of workshops due to available space and volunteers, and because of Covid-19. All of our workshops for this year’s event are now sold out but you can still buy a kit,

We have the amazing samba band Bloco Fogo providing the musical soundtrack and the wonderful TS Brilliant cadets who will be keeping us marching onwards! It’s obviously a cold time of year so if you are participating or just observing then please do wrap up warm. Even if you don’t want to join in the parade, do come down to see the lanterns floating on past – it will be full of colour, light and smiles.

And what if it pours with rain on February 5 – do you have a back-up plan?

We will make a judgement call on the Friday before in order to decide whether the weather looks to too bad for the parade to go ahead. If it is, then the back-up date will be February 19. We hope to see you all there!

Interested in finding out more about the Winter Lantern Parade and CREATE’s work?

Here’s how to get in touch: Hello Create Team @createtwells www.camdenroad.org

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Books

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Times book reviewer

HANNAH KIRSOP

RETELLING GREEK MYTH

GRIEF AND TURMOIL

RACE & PRIVILEGE

Medusa by Jessie Burton

Unsettled Ground

by Claire Fuller

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

The death of their mother, Dot, in the opening pages of the novel brings significant change to her twins, Julius and Jeanie.

Aged 51 and still living with her in a rudimentary rural cottage, their sheltered and quirky existence is soon thrown into disarray.

The pair have to scrabble to manage the repercussions of her death and the secret and lies of the last 40 years which start to unfurl, all while grieving for a mother who was an anchor in their lives, particularly Jeanie’s.

Emira is a twenty-five-year-old black college graduate, lacking a little direction in life and working part-time as a babysitter for local news anchor Peter and lifestyle brand promoter Alix.

When, with her charge in tow, she is confronted late one evening at an upscale supermarket and accused of kidnapping the white child, the story cogs are set in motion as Emira’s employer Alix seeks to make amends for the incident – driven in part by retribution for Emira and in part by a teenage incident in her past which neatly becomes entangled in both our protagonists’ present.

(published by Bloomsbury, priced £9.99) Jessie Burton – well famed for her book The Miniaturist – has dipped her toe into the recent trend of the retelling of Greek myths to great effect with her book, Medusa.

Blending the original Greek myth with Ovid’s popular Roman retelling as well as her own imaginings, Burton opens with Medusa and her winged sisters living out a self-imposed exile on an island, Medusa sporting her head of snakes – following Athena’s punishment for what she perceived was Medusa’s transgression with the predatory Poseidon – and burdened with a cruel curse she will only understand later.

When beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, Medusa keeps him at bay and he sits on the edge of the cave in which she hides.

As they share their stories, mutual affection and companionship gradually develops until he discloses he is there to kill ‘The Medusa’….

Unlike other retellings, Medusa is not depicted as a barbaric monster but as a human, spirited, lonely young woman trying to understand her plight following the brutal experience at Poseidon’s hands. As such, Burton has reinvented the villainised Medusa and brought her to life as a real and sympathetic character. Beautiful and tense writing, complemented by the gorgeous illustrations from Olivia Lomenech Gill, makes this an intense, immersive, intoxicating and powerful read for age 11+.

8/10

Hannah Kirsop grew up in Kent and now lives in Horsmonden with her family. She loves to read and share recommendations and runs Bainden Book Club for a group of local women to discuss interesting fiction and non-fiction in a range of genres. You can find www.baindenbookshelf.com online or on Instagram: @baindenbookshelf

9/10

Betrayal The recent winner of the 2021 Costa Novel Award, this book lives up to its name and is an unsettling but delicately chronicled account of the devastating effect of a betrayal which compromises everything you hold dear and on which your life is built.

Be prepared for huge sadness but as always – even from the deepest lows – strength, resilience and others’ humanity can bring hope.

8/10

Probing This debut novel offers good scene setting and character development as the narrative switches between Alix and Emira’s viewpoints. It is an easy, page-turning read but the superficially simplistic story has some more probing themes which offer a fresh and provocative tale of race, class, privilege and wealth.

The Raptures by Jan Carson

The bookcase…

Published in hardback by Doubleday, priced £14.99 (£9.99). Available now

Here are some more reads to inspire you this week …

A Time Outside This Time by Amitava Kumar

Published in hardback by Picador, priced £14.99 (ebook £8.49). Available now A Time Outside This Time tells a story we are all too familiar with, as Amitava Kumar tries to grasp how we find the truth when we are surrounded by a plague of fake news, biased reporting, and questionable world leaders.

Blurring lines between fiction and reality, the novel paints a picture of America and the narrator Satya’s homeland, India, including tweets by former US President Donald Trump.

Satya is at a prestigious writer’s retreat in Italy at the start of the pandemic, and while his fellow writers find the outside pressures unbearable, he is inspired by the relentless misinformation and works on his book Enemies Of The People.

Despite Kumar’s crisp writing, the novel can be sometimes slow, voicing the narrator’s unfiltered thoughts in eight chapters and over the span of four years. Overall, it’s a book worth reading, but perhaps not the best dystopian novel of recent times.

Review by Martina Betteto

(published by Fig Tree, priced £8.99)

(published by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced £8.99)

We arrive in The Raptures at a small Northern Irish village in July, and schoolgirl Hannah is relieved it’s the start of the summer holidays, oblivious that everything around her is about to change.

One by one, her classmates succumb to a mysterious illness, and Hannah is plagued with survivor’s guilt. For each child who dies, hysteria among the villagers grows. They want answers. Why are the

children getting sick?

How many more are going to die? As the plot unfolds, Jan Carson’s empathic writing will lead you to love each resident and feel their loss. This book is witty, surprising, and at times heartrending, as it takes an honest look at people at their most desperate, and a community ready to burst at the seams.

Review by Rikki Loftus

9/10

Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention by Johann Hari published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced £20 (ebook £14). Available now

6/10 9/10

When reading the first chapter of Stolen Focus, the latest exploration of a pressing modern crisis by the former Independent columnist Johann Hari, you’ll likely find yourself distracted by life multiple times. Your phone will ping incessantly, children might pester you, and with work woes swirling around your head, soon your mind might be wandering helplessly far away from the pages of what is a fascinating study of our crashing inability to pay attention to one

thing at a time. Hari’s research journey includes a self-imposed digital detox on Cape Cod and a trip to a Colombian village, where the sight of children playing in the street – happily, somehow, despite the lack of screens – takes him aback perhaps more than it should. It is an urgent notification, an alarm warning us about the dangers of stress and spreading ourselves too thinly. Put down your smartphone and pay attention.

Review by James Cann

timeslocalnews.co.uk EWS VISIT:Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Local News

NEWS

Wine

17

21

Raise a wee dram to Burns Night This week Times Drinks Editor James Viner digs out his kilt and dusts down his best haggis recipe to celebrate the great Scottish bard Rabbie Burns’ birthday next Tuesday MOST countries like a good excuse for a (socially-distanced) bibulous meetup and for Scots, January 25 – the night when our northerly neighbours surface from mid-winter hibernation – provides one such occasion as they rejoice the life, work and birth of Scotland’s national poet and son ‘Rabbie’ Burns AKA the ‘Bard of Ayrshire’.

The ritual basics of a Burns Supper – addressing those amassed with Burns’s poem ‘Address to a haggis,’ concluding several rounds of toasts and witty, reflective readings – have stayed the same since the first supper was held in memoriam by nine of his close friends at Burns cottage in Alloway in July 1801, the fifth anniversary of the poet’s early death. This year would have been the Bard of Ayrshire’s 263rd birthday!

So whether you are planning an all-out carnival of all things Scottish, complete with readings of Burns’s legendary verse, heaped plates of haggis, neeps and tatties, blaring bagpipes and kilt-accoutred ceilidh dancing or something more reserved, Burns Night is a brilliant opportunity to try some great Scottish food and special complementary tipples. So here are two great Scottish beers and whiskies – and also two great wines to drink on Tuesday. Sláinte!

Clackmannanshire, Scotland (8%, Ocado, Harviestoun.com & Whisky Exchange, £3.50-£3.95, 33cl) First released in 2008, Harviestoun’s Ola Dubh, pronounced “Ola-Doo” (meaning “black oil” in Gaelic), was the first Scottish beer to collaborate with a named Scottish whisky producer and

craft an array of beers aged in malt whisky casks. The base beer for this rich and hearty brew is Old Engine Oil stout, which is then aged at least six months in whisky barrels that formerly held Highland Park 12-year-old, the all-rounder single malt whisky from the well-regarded distillery on the rugged, far-flung,

2 1

3

4

4) White wine choice: what to sip with

1) When beer meets whisky… Say cheers to Scotland’s favourite son with this prizewinning dark beer aged in barrels previously occupied by Highland Park 12-year-old whisky Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 Special Reserve whisky barrel-aged ale

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Jura 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky Isle of Jura, Scotland (40%, Tesco, £36) If you’re fortunate enough to find yourself at a traditional Burns Night shindig, whisky is liable to be the toasting drink of choice. No Burns Night event would be complete without a wee dram, which works particularly well after the repast. I don’t often drink whisky but I love it and Burns Night is the perfect time to try a top-drawer glass or two. Matured in white oak ex-Bourbon barrels and finished in Oloroso sherry butts, this rich, rounded and lightly peated single malt from the Inner Hebrides is a glorious heart-warming dram with real bravado and character. A joy to nurse, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, nectarine, ginger, honey and vanilla, plus a trace of peat.

Try adding a teensy drop of water — it will help to draw out the gently smoky taste. It whizzes in many different directions, but eventually it zeroes in long through the finale. A worthy tipple to raise to the ‘Great chieftain o’ the pudding race’ served with mashed neeps and tatties or indeed a bowl of Mackie’s haggis and cracked black pepper crisps (Co-op, £1.80, 150g).

One to drink with Cranachan too, the paradigmatic Burns Night pudding. Cheers, Rabbie! HIGHLIGHT – IN SHADING?

windswept northerly Orkney Islands. You get lots of roasted barley flavour, plummy dried fruits, espresso, cacao, a whisper of heather and then a peaty aspect in the background with an umami depth. It is black, thick, refined and a delight to drink. Perhaps with a whisky chaser?

Delve into this dark delight.

2) Full-bodied, spicy red wine: This chimes well with the peppered minced meat of haggis The Blind Spot Grampians Syrah 2021 Western Victoria, Australia (14%, The Wine Society, £12.95) Love it or hate it, haggis is a pivotal focus of the traditional Burns supper, its stellar quality fêted with the traditional reading of Burns’s poem, “Address to a Haggis.” The grape that works superbly with peppery haggis, principally perhaps because it smacks of freshly cracked black peppercorns, is Syrah. The Wine Society’s exclusive Australian ‘Blind Spot’ wines have been a key segment of its range for about a decade and this scrumptious cool-climate Syrah is an impressively pure and fragrant small-batch rendition of compelling length, exhibiting the Grampians’ tapestry of aromas and flavours: chocolate, anise, spice, earth, liquorice, florals and supple, peppery, dark fruits, with foresty/ herbal nuances in play, the tannins supple, the balance impeccable. Astute winemaking, with everything gliding seemingly effortlessly, from Yarra Valley legend Mac Forbes – “one of the most exciting and pioneering winemakers Down Under,” according to the Society’s gifted Australia wine buyer Freddy Bulmer. A classic Burns Night supper of haggis, neeps and tatties or roasted meats were made for this ‘gusty’ red.

Lovely wine. Ticks in every box. Watch this space for new ‘Blind Spot’ discoveries since there are plans to increase the Aussie range to six wines with the imminent 2022 vintage.

3) Must-try lightly peated single malt whisky: this comes from the island of Jura to the NE of Islay, with a population of just 200 (and thousands of deer)

Cullen skink soup? Try this smart splash-out Aussie chardonnay…

Robert Oatley Finisterre Chardonnay 2018 Margaret River, Australia (12.5%, Waitrose/ Taurus Wines/Fareham Wine Cellar/Hedonism, £19.99-£25.99) Buttery and creamy Burns Night fav Cullen skink soup – based on smoked haddock, incorporating milk and named after Cullen (the town where it was first made) – calls for an equally rich, multi-layered wine, think nutty Meursault burgundy (top picks include Patrick Javillier, Lafon and Leroux) or a smart barrelfermented Australian Chardonnay such as this

TRADITIONAL DISH: CULLEN SKINK stellar, sophisticated, mouth-filling burgundy lookalike, which is made by Larry Cherubino.

This brilliant white is made from three sites in central and southern Margaret River, a temperature coastal area to the south of Perth that’s air-conditioned by the nearby warm Indian Ocean. Expect bright and complex nutty, buttery, toasty, stone fruit and nougat flavours, perky acidity and modest alcohol (just 12.5% abv); the oak is neatly dovetailed, offering both structure and setting. Persistent, detailed and – above all – such good drinking. Just 1600 cases were made. Try it with fish, shellfish and roasted white meats, too.

22

Food & Culture

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Celebrate our culinary roots

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Winners at a previous TOKA

Last week voting opened for The Taste of Kent Awards. Eileen Leahy reveals why this is such an important annual event for the great and the good of the Garden of England’s thriving food and drink scene, many of whom are located here in Tunbridge Wells……

I

T GOES without saying that we are very fortunate to have such a stellar number of independent food and drink businesses here in our corner of the county of Kent.

From specialist craft ale brewers and luxury chocolate makers to gin distillers and vegan pie makers we are steeped in specialist companies in and around Tunbridge Wells. So if you have a particular favourite one you want to shout about and get them the recognition they

THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES OPEN FOR PUBLIC VOTING, ARE AS FOLLOWS:

“Now in its 17th year, the Taste of Kent Awards (TOKA) is an event dedicated to showcasing the tastiest produce the county has to offer”

Kent Cider or Perry of the Year

deserve on a bigger platform, well the good news is now you can courtesy of The Taste of Kent Awards 2022.

Public voting for this hugely popular annual event organised by Produced in Kent opened last week and runs until February 28. So if you have a favourite tipple to toast, want to recommend a restaurant or wax lyrical about a wonderful local epicurean delight then now is your chance.

Finalists will be announced in mid-March and the winners, who last year included our very own Cellar Head and Goupie, (pictured right) will be crowned in a special awards ceremony at the Kent Event Centre in Ashford on May 12.

Now in its 17th year, the Taste of Kent Awards (TOKA) is an event dedicated to showcasing the tastiest produce the county has to offer while shining a spotlight on the many hard-working

Kent Ambient Product of the Year Kent Bakery or Confectionery Product of the Year Kent Beer of the year Beer Kent Café of the Year Kent Dairy Product of the Year Kent Dining Pub of the Year VIRTUAL REALITY: Last year’s awards were a virtual affair

Kent Food Retailer of the Year Kent Non-alcoholic Drink of the Year Kent Prepared Food of the Year Kent Restaurant of the Year Kent Spirit of the Year Kent Wine of the Year The self-nominated award categories (not open for public voting) this year are: Kent Food or Drink Business of the Year Kent Diversification award Kent Sustainable Food & Drink Award Kent Farmer of the Year Kent Start Up Food & Drink Business of the Year New Kent Food & Drink Product of the Year Kent Community Award

Food & Culture

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

23

year, and it would be wonderful if we could beat that again with the 2022 TOKA awards.”

She goes on to stress that voting has never been easier: all you need to do is head to the newly revamped tasteofkentawards.co.uk website and click on the category you’d like to vote in and then cast your vote.

“If you can’t see the name of the business you’d like to vote for, simply add them in and vote,” adds Floortje.

Exciting

TOKA’S FLOORTJE HOETTE

“We urge everyone to nominate and vote for their favourite Kent food and drink businesses in as many categories as they like. ”

Shen then reveals that for 2022 there are three exciting new awards that have been added to TOKA’s self-nomination line-up, to support new Kent businesses. They include New Kent Food & Drink Product, Kent Start Up Food & Drink Business and Kent farming community Kent Farmer of the Year.

Southeastern is this year’s TOKA head sponsor and its head of marketing Nikki Causer is excited to be a part of it. She commented: “We’re extremely proud to be a sponsor of this year’s Taste of Kent Awards to celebrate the range of incredible products the region has to offer. Our passengers travel to Kent to explore the beautiful Cellar Head (right) won an award last year

businesses behind all our wonderful food, drink and hospitality hubs.

The awards, which are the county’s longest running and most prestigious specialist food and drink ones, are open to any relevant business located in Kent.

Floortje Hoette, The Chief Executive of Produced in Kent, told the Times that this year more than ever she is keen to encourage the public to help find Kent’s best of the best.

“We urge everyone to nominate and vote for their favourite Kent food and drink businesses in as many categories as they like. In 2021, votes increased by 400% compared to the previous

in a mouth-watering Sunday lunch at STEAK, for all the family to enjoy.

Children have an exciting colouring competition to keep them entertained, and a prize for the winning family!

VEGANUARY FOUNDERS Jane Land and Matthew Glover

TASTY: Kent has a strong foodie scene Garden of England and we’re proud to help them discover the fantastic variety of independent, local businesses across the county.”

The 2022 awards are also receiving support from a number of other sponsors including NFU Mutual Ashford, Macknade, Shepherd Neame, Southern Co-op and Thomas Snell & Passmore – the law firm based in Tunbridge Wells.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to show appreciation to our very hardworking food and drink producers, retailers, restaurants, pubs, cafes and bistros in the county” says Floortje Hoette.

“It has been a tough year, particularly for those in hospitality, but the resilience and innovation shown by these businesses has demonstrated what an innovative food and drink sector we have here in Kent.”

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Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Life&Times

HOMES • INTERIORS • HEALTH & WELLBEING • TRAVEL • MOTORS and MORE...

Antiques - Page 30

Interiors - Page 34

Travel - Page 36

Why life is sweet....

Yvonne Amarandei from new cafe Crumbs & Treacle on her successful Camden Road business p33

BRAND NEW PHASE LAUNCHING SATURDAY 29TH JANUARY

Join us between 10am and 6pm at the launch of our brand new release of homes at Hollyfields in Hawkenbury, Tunbridge Wells. All properties feature high specification kitchens and bathrooms, generous living and dining areas and many with private outdoor space.

3 newly created ponds, enchanted wetlands and hedgerows

Excellent local schools – St Peter’s CEP School located on the development†

To book an appointment, please call 01892 883 912 or visit hollyfields-hawkenbury.co.uk 2 bedroom coach houses starting from £410,000* 3, 4 & 5 bedroom houses starting from £643,000*

Exclusive shuttle service delivering residents to and from their new home to Tunbridge Wells station††

Super-fast broadband connectivity and home office options†††

Photography depicts Hollyfields and is indicative only. *Prices correct at time of printing. †Details correct at time of print. St Peter’s CEP School built by Kent County Council.

Places subject to availability and entry criteria.††Monday to Friday during commuter hours. Service available for residents’ only.†††BT broadband FTTP High speed Fibre (download speeds may vary).

www.hollyfields-hawkenbury.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

HYFD-00007_Hollyfields_Times of TW_340h x 264w_AW.indd 1

12/01/2022 16:01

Property News

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

property news

UK’s biggest housebuilder reports bumper year end

27

Advertisement feature

HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR BEST TENANT

CHEAP mortgage deals and the stamp duty holiday has led to the country’s largest housebuilder to report rocketing revenue.

Persimmon say weekly sales by up a fifth in the second half of 2021 compared with pre-pandemic levels.

In a trading revenues rose 8.4 per cent last year to £3.61billion as it completed the sale of 14,551 homes, up almost 1,000 on 2020, as the average price of a home rose from £230,534 to £237,050 year-on-year.

But the builder said the spread of the Omicron variant has increased sickness-related absenteeism, with some customers delaying moving into new homes to follow government isolation advice.

Dean Finch, the chief executive at Persimmon, said: “While the industry continues to face the ongoing operational and economic

challenges as a consequence of the pandemic, particularly as the Omicron outbreak unfolded in the last six weeks of the year, the group continues to manage these ongoing challenges comprehensively.

Strong “The long-term fundamentals of the UK housing market remain strong and I am confident.”

Persimmon said home-buying inquiries had ‘remained encouraging’ despite the end of government support schemes, with demand continuing to outstrip supply.

However, the company said its £1.62billion order book at 31 December is slightly down on 2020’s £1.69billion, although it’s up on 2019’s £1.36bn.

Home improvements first on the list for new buyers TWO thirds of all homebuyers, plan to improve their property within six months of purchase, research has found.

The kitchen is the most in need of improvement, with with the garden and bedrooms also an important area of focus, according to a comparison website.

In a survey conducted by GetAgent, 69 per cent of homebuyers to have purchased a property in the last six months say they have plans to improve their property, with 52 per cent planning minor aesthetic improvements while 17 per cent are going the whole hog with major changes such as an extension.

Purchase A fresh lick of paint is the most common task on the to-do list, with new flooring, landscaping the garden, new furniture and new appliances also the most common improvements being made, and one in ten plan to spend more than more than £20,000 improving their purchase.

Founder of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, said: “Home improvements are part and parcel of homeownership and January is often the time we sit down and think about what changes we want to make to our home. Whether you’re painting the bedroom or adding an extension, the key to success is planning and determination to follow through

with those plans.

“There will always be some unexpected costs so budgeting a little extra is advised but at the very least you should get a full view of costs and times before undertaking any project to avoid months on end of living in a half-finished house.

“It’s also important to note that the cost of materials has climbed substantially while the availability of tradespeople has dwindled due to high demand. So you might not be able to get your home improvements sorted as soon as you planned or for the cost you originally expected.”

Demand for rental properties has never been higher, but when it comes to securing tenants, the aim is always quality over quantity. So, how do you attract those golden tenants who are looking for a long-term let and will look after your property as if it were their own?

James Richards, Director of Maddisons Residential, explains how to attract the ideal tenant, to reduce void time and protect your investment.

First impressions count Inspiring pride in prospective tenants is the best way to encourage residents to look after your property: • Deep clean: Sparkling bathrooms, a polished kitchen and clean carpets allow potential tenants to feel comfortable in the space instantly.

• Finish any DIY: A perfectly finished property will ultimately command higher rental yield, so the investment in quality finishes is worth it for the right tenant.

• Kerb appeal: Keeping the outside of your property in good condition is vital to attract all the right attention in the local community.

Long-term commitment is key To secure a tenant who is likely to stay for a long period, you should consider the following tips to make your property their perfect place to call home: • Unfurnished is more popular with tenants who are looking for a long-term commitment. By allowing tenants to fill the space with their own belongings they are less likely to want to move.

• Pet friendly property is in high demand. You can set your own boundaries when it comes to your new tenants and their furry friends, such as an additional deposit or an end-of-tenancy deep clean requirement.

• Personalisation of a property is something that long-term renters yearn for! Offering them the chance to put their own stamp on their place is something that gives them pride in the property and encourages them to stay longer!

Meet the expert: James Richards is a Director of Maddisons Residential, a leading, award-winning independent estate agent based in Tunbridge Wells, offering expert advice on all aspects of sales and lettings, combined with excellent customer service.

www.maddisonsresidential.co.uk 18 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TN Telephone: 01892 514100 Email: info@maddisonsresidential.co.uk

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A D VE R TISIN G FEATU R E

Shane Raggett Managing Director of Broadlands reports on the continuing improvement in the market place with enquiries and viewings for all types of commercial property improving daily.

Causeway House Chiddingstone Causeway Tonbridge. Warehouse & Office complex of 26,000sq.ft on site of 1.2 acres. Vacant Possession and offers in excess of £2.5m required.

The Coach House Spencer Mews Tunbridge Wells. Two excellent self contained office buildings of 2250 & 2270sq.ft available together or separately. Excellent condition throughout.£1.5m for the freehold interest.

Eridge House Linden Close Tunbridge Wells. Rarely available office building of 3100sq.ft with on site parking. For sale freehold with vacant possession. Offers in the region of £1m.

Oakhurst House Mount Ephraim Tunbridge Wells. Superb office suite of 2000sq.ft in landmark building together with 9 car parking spaces.

Open plan suite currently being refurbished.

Further details on the above and other commercial property can be obtained by contacting Shane Raggett at Broadlands Commercial Property Agents on 01892 512422 or shane.raggett@broadlands.co.uk

30

Antiques

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Eric’s enraptured and exuding excitement

antiques

TV antiques expert Eric Knowles from The Hoard in The Pantiles introduces two new art deco specialists, one who specialises in glassware and the other one in furtniture ....

H

ELLO EVERYONE - trust you’re all well. Having now been installed in The Corn Exchange for six months, and got our feet comfortably under the table so to speak, the time has come for us to step up to the next level and really get our project moving forward.

To help us in this respect, I’ve enlisted the help of two long-standing, trusted friends who – with almost immediate effect – will be setting out their stalls, as it were, in our fantastic showrooms down on The Pantiles.

In their own right they are at the very top of their respective trees, and I’ll be very pleased and extremely proud to have them on board with us. So now please allow me to introduce – with an appropriately grand fanfare - Messrs David Hickmet and Jeroen

and decanters (we may even provide some fine wine for the finishing touch – I must try and get that little promotional carrot signed off by my otherwise frugal colleagues…).

Eric Knowles

Exciting Along with the rest of our own items – porcelain, art glass, fine art prints and paintings – we’re now able to offer the absolute pick of investment grade artefacts, all under one roof - or ‘one dramaticallyglazed lantern ceiling’ to be precise. It’s hard to imagine a more exciting venue for discerning buyers to visit. I’m absolutely thrilled at the way things are coming together, particularly now that our new partners are helping to enhance the Markies.

David is relocating from his London base in Notting Hill, bringing his world-leading insight and expertise in Art Deco and Art Nouveau Antique Sculpture and Art Glass.

Jeroen – every bit as much of a leading light in his field – specialises in Art Deco Furniture and Decorative Items, so the two will complement each other perfectly.

In simple terms, if you are after a stunning piece of decorative art and a sumptuous, contemporary sideboard on which it can be displayed, then we should be your very first port of call. And if you wish to toast your own canniness having made such an astute acquisition, we’re ideally suited to ensure that you are properly equipped to do so by way of our own selection of stemware or silver, glasses

reputation of The Corn Exchange as the go-to location for top of the range items.

Don’t forget that on a less expansive scale we’re also the champions of locally made antiquities, with our growing selection of Tunbridge Ware pieces. I’m constantly enamoured with the fact that we’re able to repatriate these amazing little objects, literally within sight of the places where many of them were originally hand-crafted some 175 years or so ago.

We’ll also be looking to arrange some additional special events throughout the year – such as our previous soiree dedicated to the work of Rene Lalique, and attended by the UK’s leading afficionado on such finery.

So please feel free to wrap up warm and pay us a visit (or save a trip out and take a look on-line at scottishantiques.com)

31

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Camden Road

PHOTO BY MARISSA COOPER

Spotlight on

Traders explain what makes the ‘Bohemian’ Camden Road so unique

32

Camden Road Spotlight

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Tunbridge Wells’ Bohemian road

TRIBUTE: Mayor Joy Podbury with members of the Royal British Legion remember the fallen last week

oppy man’ vandalised oppy man’ vandalised oppy man’ vandalised

BY MARISSA COOPER TRIBUTE: PodburyPHOTO with members of the Royal British Legion remember the fallen last week CamdenMayor RoadJoy has

long been considered Tunbridge Wells’ Bohemian quarter.

TRIBUTE: Mayor Joy Podbury with members of the Royal British Legion remember the fallen last week Sarah Bond explores community are hell bent on causing damage to the area, which is an exhibit created loveon bycausing the most dedicated community are hellinbent damage to full of interesting band of volunteers. an exhibit created in love by the most dedicated “Myof heart breaks for them and all in Pembury establishments, and band volunteers. who there is nothing they can stop this speaks to some of its “Myfeel heart breaks for them and alldo into Pembury community areishell bent on causing damage mindless cruelty and dishonour todo the men traders to find out who feel there nothing they can toyoung stop to this an exhibit created in love the to most who left this community tobyfight for ourdedicated freedom what makes it special mindless cruelty and dishonour the young men MUCH-LOVED Camden Road is brimming with independent shops, businesses and restaurants, with a strong and friendly local community where businesses love to support each other.

In addition to the cafes and restaurants, there are plenty of opportunities for socialising, from the Camden Community centre at the top of the road and Grosvenor & Hilbert Park at the bottom end – the town’s oldest public park.

And it is also home to the distinctive Tunbridge Wells mosque, which adds to the diversity and community spirit the street has become known for.

Businesses range from bakeries to bicycle

shops and from food outlets to home interiors, sewing and clothes shops, hair salons and much more.

You will often find little gems here that can’t be found anywhere else in town, so it is always well worth exploring both for long-standing enterprises and to see what is new.

Parade The atmosphere of the road is also boosted by the local arts organisation CREATE – the

band of volunteers. and liberty tyranny.to fight for our freedom who left thisfrom community “My heartfrom breaks for them all in Pembury “Someone must know whoand is responsible and I and liberty tyranny. annual Winter Lantern Parade, and such who there is nothing they can do to stop this would urge them to contact the police.”

Thefeel spirit of Camden Road initiatives as seasonal wreaths andand charms Ifor “Someone must know who is responsible saying ‘Love Camden Road’. remains alivecruelty and welland amid dishonour the the shop windows, mindless toarethe young men Some of these part-funded by the Mary would urge them to contact the police.” challenges facing every High Fund after Camden Road came under whoStreet, left and thisit community toPortas fight for our freedom is always a the spotlight of the ‘Queen of Shops’ with a of £10,000 following her government favourite placefrom for enterprising and liberty tyranny. grant review of the future of our high streets. people to launch new ventures The spirit of Camden Road remains alive and “Someone must know who is responsible and I well amid the challenges facing every high Camden Road Education Arts & Theatre street, and it is always a favourite place for would urge them to contact the police.”

Enterprise, which organises the stunning enterprising people to launch new ventures.

LIGHTING THE WAY EACH WINTER

For more than a decade, dark winter nights in Camden Road are suddenly illuminated with the street’s annual Winter Lantern Parade.

The night time march starts at the top of the road and snakes its way to Grosvenor and Hilbert park. This year it’s on February 5.

The theme for 2022 is ‘Food and Drink’, so expect to see some culinary inspired lanterns light up the street next month.

To get involved and for details of the lantern-making workshops, visit the website – winterlanterns.org See pages 18-19 for more on this....

ATTACKED: The ‘poppy man’ had his head removed and his handsman’ and face bound by tape ATTACKED: The ‘poppy had his head removed and his hands and face bound by tape

If co IVf cwo Vi w

Camden Road Spotlight

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Make a Gallic appointment with a restaurant stalwart RENDEZ-VOUS is approaching its ninth birthday in Camden Road this year and owner Mark Harper has had his fair share of challenges, but the local support he receives is likely to ensure he’ll be there another decade.

Challenging “When we first opened, we had the challenges of any new businesses, but the great local support we get here means we are still here even after the last two years which have been

challenging for everyone “It is the people that make it. We have our regular customers that want to support independent restaurants and businesses that come from all over the area to shop and eat in Camden Road. We are lucky here to have the car park.

On the appeal of Camden Road he said: “It is because it is independent family run. Everyone has their favourite independent restaurant down here, and we think of ourselves as friends not rivals. We share our customers.”

FRENCH CUISINE: Rendez-Vous has been trading on Camden Road for nearly nine years

Bakery that offers more than a crumb of comfort CRUMBS and Treacle is one of the newest businesses trading on Camden Road.

Owner, Yvonne Amarandei, began selling her tasty treats on The Pantiles market, which garnered her a collection of loyal customers, who have all followed her to her new shop.

She told the Times: “It has been good so far and I’m really enjoying it.

“January is normally a quiet month but actually this year has been better than expected.

“Most of my customers are local people that

remember me from The Pantiles market, some are local, but others do travel from all sorts of places to come shop here.”

The bakery, which specialises in cup cakes, cookies, brownie squares, rocky roads, and sells coffee attracts plenty of people that want to come in and relax.

“There is a great sense of community in Camden Road,” Yvonne added. “It sort of has a village feel to it, it is really nice. People come in, sit down and have chat and I really like that.”

BAKERY: Yvonne behind the counter at Crumbs and Treacle

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Homes & interiors

Now is the perfect time to declutter your home If you have been thinking of getting a little better organised at home, Imogen Murphy from Tunbridge Wells’ The Little Organising Company has some excellent advice …

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Homes & interiors

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

H

OW DO I deal with other people’s clutter? It’s the most common question I get asked as a Professional Organiser.

Items belonging to our children, families, partner, can fill up our homes. It can get frustrating. Especially when you ask them, sometimes multiple times, to move their shoes, bags, unopened post, tools, toys, whatever, back to where you think it should live (or just somewhere else).

What advice do I give people about other people’s clutter?

Get a cup of coffee and, when the house is at its quietest, walk around room by room, and notice where your own stuff is. You might be surprised to see where it is, and there might be more of your belongings than you thought there might be.

So if you want to get organised in 2022, start by quietly, methodically, tenaciously decluttering your own belongings.

The less items you have, the easier it is to organise and keep your home tidy.

Start in your wardrobe, book collection or paperwork. Moving on to the areas you mainly use, this might be a linen cupboard, dry food store or power tools in the garage. The rest can be tackled in time but for now focus on you.

The beauty of this is it’s in your control, and you’ll get real joy and satisfaction seeing the change you can make.

Over time those you live with will notice and see the benefits you’ve created for yourself. It’s great modelling this behaviour for your kids too.

The positive affects might not be noticed immediately but it will, especially later, when they have their own homes. And in the meantime you’ll have created more space in your home for you.

Where to start your own personal decluttering project? Here’s my simple how to guide ....

35

IMOGEN MURPHY

Get a cup of coffee and, when the house is at its quietest, walk around room by room, and notice where your own stuff is.

• Small changes make big results. The secret to decluttering is getting started, and the secret to getting started is breaking your declutter project into smaller tasks. For example if it’s your bedroom you want to tackle, choose a smaller category within that like make up and cosmetics. Then break that down again into, nail varnish, lipsticks, foundation etc. working through each one removing old, damaged or unused items.

• One thing at a time. If you get overwhelmed looking at a whole garage or room to declutter, focus on one item at a time, come back to what you have in your hand, deciding if it should stay or go. Once you have done a cupboard or a drawer, take a step back, if you still have more stuff than you have space for, decide how many of each type of item you really need. e.g. black boots, pyjamas, paint brushes, hand towels etc.

My clients typically estimate they wear only 10-20% of their clothes.

• Let it go. If you are struggling to know if to you should keep something, ask yourself ‘Do, When, Why’. Do I use it? When do I use it? What is the reason I have it in my home? Your home, and the belongings in it, should reflect who you are today. Be honest with yourself and be bold, the space you create, by letting go of unused items, will feel great to live in.

• Make the choice. Change won’t happen unless you do it. You might want to try a regular weekly or daily slot booked in your diary or a few full days to push and get it done. It is amazing how much can be achieved in small bursts of say 15 - 20minutes of decluttering. Set a weekly alarm in your phone if you think you might forget.

• You are not alone. If you are worried you will lose momentum on your project, get a friend or family member to check in with your progress. Lots of my clients say that if we didn’t have our sessions booked in, they would never have made the time themselves. Use declutter checklists from @pinterest as a guide or follow some professional organisers like me on Facebook or Instagram to get ideas.

• Ditch the guilt. I’ve heard people say they feel guilty giving items away, perhaps something was a gift or it cost a lot of money to buy. The purpose of a gift is to show love at the time it is given, so anything you choose after that is fine. Forget an item’s original ticket price, either you use it or you don’t, and if you don’t then let someone else enjoy it from now on.

• Get creative with re-homing. If it is not obviously a charity shop item, like clothes in good condition, get creative to match what you are getting rid of to someone who wants it, otherwise it is more likely to end up in landfill.

DIY leftovers, craft items and homewares are always wanted by people on local sites like Nextdoor and Facebook. Cashmere jumpers with holes in can be recycled if sent to @ Turtledoves and made into gloves. Clean bedding can go to wildlife and pet centres like Folly Wildlife Centre or Last Chance Animal Rescue. Electronics can be sold or donated to the CEX shop in town.

• Once you have decluttered your belongings start to organise them. Put the same items together, decide on a place for them to live. Divide storage spaces with containers, to keep different items from getting mixed up.

Keep your stuff as visible as possible when you store them, using clear containers, try folding clothes upright in drawers or hanging up tools on the wall of your shed or garage.

For an instant organising transformation in your home or office space – book my declutter and organising service to make space in your home and life. thelittleorganisingcompany. com

Travel

travel

36

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Saudi Arabia opens its arms to tourists, but are we ready to embrace the secret Kingdom?

Closed for decades, the wealthy Arab state of Saudi Arabia is eager to welcome foreign visitors. Sarah Marshall discovers why AlUla is an adventurer’s paradise

S

WEEPING the billowing sleeves of her abaya skyward, the astronomer guides our attention to a glittering light show overhead. Lying on embroidered cushions and Persian carpets strewn across the desert floor, we gaze at al-jady, the ‘goat kid’, and al-farqadan, the ‘two wild cow calves’, part of an ancient compass used by camel caravans to navigate Saudi Arabia’s ever-shifting sands.

Around us, gnarled sandstone pinnacles loom from the darkness, fragments of former mountains ravaged by climate and time.

“This was our ancestors’ ceiling,” explains Badria, the smart, eloquent guide leading our after-dark Bedouin tour in Al Gharameel. “Almost 40% of the stars have Arabic names,” she proudly points out.

“We have always used them in storytelling and to find our way.”

Of course, in modern times, cartographers no longer rely on constellations. But to the outside world, so much of Arabia’s secretive desert Kingdom remains off the map.

Intrepid British explorer Wilfred Thesiger famously chronicled his journey across the region in his 1959 travelogue Arabian Sands. “No man can live this life and emerge unchanged,” he wrote. “For this cruel land can cast a spell which no temperate clime can match.”

His words invited intrigue, but only

recently have travellers been able to sample the destination for themselves. In September 2019, a tourist visa programme was launched, and investment in infrastructure has been ramping up ever since.

In some ways, the move feels like an intentional step closer to the west, a shift reflected by the Crown Prince’s increasingly cosmopolitan investment portfolio: in 2017, he purchased Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi for

$450 million, making it the most expensive painting in the world; while the takeover of Newcastle United in November last year marked a first foray into the English Premier League.

Along with a desire to showcase their own national treasures globally, there’s also an economic incentive to opening up. As global prices for oil continue to fall, the Saudis are acutely aware their black gold is losing its lustre. Part of Saudi Vision 2030,

NATIONAL TREASURES

Around us, gnarled sandstone pinnacles loom from the darkness, fragments of former mountains ravaged by climate and time. a masterplan to reshape the economy, tourism presents a vital new source of revenue.

Although developments are happening across the country, the biggest hopes are pinned on AlUla, one of the oldest cities in the Arabian Peninsula, located in the north west of the Kingdom.

Blessed with fertile soils and an oasis of natural springs, the traditional dategrowing region and commercial centre was a key stop along ancient intercontinental incense and spice-trading routes, linking India and Arabia with the Mediterranean and the Levant.

The star attraction is Hegra, a collection of around 100 grandiose burial tombs carved into rocky outcrops rising from the desert. Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, it’s one of the best examples of Nabataean culture, drawing comparisons with Jordan’s historical gem, Petra.

Travelling in a vintage 4×4, we drive through the sprawling, dusty site, admiring towering facades decorated with reliefs of

Travel

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

eagles, snakes and stairways to heaven.

Encasing the portals, a honeycomb lattice of rock appears to have been melted by the sun like a giant waxy candle.

Most tombs belonged to women – indicating females enjoyed an elevated status in Nabataean society – a point poignantly stressed by our local guides.

Other archaeological sites of interest in AlUla include the ruins of Dadan, dating back roughly to the first millennium BC, and Jabal Ikmah, an open-air library of ledgers and notes etched into the rocks. Described by our guide as “the original Twitter”, it was a resting place for weary travellers seeking shade and the refreshment of a waterfall that once flowed, a forum for discussion and platform to broadcast thoughts.

Less than 4% of the area has been excavated, making it a living, breathing Indiana Jones adventure for archaeologists like Jerome Rohmer, who have been invited to conduct major digs.

“I’ve worked in Syria and Jordan before, but this is completely fresh. Every time we find something, we see science moving forward.”

Jerome is one of several European talents employed in Saudi’s 2030 mission, joining names like A-list chef Jason Atherton, who has opened Maraya Social in the Ashar Valley, 21km from Hegra.

“I’ve been coming to the Middle East for 20 years and I didn’t know natural beauty like this existed in this area,” he says, when we meet at the restaurant which occupies the rooftop of the world’s largest mirrored building, reflecting a STUNNING SCULPTURES

37

NATURAL WONDERS

dramatic landscape of glowing red canyons.

The glass conference hall is close to several of AlUla’s new luxury hotels. Banyan Tree, Aman and Abercrombie & Kent all have projects in the pipeline, while experiential hotel group Habitas have already opened their 96-room property, spread across standalone villas.

After dark, the fashionable property’s pool is lit up, while music pumps from speakers and canapes and cocktails are served on glitzy platters, making it feel more like a trendy St Tropez enclave than a hotel in a country governed by Islamic law. The missing ingredient is alcohol, although hoteliers are confident rules will be relaxed for foreign visitors in resorts.

world I’ve visited that I don’t necessarily embrace their politics. Besides, we have an opportunity and an obligation to help [Saudi Arabia] transition to become a more progressive country.”

One particularly controversial topic is the treatment of women.

Mashail Makki, one of Saudi Arabia’s first female guides, shares her thoughts with me on a tour of the AlUla Old Town, where a citadel dating back to the 10th century has been restored as an open-air museum, and there are plans to reverse rural depopulation by enticing farmers back to the area.

“They say we don’t have freedoms,” she

GO ON AN AL-ULA ADVENTURE Change is, indeed, happening at a pace. By the end of 2023, Philip Jones, chief destination marketing officer for the Royal Commission for AlUla, estimates there will be 1,000 hotel rooms available – although any development will be carefully controlled. This won’t, he insists, be another Dubai.

A project to plant 2.2 million palm trees is already underway, while oryx and gazelles have been rewilded in the Sharaan Nature Reserve, an area ear-marked for safari-style holidays. It’s hoped an Arabian leopard reintroduction will follow.

It’s a carefully and expertly orchestrated plan.

But one part of the process Saudi Arabia can’t control is whether people will actually come.

“Our biggest challenge is the perception of Saudi Arabia, outside of its borders,” admits Philip, acknowledging widespread international scepticism linked to reported human rights abuses. But he urges people to see beyond affairs of state. “There are a lot of places in the

complains. “But nobody ever asks us, so how would they know?” No-one forces her to wear a hijab, she insists. She simply enjoys the freedom of going out incognito.

Admittedly, hers is only one voice, and while AlUla offers a fascinating window on ancient Arabia, getting a grip on the present is much harder.

But does that really matter when there are so many treasures to unearth from the past?

Saudi is ready to share her secrets, and if the stars are aligning, it’s very tempting to join the caravan.

How to plan your trip Abercrombie & Kent (www.abercrombiekent. co.uk; 01242 547 760) offers seven nights on their Saudi Arabia: Desert Kingdoms Escorted Tour from £7,855pp (two sharing). Includes flights, transfers, all touring and guiding and some meals. Comes under A&K’s flexible booking policy.

38

Motoring news

Wednesday January 19 | 2022

Motoring News

This week…

Ciroen e-C4 changes

n

Nearly new on the road costs

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New Skoda specifications

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Citroen introduces much more affordable versions of the e-C4 CITROEN has introduced lower-specification trim levels to the e-C4 that reduce the entry price, by making it eligible for the plug-in car grant.

The Shine Plus trim will remain at the top of the line-up, but new Sense and Shine Edition specifications bring the price below the threshold for the grant, making them eligible for a further £1,500 discount.

Sensors Prices for the entry-level Sense model start at £28,495 after the grant. Standard equipment is still impressive, though, including LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, power folding mirrors, rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, and various driver assistance systems.

The cabin gets a 10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, while passengers have a mount for tablets. Citroen’s Advanced Comfort suspension and seats ensure that all e-C4 models should have an excellent ride quality.

Upgrade to the Shine Edition model and prices start at £30,495 after the grant. On top of the Sense models, they get a head-up display, active cruise control, and a safety pack that includes active safety braking with night-time and cyclist detection.

These models also get connected navigation with a three-year subscription to real-time traffic updates, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and heated steering wheel.

Citroen says the top trim level, Shine Plus, is currently the best-seller.

It is not eligible for the grant and starts at £34,995, with equipment including wireless phone charging, upgraded speaker system, heated front seats and improved interior materials.

All of these changes went live on January 11 and follow on from the updates introduced to the electric model in October. These included tweaks to the heat pump and transmission system, which improved efficiency to add 18 miles to the vehicle’s range – it can now go up to 217 miles between charges.

SHIFTING GEAR Changes are designed to reduce costs

A quarter of nearly new cars cost Skoda refreshes its Kamiq and more than their new equivalents Kodiaq for better specifications SUPPLY issues in the new car market continue to drive up used car prices, with a quarter of nearly new models now more expensive than factory fresh equivalents.

A shortage of computer chips has led to huge lead times for many new models, which has pushed buyers to the used car market. The result has been massive price growth, with December’s average price being more than 30 per cent higher than in 2020.

Figures from Auto Trader’s Retail Price Index, which analyses daily price data for around 900,000 vehicles, show prices have been on the rise for 21 consecutive months.

The company’s online marketplace reflects the huge demand for used cars that is driving the price growth, seeing a 27 per cent increase in traffic across its platforms compared to normal, pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Furthermore, the average used car sold 28 per cent faster than in December 2020 – 32 days versus 41.

With new car buyers facing lengthy waits for their vehicles to arrive, many are turning to the used car market. This has set the astonishing precedent where nearly new cars – which are

vehicles registered by dealerships that likely only have ‘delivery miles’ – are selling for more than brand-new equivalents.

ENGINE BOOST powertrains range from 1.5-2.0 litre

Forecourts Auto Trader says the average price of nearly new cars in December was up 45 per cent on December 2019, with almost half of these models within 5 per cent of the price of a new version.

Richard Walker, Auto Trader’s director of data and insights, said: “2021 was a remarkable year for the automotive industry.

Used vehicle pricing saw double-digit growth and used cars flew off the forecourts in record time.

“Despite ongoing restrictions, our sector has remained resilient in the face of significant challenges and is on track for strong continued price growth well into the second half of the new year.

The two main factors fuelling this growth, supply constraints and strong consumer demand, both show no signs of easing anytime soon.

“Claims of an imminent ‘bubble burst’ are failing to take these key dynamics into account.”

SKODA has updated the Kamiq and Kodiaq line-ups with new trim levels that improve the specification on offer.

The smaller Kodiaq now has a new SE L Executive trim, which replaces the regular SE L specification, becoming the second-highest specification variant.

Prices start at £24,465 and includes more equipment such as 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, rear view camera and front parking sensors. It also includes virtual cockpit (a digital instrument display), LED headlights and taillights, and body-coloured bumpers.

Transmission Two engine options are available, both being petrol units. The first is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine making 109bhp and the other being a 1.5-litre four-cylinder making 148bhp – both come with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The larger Kodiaq has two new trims, called SE Drive and SE L Executive, which replace the SE and SE L trims respectively. SE Drive starts at £30,415 and gets 18-inch alloy wheels,

electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors and an eight-inch touchscreen display with sat nav.

Buyers get one year of online infotainment access included, as well as front parking sensors and a rear-view parking camera, and a choice of five- and seven-seat layouts.

A 1.5-litre petrol engine and 2.0-litre diesel are available. Both make 148bhp and come with a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel is also offered with four-wheel-drive.

SE L Executive trims offer even more equipment, with 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable driver’s seat and a rear-view parking camera as standard.

These models come with seven seats as standard and have three engine options. There are two petrol engines that are 1.5 litres and 2.0-litres in size, making 148bhp and 187bhp respectively. A 2.0-litre diesel is offered with 148bhp and 197bhp, while all 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines have four-wheel-drive as an option.

Prices for the SE L Executive Kodiaq start at £34,275 and all new trim levels are available to order now.

39

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