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OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
MAYOR MAKES A BIT OF A SPLASH ON HIS DEBUT Page 6
FLOWER POWER REIGNS AT ROYAL VICTORIA FASHION SHOW Page 9
INSURERS TURN DOWN FINAL PLEA FOR PAY-OUT TO ACCIDENT VICTIM A FATHER of three who was refused an insurance pay out because he only lost one leg in a road accident, not both legs, has suffered another setback. After being denied £120,000 worth of compensation, Hein Pretorius [pictured below] was hanging on to the hope that he would eventually receive compensation because of a ‘total and permanent disability’. He has now been informed that he will not be paid any money and is putting his apartment in Madeira Park, Tunbridge Wells on the market to move into rented accommodation. “The door has been shut by the insurers. They say it is a black and white case and won’t pay,” said 44-year-old Mr Pretorius. He told the Times that one of the main factors appeared to be the fact he has made ‘too good’ a recovery.
See page 4 for more
EX-LANDLORD CRITICISES THE NATIONAL TRUST OVER PUB CLOSURE Page 11
DECIDING VOTE The audience backs ‘Remain’
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Wednesday, June 1, 2016
HOW DO YOU BECOME A BUSINESS AWARD WINNER? Page 10
INSIDE CHILDREN’S A&E
Tunbridge Wells leads the way with new hospital unit
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BUSINESS RETURN
TEDx is back in town for another sell-out conference
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NEW CIVIC CENTRE
Council plans for £50million revamp move a step closer
Remain camp wins the night
It was a close run thing but residents vote to stay in Europe Adam Hignett
adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk THE campaign to stay in Europe carried the day at the Great EU debate as both sides went head to head to win over the people of Tunbridge Wells last week. Andy Bell, Political Editor at ITN’s 5 News, mediated as the audience watched representatives from both sides put their case. Topics covered the economy, sovereignty and immigration, and a panel of local business representatives also grilled both sides.
Economist Professor Philip Davis, Andy Bagnall of the CBI and former Conservative MEP Ben Patterson played on the ecomomy to encourage people to remain in the EU. Professor Davis said Britain’s economic future was ‘extraordinarily bleak’ if there was a Brexit, while Mr Bagnall warned of a ‘significant economic shock’. The Brexit Panel, represented by Brendan Chilton of Labour Leave, economist Gerard Lyons and lawyer Anna Firth, emphasised the downsides of immigration and the loss of sovereignty to back their cause. Mr Lyons told the audience it was ‘ridicu-
lous’ that we are declining visas from people outside of Europe in order to favour less well qualified migrants from within the EU. Mr Chilton, meanwhile, said successive governments ‘had no right’ to cede sovereignty to the EU ‘without the consent of the British people’. Ultimately, however, the Remain camp won over the undecided people present, with a post-debate poll showing them extending their lead over their opponents to win the debate.
For the full story see pages 12-14
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EDUCATION AWARD
Nursery celebrates ‘Outstanding’ status after Ofsted inspection
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