Times of Tunbridge Wells 27th July 2016

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THEATRE PLANS FEWER TRIBUTE BANDS AND MORE WEST END SHOWS Page 90

GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S MARATHON RAISES VITAL FUNDS FOR THE REFUGEES Page 16

THE ART OF MAKING MONEY AND INFLUENCING CROWDS OF PEOPLE Page 12

FINANCIAL CRISIS Shock news for Tunbridge Wells’ state-of-the-art hospital

ENJOY ALL THE WEEKEND FUN DOWN ON THE PANTILES Page 27

INSIDE GARDENING TIMES

Why getting outside is good for you. See gardening section

CHARITY AWARD

Finalists in line for £1,000 donation are named. Page 15

What’s gone wrong with flagship hospital?

Pembury put in special measures as patients face ‘never-ending waiting time’ Adam Hignett

adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk A TEAM of specialists is to be parachuted into Tunbridge Wells Hospital in the coming weeks in an attempt to stop it losing so much money. They will work with senior management to come up with a viable plan to reduce overspending.

The move comes after the hospital was put into financial special measures in a last-ditch attempt to stop the board of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust from overshooting its budget. It’s

likely to lose almost £24million this year.

Auditors Grant Thornton reported the trust to the Secretary of State because it had breached its duty to break even in the three years ending March 31, 2016.

There could now be worrying consequences for patients with the news that part of the latest initiative means a relaxing of waiting time targets.

Alongside four other trusts – Barts Health in London, Croydon Health Services, Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals and North Bristol – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells will no longer be fined for missing the 62-day target for cancer treatment, the four-hour A&E target or the 18-week goal for routine operations.

Due to the poor state of their finances, these trusts will instead be incentivised to improve on their current performance

‘This is the slippery slope back to the bad old days’ Patients Association Chief Executive Katherine Murphy

with extra funds from the money being invested into the NHS this year.

Patients Association Chief Executive Katherine Murphy said: “We do not support this move. This is the slippery slope back to the bad old days of never-ending waiting times and uncertainty – with patients left endlessly on A&E trolleys and waiting for life-changing operations.

Where is it all going to end?”

The organisation has already had patients call into their helpline ‘in desperation’ seeking advice and guidance, she said, adding: “Our own research has highlighted that for elective surgery, such as cataract operations, the mean average waiting time in days has increased from 64 days in 2010 to 93 days in 2015.

“This is a significant jump and we are very concerned that relaxing the rules on waiting time targets will only exacerbate an already unacceptable situation for patients. And, more worryingly, does this mean patients can expect to see services cut altogether?”

In addition to the relaxation of wait-

ing times, the external team, headed by an ‘improvement director’, will oversee reforms at the trust and help draw up the recovery plan.

The improvement director will be supported by NHS Improvement, with additional oversight provided by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission.

A spokeswoman for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said special measures were part of a drive to address problems throughout the health service.

“The NHS is tackling a £2.4billion funding deficit this year amid unprecedented demand for its services. These challenges are faced by the majority of trusts.

“We are addressing these shared challenges at a local level. Patients can be assured that we are doing our absolute best to drive down waiting times, are delivering quality improvements, keeping our patients safe, and welcome the opportunity to work with NHS Improvement to be even more cost-effective.”

See also pages 5, 6 and 7

EDUCATION TIMES

Billy Elliot star stages a masterclass in skills. Page 25

FAMILY AFFAIR

Bishops celebrates 25 years of being in business. Page 14

4 � LOCAL NEWS

Weather Wednesday Starting cloudy with periods of rain, perhaps heavy in places.

July 27, 2016

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20 C

Visibility: Very good

Pollution: Low

Humidity: 87%

Sunrise: 05.18am

Sunset: 20.52pm

Wind: 11mph

Thursday

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Who needs the Tour de France when you’re in sunny Tunbridge Wells? By Maggie Michaels Send your weather pictures into... newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

CONTACTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 CHIEF REPORTER ADAM HIGNETT adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576051 DESIGN/PRODUCTION LEE SMITH lsmith8@markerstudy.com SALES GEMMA HAK ghak@markerstudy.com | 01892 779580 FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timeslocalnews timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timeslocalnews IF YOU HAVE A STORY WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU Contact details above

Jobs hit as rescue bid fails to turn around food wholesaler ONE of the areas bigger employers – Turners Fine Foods – is set to go into administration this Friday [July 29] putting 324 jobs at risk.

The Goudhurst site at Spelmonden Farm is one of three owned by the luxury food wholesaler, with the others in Dorset and Lancashire.

In a statement reportedly circulated to customers the Chairman, Sean Cooper, said: “You may recall I wrote to you on June 27 introducing myself and outlining the recent events at Turners and explaining what we were trying to do to fix the business.

“It is with deep regret that I now write to you to inform you that we have been unable to complete this task and find ourselves in a position where we will be appointing administrators on Friday July 29.”

In April, Agathos Management invested in the company and appointed Mr Cooper to the post of Chairman.

It’s understood that ‘significant sums’ of money were invested in Turners, although the new owners were unable to turn the operation around.

Mr Cooper added: “I am very sorry that we have been unable to rescue Turners and I apologise in advance for any disruption you [the client] will experience when transferring your custom to new suppliers.”

BIG LOCAL EMPLOYER Turners’ Goudhurst depot

Current stock levels will enable Turners to fulfil ‘90 per cent of all orders’.

If administrators are unable to find a buyer for the company then the 324 local staff will lose their jobs.

Other national food wholesalers have taken to

social media expressing sadness at the demise of Turners and offering to help out with supplying products if required.

Turners is a wholesale supplier of general and specialist foods to the restaurant, hospitality and retail sectors.

Ongoing delays in bridge closure will not cost the taxpayers more money THE county council has moved to quell fears that the continual delays to the repair of Grosvenor Bridge in Tunbridge Wells are costing taxpayers money after the scheduled start date looks set to cross over into a third year.

Kent County Council [KCC] has announced that it is seriously considering postponing the closure of one of the main routes into town until 2017, in order to avoid disrupting the busy Christmas trading period for shops and businesses. The original plan was for the work to start in ‘Autumn/Winter 2014’.

The latest delay has raised questions over whether the ongoing setbacks will cost taxpayers more money.

However, in response to questions from the Times a county hall spokesperson said the

project is expected to cost ‘around £850,000’ with the price being agreed in May 2015 and that figure is not likely to change.

The county council insists that it’s ready to begin the works and that the project is being held up by Network Rail’s lack of action.

A statement released by the Joint Transportation Board said: “Works were supposed to commence on June 16, but due to an overhead power cable which requires relocating the works are on hold.

“Network Rail has failed to supply KCC with a start date for the works. This issue has been taken up at the highest level between KCC and Network Rail.”

Network Rail originally attributed the delay in June to work on the wider power network at Hastings creating a temporary 24-hour reliance

on the cable. However they said in early July that those works were over and the diversion of the bridge cable could begin in ‘early August’.

KCC said it has been ‘surprised’ by Network Rail’s refusal to accept responsibility for the delay.

With the council describing the works as ‘most urgent’ back in January 2015, it accepts there may come a point where the bridge becomes unsafe, although they are keen to reassure residents: “The bridge is being regularly inspected and the road would be closed if considered unsafe.”

A firm date has still not been set for the start of the work, which will involve correcting the faulty piers of the bridge once Nertwork Rail has completed its part of the project. The work is likely to take between four and six months.

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

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QUOTE UNQUOTE ‘He isn’t a real boss until he has trained subordinates to shoulder most of his responsibilities.’

William Feather

Wednesday 27th July 2016

‘IF WE WANT THINGS TO STAY AS THEY ARE, THINGS WILL HAVE TO CHANGE’ WHO is to blame for the sorry state of affairs that has led to Tunbridge Wells Hospital being placed under financial special measures?

Is the hospital’s management board at fault?

Certainly one would hope that a public institution run by a man who is paid more than the Prime Minister was financially shipshape.

But when the trust’s own auditor claims there is evidence of ‘weaknesses’ in proper arrangements to get it out of a ‘serious deterioration’ in the deficit, it does suggest something is amiss at the upper echelons of management.

Then there is PFI – which we understand is currently costing the hospital something like £2million a month. This ‘buy now, pay later’ way of financing infrastructure development

has been exceedingly popular under both Labour and Conservative governments.

It certainly can help to deliver state-of-theart projects, just like our own Tunbridge Wells Hospital, but the way the contracts appear to be drawn up has led to huge debt burdens being placed on schools and hospitals across the country.

PFI is also a handy way of keeping the Government’s debt ‘off the books’, but ultimately the bill is still footed by the taxpayer.

Lastly, there are central government cuts themselves. Although the Government seems to have ditched talk of austerity, in many ways it still rumbles on with the NHS as a whole tackling a £2.4billion funding deficit.

Languishing in debt is obviously undesirable not just for individuals, but for institutions and entire countries, and it is right that efforts are made to put budgets on a sustainable footing.

But how are hospitals supposed to cater for what is yet another threat – an ageing population and rising demand – if they are, according to the Nuffield Trust, getting less and less money for each procedure they perform? It is unsustainable.

Ultimately, when it comes to the NHS perhaps we should heed the words of the character Tancredi in the novel The Leopard: “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.”

Chief Reporter Adam Hignett

LOCAL NEWS 

NEWS IN BRIEF

Restaurant chain set to expand to town centre THE Sankey’s brand could be expanding yet again after the chain’s owner revealed he is looking for a new site for a restaurant in the town centre.

Matthew Sankey has given notice that he is seeking a unit between 1,000 and 2,000 sq ft on either Monson Road, Camden Road or Mount Pleasant which ideally will be on a 15year lease and cost up to £25,000 per annum.

Confirming the new dine-in establishment will be another fish bar, Mr Sankey hinted that he is seeking to offer a new spin on a tried and tested formula.

Anti-knife campaign THOUSANDS of teenagers are set to learn about the harsh reality of knife crime after Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott agreed to fund an educational programme in secondary schools across the county.

Pupils in years 10 and 11 from 36 schools in Kent will benefit from the initiative in which they learn from the lives of Glenda Crittenden – a Kent mother whose 21-yearold son died after being stabbed – and Francis Osei-Appiah, an ex-gang member who spent his teens in prison.

Development plans PLANS for a major housing development consisting of 235 homes on the edge of Hawkenbury are due to be submitted in September.

Berkley Homes is will be building the units on the site of Hawkenbury Farm, one year after it was sold to the developer by the borough council.

As the Times reported at the time, the sale was agreed on condition that a new school on the site to replace St Peter’s Primary School in Windmill Street which can cater for up to 180 children.

Councils’ road pool RESPRESENTATIVES of all 13 authorities in Kent, including the county council, have signed a letter to the director of Highways England asking for an action plan to help tackle litter and unkempt roads.

The letter lays out initiatives such as ensuring better co-ordination between councils to clean roadsides, clarity on who is responsible for which roads and a campaign to discourage littering.

Flood plan success MP GREG CLARK has successfully lobbied Southern Water to bring forward a drainage plan to prevent a repeat of the flooding in Tunbridge Wells last August.

Originally the company had planned to begin work in 2017/18. Following a critical letter by the MP, Southern Water have since said they shall start to implement the project by the end of this year.

5

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Hospital funding crisis sparks big debate Michael Ricks

newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk REACTION to the news that the trust has been put into financial special measures has been fast and furious…

Nigel Edwards, of the Nuffield Trust think tank: “The fact is that it’s almost impossible for trusts not to run up deficits when they’re being paid less in real terms than they were five years ago to perform the same treatments – our research shows that procedures for which hospitals were paid £1,000 in 2010 were only earning them £925 in cash in 2015, the equivalent of only £800 after inflation. So in effect their income per patient is dropping all the time, even though they are providing the same or NIGEL EDWARDS higher levels of care.”

Impossible for trusts MP Greg Clark: “The PFI financing scheme of the Pembury hospital imposed extra costs on the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and it is acceded that these should be financed centrally rather than be met at the expense of patient care.

“I have written to the NHS Improvement Trust

– and will be seeking a meeting with them – to ensure that whatever steps are taken under the ‘special measures’ regime, patient care will be safeguarded.”

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust CEO Glenn Douglas: “I am confident we can use this opportunity positively to renew and strengthen our focus on more closely providing our high quality services within our financial means.”

Jim Mackey, Chief Executive at NHS Improvement “This plan is intended to restore financial discipline and ensure ongoing financial sustainability across the whole NHS.” Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England “We need to use this year both to stabilise finances and kick start the wider changes everyone can see are needed.

Most trusts know what needs to get done to release funds for local reinvestment in better patient care, and now is clearly the time to fire the starting gun.”

Department of Health “We’re pleased to see that the NHS has a strong plan to balance the books across both hospitals and local commissioners and will ensure taxpayers money is spent appropriately. Now it is up to

hospitals and commissioners to ensure they stick to their own plans to restore financial balance, with the help of national NHS leaders when needed.”

David Behan, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission: “Delivering high quality services that are designed around the needs of patients leads to better use of resources. The challenge for trust boards is to leverage this relationship between financial grip and good care – and through our inspections, we’ve seen this achieved in practice.

“We’ll continue to highlight examples of trusts who are providing care that is both clinically and financially sustainable, as we prepare with NHS Improvement to publish new ratings of how effectively trusts are using their resources to deliver highquality services to patients. Although the context is increasingly challenging, the goal remains the same: Good, safe care – the care that we would DAVID want for BEHAN ourselves Challenge and our for boards families.”

The rise and fall of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust AS PART of the Government’s austerity programme, hospital trusts must now submit their budgets and plans to cut deficits to the NHS for approval under the National Health Service Improvement Plan (NHSI).

If a trust forecasts a deficit and its plans to control its budget are not approved, NHSI can offer advice, or in extreme cases step in and put the trust into financial special measures.

These can include effectively taking over the trust’s finances and parachuting in specialists and advisors from neighbouring trusts who are considered to be financially better performing.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust is one of five in the country to be placed in special measures, but a further 13, including neighbouring East Surrey, have been warned they face similar sanctions unless they improve their finances.

In the last financial year the trust had an income of £400million, mainly from providing surgery and clinical services to health commissioning groups, other hospitals and the NHS as a whole.

But figures just released show the trust, which had originally forecast a deficit of £13.4million, actually incurred a loss of £23million. The black hole was in part blamed by the trust on the £6.6million cost of agency nurses and clinical staff, other increased staffing costs to meet demand, and an overspend of £8million on medicine.

In May, auditors Grant Thornton reported the Trust to the Secretary of State because it had breached its duty to break even in the three years ending March

2016, and qualifed the accounts saying the deficit of £23.5million was a ‘significant deterioration compared to its budgeted deficit, and its mediumterm financial plan showed a continued deficit with a forecast deficit of £22.9million for 2016/2017.

These issues are evidence of weakness in proper arrangements for planning finances effectively to support the sustainable delivery of strategic priorities and maintain statutory functions.’

The trust serves more than 500,000 people from the Medway towns across to Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells and into East Sussex. With a staff of 5,600, its services include specialist cancer and children’s care units.

In 2011 it opened a new state-of-the-art 513-bed hospital at Pembury, seen as the first of a new generation of NHS flagship hospitals in which each patient has their own room with en-suite facilities.

The new hospital was built under the Private Finance Initiative, whereby the trust effectively borrowed the money from a consortium lead by John Laing Construction, who

built the hospital, with the trust repaying the private investors over 30 years. John Laing subsequently transferred the project to the John Laing Infrastructure Fund, which is managed by John Laing Capital Management.

It was effectively a private mortgage, but PFI has been criticised nationally for its high interest rates and management charges.

In 2013 it was forecast that by the end of 30 years the original building cost of £237million would eventually cost the trust more than £600million.

Figures show the trust is currently paying more than £2million a month in PFI charges.

OPERATION IN PROGRESS An aerial shot of the Tunbridge Wells Hospital being built

Wednesday 27th July 2016

6  LOCAL NEWS TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL... TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL... TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL... TUNBRIDGE WEL

The highs and lows of a showcase hospital NINE significant moments in the history of the hospital built for £226million for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells (NHS) Trust � A Care Quality Commission report early in 2015 ‘found leadership within the trust was not robust’.

It also said each of its two hospitals, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, ‘requires improvement’. � The trust was heavily criticised in 2007 by the Healthcare Commission for the way it handled a major outbreak of the bacterium C. diff. It’s estimated that about 90 patients ‘definitely or probably’ died as a result of the infection. The outbreak was subsequently connected to the financial reorganisation that the trust was undergoing, including the private finance initiative (PFI) that built the showcase hospital. � A new 38-bed ward at Pembury opened in March to ease pressure on stretched emergency facilities. The £3.3million Acute Medical Unit (AMU) has two single rooms and nine four-bed bays, designed to treat patients for up to 48 hours

before discharge or transfer. The unit’s team includes three consultants and 56 nurses. � In the opening two months of this year an ‘unprecedented’ demand for services led to the cancellation of 350 elective surgery operations.

Some patients were transferred to the private sector. � A Times Freedom of Information request last year showed that in three years the trust spent almost £70million on agency and temporary staff.

Agency staff are more expensive than regular staff.

Local MP Greg Clark called the figure ‘worrying’. � Figures released in June show that, overall, patients rate the Tunbridge and Maidstone hospitals ‘highly’ when it comes to staff and care.

A record number of adults (709) shared their views about care they received as part of a national survey.

They were all discharged from hospital in July 2015. � During 2014 the trust paid interim finance director Ian Miller £250,000 for five months’ work.

The money went to his consultancy business The Maxentius Partnership. The trust said the expense was justified in order to ‘achieve £23.5million in efficiency savings without impacting patient care’.

WARNING: The Times of Tunbridge Wells reported on difficulties on March 2

Wednesday 27th July 2016

COPING WITH DEMAND Staff in the new Acute Medical Unit. (L-R): Sister Elias, Dr Hafeez, Dr Agarwal and trust Chief Operating Officer Angela Gallagher

� Last year the trust became the first in the NHS to be charged with corporate manslaughter when teacher Frances Cappuccini (30) died after giving birth by emergency Caesarean section. The judge ruled there was no evidence of gross negligence and the case collapsed. � The Health Service Journal named the trust as one of the top 100 to work for in 2015. At the time it had 5,000 full-time equivalent staff and a sickness absence rate of just under four per cent. The majority of staff (73 per cent) recommended it as a place for treatment.

LOCAL NEWS 

7

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A who’s who guide to those running the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

What’s next?

A spokesman for NHS Improvement (NHSI) said despite the relaxation of A&E, cancer treatment and operation targets, patients should not see any decline in care ‘in the short term’ and some improvement can be expected over the long run.

A team of NHSI experts with ‘working knowledge’ of the local area are set to be appointed in the coming days, headed by an improvement director.

This role will be given to someone with experience in running hospitals and trusts and with a track record for delivering results, who will also act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of NHSI. Over the coming weeks, a ‘rapid recovery’ plan will be drawn up between the improvement director’s team and the members of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust board.

This plan, which will be tailored to the specific needs of the trust, will then be implemented over the following months and the spokesman said the NHSI expect to see some improvement ‘within that timeframe’.

To exit special measures the trust must generally have, as a minimum, a robust recovery plan setting out the key changes required to remedy the provider’s financial problems, approved by its board and by NHSI. In addition to providing evidence of significant wins within two additional months of agreeing the initial recovery plan, NHS Improvement may require evidence of demonstrable progress in implementing more fundamental change.

The spokesman added: “The relaxation of targets is not about letting go of the reins. It is about being more realistic about what can be achieved and therefore relieving some of the pressure.” � ‘Financial special measures only relate to issues of finance and therefore should not be confused with ‘special measures’, which relate to a failure in care.

What is PFI? A private finance initiative (PFI) is a method of funding infrastructure projects such as schools and hospitals without the government incurring the upfront costs.

Once the desired building is completed, a lease of around 30 years is signed by the developer and the institution which occupies it obliges the school or hospital to begin reimbursing the developer through annual payments.

These payments incur interest, and often include management fees, which will inevitably deliver a profit for the developer in excess of the original price it took to provide the infrastructure.

The Tunbridge Wells Hospital was built by John Laing Group for £237million in 2012 on a 30-year contract with current PFI costs for the hospital running at £24million per year – approximately six per cent of the total budget.

Below is a profile of each of the five executive board members who collectively oversee the hospital…

Glenn Douglas – Chief Executive

Appointed to the role of Chief Executive of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Mr Douglas, 57, commands an annual salary of £200,000 – in contrast, Prime Minister Theresa May is paid just over £140,000.

Previously the CEO of Ashford and St Peters Hospitals and Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trusts, he took up his current position in 2007.

Mr Douglas was tasked with restoring public confidence following the Healthcare Commission’s report into the death of 90 patients because of so-called ‘super-bugs’.

Mr Douglas is a qualified accountant and a member of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, an advisory body sponsored by the Department of Health. He is also a governor of St Mark’s Primary School in Tunbridge Wells.

Steve Orpin – Director of Finance

The Trust’s Director of Finance since 2014, Mr Orpin is responsible for providing information and advice about all financial management issues and is paid a salary of £125,000.

He had previously worked for Medway NHS Foundation Trust, where he had been Deputy Director of Finance and filled in for a 12-month period as Director.

A Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, he has worked in finance for NHS organisations across London and the South East for more than 20 years.

Having attended Chatham Grammar School for Boys, he obtained an MBA in Stategy, Creativity, Innovation, Change and Knowledge Management at the Open University in 2010.

Avey Bhatia – Chief Nurse

Avey Bhatia has been Chief Nurse at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for the last three years, earning £105,000 per year.

She is also the Board Nurse at East Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group and had previously been Deputy Chief Nurse at South London NHS Trust between 2010-13.

Educated at London’s South Bank University, she has a postgraduate diploma in Health Service Management and a Masters in Public Administration and was Assistant Nurse Director at St George’s NHS Trust in London for 10 years.

Paul Sigston Medical Director

Mr Sigston has been a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the Trust for the last 17 years and, in his role as the Medical Director, is the professional lead for the entire medical workforce.

He earns £230,000 a year.

A graduate from Edinburgh University before becoming a junior doctor in Edinburgh and Chester, he later moved to London to work at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

He has worked at the Trust since 1998 and was previously the Divisional Director for the Planned Services Division.

The 52-year-old father of four daughters donated one of his organs to a woman suffering from kidney failure two years ago as an ‘altruistic’ gesture.

Angela Gallagher Chief Operating Officer

Angela Gallagher has been Chief Operating Officer – a £115,000-per-year job – since 2012, having worked in various capacities for the Trust over the past 12 years.

She began as General Manager, then was appointed Access Projects Director before becoming Deputy COO in 2009.

She had previously been General Manager at North Middlesex University Hospital.

Having attended the Basildon and Thurrock School of Nursing, Ms Gallagher worked as a paediatric nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and later obtained a BSC in Health Studies at the Royal College of Nursing through the University of Manchester.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

8  LOCAL NEWS

Council approves further funding for complex scheme despite Brexit setback

TODAY’S LOOK Mount Pleasant Avenue

Adam Hignett adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk MEMBERS of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council voted overwhelmingly to approve the next tranche of funds for the Civic Complex, despite the prospective leaseholder pulling out due to postBrexit jitters.

The vote came after a debate by the Full Council in which several Conservative councillors spoke out against the decision to spend a further £2million on the scheme – putting them at odds with their own cabinet.

Their opposition stemmed from the disclosure that the corporate tenant who had previously shown a willingness to lease part of the office space at the

proposed Mount Pleasant Avenue site has pulled out.

Current estimates for the project put the cost of building the 50,000 sq ft complex at £12million.

However, much of this cost was expected to be recouped over time, by letting approximately 70 per cent of the new council building to businesses for around £800,000 per annum.

But at the Full Council meeting last Wednesday, Council Leader David Jukes disclosed this was no longer guaranteed.

He said: “Up until recently we had a confirmed tenant to occupy about 30,000 sq ft of the offices, which would have given the council considerable revenue for years to come. But on June 29 the senior partner of that organisation contacted the Chief Executive of the council [William Benson] and myself to say that after the June 23 referendum everything had been put on hold.”

Whilst Cllr Jukes acknowledged that one of the key considerations before the project started was to line up a corporate leaseholder, he said it was now ‘incumbent’ on the council to proceed on to the next stage.

This will see plans reach the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) project stage three, defined as the ‘Developed Design’ level, in which detailed plans are drawn up.

His argument for pushing ahead despite the

setback was that once this level was complete the council could draw up a marketing brochure which in turn would attract new tenants.

However, Conservative councillor Peter Bulman, who has criticised aspects of the project previously, said the council was now ‘putting the cart before the horse’ by pushing ahead.

He said: “We are being asked to fund a further

WHAT IS THE NEW CIVIC COMPLEX? FUTURE VISION Proposed layout

‘Unfortunately we have already committed money but haven’t looked at the financial implications’ exploration to see if this whole project is viable.

“Unfortunately we have already committed money but what we haven’t done is look at the financial implications of what we are proposing. I would like to see a report on that before I give my stamp of approval.”

His view was backed by fellow Conservative councillor Julian Stanyer, who raised concerns about the state of the commercial property market after the referendum and said the council ‘has no money’ to fund the necessary borrowing.

Cllr Claire Stewart, also a Conservative, said the project ‘made sense’ when there was a tenant ready but she was now ‘very reluctant’ to back further funding or take on more debt during a ‘time of uncertainty’.

However, other Conservative members of the council were supportive of the plan to continue funding for the project.

Cllr Sarah Hamilton said the council had a ‘bold vision’ for the future and could not afford to ‘dither around’ while the current Town Hall becomes increasingly unfit for purpose.

She added: “Yes it will cost money and yes there will be risk but I believe we have an exceptional team of financial officers and property professionals on the staff of this council and I am sure they have gone into these matters very thoroughly.”

Ultimately, the proposal was passed by 35 votes to four, with six abstentions – including all members of the opposition parties.

The borough council believe the current Town Hall is unsustainable and therefore are looking to relocate to a brand new building which will be built on the site of the council-owned Mount Pleasant Avenue car park.

Plans to refurbish and upgrade the current Town Hall would cost around £10million, which the council does not believe to be cost-effective.

Therefore they propose the development of a 50,000 sq ft complex which can then be partially let out to a corporate leaseholder, bringing in revenue and making the authority ‘selffinancing’.

Construction of the new offices is estimated to cost approximately £12million, which would free up the current Town Hall to be reused by another institution or redeveloped.

However, there are also plans to relocate the Assembly Hall Theatre to the Great Hall car park site, bringing the total cost to £50million.

Costs could rise even further if the council believes there is a strong economic case to create a new underground car park, adding an additional £17million to the final price.

New Government boosts hope for renewal of BML2 THE creation of a new Conservative administration has renewed the prospect that Tunbridge Wells will finally be reconnected to Brighton via rail, campaigners believe.

Brian Hart, a long-term advocate of the Brighton Main Line 2 scheme, is confident that the Government will announce its implementation as the case for doing so is stronger than ever.

He said: “I believe Chris Grayling [the new Secretary of State for Transport] and the Government will shortly approve BML2 because it offers so many solutions to current problems in London & the south east.

“Chris Grayling, in justifying continued support for HS2, now says its needed, not for speed, but for additional capacity.

“That’s exactly the reason for building BML2, which is infinitely more affordable than HS2 and it has a far greater benefit-to-cost ratio.”

His organisation, the BML2 Project Group, welcomed several appointments to the new Cabinet, including the selection of Chris Grayling and Justine Greening, who have previously

Wednesday 27th July 2016

expressed an interest in the project, as well as vouching for its viability.

Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby, who takes a Ministerial position as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, is a long-standing supporter of BML2 and has previously said: “A second main line is the only realistic and cost-effective means of overcoming the existing the capacity problems that are clear to us all.”

The Brighton Main Line 2 would see the Tunbridge Wells West station next to Sainsbury’s brought back into the rail network for the first time since 1985.

It would also involve rebuilding old railway lines between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge and down towards Brighton from Uckfield, via Lewes.

Other considerations include a second direct line to London opening up in the town, connecting directly to Canary Wharf.

The plan has been part of the Government’s London & South Coast Study – a review of future rail infrastructure projects – which was commissioned last year and is scheduled for release in the autumn.

\!/ ~

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10 � LOCAL NEWS

Local MP asks new Prime Minister to remove ‘honour’ from killings for his actions, and that his place in heaven had been reserved. Pakistani law allows perpetrators to avoid facing charges for their actions if they are forgiven by their families, though it is reported that this has been prevented in this case by the Pakistan Government.

‘Extremism takes many forms, from the atrocity in Nice to the violent murder of Qandeel Baloch by her own brother’

CAMPAIGNER Nus Ghani in the House of Commons WEALDEN MP Nus Ghani has used Theresa May’s first Prime Minister’s Question Time since her appointment to call on the Government to lead the way in ending the use of the term ‘honour crime’ to describe acts of terror.

Ms Ghani pointed to statistics revealing there had been 11,000 incidents of these self-styled honour crimes in the UK over the last five years.

She highlighted the recent case of Qandeel

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Baloch, who was murdered by her own brother in Pakistan last week.

The 26 year old was a global social media celebrity and activist, noted by the New York Times as ‘a symbol of women’s empowerment’.

She was killed for apparently ‘dishonouring’ her family.

Ms Baloch’s brother, Waseem, has claimed he would be remembered with pride and honour

Speaking in the House of Commons last Wednesday, Ms Ghani said: “Extremism takes many forms, from the atrocity in Nice to the violent murder of Qandeel Baloch by her own brother in Pakistan, justified as an ‘honour killing’.

“Does the Prime Minister agree that such crimes are in fact acts of terror, not honour?

“And will she therefore direct that her new Government shows the lead by ending use of the word ‘honour’ to describe these vile acts, in order to stop giving any legitimacy to the idea that women are the property of men?”

In response, Theresa May said Ms Ghani ‘is right’ to say extremism takes many forms and highlighted initiatives by the Government to tackle the root causes of ‘honour-based’ violence.

She said: “I absolutely agree with her. There is absolutely no honour in so-called honour-based violence – it is violence and a criminal act pure and simple.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Rugby World Cup winner to coach girls WOMEN’S Rugby World Cup winner Rachael Burford is bringing the Burford Academy to Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club on August 30.

The England centre will run rugby camps for all girls between the ages of 11 and 18 regardless of experience and ability.

The day will include pitch sessions and classroom activities. You can book a place online at www.burford12.co.uk

Pensioner crashes plane A 91-YEAR-OLD man was treated at Tunbridge Wells Hospital after crashing his microlight into a tree off Lingfield Road in Edenbridge.

Peter Stubberfield was left trapped in the craft for two hours after it became suspended 15ft above the ground.

He was rescued by the Fire Brigade and suffered three broken ribs and serious injuries to his thumbs.

Picnic in the park FAMILIES of children with healthcare needs are invited to a day of fun and activities hosted by Tunbridge Wells-based Tree of Hope – the national children’s charity.

The event on Thursday August 4 takes the form of a ‘Picnic in the Park’ at Dunorlan Park.

There will be games and a chance to socialise with similar families as well as the opportunity to get advice from experts on the Tree of Hope charity team. To contact Tree of Hope in advance call 01892 535525.

The

ace of HOOPER S Hoopers Tunbridge Wells is searching for two models to be crowned the Face of Hoopers 2016- could you be one of them? ram the 1st August, Hoopers Tunbridge Wells will be launching its search to find two local faces - one male, one female - to star in the store's AW16 Fashion Show in September.

But the winners will not only walk the Hoopers runway- they will also each win a selection of exclusive prizes, including £500 to spend in store and a photo shoot in So Magazine ...

F

THE PRIZES HOOPERS AW16 FASHION SHOW

The two lucky winners ofthe Face of Hoopers will star in the AW16 Fashion Show on Thursday 15th September.

In the hours before the show, the winners will receive a full model experience, learning to rock the runway and enjoying a glamorous makeover to prepare for their moment in the limelight. Each winner will also receive 4 tickets for friends and family to watch their star turn on the catwalk. £500 TO SPEND IN STORE

Each new face will win a fabulous £500 to spend at Hoopers, giving the lucky winners the chance to shop till they drop in the iconic designer-led store.

With exclusive collections from an eclectic mix of brands all under one roof, each winner can hand pick their very own edit of model-worthy treats from Hoopers' inspired selection of fashion, accessories, beauty and homewares.

HOW TO ENTER If you think you have the confidence and style to be crowned the Face of Hoopers, you can enter the competition by sending a head shot and a full length body shotto twfaceofhoopers@hoopersstores.com, alongside a maximum of 100 words stating why you think it should be you.

The competition closes on August 27th, and shortlisted entrants will be contacted and asked to attend an audition to wow the judges in person, before the winners are announced in early September.

SO MAGAZINE PHOTOSHOOT

The two competition winners will continue on their model experience by starring in the fashion pages of So Magazine.

Printed in October's edition of the luxury lifestyle publication, each winner will have the opportunity to present their unique style to the world - and who knows who might be looking?

Follow the competition at: Facebook: @HoopersStores Twitter: @HoopersEdit Website: www.hoopersstores.com

TERMS & CONDITIONS

This competition is open to all persons aged 16 and over. Competition runs from Monday 1st August until Saturday 27th August 2016. Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted. Entrants must be available w/c 12th September for rehearsals and the Hoopers Fashion Show on Thursday 15th September. Shortlisted entrants will be notified by Wednesday 31 st August and asked to attend a short audition on Saturday 3rd September. Winners will be notified no later than Wednesday 7th September. Entrants agree that any photography shared or taken before, during or after the competition directly in line with the Face of Hoopers can be used as promotional material by Hoopers or it's supporting sponsors. There is no cash alternative to the £500 to spend in store. Judges decision is final.

12  LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS

How to make money and influence people platform, his current system is very basic. want, but if there are four similar influencers but just because he has a great number of folIt involves keeping a database of his clients and with the same following and engagement ratios lowers does not mean he is necessarily the best adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk ‘influencers’ on Excel, alongside a description who are priced far lower, I will point this out and person to use, said Ben. of what each ‘influencer’ specialises in and the often they will cut their prices.

“I find brands tend to get some of the best WORD of mouth, redefined – a sentence which number of their followers.

“And although £200 for a social media responses from ‘micro influencers’, those with When a client wants a certain product propost is not that much, when you do 10-50,000 followers. sums up the modern world’s enthusiastic moted, for example a new item of clothing, Ben it across the board with numerous embrace of social media.

“The reason being is that they generate a more It is also the slogan of a new Tunbridge Wells matches them with around ten of the ‘influencinfluencers it soon adds up.” organic buzz because a lot of the time if you see The level of engagement is an a really big name endorsing a product people start-up which has found a unique way of win- ers’ he believes will be most suitable – in this important factor, Ben explains, think it’s just another advert.” ning online endorsements from well-known case fashion bloggers and celebrities. because there is little value in celebrities for its clients and their products.

He said the type of people who tend to fall into someone with thousands the category of ‘micro-influencer’ are food blogInfluencer is the brainchild of Ben Jeffries, a ‘When an influencer signs up 20-year-old entrepreneur whose own experience of followers but who gers, fashion bloggers, fitness stars, photograI ask how much they want as of the difficulties of harnessing social media to seldom uses their phers and artists. promote fledgling businesses led him to spot online accounts.

“One of our photography experts is currently their post asking fee’ what he believes is a lucrative gap in the market.

As for the big hitters, doing promotions for the tourist board.

The concept is simple and if all goes to plan, such as Ronaldinho, “They are taking photos of the UK and hopefully Once identified, he creates a provery rewarding. they certainly boost encouraging people to come here because of what Today, every celebrity or well-known blogger has file of each one which is then sent to the company’s pro- they see on his Instagram,” he said as an example. an Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account that the client who selects which of them, file and if used well “Its also important to make sure they are prooften more than one, they believe is can reach thousands, if not millions, of people. can be very lucrative, moting something they like and believe in, His company, which has been running for five best and the most cost-effective.

The influencers set their own charges, months and is registered at Companies House, THE MOTIVATION BEHIND INFLUENCER links clients with something to sell with those but they tend to be roughly the same based who are willing to endorse it – a group he refers on their reach, which for someone with Ben said he hopes to help start-ups on tighter budgets boost their profiles 40,000 is around £200 per post. to as the ‘influencers’.

“When an influencer signs up I will ask and brands as he knows how difficult that can be.

In return, the former Tonbridge School pupil “When I was 16 I had a small clothing business called Breeze and I used and current student of the University of Bath, how much they want to receive as their post asking fee and then I take a commisto try and get in touch with celebrities to see if they would wear the products. takes a commission from a pre-arranged fee.

“I found that the majority of celebrities would either ignore you or charge Ben has already secured a major coup – he was sion of around 10 to 15 per cent.

“If they don’t know how much they want ridiculous amounts, while their marketing agencies would say I needed a contacted by the PR agency of football legend minimum of £15,000 to spend, which is unfeasible for a young start-up.

Ronaldinho, who believed Influencer could help I will tell them how much they can expect to get, taking into account the number of “The whole point of Influencer (the term he uses to describe those with a him to expand his reach into the UK. broad reach online who can help with product promotion) is to allow small This one sign-up alone means Ben can now followers and their level of engagement.

INSPIRED companies to work on any budget size and make it easy for start-ups to offer his clients a person with a reach of 15 mil- “We do have cases where an influencer may Ben Jeffries come along and will quote a ludicrous amount. boost their business right from the beginning.” lion followers to promote their brands.

“I say that is no problem if that is what they And although he is developing a better online

Adam Hignett

Wednesday 27th July 2016

LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS �

otherwise it is not very authentic and people know it.”

At the moment, the business is not earning enough to be paying tax, although Ben believes it is still ‘worthwhile’ financially.

But recent developments mean he could soon see his company really take off after he entered a competition run by Young Start-up Talent and made it through to a Dragons’ Den-style final.

At stake is £50,000-worth of products and services from the businesses who contribute towards the competition.

“One of the perks of winning the competition is you get support from a lot of experts.

“This will give me access to an accountant and a law firm to sort out that side of the business, for instance.”

His second attempt at making a usable online platform is currently underway and he believes this, more than anything, will make his business model a success.

What he envisions is an online app that will allow clients to search for the type of influencer they want using key words – such as photography or football – and then browse through the results.

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER Although Ben Jeffries’ Influencer start-up is already showing signs of being very successful, the journey to this point has not been easy.

At one stage in particular, it cost Ben much more than he bargained for.

“I tried to start the project on my gap year but ran into difficulties early on,” he said.

“Because of the nature of the business, I have been trying to develop a decent online platform for both the clients and the influencers to use and make it easier for me to scale up the business.

“So I invested the money I had been saving up from work at a publisher and found a company based in India to develop it.

“The problem is they ran off with my money, and so I was back to square one.”

Although he wouldn’t be drawn on specifics, Ben admitted it had cost him ‘a lot’ and said it was in the region of ‘thousands’ of pounds.

“It was a bit unfortunate, but I guess you have to live and learn from your mistakes,” he said.

Undeterred, but with his financial resources much diminished, the first-year student was forced to resort to his current rudimentary Excel system as a stop gap while his online platform is being designed for the second time – but now through a trusted developer.

“When it came to the end of my gap year I thought, ‘I don’t need the platform necessarily’ and so I decided to push on.”

Once they select a number of influencers from the list, the app will automatically give them a quote price and contact the influencers to see if they are willing to do the promotion.

Payment can then be automatically arranged once each party agrees.

13

At the moment he has around five influencers a day contacting him to sign up but he does not have the capacity to take them all on. Securing Ronaldinho was ‘pot luck’, he said.

“I’m going to be honest and admit it was luck.

His agency saw us on Google Adwords (an online advertising forum) and called me up saying they wanted help representing him in the UK. “It was really good timing too because my largest client, the dating app Happn, was telling me they needed a big name and it just fitted together.”

THE CLIENTS

‘I’m going to be honest and admit Ronaldinho was luck. His agency saw us on Google Adwords and called me’ In effect, it will greatly enhance the company’s capacity and not be constrained by Ben’s limitations as a sole employee with only an Excel spreadsheet to work from – whilst juggling life at university.

“The direction of the company has to be getting this platform up and running in order to make it scalable.

“I hope to do this in the coming months and this will allow me to easily take on more than the 100 influencers I have already and grow to more than a thousand very quickly.”

Happn – Dating app Uber – Taxi app Lost Village Festival – Lincolnshire-based festival Crowd Mobile – Mobile content provider Badoo – dating app Daniel Wellington – Watchmakers South Beach – Swimwear

THE INFLUENCERS Ronaldinho – Brazilian footballer Amy Willerton – TV presenter and model Daily Fine Grind – Online coffee magazine Ellie Hemmings – Lifestyle blogger Emma Sheldon – Fashion Blogger

WHAT YOU PAY FOR (PER POST) £250 – 50,000 People £500 – 125,000 People £750 – 200,000 People £1000 – 300,000 People £3000 – 1 million People £10,000 – 5 million People+

Wednesday 27th July 2016

14 � LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS

Kent skills shortage reaches record high

BUSINESS growth throughout Kent remains hampered by a lack of skilled workers, figures released by the British Chambers of Commerce have revealed.

In its Quarterly Economic Survey for the months April to June, the organisation warned that the shortage of skilled workers ‘continued to intensify’ as a record number of would-be-hirers struggled to fill posts.

In total, eight out of every ten firms looking to employ people said they found it challenging to find potential employees with the right skills – this represented 55 per cent of all respondents.

Worryingly, two thirds of firms responding to the survey said they were operating below capacity, while 15 per cent said they had difficulty filling even semi/unskilled jobs.

The report also found that after a couple of years of ‘fluctuating fortunes’ exports had improved during the second quarter, a change it said was ‘probably’ down to the depreciation of sterling.

Turnover among Kent firms decreased slightly, with 22 per cent recording a decline, up two points from the previous quarter.

Whilst confidence in the next 12 months’ sales turnover remained positive, profit expectations have been eroding since last autumn, the report said.

Jo James, Chief Executive of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, said it was ‘too early’ to say what the impact of the referendum was likely to be yet and all evidence so far was ‘anecdotal’.

However, she pointed out that with a decline in the number of businesses taking part in the survey – only 70 per cent of the previous two quarters’ average responded – the second quarter results could be skewed.

“Those that did respond were obviously those that felt confident therefore the results from the survey are fairly upbeat for the county,” she said.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Mr Bishop’s family-run firm celebrates silver anniversary

Further wins for town’s colourful tech firm

FAMILY stationery firm Bishops Office Products marked their 25th year of trading this month with a celebration at their Tunbridge Wells distribution centre which saw more than 100 guests and loyal customers show up.

The company’s charity of choice, Hospice in the Weald, was also in attendance and spoke of their future projects before receiving a cheque for £800 from founder Simon Bishop behalf of the firm.

Gifts from local and national suppliers were

LOCAL software developer Crimson Tide has continued to build on its success after winning a contract with a large UK retailer worth £200,000 for use of its innovative mpro5 program last week.

In addition, the company said there was scope for the contract to use the software – which allows staff to utilise back office functions away from the desk – to be extended to a 48-month term ‘with considerably higher value’ if all goes well.

raffled off, with the proceeds also contributing towards the money given to the hospice, while guests enjoyed food provided by local restaurant Sankey’s. Speaking of the future plans for his business, Mr Bishop said: “It is our intention to keep the business growing and to maintain our reputation in the area.

“We are active members of the local business community and are supported by some excellent suppliers. Our growth, however, is only possible if supported by our staff.”

NEWS IN BUSINESS

New tax man at Creaseys TUNBRIDGE WELLS accountancy firm Creaseys has hired a new tax director to its corporate and business division.

Tom Shephard, 37, had previously spent the last ten years with the ‘Big Four’ auditor PWC and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. A former business and economics student, he specialises in advising shareholders about company reorganisations.

Unemployment falls

FAMILY FIRST Bishops celebrate 25 years in business (L-R) Andy Catton, Jim Conboy, Yvonne Williams, Simon Bishop, Rachael Bishop, Maddy Bishop, Natalie Ward and Carrie Ward

THE number of people out of work in the county fell by 525 to 17,355 in June, as the county’s labour market remained resilient despite the looming referendum.

The official figures – which measure the number of people on Jobseekers’ Allowance or Universal Credit – also revealed Tunbridge Wells continued to have the lowest claimant count at 495, followed by Tonbridge & Malling at 700.

COMMUNITY NEWS 

15

Six finalists shortlisted for £1,000 charity award IT’S PLAYTIME The garden area which the St George’s Community Children’s Project would like to spruce up

SIX local charities have made the shortlist for the £1,000 charity award being offered by the Times of Tunbridge Wells in partnership with Vodafone.

We are looking to help one of the smaller organisations in the area, for whom £1,000 could make all the difference.

The funding forms part of the Vodafone Community Connection Awards, which was launched nationwide in 2014 to mark the expansion of the telecoms company.

The sum must be invested in a specific project or purpose, rather than simply to cover operating costs.

This year’s winner will be announced on these pages next month.

Here’s our guide to the six finalists, in no particular order:

Crossways Community is a Christian charity that provides residential care and support for adults with acute mental health issues.

It also provides free mental health wellness sessions in local primary and secondary schools. It has been based in Tunbridge Wells since 1971.

Crossways would like to spend the £1,000 on reaching more schools in Kent with its new mental health wellness course, which helps Year 6 pupils to prepare for the transition to secondary school.

The course looks at a range of issues such as problem-solving, anger management, conflict resolution, building confidence and self-esteem and promoting resilience.

Dial 2 Drive offers a community transport scheme for Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks which helps clients who are housebound.

The service has been provided by the charity Imago for the last 15 years. It provides a team of volunteers supporting 66 drivers who offer their own cars and time for free.

It would spend the £1,000 on expanding the network into rural areas to tackle isolation and the loss of bus services.

Taylor-Made Dreams helps local children with terminal illness to achieve their ‘bucket list’ dreams, and provides counselling and holistic therapy to their families.

It also offers clients an opportunity to have a studio sitting for family portraits.

Taylor-Made Dreams, based in Crowborough, became a registered charity in 2014.

The average cost of an individual wish list is £1,500 and the award would go towards enabling a child’s bucket list to be realised.

St George’s Community Children’s Project provides affordable childcare to local residents and received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report this year.

It offers assisted places to families experiencing financial or emotional crisis, and ensures that every child has a hot, home-cooked meal.

St George’s was set up in 1982 and is based in Tunbridge Wells.

With £1,000 it would purchase a variety of toys to help the children engage with education before they enter school – principally for its garden area to foster outdoor learning.

FRESH START The Bridge Trust’s Supported Housing Officer Nick Doggett with one of their starter packs

The Bridge Trust supports homeless adults, providing accommodation for up to 27 people for up to two years.

It also runs a Supported Move-on Scheme with a 100 per cent success rate in its clients not becoming homeless again. It was established in 1991 and is based in Tonbridge.

The £1,000 would be used to provide five former residents who have moved on from supported accommodation with starter packs comprising bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and cleaning materials.

3H Fund arranges group holidays for physically disabled children and adults, with grants for those on low income.

It also provides respite for carers in partnership with Burrswood in Groombridge, organising food, treatments and overnight stays in beautiful, tranquil surroundings.

It was set up in 1975 and is based in Speldhurst. £1,000 will give ten carers a day visit at Burrswood, or five carers overnight accommodation there.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

16  COMMUNITY NEWS

Football marathon raises thousands for refugees SIXTH formers at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys completed an exhausting 24-hour football fundraising effort for Save the Children on July 14-15.

Year 12 student Tom Burnell was the driving force behind the marathon feat and convinced 50 of his classmates to play seven-a-side football overnight on the school’s 3G pitch.

“They played their hearts out and overcame absolute exhaustion to power towards the 2pm deadline,” Tom said.

Parents and staff volunteered to help all through the day and night – one supportive maths teacher delivered freshly cooked waffles with cream at 4am.

The canteen brought vats of pasta and then bacon sandwiches early on the second day.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

The students celebrated their successful completion of the mammoth task by carrying Tom shoulder high from the pitch at the final whistle.

He commented that having seen the plight of the refugee children he felt he had to do something worthwhile.

The project has so far raised £2,200 which will be handed over to Save the Children in order to provide a number of safe play areas for youngsters.

Jan Cobley, a local volunteer for the charity, cheered on the boys – and one girl – and expressed her heartfelt gratitude for all their efforts and determination.

If you would like to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ twgsbfootballmatch

HIGH DRAMA Tom Burnell is hoisted aloft by teammates at the conclusion of the 24-hour contest, and hands over the proceeds to Save the Children’s Jan Cobley

WALK TALL Vivienne Vockins and Gill Hicks

Feet of endurance help kids realise their dreams TWO local residents have raised a thousand pounds in aid of TaylorMade Dreams by each walking 100km in one month while juggling work commitments and holidays.

Vivienne Vockins and Gill Hicks donated £1,035 to the charity in Crowborough, which enables children with terminal and critical illnesses to achieve their ‘bucket list’.

Suzi Mitchell set up the charity in 2014 after her son Taylor died from an incurable illness. It also provides counselling and holistic therapy to support families.

Ms Mitchell said: “I am incredibly proud of these two ladies for raising so much money. We are a growing charity and we have many requests from local families and their children.”

For more information about the work of the charity, visit www.taylormadedreams.net

Denny’s Place to boost trade TUNBRIDGE WELLS barber’s Denny’s Place will hold a charity event on September 4 in memory of Denny Rowe, the shop’s founder.

It will raise money for cancer research to continue the fundraising legacy of the well-known hairdresser.

Mr Rowe, who passed away three years ago, raised £60,000 for various charities during his lifetime – and became known as the world’s fastest barber in the process.

The occasion is also designed to raise the profile of the shops and businesses on Grosvenor Road, which do not tend to attract casual custom because of their location.

Storm Walker, Mr Rowe’s daughter and director of Denny’s Place, said: “We are trying to use this opportunity to get the local community back together, working together to make people aware that we are here.

“The shops on Grosvenor Road are very specific and people don’t just wander up to have a look. They seem to think that the town starts at Tesco.”

There will be a raffle, barbecue and cake sale, while the Fourteen Arrows studio are offering tattoos for £20.

Denny Rowe was entered into the Guinness Book of Records after he shaved the faces of 1,994 men in 60 minutes on June 19, 1988.

A CUT ABOVE Storm Walker and Denny Rowe

NATIONAL NEWS �

NEWS IN BRIEF

Kent scout dies at Finnish jamboree A 12-YEAR-OLD boy scout from the 1st Aylesford troop has died at an international scout jamboree in Finland.

Charlie Girling was among scouts from around the world attending the International Finnish Jamboree Roihu 2016 on Sunday when he collapsed in camp. He died despite efforts to revive him by on-site medical teams and local paramedics.

Postal strike threat THOUSANDS of postal workers are to vote on strikes in a row over post office closures, job cuts and pensions.

The Communication Workers Union has served notice that around 3,500 of its members in Crown offices, supply chain depots and administration sites across the UK will be balloted in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action. The result is due on August 19.

Free eggs only MORRISONS has become the latest supermarket to announce that it is to stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2025.

The grocer’s pledge comes two weeks after Tesco confirmed it will stop stocking the eggs after a teenager’s petition attracted more than 280,000 signatures.

Lucy Gavaghan, 14, launched a petition urging supermarkets to stop selling the eggs, describing the farming method as ‘cruel, unnatural and inhumane’.

17

Hollande pledges to take fight to IS after priest is murdered

FRENCH president François Hollande has vowed to take on the Islamic State terror group ‘using all means possible’ after the murder of an 84-year-old priest during an attack on a church in Normandy.

Father Jacques Hamel had his throat slashed during an hour-long hostage-taking incident which began when two knifemen burst into the parish church by a back door during morning mass and took five hostages.

The church, in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen, was swiftly surrounded by anti-terror police and the hostage-takers were shot dead as they emerged into a courtyard. Authorities are trying to determine whether they had accomplices.

As bomb squad officers searched the church for possible booby-traps, one member of the congregation – which included two nuns – was rushed to hospital ‘between life and death’, suffering from serious injuries. Another worshipper was also injured.

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited the scene with the president. His spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told reporters: “The alarm was raised immediately and the police service was mobilised and the BRI (Search and Intervention Brigade) squad from Rouen was rapidly sent to the scene. They encircled the church, establishing a perimeter cordon.

“Two hostage-takers were taken out under conditions that will now be investigated by the French anti-terrorism prosecutor. They exited the church and were shot down by the police officers.”

The attack sent shock waves through a nation already reeling from the murder of 84 people in Nice on July 14, when a Tunisian national drove a lorry into crowds enjoying Bastille Day fireworks, and atrocities MURDER SCENE directed at rock fans and President Hollande sports crowds and the Charlie visits the church Hebdo magazine in Paris. where the attack Speaking after meeting took place emergency workers and the

mayor of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Mr Hollande named Islamic State – also known as Daesh – as the source of the threat to French people.

He said: “We are faced with a group – Daesh – that has actually declared war, and we have to fight this war using all means possible.

“Of course we have to respect the rule of law, because we are a democracy.”

‘The only arms which the Catholic Church can take up are prayer’ At a press conference in Downing Street, Prime Minister Theresa May offered ‘condolences to the French people following the sickening attack in Northern France’, adding: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.”

The Vatican said Pope Francis shares the “sorrow and horror” felt over the incident, adding: “We are particularly struck because this horrible violence has occurred in a church – a sacred place where we pronounce God’s love – with the barbaric murder of a priest and worshippers affected.”

The Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, who cut short a visit to Poland to return to his diocese and was due to meet Mr Hollande yesterday evening (Tuesday), said: “I cry to God with all men of good will. The only arms which the Catholic Church can take up are prayer and brotherhood between men.”

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published by the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

18  NATIONAL NEWS

UNDER FIRE HMP Swaleside

Prisoners do not feel safe in dangerous jail A KENT prison has been described as ‘dangerous’ by watchdogs in the latest of a string of warnings about safety in jails in England and Wales.

Levels of violence at HMP Swaleside were ‘far too high’, with many of the incidents serious, inspectors found.

A survey found 69 per cent of inmates at the category B training prison on the Isle of Sheppey had felt unsafe at some point, a result which was significantly higher than at similar facilities.

More than half (52 per cent) of prisoners polled said it was easy or very easy to get drugs at the prison, while 45 per cent said the same about alcohol.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons also said the use of force was high, while the segregation unit was described as ‘filthy’.

At the last inspection, in 2014, the watchdog reported that ‘significant staffing shortages were having a negative impact on outcomes for prisoners’, while safety, purposeful activity and resettlement were ‘not sufficiently good’.

Following the latest visits, Chief Inspector of

Prisons Peter Clarke said: “In many respects, outcomes at this inspection have further deteriorated in all four of our healthy prison tests, with safety in particular being of concern.

“To put it bluntly, the only sensible conclusion we could reach, on the basis of the very clear evidence before us, was that at the time of the inspection Swaleside was not a safe prison.”

The HMIP report said it had been a ‘struggling’ prison for some time, adding that the population had ‘become more challenging’.

Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “This is yet another dreadful report into a failing prison, and one which reiterates the systemic problems faced in prisons across the country.

“When we send people to dangerous prisons with such high levels of violence and nothing productive to do, it should be no surprise that they are swept into ever deeper currents of crime. “ We are writing to the new Justice Secretary to request a meeting so that we can discuss how she will meet the challenges.”

Two arrested after shooting AN ORGANISER of a reggae pool party at which a man was shot dead has described the ‘frightening chaos’ of the aftermath.

Summerlyn Farquharson, who goes by the name The Female Boss Krissy, denied the event was a ‘sex party’ and said she did not know the victim.

Surrey Police are continuing to question two people who were arrested after the 34-year-old man was shot dead and a 36-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg in the attack at a mansion in Headley, Surrey, on Monday.

Ms Farquharson was listed as one of the party organisers, along with reggae dance hall artist Braintear Spookie.

Ms Farquharson claimed she had held similar

Wednesday 27th July 2016

parties at the rented house twice before without any trouble.

She said: “Before the shooting everything was nice and then it was chaos. At about two o’clock the crowd was getting unruly, but by the time I got security I heard a gunshot. People were running and trying to get into the house.”

Ms Farquharson said the organisers had received abusive messages following the attack. “It was an innocent party, it was not a sex party,” she added.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Bex Smith said the weapon was thought to have been a handgun, which has yet to be found. She has asked for anyone who attended the event or had phone footage of what happened to come forward.

BUSINESS NEWS 

19

BP profits tumble in second quarter PROFITS at oil giant BP plunged 44 per cent to $720million (£549million) in the second quarter as the industry continues to battle against low oil prices, and the company’s share price went down 3 per cent during trading yesterday [Tuesday] morning Oil prices fell to a three-month low on Monday amid concerns of a global oversupply of crude and natural gas. Brent crude was down 2.1 per cent at $44.75 (£34).

BP boss Bob Dudley said: “Compared with a year earlier, the underlying second-quarter result was impacted by lower oil and gas prices and significantly lower refining margins, but this was partly offset by the benefit of lower cash costs throughout the group as well as lower exploration write-offs.”

The company has also cut around ten per cent of its workforce to offset tough trading.

Mr Dudley added: “We are delivering significant improvements to the business and we are now well

down the path of transforming our business to compete, whatever the future holds. We now see a much stronger outlook for BP and are focused on growth, both for this decade and beyond.”

The total cost to BP of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico now stands at around $61.6billion (£46.9billion), and the company says it has drawn a line under the payouts.

Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “It looks like BP is betting on a speedy return to higher oil prices. If that appears, then BP will have protected its shareholders through the tough times. But if oil does not rebound, then BP will become progressively weaker in an environment where strength matters.

“If prices do recover, BP’s lower cost base will serve it very well, and profits ought to recover rapidly, but for now, cost cutting is simply serving to limit the damage.”

DAMAGE LIMITATION Low oil prices have hit BP

BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF

Hot weather hits Bank hints at cut Daimler to set high street sales in interest rates up rival to Uber JOHN Lewis blamed the hot weather for a fall in sales last week, with the department store saying Britons chose to enjoy the heatwave rather than head to the shops.

Figures for the week to July 23 show that sales dipped 4.3 per cent compared with the same week last year.

Earlier this month, John Lewis boss Andy Street warned that the plunge in sterling following Britain’s decision to quit the EU could become a problem for the department store chain, which is owned by its staff as a partnership.

Mr Street said that although the firm is ‘fully hedged’ against currency fluctuations for 2016/17, next year it could be an issue.

BANK OF ENGLAND policymaker Martin Weale said he favours stimulus measures to shore up the UK economy after a postreferendum report pointed to a major growth slowdown.

Mr Weale, a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), would like to see an interest rate cut or an expansion of quantitative easing after a survey showed the UK economy had slumped at its fastest rate since the financial crisis.

The MPC will vote on whether or not to cut the cost of borrowing on Thursday August 4.

Interest rates were kept on hold this month, but Bank Governor Mark Carney says there could be another rate cut.

DAIMLER is planning to stall the meteoric rise of Uber by creating Europe’s biggest e-hailing taxi company.

The firm said ‘MyTaxi’ will join forces with the smartphone app Hailo to create a new company with 70 million passengers.

Led by Hailo Chief Executive Andrew Pinnington, the business will take the MyTaxi brand and will be based in Hamburg, Germany.

It said the undisclosed deal will create a combined business commanding 100,000 registered taxi drivers in 50 cities across nine countries.

Klaus Entenmann, Chairman of Daimler Financial Services, said the tie-up was a strategic step towards becoming a leader in its field.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

20 � WORLD NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Former employee went on stabbing rampage A JAPANESE man who stabbed 19 people to death and injured another 25 at a facility for the mentally disabled in Sagamihara, 30 miles west of Tokyo, sent a letter to the country’s parliament outlining his plan.

Satoshi Uematsu, 26, who had been sacked from the unit, carried out the 40-minute attack in the early hours of Tuesday.

Film star tree falls A TREE that became a popular tourist attraction in the US state of Ohio after appearing in the film The Shawshank Redemption has been felled by high winds.

The tree featured in one of the final scenes of the 1994 blockbuster.

Teenage abuse inquiry AUSTRALIA’S prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered an investigation into claims that teenagers were abused at a youth detention centre in Darwin.

The allegations were made when graphic footage emerged of teenage detainees being tear-gassed and stripped naked.

President accuses EU TURKEY’S president has accused the European Union of failing to honour its side of a deal to stop migrants entering Europe.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims the EU has transferred only a small amount of the ¤3billion promised as part of the agreement.

Solar powered airplane touches down after flying round world THE WORLD’S first round-the-world flight to be powered solely by the sun’s energy has made history, landing in Abu Dhabi where it first took off on its epic 25,000-mile journey last year.

Since it took off in March 2015, the Swiss-­ engineered Solar Impulse 2 has made 16 stops across the world without using a drop of fuel to demonstrate that using the plane’s clean technologies on the ground can halve the world’s energy consumption, save natural resources and improve quality of life.

“Our mission now is to continue to motivate

people, corporations and governments to use these same solutions on the ground wherever they make sense,” said Solar Impulse chairman and pilot Bertrand Piccard, who landed the plane in the United Arab Emirates.

The aircraft is uniquely powered by 17,248 solar cells which transfer energy to four electrical motors that power the plane’s propellers.

The plane’s wingspan stretches 236 feet to catch the sun’s energy. It runs on four lithium polymer batteries at night.

At around 5,070lb, the plane weighs about as much as a mini-van or mid-sized lorry. An empty FLYING VISIT Boeing 747, in comparison, Solar Impulse 2 pilots weighs 400,000lb.

Bertrand Piccard To help steady it during (right) and Andre take-offs and landings, the Borschberg plane was guided by runners and cyclists.

Over its entire mission, Solar Impulse 2 completed more than 500 flight hours, cruising at an average speed of between 28 and 56mph.

The project is estimated to cost more than £76million.

The carbon-fibre plane is a single-seater aircraft, meaning its two Swiss pilots – Mr Piccard and Andre Borschberg – had to take turns flying solo for long days and nights. To calm

their minds and manage fatigue during the long solo flights, Mr Borschberg practised yoga and Mr Piccard self-hypnosis.

Mr Borschberg said: “By flying around the world thanks to renewable energy and clean technologies, we have demonstrated that we can now make our world more energy efficient.”

The pilots would rest for a maximum of 20 minutes at a time, repeating the naps 12 times over each 24-hour stretch.

Neither pilot was able to stand in the cockpit while flying, but the seat could be reclined for stretching and its cushion removed to gain access to a toilet.

‘‘Our mission now is to continue to motivate people, corporations and governments’ Goggles worn over the pilots’ eyes flashed lights to wake them up while armbands placed ­underneath their suits buzzed when the plane was not flying level.

Mr Piccard, a psychiatrist, is the son of ­undersea explorer Jacques Piccard and a grandson of balloonist Auguste Piccard.

In 1999, he became the first person to circumnavigate the globe non-stop in a hot air balloon.

Mr Borschberg, an engineer and graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is also an entrepreneur. He launched the Solar Impulse project in 2003 with Mr Piccard.

Church turns to legal eagles in battle against Pokemon THE Catholic Church has hired a lawyer to tackle a plague of Pokemon Go players who are invading Cologne Cathedral.

It was reported that the church decided to take legal action after the virtual reality game’s manufacturers did not react to requests to exclude the ancient building from Pokemon Go. The newspaper quoted the dean, Robert Kleine,

Wednesday 27th July 2016

as saying that ‘the cathedral isn’t a playground’.

The game has barely been out of the news since its recent release, with stories of gamers getting themselves into trouble while playing.

In America a man crashed into a police car while playing behind the wheel, and in Co Down in Ireland a man reportedly jumped out into a busy dual carriageway.

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22  SPORT NEWS SPORT IN BRIEF

RFU will not consider moving Six Nations HOPES of establishing a more globally aligned rugby season have receded after the Rugby Football Union indicated it would be unwilling to move the Six Nations Championship or Autumn Tests.

New World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont is trying to synchronise the northern and southern hemisphere calendars, insisting that to make room the Six Nations may have to be staged in April.

But RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie countered: “As far as we’re concerned we have a great TV deal and we have stadia that are filled for every game.

“Why would you want to change something that works really well? So I can’t see there being any significant move in that.”

Top amateur rider dies RENOWNED amateur jockey John Thomas McNamara has died aged 41.

The leading rider from Co Limerick, known as JT, enjoyed multiple victories at the Cheltenham Festival.

But he was paralysed from the neck down after fracturing two vertebrae in a fall at Prestbury Park in 2013. It is understood he suffered complications recently.

Sir AP McCoy, the 20-time champion jump jockey, told the BBC: “I’ve done nothing but cry all morning.

“He was every bit as experienced as me and talented as I am, and he had a fall.”

Pochettino: ‘I will stay’ MAURICIO POCHETTINO wants to remain at Tottenham despite speculation linking him with the vacant Argentina job.

The former Argentina international, who led Spurs to third place in the Premier League last season, said: “I think the speculation is normal because I am an Argentinian coach at a top club in England.

“There are a lot of rumours that appear in the media but I am happy at Tottenham and for that reason, this is not the right moment.”

Arsenal’s bid snubbed Arsenal have had an offer of ¤35million (£29.3million) for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette rejected by the French club.

The Gunners are looking to sign a striker this summer after missing out on Leicester’s Jamie Vardy. But Lyon insist the 25-year-old French international is not for sale.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Allardyce holds fire on Rooney SAM ALLARDYCE refused to pass judgement on Wayne Rooney’s international future as the new England manager officially took up his post.

Allardyce said he would wait and see how things unfolded at the start of the new Premier League campaign before deciding on whether the 30-year-old will remain as captain.

Jose Mourinho, the new manager at Manchester United, has said he will end the experiment of using Rooney in midfield, which his predecessor Louis van Gaal had done last season.

There is uncertainty over whether England’s leading goalscorer will even be in the team.

“I don’t want to put myself out in the open yet. It’s a decision I’ll make when I’ve got my feet under the table,” Allardyce said.

“It’s far too early to make any predictions.

I still think Wayne Rooney has a massive place to play in the England side.

“I think Jose will determine (where he is deployed), because if Jose says he is not going to play him in centre midfield and he is playing up front and scoring goals for Manchester United then it would be pointless me bringing him into England and playing him in centre midfield.”

Rooney’s displays for club and country have been lacklustre in recent NO ROOM months, not Wayne Rooney’s England least at Euro future is in doubt 2016 when

Roy Hodgson’s side crashed out against minnows Iceland last month.

At Old Trafford he could find himself down the pecking order behind new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial – as well as his 18-year-old England colleague Marcus Rashford.

Meanwhile the national side has seen the rise of young strikers such as Rashford and Harry Kane.

Allardyce said: “I hope it’s a hugely difficult task for me to pick my first squad because everybody is on really good form and playing exceptionally well.”

But he added: “I do think that form at a football club has a place when you are making your selection.”

The Premier League’s executive chairman, Richard Scudamore, says there was “nothing” from the Euro 2016 debacle to cause concern over the development of young English players.

Roy Hodgson’s youthful side was spearheaded by the likes of Eric Dier, Dele Alli, Kane and Raheem Sterling.

Scudamore said: “We did our own post-Euros discussion, and there is nothing we saw that put us off the journey.

“In other words, we know we’re producing good players, we saw nothing that said ‘Oh, Christ’.

He compared this summer to feeling ‘so angry’ after

England’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008 – when Steve McClaren infamously took shelter under an umbrella as his side lost to Croatia.

‘I still think Rooney has a massive place to play in the England side’ Scudamore recalled: “We said, ‘We have to change, we have to change’, but we saw nothing in the Euros, either from other teams or from ourselves, quite frankly, that said we have to change the journey.”

The Premier League has been accused in the past of undermining the progress of young English players by not restricting the number of overseas players.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Premier League 2’ for Under-23 teams, Scudamore said the new league will benefit player development.

He also insisted that its arrival ruled out the prospect of the bigger clubs’ B teams joining the lower reaches of the Football League.

“This is the beginning of the end of B teams, this is it,” he said. “That’s the whole point of it, to be honest. For the English football structure and pyramid it doesn’t work.”

WINTER BREAK WILL HAVE TO WAIT 

Richard Scudamore has responded to Sam Allardyce’s call for a winter break by revealing his belief that it has “more prospects than I can remember”.



But he added that “something has to give” first, and that an agreement cannot be reached until the next Premier League broadcasting deal is discussed in late 2017.



Allardyce had said a mid-season break “would help the Premier League and us at international level if we could achieve that”.

More Russians banned from Rio Olympics THE governing bodies of canoeing and modern pentathlon have become the latest sports authorities to ban Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics in the wake of Richard McLaren’s damning report into state-sponsored doping.

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) ruled five sprint canoeists – including Alexander Dyachenko, who won the men’s K2 gold medal at London 2012 – ineligible to compete at the Games, but stopped short of issuing a federation-wide ban.

Modern pentathlon has banned two Russians who were named in the report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The latest suspensions follow bans by both rowing and swimming authorities in the wake of the International Olympic Committee’s controversial decision to let the sports decide on Russia’s involvement in Rio. Swimming’s governing body FINA banned three Russians, with four more being withdrawn by

the Russian Olympic Committee, while rowing’s international federation FISA barred three more.

But the International Judo Federation, whose honorary vice-president is Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the International Shooting Sport Federation said they will allow Russia to compete at the Games, which begin on August 5.

The Russian judokas responsible for the eight manipulated drugs tests uncovered by McLaren have not been named.

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24  LETTERS

And another thing…

The Times of Tunbridge Wells and the Times of Tonbridge always want to hear your feedback, whether on reports we have printed or any other issues you think we should know about. Email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or write to the Editor at 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU

Traffic: The challenges of walking along Upper Grosvenor Road HAS anyone else walking along Upper Grosvenor Road recently had to contend with one or more of the following challenges?  Vehicles doing consistently high speeds on a road without markings or a pedestrian safety barrier

 Cars and vans parked on the pavement

so you can’t pass other people  Cars entering and exiting their driveways from the numerous properties  Heavy traffic on the Park Road junction due to this road being a rat run  Wing mirrors on buses hanging over the pavement when each bus passes  Being splashed/soaked by passing traffic whenever it rains (fairly frequently!)

And the list goes on…

Perhaps the council can look into these issues given it is one of the main routes into town, and should encourage people TIGHT SPOT to walk?!

No thought for pedestrians

Post Office: Too hot to work

I was walking up to the Post Office to post a package (a rare avocado and fennel chutney I had discovered at the Eridge country fair, which I knew my mother would love) when I encountered a problem.

I was dismayed to find that the branch [in Tunbridge Wells] was closed due to ‘health and safety reasons’. After dwelling on the meaning behind such vague corporate speak, I read in your newspaper that it was due to the temperature inside the branch being too hot to work in.

When you think about extreme weather stopping people from working, you normally think of heavy snowstorms or floods. But it looks as if the mini heatwave was too much to handle for the staff at the Post Office.

It was quite a hot day, well certainly by British standards, but I thought our national post office workers would have a bit more determination to drive on and provide the public with the service that they are paid to deliver.

The closure of the main branch meant my mother did not receive the chutney. I kept it. But I’m sure there were more severe consequences for other people, including local businesses.

How much do fans cost?

Phoebe Jones Via email

Leadsom: How will farmers survive?

While it is reassuring to read Government Minister Greg Clark’s comments [July 13] on the new Conservative Government environmental policy, will the future of British farming be as safe in his colleague Andrea Leadsom’s hands?

As part of the pro-Brexit ‘Fresh Start’ group, she

Jack Bosher Via email

promised a bonfire of regulations and direct payments to farmers, along the lines of New Zealand in the 1980s, if the UK left the EU. She has also questioned climate change and called for a vote on fox hunting.

Quite how many local farmers would survive following this significant shake-out advocated by Leadsom would be an appropriate question for the new Defra Minister, educated at Tonbridge Girls’ Grammar school.

Dr Alan Bullion Tunbridge Wells

Boris: Keeping your friends close

My first reaction to Boris Johnson’s appointment to Foreign Secretary was unprintable. On reconsidering it, I think Mrs May has been very shrewd: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer” (Machiavelli; Sun Tzu; The Godfather?)

Lyndon Johnson had a more pithy way with words involving tents, but whatever her motives I hope the new PM took this wayward and all-too-clever politician to one side and read him the riot act: “No theatricals; no nonsense; do not upset the natives, and get down to some bloody hard work”, though the latter this butterfly will find hard to do.

She will need, too, to keep an eye on Philip Hammond – an avowed Remainer; there is every opportunity to create an alternative court at the Treasury.

John Ward Moorhouse Tunbridge Wells

Farage: At least he seriously listens

Your reader’s letter [July 20] was so accurate with its comments about Mr Greg Clark giving a

dismissive comment about Mr Farage.

I would like to put a few other points about the two men.

(1) I emailed Mr Farage during the election a year ago and had a very positive response back within 24hrs. Similarly I did with Mr Clark and got a response asking for my (and that was from his secretary) phone number so he could talk to me direct re my questions. I duly supplied the data and NO response; never had any call back.

(2) On two other occasions I have had need to speak with Mr Greg Clark face to face re problems, and talk about sitting on the fence. He listened, yes, but it was as if he couldn’t be bothered on either occasion.

From my experiences he needs to be far more proactive as all he seems to want to do is have his picture in the media.

Mr Farage might have come across as a one-issue man but at least he seriously listens and responds to constituents’ questions and concerns, so I definitely know who I would rely on for action.

David Preston Tunbridge Wells

Penshurst: Idiotic parking

I am becoming increasingly fed up with van and lorry drivers parking in idiotic places. The worst example I’ve come across recently was in Penshurst, where several times a driver of a large truck kept parking up in the village at half past eight in the morning, seemingly to get himself something for breakfast in the shop.

It was at the exact time that the primary school run was at its height, and because his lorry was too wide for the main street in the village and not properly parked with due care and attention, cars were having to mount the pavement in order to get through. This was obviously endangering the lives of small children heading to school with their parents. One time he clearly didn’t find a parking space first time around – funny that – so he performed an incredibly laborious three-point (ten-point?) turn outside the village and had another go at it from the other direction.

It’s not only the parents on the school run who are inconvenienced, of course, but those who are trying to get to work, or catch a train.

While these drivers should leave enough time for random occurrences such as this, it does not stop them becoming enraged and more impatient in the way they drive, causing yet more danger.

The problem is becoming epidemic, with the rise of supermarket delivery vans stopping anywhere and everywhere to unload.

But if you try to remonstrate with offenders, they just say ‘calm down dear, I’ll only be a minute’. That’s not really the point. It’s not about time, it’s about safety. And decency.

Peter Whitbourne Chiddingstone

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.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Calverley BREATHE not a word, but the hunt is on for a video featuring a high-flying legal eagle.

Trouble is, when the mobile phone video was taken he was really flying at Moo Moo night club in Tunbridge Wells. And that was after he and his partying friends had left a nearby hotel when the bar shut at midnight. Bottle of the best bubbly to the person who shares the video with their new best friend, Calverley.

Bet those pictures don’t feature in the firm’s colourful brochure.

CALVERLEY’S favourite estate agent has been at it again. This time the colourful character was on holiday at a posh resort (not Margate) and decided it would be fun to tell locals he was rich and owned a yacht moored in the harbour. All went well until his new friends pestered him for a party on board his ‘gin palace’. End of holiday for the man famous for appearing in a pink tutu.

But that’s another tale…

IT’S always interesting looking at council minutes (sad man that he is) and seeing who attends what meetings. Bit disturbing then sifting through official notes of a meeting of the Joint Transportation Board. In attendance were county councillors and borough councillors.

Among the subjects was the failure of KCC and Network Rail to organise the closure of Grosvenor Bridge. Anxious to discover the truth Calverley calls one of those listed as being at the meeting, Cllr Chris Hoare from Ashford, only to be told he was never at any such meeting.

Does make one wonder.

JUST could not resist sharing with loyal readers the following picture and observation on the sad closure of our BHS store that was sent to Calverley. Thank you Tanya Griffiths: “The mannequins at BHS in Tunbridge Wells staged a naked protest over being made redundant. A spokesman for the mannequins said we want management to stop treating us like dummies.” (Boom boom).

STROLLING in the town centre, Himself was walking past a group of northerners (the accents gave them away) who were obviously on a day trip to Tunbridge Wells. One chap turns to another and says: “It’s all coffee shops and charity shops.” And what’s wrong with that?

Chin, chin readers

Education in association with:

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EDUCATION �

25

EDUCATION Times WITH THE

Billy Elliot star gives pupils a masterclass in stage skills STUDENTS and staff at Kent College Pembury welcomed talented dancer and star of TV and stage Layton Williams as a guest tutor during the school’s Enrichment Week earlier

this month. He instructed the school’s most advanced dance students in a series of masterclasses then chatted to all year groups about his career, which has seen him go from playing

Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre and a young Michael Jackson in Thriller Live to starring in BBC dramas Beautiful People and Bad Education.

He also starred in the Bad Education film alongside comedian Jack Whitehall in 2015. His next role will be in the hit West End musical Rent, which goes on tour later this year.

‘The beauty of a musical is to try and appeal to a wide captive audience’

DANCE ACADEMY Layton Williams instructs a masterclass at Kent College

Dance is important at Kent College, both as an academic subject and also as an integral element of the school’s Countess of Wessex productions.

Kent College students regularly continue their dance studies beyond school, with a number of girls gaining scholarships at top dance colleges.

Layton’s extensive experience in the

world of dance was therefore of significant interest to the girls.

In a Q&A session during the day one pupil asked how he combined studying with dancing, to which he answered: “During Billy Elliot we would have tutoring in the morning, then in the afternoon we would rehearse for the show – every single day. I was there for a year doing the show but I made sure that I put my head down and got the school grades.”

Layton added: “The beauty of a musical is to try and appeal to a wide captive audience. You go to the theatre to be entertained but also end up learning as you watch.”

The performer currently has four months off. “That’s why I have decided to teach classes in schools, offering something new each time, giving back, meeting amazing people and making a difference.”

NEWS IN EDUCATION

Top marks for SKA SIXTH Form students at Skinners’ Kent Academy are again celebrating a set of impressive results, this time for the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme.

International Baccalaureate grades are awarded on a 1-7 scale, with 7 being the highest. Skinners’ Kent Academy students achieved 100 per cent grades 4-7 in their courses, which included Visual Arts and Information Technology, against the International Baccalaureate average of 79 per cent, demonstrating how the students can compete very successfully on an international scale.

Food for thought STAFF at The Tunbridge Wells Nursery and Montessori Pre-School invited school leavers and parents to its own Come Dine with Me event last week. Children and staff at the nursery spent Friday afternoon cooking Shepherd’s Pie before inviting parents to sample their culinary efforts.

The event was organised as part of a month of activities designed to help both parents and their children prepare for the transition from nursery to school.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

CASH PRIZE FOR WHOEVER CAN CATCH BEWL:S GOLDEN TROUT One lucky angler could find themselves £2,500 ....------~-~ better off if they rise to the challenge of landing ------the Golden Trout at Bewl Water.

THE PANTILES NEWS 

27

IN ASSOCIATION WITH: Targetfollow Group Ltd and The Pantiles Traders Association

PANTILESNews

The

This weekend you can enjoy all the fun Events on of the vintage fair that’s coming to town The Pantiles

Fashion fans and collectors of quirky finds will love browsing the market stalls in the town’s historical promenade this Saturday and Sunday. Eileen Leahy discovers what delights are in store for savvy shoppers at this annual event

T

HE Pantiles Vintage Fair rolls into Tunbridge Wells’ historic Pantiles area this Saturday and with it comes a good old glamorous dose of cool clothing, retro accessories and one-off gems.

Whether you’re buying for yourself, for your home or a seeking a gift for a family member or friend you’re bound to find something special on one of the many eye-catching stalls which include fabulous millinery creations, bespoke jewellery and fancy French linens.

The Vintage Fair is one of the longest running events on The Pantiles and takes place every year over the final weekend of July.

One of its organisers, Tara Fuller from the Bandstand Events company gave the Times a sneak peek into what visitors can expect to see when they pop along on Saturday or Sunday.

“We have a wide range of vintage and antique goods such as clothing, jewellery, crockery, books, furniture and much more,” she said.

“The Vintage Fair has a really good reputation so traders come from much further afield in order to be part of it. We also get lots of regular, local businesses coming along.”

Some of the traders pitching up and showcasing their wares include Cherish The Vintage who specialise in creating tailor made jewellery, the Kent Candle Company and Splendid Ted who are based in Seal near Sevenoaks and sell beautiful items for the home including furniture, photo frames and lighting.

Other exhibitors include Elizabeth Ann Textiles and Clarence and Alabama who create gorgeous fifties inspired frocks, handbags and petticoats.

There will be plenty of tempting food and drink on offer too for when you need to take a break from browsing. You can cool off with one of Surrey Ices tempting treats or give yourself a caffeine boost courtesy of Splendid Coffee’s range of delicious drinks.

Those looking for a gourmet treat won’t be disappointed thanks to the likes of food suppliers Rebecca and Rex who sell a magnificent array of regional cheese.

Tara says she hopes that the weather will be kind so the event attracts the most number of people possible. “We’ve had a few thousand visitors in the past so hopefully we can top those numbers this year!”

THERE are always plenty of interesting markets and specialist fairs happening on the famous promenade in Tunbridge Wells. Here’s a round-up of what’s coming up over the next few months…

WEEKEND MARKETS The usual Pantiles Market continues on the 1st and 3rd weekend of the month. Shoppers will be treated to an array of locally produced food and drink offerings and inspiring interior finds for the home.

JAZZ ON THE PANTILES This hugely popular event has been running since the beginning of May and will continue every Thursday night until the end of the summer. So sit back, relax and listen to lots of great music while feasting on fabulous food.

ONE OF A KIND The Vintage Fair rolls into town this weekend so if you love quirky, unique and antique items then this is the perfect place to spend a morning or afternoon browsing the gorgeous goods on display.

MAGIC MARATHON Local magician Adam Smith will be hosting an amazing 48 hour session of performing culinary tricks on The Pantiles from Sunday August 7 until Tuesday August 9 in order to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. This huge feat for charity will kick off at midday on Sunday and run until midday on Tuesday.

HEART AND SOUL On Saturday August 13 the ever popular Soul Train steams into town. So if you’re a fan of feelgood, groovy tunes then make sure you’re boogying in the bandstand on The Pantiles from 7pm. On Saturday and Sunday August 27 and 28 there will also be the Soul Train Summer Party so put this funky annual event into your diary. See page 70 for more details.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

28  THE PANTILES NEWS

How a passion for pampering pets turned into a profitable business Catherine Parr runs Collared – a shop specialising in funky accessories and must-have fashion items for pets. Here she tells the Times why she turned her love of treating animals into a successful company HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS? We started Collared six years ago.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? Our hotel (The White Rock in Hastings) is dog friendly and we realised just how many people had and loved pets. We also saw the potential of the premises that is now Collared in Hastings and realised it would make a lovely shop for something fun as it has two great windows and a seafront location.

HOW MANY SHOPS DO YOU HAVE? We have three now: Hastings, Tunbridge Wells and most recently one in Canterbury. It’s a

A DOG’S LIFE Catherine Parr with her poodles

DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO OPEN ANY OTHER STORES? I’d love to open more shops but our next plan is to go online – so many people ask us so watch this space!

lovely space that’s next door to the Cathedral’s gift shop on Burgate. All three of our shops are in really interesting, historic locations and buildings.

WHICH CAME FIRST – THE SHOP IN HASTINGS OR TUNBRIDGE WELLS? We launched Hastings first.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN A SHOP IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS? We think Collared is a really good brand and Tunbridge Wells was an ideal spot as it’s not too far away from Hastings and we absolutely love The Pantiles.

WHO INSPIRES YOUR BUYS? IS IT THE ANIMALS OR THE FUNKY, COVETABLE DESIGNS? I’ve got to say both. We think that people are getting bored of the ‘once a lifetime’ kind of purchase for their pets. People either want collars, leads or beds that work with their personal style or current trends which is why we sell a wide variety of accessories for all types. We also stock gifts, treats and toys – all the things that are the nicer side of pet ownership.

WHAT ELSE INSPIRES YOU WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING OUT PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES FOR THE SHOPS? We only buy things that we really like. We are always looking for new things and items that other shops don’t have. We go to a huge trade show in Nuremberg every other year and buy from all over the world as well as sourcing loads of really great UK made products as well.

We buy from both PRETTY IN PRINT big and very small Some stylish pet suppliers to give bowls on offer real variety.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ANIMAL? IF SO, WHICH ONE IS IT? My favourite animals are my two standard poodles - Rocky & Barney - and my tabby cat Frankie, who’s in charge!

Everyone thinks that their pets are the most special ones and that no one else can understand just how much you love them and I’m no different.

HOW DO YOU LIKE WORKING IN THE PANTILES AND WHY? I just love it, it’s so special. I love the history of shopping and The Pantiles is just so evocative of years gone by. I really don’t think that enough people outside the town appreciate just how fantastic it is.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SUCCESS TO TRADING IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS? It’s the combination of shopping and history that residents and tourists alike find so special.

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE PIPELINE FOR YOU? As well as going online with Collared later this year, we are opening a new café bar in Hastings as part of St Mary in the Castle, which is a really interesting former church and now a venue in Hastings. These two projects will certainly keep me busy this year.

Collared is located at 9 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TD

WEST KENT’S ULTIMATE PROPERTY GUIDE – FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY A MUST READ FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BUY, LET OR SELL

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WITH THE

Available in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks

Your own piece of Hever history A lodge with a ‘bull ring’

The 16th-century beam-filled beauty with all mod cons

Gorgeous Grade II listed home with a Georgian façade

bracketts est. 1828

Gard ening Speci al Insid e

Enjoy grand dining in the hall of this sandstone granary

Wednesday 27th July 2016

 PROPERTY SECTION

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

In my view…

Your at-a-glance guide to

Mark Sparrow MNAEA Sales Manager, Wood & Pilcher, Tunbridge Wells

For better or worse, over recent decades our homes have been increasingly viewed as investments. The problem, of course, with buying any investment is that nobody likes uncertainty and a month ago many agents in my position were looking with some concern at prospects for the local property market post Brexit.

We really weren’t certain what would happen. A month in, and with the dust now settling, it appears that in reality, very little has changed. Of current agreed sales, maybe a few of the less motivated buyers and sellers have fallen by the wayside but the vast majority continue to honour their word and continue towards exchange of contracts.

This July, we continue to struggle – as ever - with a lack of supply of saleable stock and with buyers outnumbering sellers - exactly as it was pre Brexit.

For many of us locals, it may not be surprising to hear that the desirability of our town, the convenience of living here & the quality of life it affords continue – for now - to trump the latest economic worries.

As an aside, do be sure to support your local, independent estate agents.

Perhaps you enjoy the cricket at Southborough? Maybe you’ve heard of the success of Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club? Maybe have even – ahem - thrown some shapes at Soul Train in the Pantiles? Each of these noble causes has Wood & Pilcher sponsorship behind them. Why? You’ll find we remain a local agent happily spending our money locally!

23 High Street, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1UT 01892 511211 www.woodandpilcher.co.uk

LONDON ROAD HILDENBOROUGH

£975,000 - £995,000

UNDER £200,000 MONSON ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£160,000 (Leasehold) newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? Wednesday 27th July 2016

An investment opportunity to purchase a newly refurbished apartment in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, set over the historic Monson Colonnade. This small flat is beautifully presented and features a communal hall (shared between

two flats), an inner hall, a large living room, kitchen, double bedroom and shower room. It is currently tenanted and is a perfect buy-to-let opportunity for an investor. The property is leasehold, with a long lease.

CONTACT Martin & Co Tunbridge Wells 01892 534856 www.martinco.com

UNDER £350,000 NORTH FRITH PARK, HADLOW

£315,000

This well-proportioned apartment is part of a prestigious private estate lying between Shipbourne and Hadlow. The property is on the first floor of a building built in 1999, and the accommodation includes an entrance hall with

storage cupboards, a large sitting/dining room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

There are 65 acres of communal grounds and the apartment comes with two allocated parking spaces.

CONTACT Savills Sevenoaks 01732 789700 www.savills.com

PROPERTY SECTION 

great properties by price range…

UNDER £450,000 MEREWORTH ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£425,000

A semi-detached house in a popular location close to amenities. This family home has been tastefully updated by the owners and offers well-proportioned accommodation. There is an entrance hall, sitting room, open-plan kitchen/ dining room, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The mature rear garden is of a good size and has a terrace adjoining the house, a deck, plus a garden shed.

CONTACT Alexandre Boyes 01892 525522 www.alexandre-boyes.co.uk

UNDER £600,000 CIDER COURT, TUDELEY

£599,500

This fabulous mews cottage is set in a stunning rural location near Tonbridge with countryside views, character features and a stylish, contemporary interior. It offers a lovely open-plan space on the ground floor, comprising living, dining and kitchen areas, as well as four bedrooms on the first floor, an en-suite and a family bathroom.

The third bedroom has an interesting mezzanine sleeping area. There is also an integral open car bay for two vehicles.

CONTACT Barnes Kingsnorth Tonbridge 01732 771616 www.bkestateagents.com

UNDER £800,000 UNDER £1MILLION

MALTON WAY, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£699,999

LONDON ROAD HILDENBOROUGH

£975,000-£995,000 This charming detached family home on the borders of Hildenborough and Tonbridge has been extended and modernised to offer spacious accommodation with character features and a stylish interior.

The ground floor comprises an entrance hall, study, drawing room, family room, dining room, modern kitchen, conservatory, utility room and cloakroom.

Upstairs there is a master bedroom with en-suite, along

with four further bedrooms and a family bathroom. To the front there is plenty of parking and a triple barn garage, with a delightful mature rear garden. The plot totals around an acre.

CONTACT Bracketts Tonbridge 01732 350503 www.bracketts.co.uk

A detached family house, built in the 1960s and owned by the vendors since new. Set in a popular and peaceful cul-de-sac, this property offers great scope for extension and improvement - subject to planning consents. It currently comprises an entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, four bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is driveway parking and a double garage to the front and a large mature garden to the rear.

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

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Cranbrook - £199, OOO Leasehold Second floor apartment within the centre of the historic town of Cranbrook, offering a range of amenities and facilities. Well presented, light and bright accommodation in a Grade II listed building, circa 1878. Open plan kitchen/sitting/dining room. Two bedrooms and a bathroom. Also available to let!

In the renowned Cranbrook School catchment area.

Robertsbridge - £775,000 Freehold A real atmosphere ofpeace and tranquillity flows not only through this detached home 's heavenly grounds but through its capacious interior too. Allow yourself to wake up to commanding views of the garden 's pond, outbuilding, terrace, and private woodlands, before relaxing in the sauna room. 1. 76 acres. Herbaceous scenery. 4 bedrooms and 3 receptions. Just 1 mile from Robertsbridge station.

Ticehurst- £875,000 Freehold A newly extended and refurbished attached cottage set in a leafy lane within walking of the village of Ticehurst, boasting a contemporary finish throughout. Featuring a stunning triple aspect kitchen/dining room. Laid to lawn with flower beds. Paved terrace perfect for al fresco dining. Ample off road parking All to be found within 4.8 miles of Wadhurst station.

Herstmonceux - £1,495,000 Freehold An impressive Grade II listed Elizabethan country house set against a backdrop of rolling countryside, situated in a quiet leafy lane located on the edge of the idyllic, picturesque East Sussex village of Herstmonceux. Resplendent with fine oak beams and inglenook fire places.

8 bedrooms. Nestled and surrounded by 1.5 acres of nature. Contemporary kitchen with Aga. 3 reception rooms. Filled with traditional charm.

Victims of our own success, we are desperately seeking more country cottages, character houses, farms and equestrian properties for our selection of well placed buyers. Please call for a free valuation.

Tonbridge £475,000 Similar required.Well-presented and extended 3 bedroom semi-detached house at the south end of the town, bay fronted lounge, dining room, conservatory, fitted kitchen, attached garage, parking, good size rear garden EPC C

South Tonbridge £385,000 Bay Fronted Semi-Detached house for general updating, favoured Meadow Lawn area, walking distance High Street. 3 Bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, 12ft Kitchen. Corner plot, garage.

Tonbridge £700,000 - £750,000 Sought after Crescent, 4 Bedroom Detached house requiring modernisation, situated on a large plot adjoining farm to the rear. 2 reception rooms, study, kitchen-breakfast room.

Double length garage, parking. EPC E

Central Tonbridge £295,000 Well-presented apartment within the Market Quarter, popular Slade area. 2 bedrooms, I en-suite, family bathroom, spacious lounge-diner kitchen, allocated parking, few minutes' walk ofTonbridge Castle. EPC C

Leigh

Tonbridge £695,000 Similar required. Detached House offering scope to updated and extend, s.t.p. 4 bedrooms, scope for 2 in the roof space. 24ft family room, bay fronted lounge, garage, parking, large garden. No Chain. EPC C

£900,000 - £925,000

Delightful location of this delightful village, with its village green, local general store/ Post office. 4 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, conservatory, double garage, parking, pretty gardens, views over open country side. EPC C

Tunbridge Wells Guide Price £274,500 Immaculately presented top floor purpose-built apartment with two bedrooms and allocated parking space. The apartment is situated within the favoured St John's area of Tunbridge Wells and is offered chain free. EPC: C

Tunbridge Wells £500,000 Extended four bedroom semi-detached property with generous gardens and situated within the catchment for the highly regarded St James' primary school. EPC: D

Tunbridge Wells Guide Price £575,000 Well presented extended three bedroom semi-detached home nestling at the head of a small cul-de-sac within close proximity of Claremont primary school. EPC: C

Tunbridge Wells Guide Price £719,950 Victorian Home with modern stylish interior arranged over three floors, four double bedrooms and landscaped rear courtyard garden. Situated in an enviable location in the town within approx. I00' of The Grove. EPC: D

Tunbridge Wells Monthly Rental Of £2,600 A beautiful 5 bedroom town house in sought after Claremont Road. Kitchen/breakfast, open plan reception room, master bedroom with en-suite, 4 further bedrooms & 2 bathrooms. Courtyard garden, gas central heating & permit parking.Available now. EPC: E

Rusthall Monthly Rental Of £2,500 Immaculately presented 6 bed detached family home. Kitchen/breakfast/family room, living room, study, ground floor bedroom with en-suite wet room, 5 further double bedrooms & 3 bathrooms. Gas central heating. Large garden & off road parking.Available now. EPC E.

London Road, Tunbridge Wells A fine Grade II Listed Georgian town house overlooking the common, just 0.5 miles from the mainline station 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms. Well-maintained gardens. Off-street parking. In all 3,238 approx sq ft.

Connaught Way, Tunbridge Wells A substantial family home, ideally positioned for schools and just 1 mile from the mainline station 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. Established rear garden. Off-street parking. EPC rating E. In all 2,119 approx sq ft.

. . Knight . . ffank

•• K • • Franl<

 PROPERTY SECTION

Your home is (almost) Anne Boleyn’s castle

H

EVER LODGE is a substantial period home dating back to 1904 and formerly the bailiff’s house to Hever Castle. It has a Kentish vernacular style with timber frames, Tudor-style gables and ovolo mouldings.

The Grade II listed property is entered via a private drive with turning circle at the end where the main house and outbuildings are first seen. It sits in more than 22 acres with mature gardens and additional pastureland to the south.

The main house comprises three reception rooms – the drawing room being the most impressive with its grand ceiling height, traditional wood panelling and French doors to the garden. The dining room also opens to the garden. Additionally, there is a sitting room, cloakroom and kitchen/breakfast room.

Also part of the ground floor is a self-contained annexe with a sitting room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom – although it could be converted back to form part of the main house, subject to the usual planning permission.

Upstairs there are five double bedrooms, including the master with an en-suite, and a sixth bedroom which is a single. Plus two family bathrooms.

The outbuildings are very impressive with their wooden beamed vaulted ceilings and large open spaces. The games room complex comes with a separate gym, sauna and multiple storerooms, making it extremely versatile.

Further outbuildings include a billiards room, a dairy and a stunning covered terrace area.

Finally there is a very unusual ‘bull ring’ yard, which was once used to parade cattle. Currently it serves as an attractive feature and further lawned area.

The gardens are made up of manicured lawns and hedges, and there is a large indoor swimming pool with neighbouring tennis court.

The main aspect of the house and gardens is south facing and totally private. Beyond this is a gate opening on to a field, adding to the privacy and seclusion.

The property also adjoins Hever Castle Golf Club.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

HEVER LODGE HEVER ROAD, HEVER

£2,750,000

PROPERTY SECTION �

‘It has a Kentish vernacular style with timber frames, Tudor-style gables and ovolo mouldings’

AT A GLANCE n Stunning Grade II listed Tudor-style character property n Extremely versatile accommodation n Several outbuildings n Entrance hall n Sitting room n Dining room n Drawing room n Kitchen/breakfast room n Cloakroom n One-bedroom ground floor annexe n Master bedroom with en-suite n Five further bedrooms n Two bathrooms n Garage complex with games room, gym, sauna, WC and storerooms n Billiards room n Old dairy n Large covered terrace n Bullring feature n Gardens and grounds of 22.33 acres

£2,750,000 For sale through Knight Frank Sevenoaks 01732 658856 www.knightfrank.co.uk

Wednesday 27th July 2016

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

KENT

MAYFIELD'

EAST SUSSEX

Luxury Victorian apartment + town centre location + 3 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + kitchen/ breakfast room + allocated parking space + Council Tax=D + EPC=C

Furnished short let + 5 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + 3 reception rooms + charming gardens + peaceful rural situation + Council Tax=G + EPC=D

£2,995 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

£1,795 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

TICEHURST,

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

EAST SUSSEX

KENT

Lovely village location + 4 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + 2 reception rooms + courtyard terrace + wood -fired pizza oven + split over 3 levels + Council Tax=F + EPC exempt

Saint John's area + open plan kitchen/reception + 2 bedrooms + bathroom + allocated parking space + communal garden area + bicycle store + Council Tax=C + EPC=C

£1,750 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

£1,150 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/o ccupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee - charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished / unfurnished. For more details including example inventory fee , visit

www.savills.eo.uk/fees.

MAYFIELD,

TICEHURST,

EAST SUSSEX

EAST SUSSEX

Grade II listed family house with converted oast house + 3 reception rooms + kitchen/breakfast room + 6/7 bedrooms + swimming pool + about 2.55 acres + 4,288 sq ft + Oast EPC=E

Wadhurst MLS 4 miles + 4 reception rooms + study + kitchen/breakfast room + 7 bedrooms + swimming pool, tennis court + PP for extension + about 2.49 acres + 3,855 sq ft + EPC=D

Guide £1.845 million Freehold

Guide £1. 75 million Freehold

BETWEENWADHURST AND FRANT,

Contact: Amanda Wyatt

EAST SUSSEX

FRANT,

Contact: Amanda Wyatt

EAST SUSSEX

Detached character cottage + Frant MLS 2.4 miles + sitting room + kitchen/breakfast room + 2 bedrooms + enclosed garden + car port + off street parking + 834 sq ft + EPC=D

First fioor apartment in Grade II listed mansion + Frant MLS 1 .8 miles + 2 reception rooms + 2 double bedrooms + garage + communal grounds + 1 ,241 sq ft

Guide £450,000 Freehold

Guide £375,000 Leasehold

Contact: Becky Card

Contact: Becky Card

WITH THE

GARDENING OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

Food for the soul Victoria Truman explains why gardening is good for you in more ways than one

Playtime Make your garden a wonderland for little ones

Avoid the drought How to keep your garden thriving while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re away

Wednesday 27th July 2016

 GARDENING

GARDENING TIPS FOR SPRING

Victoria Truman

Garden designer

Kent-based garden and landscape designer Victoria Truman www.victoriatruman.com offers her advice and tips for making the most of your plot

The healthy benefits of gardening in the great outdoors Gardening is not only beneficial to our wellbeing but good for the soul too. The Times’ gardening correspondent Victoria Truman examines how a little weeding and planting can lift your spirits

R

ESEARCHERS have found that gardening is actually beneficial to your health. In fact, it has been found that pulling weeds and smelling roses can lower blood pressure, help you feel happier, and increase brain activity.

Because of this overwhelming body of evidence, we now have something that has been dubbed ‘horticulture therapy’, which is used in a variety of settings to help people cope with their emotions and illnesses. Most notably, it’s being used in hospitals, schools, and even in prisons. The idea is gaining such momentum, that this summer at the Hampton Court Flower show, experts from a wide range of fields came together to discuss the positive effects gardening can have on both chronic health conditions and bringing the community together.

One of them was the Royal Horticultural

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Society’s Director General Sue Biggs who spoke candidly about the positive effects gardening had on her recovery from breast cancer.

“It’s not just about gardening and horticulture, it’s also about happiness,” she said. “I can’t think of a better thing to make people happy – especially during these tough times at the moment – and I think gardening is it. It is just a joy.”

Within the United Kingdom, there are pilot schemes taking place in which GPs provide gardening to their patients when they feel they can benefit from it.

From a personal point of view whenever I need to feel recharged or I’m in need of escaping I head out into my garden and spend the day working in it, weeding, mowing, clipping seldom sitting! By the end I’m happy, aching, recharged and full of new ideas and designs.

Another study, published online in the

‘When you walk out into a garden and you literally smell the roses, see the bees buzzing on the lavender, all that instantly uplifts the soul and mood’

British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that active hobbies like yard work and gardening were as good as going to the gym for heart health. Older adults with hobbies like this were able to cut their risk of heart attack or stroke and their chances of dying from any cause by 30%.

When you walk out into a garden and you literally smell the roses, see the bees buzzing on the lavender, all that instantly uplifts the soul and mood.

As a nation, we like walking outside and I regularly see walkers passing by my property, always happy and cheery. The people I deal with and work with in my field are helpful, engaging, free spirited and for the most part relaxed and I am pretty sure that’s down to the amount of time we all spend engaging our senses with gardens, landscapes, plants and trees.

GARDENING 

Reasons why gardening is good for your health: � Gardening burns calories and is considered moderate to

high-intensity exercise. You can burn up to 330 calories during just one hour of light gardening and yard work — more than lifting weights for the same amount of time. � The National Institute of Health goes so far as to

recommend 30 to 45 minutes of gardening three to five times a week as part of a good strategy.

AWAY FROM THE CROWDS The great outdoors is the ideal spot to take a breather

� Gardening decreases the likelihood of osteoporosis. When

you dig, plant, weed, and engage in repetitive tasks that require strength or stretching, all of the major muscle groups are getting a good work out. � Gardening is a stress buster. In a study in the Netherlands,

two groups of students were told to either read indoors or garden for 30 minutes after completing a stressful task.

The group that gardened reported being in a better mood than the group that read. And they also exhibited lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. � Being surrounded by flowers improves one’s health. In

behavioural research conducted at Rutgers University by Jeanette M. Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., the results showed that flowers are a natural and healthy moderator of moods and have an immediate impact on happiness, long term positive effects on mood, and makes for more intimate connections between individuals. � The act of gardening enables us to enter the ‘zone’, also

known as an altered state of consciousness – similar to what a jogger or one who practices yoga or mediation can experience. � Gardening strengthens your immune system. While you’re

outdoors basking in the sun, you’ll also soak up plenty of vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. In turn, calcium helps keep your bones strong and your immune system healthy. � So if you have any green space and want to feel

good inside and outside (once the aching subsides) get gardening!

Top tips for August:

1 Check clematis for signs of clematis wilt 2 Care for houseplants while on holiday 3 Water tubs and new plants if dry, but be water-wise 4 Deadhead bedding plants and repeat-flowering perennials, to ensure continuous flowering 5 Pick courgettes before they become marrows 6 Treat apple scab 7 Clear algae, blanket weeds and debris from ponds, and keep them topped up

8 Order catalogues for next year’s spring-flowering bulbs 9 Give the lawn a quick-acting summer feed, especially if not given a spring feed

10 Harvest apricots, peaches and nectarines

Wednesday 27th July 2016

 GARDENING

Real character with Chilstone CHILSTONE’S Linford Urns, Panelled Pedestals and Rope Edging were featured at this year’s Hampton Court show. Perfect for summer planting on patios or as features in a formal garden. This garden replicated the wonderful 2015 show garden at Hampton Court, designed by Jean Wardrop and Alexandra Stevenson, that was hugely successful not only because the images were used by The RHS to promote this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, but a visitor to the show garden was so taken by it, they bought all of the stone ornaments, planters and the rest of Chilstone’s stonework on the spot. The garden was packed up and transported straight to the customer.

The stone work can be treated to maintain POPULAR DISPLAY Chilstone products are always in demand

that new look, or it can be weathered to blend into your garden like natural stone.

The history of cast stone stretches back to ancient times and reached a popular high point in the building boom of Victorian England. Over the decades the Victorian processes pioneered by the likes of Coade and Pulham were lost - but in the 1950’s the cast stone process was reinvented by Chilstone.

Chilstone cast stone garden ornaments are often based on the work of great designers of the past and are readily distinguishable as being entirely handmade with a finish identical to carved stone. This is in great contrast to the mass market ornaments seen in so many garden centres and nurseries. www.chilstone.com

Broadview Garden Centre and Tearoom is a delight WITH summer now at its best, it’s time to enjoy being outdoors. This could include strolling around beautiful gardens, holding a BBQ for friends and family, or buying something new for your garden.

Broadview Garden Centre and Tearoom allows you to do all of these.

You can shop in the garden centre to buy plants, accessories, gifts and BBQ essentials. You can eat locally sourced delicious food in the Tearoom or you can stroll through award winning gardens where you will see different themes and find plenty of inspiration for your garden. Experienced staff members are always on hand to help.

Children are welcome. Not only will they enjoy the gardens, they can also play in the outdoor playground while you sit back with a cream tea and enjoy the sun on the patio.

There is also a special family room in the tearoom for you to take advantage of.

The local farm shop is a great place to buy

ORIENTAL BEAUTY A tranquil way to spend a pretty summer day

Wednesday 27th July 2016

IT’S PLAYTIME Perfect for kids

all of your fresh produce, some of which has been grown on Hadlow College’s 1,000 acre estate, as well as Hadlow reared meat for your BBQ. This includes their own lamb, beef and poultry and condiments for an extra dose of flavour.

So why not love summer at Broadview Garden Centre and Tearoom? www.broadviewgardens.co.uk

GARDENING 

Make outdoor space a fun place SO YOU’VE bought them the junior gardening gloves, mini-forks and little wheelbarrows to get your kids in the mood for gardening - but when all the planting’s done, what’s next?

Well, other enticements might include a den, tucked away from the adults, preferably in a shady part of the garden that will not suffer from high use with little ones coming in and out all the time.

To do it quickly, establish some shelter and fast-growing cover using plants such as willows. For an improvised hideaway, create a simple teepee from willow canes pushed in the ground in a circle and tied together at the top. If you want something prettier for

SHELTER FROM THE STORM Get creative with materials

next year, plant climbers such as clematis to climb up the canes in spring to provide flower cover.

‘Sandpits provide young children with hours of fun’ A treehouse may be the ultimate den, but it can be costly and complicated to erect if you’re not a natural DIY-er, so you may be better off letting kids make their own den.

Leave a wild area for them to roam around in, preferably towards the back of the garden, but where you can keep an eye on them,

providing a variety of SANDMAN twiggy sticks, plants Time outdoors is and wood and let their important imagination run wild.

They can make their own camps using old curtains, old sheets, blankets and pegs.

Sandpits provide young children with hours of fun, whether you buy a plastic one with a lid on it or a more permanent fixture made from a circle of logs set vertically into the ground or from a cleaned-up tractor or lorry tyre.

Use sand that is sold specifically for playpits, as it is nontoxic and won’t harm children, animals, lawns or borders if accidentally spilt. Public play areas and sandpits with high use tend to replace the sand annually, but it is not always necessary to do this if you keep the pit covered when not in use.

It’s worth drying it out regularly, though, as bacteria and other bugs can breed in sand that is continually wet.

Create a wildlife garden for kids. Planting should ideally be done in the spring when you can sow a wildflower meadow and feature a good variety of plants including shrubs, hedges and trees as well as winter berries. Create a bed featuring wildflowers which will grow on poor soils, including meadow clary (Salvia pratensis) and red campion (Silene dioica) along with nectarrich open-centred flowers including poppies, catmint, sedums and herbs such as lavender, mint and thyme.

Help the kids make an insect house using old pieces of bamboo cane inserted into a small wooden frame or terracotta pot, and

put out bird feeders and baths, nesting boxes and hedgehog and insect houses in this new wildlife space while the kids make a log pile in which insects and mammals can shelter.

Treat them to a wildlife identification guide, so they can tell you what they’ve seen and a pair of binoculars for a better view.

As play is likely to be at the top of a young family’s agenda, play equipment such as swings and slides could be situated in their own area or integrated into the garden. Rope swings from trees and zip wires (kits are widely available) gently running downwards from one tree to another can soon be dismantled once the children lose interest.

If you are creating an area for the children, there are many plants to avoid because they are either poisonous or irritate the skin including monkshood (aconitum), euphorbia, laburnum, daphne, digitalis, colchicum and taxus, although the list is pretty long, so it’s probably wiser to teach children about the dangers of plants. For a comprehensive list, visit www.rhs.org.uk

Wednesday 27th July 2016

 GARDENING

How to ensure your garden does not suffer during a summer trip

If you go away for a fortnight during the summer holidays and don’t want to return to bedraggled borders, dried-out pots and a lawn which looks like straw, take action now BEFORE YOU GO Weed, mow and water. Make sure beds and borders are tidy, weeded and well watered.

Deadhead and cut back perennials which have finished flowering. If you have annuals in borders, deadhead them and even pick off emerging flowers to conserve the plants’ energy for when you return. They may reward you with fresh blooms which come through in your absence. Mow the lawn, leaving the clippings on it which will help conserve moisture should it be really dry when you’re away. Give containers and baskets a really good water and feed before you leave.

WHILE YOU’RE AWAY Family, friends and neighbours: Call on kindly neighbours, friends or family who live nearby to maintain your garden in your absence. Leave clear instructions about watering and deadheading, and get them to harvest any ripening fruit and veg from your allotment or vegetable patch for their own use. That way it won’t go to seed. They could even freeze what they don’t use. � Automatic watering: There are many automatic irrigation systems on the market which can be timed to go on and off as you wish. More sophisticated models are

WATER IS LIFE Make sure your plants have plenty to drink

Wednesday 27th July 2016

‘If you have a collection of patio pots, give them a really good soaking just before you go away and put them all together in a sheltered, shady spot’ activated depending on the dryness of the soil while others, such as Hozelock’s Cloud Controller, this year’s RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year, can be operated from your mobile phone. � Shade pots: If you have a collection of patio pots, give them a really good soaking just before you go away and put them all together

in a sheltered, shady spot which is open to the elements (including rain).

Clustering them should help conserve moisture, reduce evaporation and make it easier for friends or neighbours to water. Stand the pots in saucers or trays which act as a reservoir and hold some of the excess water as it drains. � Hanging baskets: These can need watering twice a day in the height of summer and if you don’t have a neighbour to do it, you’ll have your work cut out to keep them looking good.

Take down the basket and dig a depression in the soil in a shady border that you can sink the basket in. Water and feed the basket, ensuring the soil underneath is thoroughly soaked too and give your basket plants a good trim before you go. � Other watering solutions: If you don’t have an automatic watering system or a neighbour to take care of your patio pots, create your own self-watering system by placing a bucket of water on bricks and surrounding it with your pots, which should be at a lower level than the bucket. Cut out strips of capillary matting (available from garden centres and DIY stores) to create a wick for each pot, placing one end of the matting in the bucket and training it down and inserting the other end into the compost, which should keep it moist when you’re away. � Drought-tolerant plants: There are plenty of colourful plants which will survive your two-week absence.

Geraniums, cosmos, escholzia (Californian poppy), gazania, osteospermum and nicotiana should all be okay. A wider list of drought-tolerant plants is available from the Royal Horticultural Society at www.rhs.org.uk BEST OF THE BUNCH: PELARGONIUMS These are among the most drought-tolerant of summer bedding plants, adding colour and texture to containers and at the front of borders. They used to be known as geraniums as their seed capsules are similar to those of our native

SALAD FRESH Keep those greens green

hardy geraniums, but the name still sticks. There are more than 200 species, but the most common are zonal perlagoniums, the ones with leaves like opened fans.

There are also ‘uniques’, which bear masses of small flowers and scented foliage, while regal pelargoniums are among the earliest to flower and many produce rich colours including deep burgundies and plums. Ivyleaved types are trailing, so ideal for hanging baskets and containers. The beauty about PRUNING TIME A neglected flower never blooms

GARDENING 

GREEN FINGERS Preparing your garden for your time away makes all the difference

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK � Take cuttings of new shoots of camellias, rooting them in a gritty

compost in a covered propagator. � Clean pond pump filters to ensure they don’t get clogged up

with algae. � Harvest Japanese onions planted last autumn. � Thin out heavy crops of apples, picking off small, damaged fruits

to give the rest more room. � Continue to pick sweet peas for cut flowers indoors or remove

dead seed heads to ensure that plants continue to flower. � Feed established wisteria with a high potash liquid feed to

these plants is that they hardly need watering - in fact most problems occur through over-watering - and if its roots become constricted in the pot it should flower profusely. Good varieties include ‘Voodoo’, a unique variety with wine red flowers with black centres, and ‘Attar of Roses’, a light pink type valued for its rose-scented foliage.

GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT: AUTUMN AND WINTER SALADS You may now be reaping the rewards of your summer leaves from successional sowings, but there’s still time to plant some salads to enjoy later on in the season. Rocket and lamb’s lettuce can still be sown in most situations, while winter purslane prefers lighter soil. Sow seeds thinly in drills

around 23cm (9in) apart. These leaves don’t need to be thinned out. Just cut them as you need them and they will come again. Oriental veg such as Chinese radish, pak choi and mizuna can also be added to the mix or grown as ornamental plants in borders, sowing in rows 30cm (1ft) apart. These can be thinned to 15-30cm (6-12 inches) between plants.

promote flowering. � Layer non-flowering side shoots of carnations to raise new plants. � Water blue hydrangeas with a solution of colourant to ensure blue

varieties remain blue in future and prompt pink ones to turn blue. � Top up levels of ponds and water features as water evaporates. � Pick ripe tomatoes as they form and remove leaves below the

lowest truss to improve air circulation. � Pick lettuce, cutting every alternate one in a row to leave others

more space to develop.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

 PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE KENTWATER HOUSE HARTFIELD ROAD, COWDEN � Grade II listed country house � Dating from the 16th century � Fully refurbished � State-of-the-art and character features � Entrance hall � Cloakroom � Cinema room � Drawing room � Sitting room � Kitchen/breakfast room � Utility room � Boot room � Five bedrooms, two en-suite � Family bathroom

State-of-the-art Tudor country house includes a cinema room ‘The refurbished kitchen/breakfast room has hand-built units by Chartwell Kitchens’

Wednesday 27th July 2016

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ENTWATER HOUSE is a magnificent Grade II listed property understood to date from the 16th century, with later additions. The beautifully presented interior retains its period character and charm while incorporating state-of-the art features, including a home cinema, programmable zoned heating and sensor taps, as well as recently upgraded bathrooms and a spruced-up kitchen.

The

house opens to an entrance vestibule with a door to an entrance hall that has a travertine floor, cloaks cupboard, new staircase and newly refurbished cloakroom. The triple-aspect drawing room has a beamed ceiling and a fine inglenook fireplace with a brick beehive hood over a log-burning stove. There is a sitting room with log burner and a secondary staircase to the first floor, as well as a cinema room with a projector and screen (available by separate negotiation). The refurbished kitchen/breakfast room has an extensive range of hand-built units by Chartwell Kitchens with granite work surfaces, an oil-fired Aga and integrated appliances. Off this room is a utility/boiler room

� Parking and permission for a garage � Gardens and grounds of 1.3 acres

£1,250,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff Tunbridge Wells 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk with an archway to a laundry/boot room.

On the first floor is a master bedroom with steps down to a family bathroom, and four further bedrooms – two en-suite.

The house is approached over a short driveway, where a pair of five-bar gates lead to a gravel turning and parking area. There is planning permission for a detached Heritagestyle double garage.

The main garden is south and west facing with a brick terrace. Lawns lead down to a croquet lawn, a rotating timber-built garden chalet and a small orchard. There is also a side garden with an area of woodland. In all the property extends to about one and a third acres.

ELLIS&CO Sales & Lettings GARDEN ROAD, TONBRIDGE £1,950pcm + Fees Apply

GARDEN ROAD, TONBRIDGE £1,995pcm + Fees Apply

4 BEDROOM SEMI DETACHED HOUSE WALKING DISTANCE TO HIGH STREET & STATION 3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS 2 EN-SUITES & FAMILY BATHROOM LARGE DRIVEWAY AVAILABLE START SEPTEMBER EPC C

4 BEDROOM SEMI DETACHED HOUSE BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED THROUGHOUT 3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS 2 EN-SUITES PARKING FOR SEVERAL CARS AVAILABLE EARLY JULY EPC C

ROWAN MEWS, TONBRIDGE

DERNIER ROAD, TONBRIDGE

£1,650pcm + Fees Apply

£1,050pcm + Fees Apply

3 I 4 BEDROOM TERRACED TOWN HOUSE WELL PRESENTED & FLEXIBLE ACCOMMODATION 3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS 2 BATHROOMS DOWNSTAIRS CLOAKROOM GARDEN AVAILABLE NOWI EPC C

2 DOUBLE BEDROOM TERRACED HOUSE NEWLY REFURBISHED WALKING DISTANCE TO HIGH STREET SPACIOUS ACCOMMODATION UPSTAIRS BATHROOM GARDEN EPC F

ALBERT ROAD, TONBRIDGE, £1,300pcm + Fees Apply

REDBUD ROAD, TONBRIDGE £950pcm + Fees Apply

3 BEDROOM SEMI DETACHED HOUSE EASY WALKING DISTANCE TO MAINLINE STATION & HIGH STREET RECENTLY REFURBISHED 2 RECEPTION ROOMS EN SUITE SHOWER ROOM TO MASTER BEDROOM FAMILY BATHROOM EASILY MAINTAINED COURTYARD GARDEN AVAILABLE NOWI EPC E

2 BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT BRAND NEW FORMER SHOW FLAT 2 DOUBLE BEDROOMS GOOD SIZE LOUNGE/DINING AREA ALLOCATED PARKING WALKING DISTANCE TO HIGH ST & STATION EPC B

NELSON AVENUE, TONBRIDGE

ST EANSWYTHES COURT, TONBRIDGE £875 + Fees Apply

£925pcm + Fees Apply 2 BEDROOM TERRACED HOUSE SOUTH TONBRIDGE 2 DOUBLE BEDROOMS MODERN KITCHEN & BATHROOM WELL PRESENTED THROUGHOUT GARDEN AVAILABLE EARLY AUGUST EPC D

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT SPACIOUS LIVING AREA 2 DOUBLE BEDROOMS OFF STREET PARKING WALKING DISTANCE TO HIGH ST & STATION EPC C

Please contact us for Sales, Rentals and Valuations t: 01732 770077

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e: tonbridge@ellisandco.co.uk

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93 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1 DR

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 PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE

Splendour in the Penshurst grass

COLQUHOUNS HIGH STREET, PENSHURST � Elegant Grade II listed village home � Arranged over three levels plus a large basement � Period features � Reception hall � Drawing room � Dining room � Study � Family room with kitchenette and side porch � Utility room � Boot room � Boiler room � Cloakroom � Extensive basement � Master bedroom with en-suite and walk-in wardrobe � Four further bedrooms on first floor � Bathroom, shower room and WC � Attic bedroom and storerooms � Attractive gardens totalling 0.6 of an acre � Lapsed planning consent for double garage

£1,250,000 For sale through Savills Sevenoaks 01732 789700 www.savills.com

Wednesday 27th July 2016

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OLQUHOUNS is a distinctive and elegant Grade II listed house located in the heart of the historic village of Penshurst, and comes to the market for the first time in 38 years. The house is believed to date from the late 18th century with later additions including the Georgian façade.

Internally, the property offers well-proportioned accommodation arranged over three floors with an extensive basement. Features include multi-pane sash windows, exposed wood floors, high ceilings, deep skirting boards, ceiling roses, cornice and fireplaces.

The Regency panelled front door opens to a generous reception hall which has an elegant staircase rising to the first floor. The reception rooms comprise a drawing room and dining room with a large sliding connecting door – both with striking marble fireplaces – as well as a study and family room with access to a side porch and a kitchenette.

The kitchen/breakfast room is fitted with a range of wall and base units, with work surfaces incorporating an electric hob and stainless steel sink. The utility room has space for appliances and leads to a boiler room and on to a boot room with an attractive arched gate to the rear garden.

A cloakroom completes the ground floor, and beneath is an extensive basement including a wine cellar and two large storerooms.

Upstairs, the master bedroom has far-reaching views over the garden and surrounding countryside. There is a walk-in wardrobe and an en-suite bathroom. There are four further double

bedrooms arranged on this floor, as well as a bathroom, shower room and separate WC. The second floor galleried landing has access to the sixth bedroom, which has a door to an attic store. There are also two further storage rooms, one of which houses the water tanks.

The rear gardens are a delightful feature of the property and have a southerly aspect with

a brick paved terrace that’s ideal for alfresco entertaining. Steps lead to a level area of lawn flanked by well-stocked borders and high brick walls. The lawns extend to an informal garden, with established trees, a compost area and a garden shed. Off the rear garden is an additional area where consent was granted (now expired) to erect a single-storey double garage.

� PROPERTY SECTION

Striking modern townhouse ideal for Tunbridge Wells family living S

ITUATED in a quiet cul-de-sac, this end-of-terrace townhouse was built in 1996 and has a very distinctive and striking design. The spacious, wellpresented family accommodation also has an excellent layout over three floors.

The house opens to an entrance hall with a dining room to the front of the house, a study and a cloakroom. To the rear is a kitchen/breakfast room of a very good size, well-fitted with a range of cupboards, integrated appliances, with double doors opening to the excellent conservatory – which in turn has double doors to the garden.

Adjoining the kitchen is a utility room with direct access to the garden.

An attractive wide staircase leads to the upper floors, and on the first floor is a wellproportioned drawing room which has an open fireplace and double doors opening to a Juliet balcony with attractive views. Also on this floor is the principal bedroom, sporting another Juliet balcony. A separate dressing area with fitted wardrobes leads through to the en-suite bathroom. There is a second bedroom on this floor, with two further bedrooms – one benefitting from an en-suite – and a family bathroom with a large walk-in linen cupboard.

To the front of the house is a drive to the integral garage. To the side and rear there are areas of lawn with a paved terrace, all wellscreened by mature hedging.

AT A GLANCE REGENT PLACE KINGSWOOD ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS n 1990s townhouse n Quiet cul-de-sac location n Entrance hall n Dining room n Study n Kitchen/breakfast room n Utility room n Conservatory n Cloakroom n First floor drawing room n Master bedroom with dressing area and en-suite n Guest bedroom with en-suite n Two further bedrooms n Family bathroom with walk-in linen store n Driveway and integral garage n Gardens to side and rear

£925,000 For sale through Hamptons Tunbridge Wells 01892 516611 www.hamptons.co.uk

Wednesday 27th July 2016

‘To the rear is a kitchen/ breakfast room of good size with doors opening to the excellent conservatory – which in turn has double doors to the garden’

MADDISONS R E SID EN TI A L

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THE SUNDAY TIMES

Excellence is not a skill. It's an attitude.

THE alllll.TIMES

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Mockbeggar House, Collier Street

£925,000

This beautiful 5 bedroom, 4 reception room Grade II listed farmhouse nestles in the charming hamlet of Collier Street. It is set in mw an acre of land with the added benefit of 2 detached barns, a hayloft and a single garage.

Princes Street, Tunbridge Wells

£795,000

An attracti,·c, Victorian semi-detached tmrnhousc located in the sought after south side of tmrn, ,Yithin walking distance of Claremont school and the mainline station. This property offers 5 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms. 2 bathrooms and a pretty rear garden.

Albany Hill, Tunbridge Wells

£670,000

An incredibly spacious detached. family home in the popular St Jamcs·s area. This property offers-! bedrooms. 2 bathrooms ..1 reception rooms "·ith a conscrn1tory m·crlooking the fully enclosed rear garden. With a single garage and off-road parking. this cxpansh·c residence has so much to offer.

The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells

£875,000

A fabulous, spacious triplex apartment in an cm'iablc position in the ,·cry heart of Tunbridge Wells coming to the market for the first time in just under 25 years. This absolute gem of a property offers 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a spacious dine-in kitchen and a lm·cly main reception room with a balcony m·crlooking the historic Pantiles.

Vale Road, Southborough

£715,000

A truly lm·cly, detached property located on a quiet road ,Yithin easy reach of all the local amenities and excellent schools. Offering 5 bedrooms, .1 bathrooms and .1 reception rooms, this is a spacious family home "-hich is in excellent order throughout. This house also benefits from off-street parking, a garage and a lm·cly rear garden "·ith an independent studio/,rnrkshop.

Middle Field, Pembury

£380,000

A ,rnll-prcscntcd. light and airy .1 bedroom extended semi-detached home in the desirable ,·illagc of Pcmbury. Features include an open plan. stylish kitchen/diner and an enclosed garden "·ith a large decked area. perfect for al-fresco entertaining.

www.maddisonsresidential.co. uk Royal Victoria House, 51-55 The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TE Telephone: 01892 514100 Email: info@maddisonsresidential.co.uk

� PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE

Substantial Edwardian house enjoys a light, bright orangery

T

HIS attractive detached Edwardian property has been extended and refurbished to a high standard by the current owners. Set back on the popular Hadlow Road, not far from the centre of Tonbridge, the accommodation is of excellent proportions and is stylishly presented while subtly retaining traditional character features.

The central entrance hall leads to a family room at the front of the house with doors through to a room currently used as a study. The sitting room has an outlook over the front drive and an attractive fireplace with a door through to a beautiful orangery filled with natural light.

The impressive kitchen/breakfast room has an excellent range of units, including a central

island. It also has granite and iroko work surfaces, a travertine floor and integrated Neff appliances. The dining room is open-plan to the kitchen, creating a superb area for entertaining, and has double doors opening to a rear terrace.

This ample ground floor is completed by a utility room and a cloakroom.

On the first floor are five well-proportioned bedrooms, as well as a contemporary family bathroom and a shower room.

The property is approached over a gated brick driveway that provides plenty of parking, and leads to a further attached covered parking area.

The superb landscaped rear garden features a paved terrace for outdoor enjoyment, with a low level whitewashed wall to the perimeter and steps leading up an area of level lawn.

The garden is well stocked with a variety of beds, mature trees and shrubs, giving a degree of privacy. There is also a wildlife garden with a waterfall pond, summerhouse and another terrace. An attached storeroom/studio (formerly a garage) provides useful and versatile extra space, with a loft above.

‘The superb landscaped rear garden features a paved terrace… There is also a wildlife garden with a waterfall pond and summerhouse’ Wednesday 27th July 2016

HADLOW ROAD, TONBRIDGE n Detached Edwardian family house n Extended and refurbished n Finished to a high standard n Spacious and flexible layout n Entrance hall n Family room n Sitting room n Study n Orangery n Kitchen/breakfast room n Dining room n Utility room n Cloakroom n Five bedrooms n Family bathroom n Shower room n Attached storeroom n Terrace and rear garden n Driveway parking and covered parking

£1,125,000 For sale through Savills Sevenoaks 01732 789700 www.savills.com

Dry Hill Park Road, Tonbridge

ÂŁ1,800,000

Offering a wealth of accommodation combined with much charm and character is this seven bedroom detached house which was built in approximately 1890 and extended in later years.

Dry Hill Park Road is one of Tonbridge's premier roads, ideal for nearby Hilden Grange School and Tonbridge mainline station.

� PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE

LITTLE MOUNT SION TUNBRIDGE WELLS n Period home n Popular ‘village’ area of town n Character features n Arranged over four floors n Lower ground floor flexible space n Sitting room n Kitchen/breakfast room n Walled courtyard with outside stores n Master bedroom with en-suite n Three further bedrooms n Family bathroom n Lovely roof terrace

£2,350 per month To let through Hamptons Lettings Tunbridge Wells 01892 313000 www.hamptons.co.uk

‘This character-filled period property to let is perfectly situated for the amenities the town has to offer’

Tower over Tunbridge Wells’ ‘village’ from pretty roof garden

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YING in the heart of the beautiful ‘village’ area of Tunbridge Wells, this tall, character-filled period property to let is perfectly situated for all the fantastic amenities the town has to offer. The flexible accommodation is arranged over four floors and it also has a delightful roof terrace.

The house opens to a compact hall with stairs leading to the other floors.

On the ground floor is a spacious, doubleaspect sitting room with excellent period features, including beams, window shutters and some exposed brickwork.

This leads into a country-style kitchen, which is open-plan to a lovely dining area.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

A large lower ground floor room is extremely flexible and could be used as a bedroom, study or mini cinema.

On the first floor there is a family bathroom and two bedrooms, one of which has access out to the superb rooftop terrace, providing a pretty and unique outdoor space.

On the top floor is the master bedroom, with a lovely en-suite bathroom and access through to loft storage space/ Plus a single bedroom.

Additionally, the house has a walled courtyard area, accessed from the kitchen, with two handy outdoor stores.

HILDENBOROUGH £475,000 ATTRACTIVE COTTAGE STYLE FAMILY SEMI presented in excellent order throughout and ideally located for popular Stocks Green School. Good size accommodation with living room, spacious kitchen/breakfast room, family room together with three bedrooms and luxury bathroom. Outside the fully enclosed rear garden is perfect for the children to let off steam and there is ample off road parking. EPC: D Apply Tonbridge

RUSTHALL, TUNBRIDGE WELLS GUIDE PRICE: £350,000 - £375,000 STUNNING GROUND-FLOOR APRTMENT conveniently situated on the Tunbridge Wells side of the village. Well presented with generously proportioned rooms and period features including high ceilings. Own entrance opening to superb sitting room with exposed brick chimney-breast with inglenook fireplace and wood-burner, fitted kitchen/dining room with door to the secluded shared courtyard. 2 double bedrooms (one 16’11 x 14’7) both with fitted wardrobes, modern bathroom with marble wash hand basin and marble tiling. Share of Freehold. EPC: D Apply Pembury

NORTH TONBRIDGE GUIDE PRICE £950,000 SUPERB DOUBLE FRONTED FAMILY HOME in stylish and sought after location. Immaculately presented accommodation with four to five bedrooms, two luxury bathrooms, delightful through sitting room with feature fireplace, dining room, study, utility and extended kitchen/breakfast/family room overlooking garden & terrace. Attractive, westerly aspect garden, detached double garage and block paved driveway. EPC: D Apply Tonbridge

� PROPERTY SECTION

Original wheel is still a feature of this stunning converted granary

‘From the grand dining hall, a striking staircase rises to half level then divides to a full galleried landing with beams and king-post trusses’ AT A GLANCE CHILLIES GRANARY CHILLIES LANE, CROWBOROUGH n Attractive detached, converted barn n Elevated position with rural views n Character features n Entrance hall n Grand dining hall n Sitting room n Reception 2/study/ground floor bedroom n Shower room n Kitchen/breakfast room n Utility room n Master bedroom with en-suite n Three further bedrooms, two en-suite n Family bathroom n Detached Heritage garaging n Mature gardens and grounds n Orchard and copse wood

£1,395,000 For sale through Savills Tunbridge Wells 01892 507000 www.savills.com

Wednesday 27th July 2016

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HILLIES GRANARY is a lovely building converted more than ten years ago by the present owners, who paid particular attention to detail and created a property brimming with character.

It occupies an appealing elevated position with far-reaching views across the surrounding meadows, yet is only a couple of miles from the centre of Crowborough.

Outside, there are sandstone elevations with weatherboarding to the first floor under a tiled pitched roof. The sandstone continues throughout the grounds, accompanied by attractive brick edging on the walls.

Internally, features include many exposed beams but with good head height, more sandstone walls, hand-crafted oak-framed sliding double-glazed windows and oak doors.

Through the covered porch, the house opens to a hall area which widens out into an impressive vaulted dining hall with ornamental raised inglenook fireplace and an oak arched hatch to the sitting room. There is a wood-burning stove and double doors to a courtyard garden.

Also on the ground floor is a flexible second reception room, study or bedroom with a door through to a shower room – which can also be accessed from the dining hall.

The kitchen/breakfast room has wall and base units and an oil-fired Aga. A useful utility room across the hall features more units, a sink, boiler and space for more appliances.

From the grand dining hall, a striking staircase rises to half level then divides to a full galleried landing with exposed beams, king-post trusses and the original granary wheel. The master bedroom is double aspect with a dressing area and en-suite bathroom, while two more

bedrooms have en-suite shower rooms and a fourth is well served by a family bathroom.

The property is approached over a gravel drive with double gates. The detached Heritage double garage has a log store under the catslide roof and access to the loft space.

There are low level sandstone walls bounding the drive and a five-bar gate leads to an area of orchard planted with a variety of fruit trees.

On from the orchard is a vegetable garden with

raised beds and a greenhouse, plus a softfruit garden to the side. The mature area of copse wood has oak, ash and willow with laurel hedging on the perimeter.

There are two areas of formal lawn to either side of the house – one enclosed by a sandstone wall with steps leading up to an attractive courtyard garden which means this spectacular home is perfect for welcoming family and friends both indoors and outdoors.

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WOOD & PILCHER

Tunbridge Wells

£799,995

South borough

£620,000

A particularly attractive conversion of an 1860's built former coach house and stables. now providing a character four bedroom detached home. set within a prestigious tree lined road on the desirable south side of Royal Tunbridge Wells. EPC: E.

Wood & Pilcher are delighted to be able to offer you the opportunity to acquire this charming family size three bedroom detached house which we understand from our clients was built circa 1930's to imitate a Devon style property. EPC: E.

Knatts Valley

Tonbridge

£525,000

A well presented and spacious three bedroom detached bungalow with large reception rooms. gardens of approximately 0.3 of an acre (tbv) and in a very pleasant and peaceful semi rural location in the North Downs of Kent. EPC: D.

Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells Office I 01892 511211 tun brid ge w e 11 s@ w ood and pi I cher. co. u k Southborough Office I 01892 511311 south bo roug h@ w ooda nd pi lch er. co. u k Tonbridge I 01732 351135 ton brid ge@wood and pi I cher. co. u k

Elegant four bedroom town house style apartment set in an exclusive gated estate of around 5 acres designed on the theme of a Victorian country mansion with double garage and meticulouslymaintained grounds. complete with tennis court. EPC: C.

£289,000

This 1950's built three bedroom semi detached home is being offered with the benefit of vacant possession and no forward chain and with the property requiring some updating, represents an opportunity for interested buyers to refit and decorate to their own taste. EPC: D.

£295,000 Park House is a luxury development of just 40 apartments offering the over 55's an ideal stress free retreat. This particular two bedroom apartment is set within an impressive three storey residence close to glorious park land with the apartment finished to the very highest of standards. EPC: B.

woodandpilcher. co. uk rightmove

£875,000

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Salisbury Road

£385,000

A charming house located in Langton Green. The ground floor consists of a spacious kitchen/ diner and a separate reception to the front. On the first floor, there are two double bedrooms and a spacious family bathroom. On the second floor is a further double bedroom. The garden is well stocked with a variety of mature trees and shrubs.

Erskine Park Road

£395,000

Located in the Village of Rusthall. On the ground floor there is a sitting room, well-appointed kitchen with separate dining area, family room with bi-folding doors opening onto the gardens and guest cloakroom. There are two double bedrooms and a modern family bathroom on the first floor and further double bedroom on the second floor.

Hill View Road

£1050 pcm

A beautifully presented property with two reception rooms, with one opening into the fitted kitchen. A stable door leads into a conservatory and has French doors open out to the garden. There is a downstairs bathroom. Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms and a large walk in wardrobe off the hallway and a recently fitted upstairs shower room.

Te(: (ettin3s@mcau(eymiffer.com

£675,000

Asher Reeds

Beautifully presented house located in Rusthall. This property opens into a spacious hallway, giving access to the sitting room, family room, kitchen/breakfast room and guest cloakroom.

Upstairs, there are four double bedrooms, one with en-suite facilities, and a family bathroom.

Outside there is parking for several cars along with a well-stocked garden.

£200,000

Lomaria Court

In need of modernisation! This purpose built apartment comprises of a double aspect reception room with patio doors leading onto the south facing balcony, a kitchen, two double bedrooms, both with fitted wardrobes, and a bathroom. Outside, there are communal gardens to the front and rear as well as parking for both residents and visitors.

Mount Pleasant Avenue

£975 pcm

This stylish two bedroom, second floor apartment is in a great location, perfect for commuters. This property offers a large open plan living room and kitchen area. There is a good sized double bedroom and a second smaller bedroom to the rear of the building. The modern bathroom has a shower over the bath.

01892 614777

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COWDEN, KENT

£950,000 Freehold

Tucked down a lovely country lane is Bellgate South, a striking and handsome extended family home backing onto the countryside and giving a taste of country living. Its fabulous garden is made for entertaining and is complimented with an outdoor swimming pool. The accommodation comprises of a large spacious Hallway, Double Aspect Living Room , Dining/Family Room with open fireplace , Kitchen and a Cloakroom , Four Bedrooms, Two Bathrooms. Outside there is a Double Garage and well stocked gardens , paved terraces , an extensive water garden and Swimming Pool. Sharehold of a 11 Oacre nearby forest is an amazing place to explore and delight in. EPC - D55. VIEWING RECOMMENDED

WITHYHAM, EAST SUSSEX

£950,000 Freehold

Centrally positioned in the village of Withyam , Rectory Cottage can only be described as a chocolate box property with heaps of character. Entering into the house is the Kitchen/Diner, Utility Room , Conservatory and large double aspect Sitting Room with open fireplace , Three Double Bedrooms , One Single Bedroom and a Family Bathroom. Outside the property there is a gravel driveway, a good sized garden which surrounds the cottage. The location of the cottage on a private road with an outlook of the local countryside makes for an idyllic spot. EPC - E51. EARLY VACANT POSSESSION. NO CHAIN

BOUGH BEECH, KENT

£950,000 Freehold

Situated in a picturesque location is this beautiful detached Grade II Listed family residence with stunning formal gardens. There are two superb inglenook fireplaces and a wealth of exposed beams. The accommodation comprises at ground floor level an Entrance Porch , Snug/Dining Area with Inglenook Fireplace , Cloakroom off, Triple Aspect Sitting Room with Inglenook Fireplace, Kitchen with Electric Aga leading onto Orangery currently set up as Dining Room , Master Bedroom with Vaulted Ceiling and staircase leading to Bedroom 4/Study/Nursery, Double Bedroom , Single Bedroom/Study and Family Bathroom. A gated gravelled driveway provides off road parking in front of the Detached Double Garage.

EPC - N/A VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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EDENBRIDGE, KENT

£675,000 Freehold

Fern Bank is a delightful chalet-bungalow set on the outer edges of Edenbridge. Refurbished to a very high standard with great attention to detail on the finishes. The hallway leads to the large central lobby and the Master Bedroom , Family Bathroom , Sitting Room opening out onto large Conservatory, Kitchen leading to a conservatory. Upstairs are a further Three Bedrooms and Shower Room. An integrated garage could be converted into further living accommodation. Outside is a large driveway with off street parking and a small lawn area, to the rear there is an enclosed garden with a lovely paved sun terrace perfect for entertaining.

EPC - D35. EARLY VACANT POSSESSION

EDENBRIDGE, KENT

£270,000 Freehold

An attractive mid terrace cottage packed with character, built in the late 1BOO's within striking distance of Edenbridge Town Centre. This quaint cottage is a great first time buy or investment opportunity for its new owner. The ground floor has a Lounge with cast iron fireplace which leads to the Dining Room , Kitchen and Family Bathroom. Upstairs to the first floor are Two Double Bedrooms. Outside to the front is a small area of garden with garden wall, to the rear leading from the dining room is a terraced area extending onto an area of lawn with shrubs. EPC - D64

EDENBRIDGE, KENT

£200,000 Freehold

A second floor one bedroomed apartment perfect for a first time buyer and within walking distance of both mainline train stations. Communal Entrance hall , Open Plan Sitting Room/Kitchen, Allocated Car Parking Space , Visitors Car Parking Space, Gas Fired Central Heating , Sealed Unit uPVC Windows, Communal Gardens. EPC - B86. EARLY VACANT POSSESSION. NO CHAIN

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THE PANTILES NEWS 

69

Life through a lucrative lens The Pantiles Camera Centre director David Podbury gives us the bigger picture on how his photographic business has survived for the past four decades and why the industry has embraced the advent of camera phones and is benefitting from them HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? We have been running for over 40 years.

We started as a photographic repair company and gradually developed into a retail business over the years.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER BRANCHES? We have one shop in Sevenoaks and have just closed our Beckenham store as it came to the end of its lease. The store on The Pantiles has been trading since 1984 and we took it over in 2000.

YOU OBVIOUSLY SPECIALISE IN CAMERAS. HAS DEMAND CHANGED SINCE THE ADVENT OF CAMERA PHONES? Actually, they have been generally a good thing for our industry. Yes it’s true the bottom end of the compact camera market has been replaced by camera phones, but this has also bought photography to many more people and this is where we come in. We can advise customers the best way to develop their interest and sell them a better camera.

The other exciting change is that cameras now connect via WiFi to smart phones so the

industry has embraced all this rather than battled against it.

YOU HAVE A DIVERSITY OF PRODUCTS, SUCH AS TELESCOPES AND DIGITAL RADIOS. HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR RANGE GROW IN RECENT YEARS OR WAS IT ALWAYS WIDE-RANGING? We are ultimately a photography store but we have always sold a large range of optical equipment, such as telescopes and binoculars. The Roberts Radios have been an excellent addition to our range and because they were at the forefront of DAB (Digital Radio) they’ve sold well over the years.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE WORKING IN YOUR TEAM AND ARE THEY LOCAL TO THE AREA? We have two to three people at each store, all of whom have been with us for many years.

Most live locally but one or two travel a little further.

KEEPING FOCUSED David Podbury (right) with colleague Josh Robinson

WHAT ARE THE POSITIVES OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS? The obvious benefits are being in control and able to make a difference on a day to day basis.

ANY NEGATIVES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH ON? You sometimes work more hours than you would if you were employed but the standard 9 to 5 Monday to Friday job is a rare thing these days for nearly everyone now.

at one of the most beautiful shopping areas around. Who couldn’t enjoy the wonderful settings, lack of cars and the general feel of the place? It certainly beats working in an office or commuting to London every day.

Pantiles Camera is located at 22 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5TN

If you run a business based in The Pantiles and would like us to feature it in our special monthly newsletter then please contact info@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk with your contact details. Please note only independent traders operating in The Pantiles area can be featured in Pantiles News

HOW DO YOU LIKE WORKING IN THE PANTILES AND WHY? The Pantiles is a great place to work. I have a peaceful 30 minute walk to the shop every morning across the common and then arrive

Wednesday 27th July 2016

70  THE PANTILES NEWS

A magical idea that will put the fun back into fundraising Local magician Adam Smith is undertaking a unique challenge this summer. He will be performing an array of his clever conjuring tricks on The Pantiles Bandstand for 48 hours straight in order to raise money for charity. The Times found out why he is working three days flat out for Multiple Sclerosis

A piece of

PANTILES history

A walk down memory lane In an occasional series the Times looks at the fascinating history of The Pantiles. In this issue we focus on how the town’s famous promenade started off life as The Walks and how it became the cultural heart of Tunbridge Wells

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR Adam Smith with his mother Sue

L

OCAL professional magician, Adam Smith has a passion for magic that runs deep. His skill and charisma has given him audiences with many celebrities including Kate Moss, Jude Law, Rio Ferdinand and Dame Kelly Homes but in August he will be performing his greatest act to date: an astounding 48 hours of non-stop magic.

The action will take place on The Pantiles Bandstand, from midday on Sunday August 7 and will finish on Tuesday August 9 at the same time.

Adam will only be leaving the bandstand for comfort breaks.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Such an incredible feat of skill and endurance warrants a special reason and it’s fair to say Adam has just that.

“When I was 13 my mother Sue was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and to see your mum go from the active lady she was, to being in a wheelchair almost overnight was heart-breaking,” Adam explains.

“Yet although my mum was confined to a wheelchair, she never let it stop her being the most caring, outgoing and fun mum she had always been and she certainly never showed my sister and me the pain and anguish she was in.

“My mum has been through so much

over the past 30 years and never once complained. She has been the most amazing mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend anyone could be. Seeing her with my children makes me smile all the time and I know how much the children inspire her and keep her going through the pain.

Adam goes on to say: “My mum is always there for me through fun times and tough times helping, caring and even just being there to listen. I can never thank her enough so I am doing a 48hour magic marathon to raise money for MS to help support people like her and others, and hopefully one day to find a cure for this crippling disease.”

The talented magician will be joined by a plethora of street entertainers throughout his 48hour marathon and there will also be a raffle and plenty of additional entertainment to enjoy over the three day fundraiser.

Adam will be on The Pantiles’ Bandstand from 12pm Sunday August 7 until 12pm Tuesday August 9. To find out more about MS visit www.mssociety.org.uk

Beginning its life as a Georgian medicinal Mecca, thanks to the discovery of the Chalybeate spring in the early 1600s, The Pantiles was originally known as The Walks and then as the Royal Parade.

The area was created by planting two lines of elm and lime trees with pathways in between which quickly was named ‘The Walks.’ The trees were positioned on both the upper and lower sides of a grassy bank.

In 1687, a fire swept through the wooden buildings either side of The Walks and these were rebuilt with the colonnades that to this day give The Pantiles its distinctive look.

When the future Queen Anne came to town in 1698, her son Prince William fell over and she demanded that The Walks should be properly paved. She funded

the work with a gift of £100, but when she came back the following year the work had not been done and she vowed never to return.

With alacrity the repairs were duly carried out and inch-thick square paving stones made from Wealden clay and known as ‘pantiles’ were laid.

In 1792 the original pantiles were replaced with stone flag tiles and the following year the area was renamed ‘The Parade’.

It quickly became a bustling area where the rich and fashionable would frequent, not only to drink from the spa waters at Chalybeate but also to shop, gossip and gamble.

In 1887 the walkway was given its The Pantiles moniker and over the next few centuries the area built up into a busy commercial one with ale houses and shops locating there.

Nowadays of course The Pantiles is known for its diverse range of independent shops and cool cafes, as well as for the brilliant jazz evenings that are held there ever Thursday evenings.

Caipirinha Cachaca, lime juice, sugar syrup.Served over ice

Passion Fruit Caipirinha Passion fruit puree, Cachaca, lime juice, sugar syrup. Served over ice

Passion Fruit Martini Passion fruit puree, vanilla vodka, lime juice & sugar syrup. Shaken over ice and served in a martini glass.

Gin Fizz Boodles gin, lemon juice, sugar topped with soda water.

Mojito

Bourbon Sour

Havana 7yr, fresh mint, lime juice, sugar syrup.Servedtall,over ice and topped with soda water.

Makers Mark bourbon, lemon juice and sugar.

Shaken and sever short over ice

Negroni Cosmopolitan Cranberry juice, vodka, Cointreau & lime juice. Shaken over ice

Strawberry Martini Strawberry puree, cranberry juice, vanilla vodka, lime juice & sugar syrup. Shaken over ice and served in a martini glass.

Strawberry & Basil Mojito Havana 7yr, Strawberry puree, fresh basil, lime juice, sugar syrup. Served tall, over ice and topped with soda water.

Gin, Campari, vermouth,shaken over ice

72 � ADVERTISING FEATURE

A local fish shop has fallen hook, line and sinker for sustainability

Following a complete update of the shop, St John’s Fish Bar is better than ever. With gluten-free options and brand new frying systems, you won’t find a better place to tuck into this classic British favourite. We sit down with owner Ben Miles to discover why there's more to fish and chips than just vinegar and mushy peas…

Tell us, Ben, how did you get started in the business?

This interview is actually perfect timing! We took over the shop on the 1st August 2011, so our fifth anniversary is coming up. I started my journey as a Friday night fryer when I was 18 years old. By the time I turned 20, I was a full-time manager – I clearly had a knack for it!

As time went on, people came and went, which gave me the opportunity to buy a stake in the business. Thanks to the support of loved ones, and the bank, there was enough money to buy 50 per cent of the company.

Well, the shop looks great!

Thank you. When I first took over, there was a lot that needed updating. We took over in the summer, which can be a quiet time for us as the schools are out, so we focused on getting through that period before implementing our changes. Once September hit, business picked up again.

At Christmas, we started offering delivery, as well as catering for groups and events – we once had an order for 200 cod and chips!

These additional services opened a lot of doors for us.

WORTH A VISIT Quality is the most important consideration

The biggest project for us was the refurbishment, which turned St John's Fish Bar into the shop you see here today. We got £40,000 worth of frying equipment installed.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely!

What makes frying equipment worth that kind of money?

Two things: fuel efficiency and a healthier product. The quicker and hotter a fryer fries, the better the food. With fast and clean

frying only a small amount of the oil remains in the food, making it better for you. Good fish and chips don’t have to be sinful. Quality is important to us here, so making sure you have the best equipment is worth the money.

I notice you offer a gluten-free option…

Yes, that became available after the refurbishment. We used to have three fryers and now we have four. The fourth fryer is used only for our gluten-free products. We use rice flour and Middleton’s Dove Farm batter mix – both 100 per cent free from gluten.

Did you want to keep up with dietary trends?

That’s not how it started out. One of my children is dairy intolerant.

When I did my research, as a parent, it dawned on me just how many people suffer from dietary intolerances, which triggered a

NOTHING FISHY Owner Ben Miles with his cod and chips

Wednesday 27th July 2016

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

IT'S ALL MODERN Ben in the newly updated shop

73

You seem very passionate about the subject…

Absolutely! And I believe it’s important that there is an understanding of sustainability.

Not just for my business, but in all industries.

I often get asked to deliver presentations to pupils of the local schools on the subject. It’s an investment in the future.

With the future in mind, what’s next for St John’s Fish Bar? Taking a break after the refurbishment! But we are always discussing what more we can offer our customers. Putting grilled fish on the menu is currently under discussion.

Finally, how do you like your fish and chips?

A small, skinned, battered cod with chips, a little bit of mushy peas on the side and a can of Shandy Bass.

ST JOHN’S FISH BAR 74 St John's Rd, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9PH 01892 521040 Monday-Saturday 11:30am–2:30pm, 4:30–10pm Sunday 4–10pm

desire to offer my customers genuine gluten-free options – I can’t deny anyone some delicious battered cod!

War II, and are just as fruitful today as they were then. The density of the cod population is still incredible to this day. Every boat has a license stating how much they can catch and where. They are all tracked by the MSC. The area is completely protected from being over-fished and it’s great to know where our product comes from. It is certainly worth paying the extra.

How many fish do you sell a week?

As an estimate? I’d say 700 pieces of fish a week.

We also get through one tonne of potatoes!

That’s a lot! Where do you source all that cod from? And how do you deal with the issue of sustainability?

This issue is important to me, as I’m in this business for the long haul. I pay the extra to make sure my cod is sourced from monitored waters. Our fish come from the North Sea near the Faroe Islands, where the trawling is regulated carefully by the Marine Stewardship Council. To be more specific, every piece we serve is from Area 27 of the North Sea. The oceans near the Faroe Islands were used for fishing under Winston Churchill during World

‘I believe it’s important that there is an understanding of sustainability. Not just for my business, but in all industries’

So, it’s delivered frozen…

I get asked if I serve fresh fish regularly, but fresh fish hasn’t been served in fish and chip shops for 15 to 20 years. Nowadays, when fish are caught, they are cleaned, frozen and packaged onboard. It takes 6 to twelve hours for a fish to be deep-frozen. When the box arrives and it’s opened, you smell the sea.

They call this sea-fresh. With fresh fish, by the time it arrives at the shop, it could be as old as a week.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

74 � FOOD AND DRINK

Liven up your summer cuisine with these Nordic and oh so nice offerings Healthy, light food doesn’t always have to be all about salads. Take inspiration from Scandinavian superchef Claus Meyer’s culinary approach by using the freshest and most seasonal ingredients

H

AVING run what most top chefs consider to be the world’s best restaurant, Noma in Copenhagen, since 2004, and spearheaded the Nordic cuisine movement worldwide, the dynamic Dane Claus Meyer certainly knows a thing or two about impressing your tastebuds – and guests should you be entertaining any time soon.

Now based in New York, where he is opening a Nordic brasserie and food hall in Manhattan’s Grand Central Station, he continues to trailblaze but also understands the importance of how food can be delicious and simple

to prepare if you have the right flavours and good quality ingredients in the mix.

“I consider my food, or any food, like a draft – people should not be afraid to change the recipes slightly, and they should definitely season it so it works for them,” he says. “Seasoning food is very important, chopping up things and putting them in a salad bowl is so easy, but getting the dressing right? It’s so important.”

Have a go at some of his signature dishes featured here and see what makes him such a gastro force to be reckoned with…

Recipes taken from The Nordic Kitchen: One Year Of Family Cooking by Claus Meyer, published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £25. Available from all good bookshops

Wednesday 27th July 2016

FISHCAKES WITH TARTARE SAUCE Makes: 4 What you need: 600g skinless cod or haddock fillet 1tsp sea salt 2 eggs 2tbsp plain flour 150ml whipping cream 1 carrot 1 baking potato 1/2 handful of dill, chopped Freshly ground white pepper 10g butter 1tbsp rapeseed oil Boiled potatoes or good rye bread, plus salad and tartare sauce, to serve

What you do: Put the fish in a food processor and mince coarsely. Add the salt and pulse the minced fish until it is sticky. Place the fish in a mixing bowl.

Add the eggs, flour and then the cream, a little at a time, and stir well until the minced mixture has a good, firm consistency.

Peel the carrot and potato and grate them finely. Squeeze the moisture out of the vegetables with your hands and stir them into the fishcake mixture. Finally, add the chopped dill and white pepper. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes before frying.

Fry large spoonfuls of the mixture in the butter and oil over a medium heat – it is important to be patient so that they form a beautiful crust on the underside before you turn them.

Serve with boiled potatoes or good rye bread, as well as a green or more rustic salad, and a generous dollop of tartare sauce.

FOOD AND DRINK �

SEARED HANGER STEAK WITH FRISÉE LETTUCE

RHUBARB CAKE Serves: 8

Serves: 4, or 6 as a starter What you need: 600g hanger steak (available from your butcher, see tip below) 10 thyme sprigs, chopped 2tbsp olive oil Sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper 1 frisée lettuce (or similar curly-leafed lettuce) 1/2 handful of parsley 1 small red onion 2tbsp cider vinegar 2tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil What you do: Remove the largest tendons and membranes from the hanger steak and rub the meat with the chopped thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Heat up a griddle pan and fry the steak for a short time over a very high heat –

give it two to three minutes on each side so it’s still quite pink and juicy in the middle.

Meanwhile, cut off the root of the lettuce and divide it into large leaves. Wash the leaves and dry in a salad spinner or with a clean tea towel. Pick off the leaves from the parsley and wash and dry them as well. Peel and finely slice the red onion, then mix with the frisée and parsley.

Toss with the vinegar, rapeseed oil, salt and pepper.

Remove the meat from the pan and leave it to rest for one minute before cutting it into thin slices and serving with the salad.

Tip: Hanger steak, also known as butcher’s steak and what the French call onglet, is so called because it hangs from the diaphragm, and is located just above the kidneys. You can order hanger steak at your butcher’s, or just replace it with flank steak.

75

What you need: For the cake layers: 4 organic eggs 125g sugar 150g plain flour 1tsp baking powder Butter, for greasing For the rhubarb compote: 300g rhubarb stalks 150g unrefined cane sugar 1 handful of lemon balm (a plant similar to mint, which can be found growing wild – or you can leave this out) 1/2 vanilla pod

To assemble: 50g blanched almonds 50g white chocolate, plus extra shavings to decorate 500ml whipping cream 1 rhubarb stalk A little sugar, for sprinkling What you do: First, make the cake layers. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until pale and foamy.

Mix the flour and baking powder together and sift into the batter, then fold in gently with a spatula.

Grease a springform cake tin (about 22cm in diameter) with butter and pour in the cake batter. Bake the cake in the centre of a preheated oven at 200 °C/Gas Mark 6 for about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin on a

wire rack. When the cake is completely cool, carefully cut horizontally into three equal layers with a sharp knife.

Now cook the compote. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the rhubarb stalks, but be careful not to remove the white ‘foot’ of the stalk, which is where the rhubarb flavour is most concentrated and best. Rinse the stalks in cold water, cut into 1-2cm pieces and put in an ovenproof dish with the lemon balm. Split the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds and mix with a little of the sugar, making them easier to distribute in the dish.

Mix the vanilla sugar into the rest of the sugar, then sprinkle over the rhubarb. Stir well and add the pod to the dish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 150 °C/Gas Mark 2 for 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb is tender but still has a firm bite.

Remove the dish from the oven and leave the compote to cool completely.

Chop the almonds and white chocolate roughly.

Whip the cream, set half aside for decoration and gently fold the almonds and chocolate into the other half. Add the

rhubarb compote and fold in.

Assemble the cake with the flavoured whipped cream between each layer, and finish by decorating it with the pure whipped cream – for the best effect, use a piping bag. Another decorative trick is to create rhubarb shavings by running a vegetable peeler lengthways along a rhubarb stalk. Toss the shavings with a little sugar before scattering over the cake, and finish with shavings of white chocolate.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

76 � ADVERTISING FEATURE

Yet another big turnout for this year’s Eridge Horse Trials and Country Market FLYING HIGH Pippa Funnell competing

THIS year’s Eridge Horse Trials and Country Market, which has SsangYong Motors UK as title sponsor, was declared a great success with attendance numbers being significantly up on last year.

Thousands walked through the entrance over the weekend to watch Olympic medallists and local riders compete on the stunning grounds of Eridge Park, near Tunbridge Wells, in cross

Wednesday 27th July 2016

country, show-jumping and dressage.

Rider Francis Whittington, won SsangYong Motors Open Intermediate section, riding Hasty Imp and was also placed third on Easy Target. Harry Dzenis from Haslemere, riding Star Striker was the winner of the SsangYong Intermediate section.

Other local riders including Lisa Pilbeam from Stonegate and Georgie Strang from

Mayfield were winners of the Novice Sections.

Wadhurst born, triple Olympic medallist Pippa Funnell MBE was at the event, but having competed in the dressage and showjumping, she decided not to run the cross country due to her recent selection for the GB eventing team at this year’s Olympics in Rio. Alongside the horses was a country market.

Now in its fourth year, stalls catered for all interests and tastes selling crafts, equestrian goods, food, drink, clothes, gifts and farmer’s produce.

Sunday saw the ever popular ‘Dogs in the Park’, with a schedule that included ‘Waggiest Tail’, ‘Best Fancy Dress’, ‘Prettiest Bitch’ and ‘Best Biscuit Catcher’. Jevington Terrier Racing organised the terrier racing that took place Sunday afternoon and ‘The Hawking Centre’ put on two falconry displays which included flying from a Barn Owl, Hawk, a Vulture and an Eagle.

Joint event organiser Jenny Nolan, commented: “We are thrilled with how the event went, helped by the weather which was glorious all weekend too. The country market is proving a real success, making the event appeal just as much to the non-horsey crowd as those that follow the sport. We have had great feedback over the variety of stall holders and what a wonderful day out it is for all generations and hope that it becomes a date for the diary for many more years to come.

Thanks also to Marquess of Abergavenny who owns the estate for hosting the event and allowing us to grow it year-on-year.”

EVENT SPONSORS: 

SsangYong Motors UK (title sponsor)



Allen & Page



Voltaire Design



Batcheller Monkhouse



Wadhurst Supplies



The Billy Stud



Mid-Sussex Timber



G Collins & Sons



Sofas & Stuff



Day Equestrian



NFF

For more information, please visit www.eridge-horsetrials.co.uk.

ALL SMILES Learning to drive

LOCAL NEWS n

77

New cruise and water taxi service takes to Bewl Water Outstanding Natural Beauty. The reservoir was built in the 1970’s when the River Bewl was dammed, and it now supplies water to residents of the Medway Towns, Thanet and Hastings.

It is the largest stretch of open water in the South East, containing more than 30,000 million gallons of water – enough to supply around 200 million people.

The park, which includes an outdoor centre, is a popular venue for watersports including canoeing, sailing and wind-surfing, and is also a favourite spot for anglers. On August 6 it will be the venue for a 1.9km open swim.

The ferry boat, the 42-foot long Bewl Belle, has been refurbished and has just been approved MAKING WAVES New pleasure cruiser Bewl Belle

VISITORS to Bewl Water, one of the South East’s largest natural resources, can now take to the water in style following the launch of a 70-seater pleasure cruiser and a ferry service which acts as a water taxi.

The new features form part of a refurbishment

plan for the Bewl Water Country Park – just one of the improvements planned at the venue which aim to make the water more accessible.

Every year thousands of visitors flock to the 800-acre site on the borders of Kent and East Sussex near Lamberhurst, an Area of

and licenced to operate on the water by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

It is operated by a twoman crew who will take visitors on a 45-minute tour of the reservoir.

Trips leave every hour on the hour from the Waterfront jetty, close to the Waterfront restaurant.

Passengers can enjoy a full tour of the lake or they can hop on and off at any of the three purpose-built jetties at Hatheralls Bay, Ferry Point and Seven Pound Creek if they don’t want to tackle the 12-mile path around Bewl Water.

Bewl Water also offers visitors a series of package trips which include morning coffee and cake, lunch, afternoon tea or a leisurely cruise around the lake followed by lunch at the Boat House Bistro. The Bewl Belle is also available for group bookings.

Visitors can also hail the new ferry service from any of the new jetties by calling the Bewl Water Control on 01892 890000.

More information can be obtained from www.bewlwater.co.uk

Wednesday 27th July 2016

78  TRAVEL

Awe-inspiring Stavanger…

Since the discovery of oil in the late 1960s, Stavanger has been the poster boy for Norway’s economic boom. Many of the city’s 130,000 inhabitants enjoyed a life of high wages, low unemployment and an extremely luxurious restaurant scene. But the price of oil has been dropping, reaching a 12-year low in 2016.

However, it’s proving good news for tourists

N

orway’s economy has taken a hard hit as the oil price has fallen, and the impact has been most notably felt in Stavanger, where a weaker krone means it’s now a much more affordable destination. Central hotels cost from just £62 per night, and flights from across the UK start from as little as £44 one way.

Fortunately, there’s much more than oil to a city where brightly painted wooden buildings line a harbour looking out towards cloud-shrouded fjords across the bay.

We’re eating dinner in Storhaug, one of Stavanger’s newest up-and-coming suburbs. Formally known as the city’s backyard, the area is an eclectic mix of second-hand bookshops, street markets and start-ups from young, hip entrepreneurs.

You can grab a coffee in the new, trendy indoor food market Mathallen, or try some delicious tarragonroasted langoustines in Ostehuset, a café-come-deli celebrating local produce. Just a short walk away is Olbaren Ost, a tiny bar situated on the site of a former brewery, where everything from the furniture to the beer is handcrafted.

Keen to keep it cool, the next day we sign up to the NuArt tour (£13 per person), a 90-minute city centre guided walk that takes in works of the NuArt Festival, a celebration of the world’s leading street art.

Our guide, Mike Wojtowics, points out 50-foot high wall murals of whales, stencil art of angels and even tiny toy men fixed to walls and hidden around the city.

The festival, which has been running every September for the past 15 years, attracts world-class graffiti artists including Pure Evil, famous for his images of crying celebrities.

While some of the artwork is temporary, a lot of it is permanent, meaning that Stavanger has some of the best and most diverse street art anywhere in the world.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

For those seeking more traditional pursuits, there are several quirky museums. The sleek and rather spectacular Petroleum Museum tells the story of Norway’s discovery of oil, with fascinating interactive displays and a mock drill platform, complete with emergency chute.

We also visit the Norwegian Canning Museum and take a guided tour of what life was like before the oil, when Stavanger’s main industry was canning.

“If it swam in the sea or grew on trees, we canned it,” our enthusiastic English guide Piers informs us.

While Stavanger’s quirky attractions make for a fun day out, most tourists know the city as a gateway to the fjords, and despite looming black clouds we are keen to get out on to the water with a cruise up to the famous Pulpit Rock – the most photographed attraction in Norway.

Heavy mist sits on top of the Lysefjord’s mountainous cliffs, but the place is still stunning. We speed past craggy islands dotted with red-roofed houses, churning up the strikingly blue waters of the fjord.

As we approach the famous Pulpit, a sheer jut of granite towering 604m above the fjord, we see... nothing.

Hidden above the clouds, we’re just going to have to climb it instead.

‘Most tourists know the city as a gateway to the fjords, and despite looming black clouds we are keen to get out on to the water with a cruise up to the famous Pulpit Rock – the most photographed attraction in Norway’

LAP OF THE GODS Pulpit Rock, 604m of sheer granite

TRAVEL 

and co-owner of the island, Siri, takes us on a tour of the gardens – a passion project started by her father-in-law and expanded by her husband into a 20-acre site with beaches, waterfalls and even a Japanese carp pond.

You could easily lose yourself in the beauty here, but our captain, Havard Gundersen, is calling us back to the rib. At well over 6ft tall and sporting a gigantic ginger beard, his infectious grin has us all excitedly clambering aboard. Soon we’re speeding over the water, while the wind whips at our faces. We’ve all caught the Norwegian passion for life – great food, great culture and great fun.

Approaching Stavanger, we pass the royal yacht. The king and queen are here today and I’m reminded of the wealth in this tiny and charming town. Nipping past on our speedy boat, I also realise how much fun it is too, with plenty more to offer visitors than just its oil.

FULL COLOUR The quayside in Stavanger

Tours of the Lysefjord leave from Stavanger several times daily and you can opt for just the cruise (£37 each) or the cruise and hike, which as a round trip takes six hours and costs £70. Tickets can easily be bought on the day either at the quay, on board or from Tourist Information.

“The weather is trolsk,” says our guide, “it means the trolls are nearby.”

As we head up into the mist, it’s easy to see why legends around here are plentiful.

After two hours, we finally get our glimpse of the rock. It’s a gigantic structure, reaching out into the abyss, like an altar to the Norse gods. It’s said to be one of the greatest viewing platforms on earth.

Sadly, there’s no view right now, but who needs one? It’s still breathtaking. As people precariously

79

TRAVEL FACTS  Stephanie Maskery was a guest of the Norwegian Tourist Board. Visit www.visitnorway.com  Doubles at the Comfort Hotel Square cost from £62 per night with breakfast. www.nordicchoicehotels.no/comfort/ comfort-hotel-square  Norwegian Air flies to Stavanger from London from £44.90 one way. www. norwegian.com British Airways flies from £47 one way. www.britishairways.com

ALL A BEARD Captain Havard Gundersen conducts tours of the fjords

dangle their legs over the edge, perhaps it’s good we can’t see to the bottom.

The epic climb to the top of the rock leaves us feeling rather adventurous, so what better way to recharge the adrenalin than a sea safari on a power rib? Fjord Events offers a range of raft excursions (£70 each for two hours) where you can look out for whales, seals and birds of prey, all while bouncing over the waves at up to 60mph.

We head to Flor and Fjaere, also known as the palm island – a unique oasis in the North Sea. As we disembark on to the small jetty, we’re immediately greeted with an explosion of colour.

Some 50,000 annuals are planted by hand every year to stun visitors and the scent of all these flowers permeates the whole island. Our guide

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Summer Activities at Bewl Water* When?

Monday 25th July to Friday 26th August (inclusive)

Who?

For all children aged 5+

Time?

Full Day: 9.00-16.00 I Half Day: 9.00-13.30 Or join us for breakfast club 8.00-9.00am!

Price:

Full day camps £39.99 or £24.99 for a half day camp £5.00 extra for breakfast club

Join us for a fun filled day including: Rounders or Ultimate Frisbee, Cricket/Football or Painting, Bewl Treasure Hunt, Active Fun Games or Cheerleading, Bewl Mountain Bikes Experience, Bewl Water Nature Walk, Kids Academy Ranger Car Experience, Bewl Water Pedalos, Bewl Water Safari and more!

Please note: booking is essential.

Payment must be made in advance to secure your child's place.

bewl water

WITH THE

THE TOWN’S TOP MOTORING GUIDE – FROM EVERYDAY DRIVES TO LUXURY SUPERCARS

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

FIRST DRIVE

MERCEDES-BENZ GLC COUPE

Yet as soon as you sit inside it, you know you’re in something a little bit more special than your common or garden SUV. The cabin is stock C-Class, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Even though the materials and build quality aren’t up to the standards set by Audi and BMW, there’s a sense of style and occasion that little else in this price range can match.

nine-speed automatic gearbox, though, which does a great job of keeping the revs down and shifts seamlessly between ratios.

FACTS AT A GLANCE PRICE: 220d Sport model from £40,580 MODEL: Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe 250d 4MATIC AMG Line ENGINE: 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel producing 201bhp and 369lb/ft TRANSMISSION: Nine-speed automatic driving all four wheels PERFORMANCE: Top speed 138mph, 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds ECONOMY: 56.5mpg combined EMISSIONS: 143g/km

By James Fossdyke WHAT’S NEW? This is Mercedes’ newest addition to its SUV line-up, and its second attempt at a coupe SUV. Sitting below the GLE Coupe in the range, the GLC Coupe is essentially a GLC with a sleeker, sportier body atop the SUV chassis.

But to dismiss this as a GLC for the fashionconscious is to undersell this car somewhat, because the Coupe is also bestowed with more direct steering and a sportier suspension set-up that aims, in Mercedes’ words, to make this ‘the sports car among the mid-size SUVs’.

Under the bonnet you’ll find one of Mercedes’ now-ageing 2.1-litre diesel engines, but these will eventually be joined by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a twin-turbo V6 petrol and a plug-in hybrid. Sadly, though, the latter won’t be with us until 2018.

LOOKS AND IMAGE For all Mercedes’ claims of dynamism, it’s difficult to get around the wanton stylishness of the GLC Coupe. The standard C-Class Coupe is a gorgeous machine, and there’s more than a hint of that sleek aesthetic about the GLC. Somehow, though, it doesn’t sit all that well on the raised GLC chassis. It’s a muscular image, but there’s a little too much metalwork on the sides and the bumpers are a mite too deep to call it truly beautiful.

VALUE FOR MONEY

SPACE AND PRACTICALITY The cost of all the GLC Coupe’s stylishness, though, is practicality. There’s plenty of room in the front, and access to the rear seats is good thanks to the sensibly sized back doors, but taller rear-seat passengers will find that headroom is at a premium.

Fortunately, the boot is capacious enough for items such as suitcases and golf clubs, but the boot floor seems to be quite a way up and hoisting heavier objects in and out may be a bit of a faff.

BEHIND THE WHEEL The GLC Coupe’s key strength lies on the tarmac.

Sports suspension, which is optional on the normal GLC, comes as standard on the Coupe, while the track has been widened and the coupe body has lowered the centre of gravity.

As a result, the GLC Coupe’s road manners are very solid, especially considering the kerb weight of 1.8 tonnes. It isn’t what you’d call sporty, and it probably couldn’t even keep pace with the

‘As soon as you sit inside it, you know you’re in something a little bit more special than your common or garden SUV’ Porsche Macan, but it’s a match for the likes of the BMW X4 and Range Rover Evoque.

It isn’t just the handling that impresses, either.

Even with its sporting pretensions, the GLC Coupe offers a smooth, comfortable ride, and despite the ageing engines, it’s still quite refined. That’s helped by the excellent

Prices start from £40,580, which buys you the 220d Sport model. That’s £3,000 more expensive than the equivalent GLC SUV, but there isn’t a lot of extra kit. In fact, apart from the suspension, steering and the bodywork, it’s absolutely identical to the SUV. Even so, there’s plenty of standard equipment.

The nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, along with 18-inch alloys, parking sensors and satellite navigation.

But upgrading to the £42,090 AMG Line will earn you full Artico man-made leather, black headlining and myriad aesthetic tweaks both inside and out.

At present, the price structure is relatively flat thanks to the limited engine range, but once the V6 diesel-powered 350d arrives at the end of the year the prices will likely reach up towards the £50,000 mark.

WHO WOULD BUY ONE? The GLC Coupe is aimed squarely at stylish young professionals who want to join the SUV revolution without sacrificing the looks and handling of a coupe. However, it’s a pleasant surprise to find that it’s relatively practical, so some young families may be tempted.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

82 n MOTORING

Models shown are Alfa Milo 875cc TB TwinAir 105 hp Progression including Alfa Red Special Paint at £475, OTR £14,535 & NewAlfa Giulietta 1.4 TB 120 hp at £19,225 OTR incl. Stromboli Grey Special Paint at £525. Range of official fu el consumption figu res for the Alfa Milo Progression & NewAlfa Giulietta range: Urban 29.7 - 64.2 mpg (9.5 - 4.4 1/100km); Extra Urban 54.3 - 97.4 mpg (5.2 - 2.9 1/lOOkm); Combined 41.5 - 80.7 mpg (6.8 - 3.5 1/100km). C0 2 emissions 157 - 90 g/ km. Fuel consumption and co, figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. 'Customer deposit is £999. Optional Final Payment is £3,693. ContractTerm is 48 months. Promotion available on Alfa MiTo 875cc TB TwinAir 105 hp Progression including Alfa Red Special Paint at £475 from 4th May to 31st July 2016. 'Customer deposit is £1,599. Optional Final Payment is £5,803. ContractTerm is 48 months. Promotion available on New Alfa Giulietta 1.4 TB 120 hp at £19,225 OTR registered between 4th May and 31st July 2016. Alfa Deposit Contribution only available in conjunction with Alfa Romeo Preferenza PCP. With Alfa Romeo Preferenza you have the option to return the vehicle and not pay the final payment, subject to the vehicle not having exceeded an agreed annual mileage (a charge of 6p per mile fo r exceeding 6,000 miles per annum in these examples) and being in good condition. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Terms and Conditions apply. At participating Dealers only. We work with a number of creditors including Alfa Romeo Financial Services. Alfa Romeo Financial Services, PO BOX 4465, Slough, SL! ORW.

Model shown isthe Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 litre V6 75th Anniversary Limited edition at £51.325 OTR including special paint at £775. OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE JEEP@GRAND CHEROKEE RANGE IN MPG [L/lOOKMl: EXTRA URBAN 29.4 [9.6) - 43. 5 [6.5), URBAN 13.9 [20.3) - 30.4 [9.3), COMBINED 20.9 [1 3. 5) - 37.7 [7.5), C01EMISSIONS: 315 - 198 G/KM . Fuel consumption and CO, figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/ regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. 'Claim relates to Jeep Grand Cherokee nameplate over its lifetime. 'According to Auto Express 1016 Driver Power Survey. tPromotion available on new Grand Cherokee 75thAnniversary limited editions registered between 4th May and 31st July 1016. Jeep Deposit Contribution only available in conjunction with Jeep Hire Purchase. 0%APR Representative Hire Purchase available for a 3year term with aminimum customer deposit of 11% required. finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Terms and Conditions apply. Jeep financial Services. PO BOX 4465. Slough. Sll ORW. We work with anumber of creditors including Jeep financial Services. Jeep®is aregistered trademark of FCA US LLC.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

MOTORING n

83

INTRODUCING THE NEW FORD EDGE Sitting at the pinnacle of our SUV range, the New Ford Edge is the epitome of modern refinement.

FORD EDGE TITANIUM AWD 5DR 2.0 lBOPS DIESEL

- £349* PER MONTH

- £500 DEPOSIT ALLOWANCE

www.lifestyleford.co.uk

Tunbridge Wells 01892 739131

Tonbridge 01732 758 726

KentTN48AG

Kent TN9 lTN

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (11100km) for the Ford Edge range: urban 43.5 (6.5) - 44.l (6.4), extra urban 51.4 (5.5) - 52.3 (5.4), combined 47.9 (5 .9) - 48.7 (5.8) . Official CO, emissions 152-149g/km.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Based on limited stock vehicles only and must be ordered and registered between 01.07.16 and 30.09.16. *Finance example shown available over a finance period of 37 months with £4,004.10 customer deposit, £500 deposit allowance, £4,504.10 total deposit. Amount of credit £27,290.90. Charge for credit £536.10. Finance Facility fee £10. Purchase Fee £10. Total amount payable £32,351.10.

Optional final payment £15,263. 0.90/o APR, 6,000 miles per annum, excess mileage charged at 8p per mile. When financed with Ford Credit. Finance subject to status. Other charges for metallic paint and extra factory options. Must be over 18 and a full UK resident. Guarantees/ indemnities may be required. Freepost Ford Credit. Prices correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Subject to availability at Lifestyle Ford. Lifestyle Ford reserves the right to amend or withdraw offers at any time and without notice. Lifestyle Ford Head Office 3 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 SAG. Images for illustration purposes only, metallic paint available at an extra cost.

EVERYTHING YOU WANT. FOR LESS

A!raZDa CX-3 WITH A £1,500 MAZDA DEPOSIT CONTRIBUTION NOW AVAILABLE WITH

3.9% APR-

A!raZDa CX-5 WITH A £1,500 MAZDA DEPOSIT CONTRIBUTION NOW AVAILABLE WITH

3.9°/o APR- REPRESENTATIVE

INVICTA MAZDA TUNBRIDGE WELLS Tunbridge Wells Business Park, Dowding Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DS 01892 597726 www.invicta-mazda .co.uk

ZOOll7-ZOOll7

Th e offi cial fu el co nsumpti on fi gures in mpg (l/100km ) for th e Mazda Rang e: Urban 30.4 (9.3) - 74 . 3 (3.8). Extra Urban 51.4 (5.5) - 88.3 (3.2).

Combin ed 40 .9 (6.9) - 83.1 (3 .4). CO, emi ss ion s (g/km) 161 - 89.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated t est results obtained through laboratory testing . These are provided for comparabi lity purposes only and may not reflect your actual driving results.

Retail sales only, subject to availabi lity for vehicles registered between 01.07.16 and 30.09.16 at participating dealers. T&C apply .....3.9% APR Mazda Personal Contract Purchase available on all Mazda CX·3 and Mazda CX·S models. Finance subject to status. 18s or over. Guarantee may be required.

Mazda Financial Services RHl lSR. Models shown: Mazda CX·3 120ps 2WD Sport Nav, OTR from £20,495. Mazda CX·S lSOps 2WD Sport Nav Diesel, OTR from £27,495. Models shown feature Soul Red Metalli c Paint (£670). OTR price inc ludes VAT, number plates, delivery, 12 months ' road fund licence, first registration fee, 3 year or 60,000 mile warranty and 3 years· European Roadside Assistance. Test drives subject to applicant status and availabi lity. Detai ls co r rect at time of going to print. Not avai lable in conjunction with any other offer unless specified.

Ca mbri a automobi les pi e, tradi ng as ln vict a Maz da is a cre dit broke r not a len der for t hi s financ ial promoti on. We ca n intr odu ce yo u t o a limit ed numbe r of ca refull y selec t ed fi nance pro viders and may rece ive a co mmi ss ion from t hem for t he introduc ti on.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Our premises are lacaled at Kingstanding Way Business Park 1n Tunbridge Wells.

',

. . .. ·

,... ,-\.:,. .,~--,l; \:.::

We invite all new and seasoned enthusiasts to visit us today to find out more about our classic car restoration services.

We will use our experience to advise you on the best way to restore your classic, vintage or collectible car, and help you to revive its past glories.

• Fram full graund up restaratian ta summer check aver • Specialist mig and tig welding

• Full engine and gearbax rebuilds • We can lacate hard ta find parts, • In hause machining facilities • Vapaur blasting • Everything yau need ta care far yaur classic car ...

• Baak yaur with us

moT

anline

Canlacl details: H-Engineering Unit 12, 2, Kingstanding Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3UP 01892 549 042 www.h-engineering.com

LIFE AND STYLE �

85

LIFESTYLE RENAULT AWARDED ‘DRIVER POWER – DEALER OF EXCELLENCE’ STATUS A Tunbridge Wells Renault retailer is celebrating after being named as a ‘Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’ by Groupe Renault UK – the UK operation of the French carmaker that encompasses the Renault and Dacia brands.

Lifestyle Renault, of Langton Road, is one of 16 nationwide dealerships to be awarded the prized accolade in the ‘Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’ programme that is hosted by Groupe Renault UK and the UK’s biggest-selling motoring magazine, Auto Express.

The local dealership was nominated for the award in February after it performed strongly in Groupe Renault UK’s in-house Customer Satisfaction measures. Together with 22 other nominated dealerships, Lifestyle Renault was then subject to an in-depth independent customer care evaluation by Driver Power. Focusing on the results of an extensive customer satisfaction survey, the findings by Driver Power confirmed that the local dealership was delivering a level of service that verified it as a ‘Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’.

SWEETWOODS PARK LADIES TASTER DAYS A SUCCESS! What lady wouldn’t want to spend a few hours within the Wealden Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club?

A high number were certainly welcomed on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th July at Sweetwoods Park complimentary Ladies Taster Days.

Glen Warner, Service Manager of Lifestyle Renault was presented with the coveted award by Paul Flanagan, Groupe Renault UK, Managing Director, at the carmaker’s mid-year national dealer conference in June.

Thursday’s session was fully booked and Friday also received great attendance along with the arrival of some much-needed sunshine.

Fellow lady members of Sweetwoods Park were also present, offering support and encouragement to the prospective members.

The two sessions included a complimentary 1 hour group tuition from PGA Pro Matt Tyler, a buggy tour of the stunning course, Pimm’s and canapés and the chance to quiz fellow lady members, PGA Pro, Matt Tyler and General Manager, Andrew Salter.

General Manager of Sweetwoods Park, Andrew Salter, said “It was a pleasure to welcome so many ladies to our first ever Ladies Taster Day event. An array of abilities were present, from complete beginners to experienced golfers. We hope to welcome some of the attendees as Sweetwoods Park members in the near future and expand on our already thriving ladies section.’

Ladies who attended were rewarded with a complimentary 2 ball voucher to allow them to return and try the full course out at their leisure.

The Trial and Starter membership packages available at Sweetwoods Park both offer a small 3 month commitment. They are perfect for those wanting to either trial a full membership or for those just starting out, try a package that includes tuition.

Regardless of your gender, if you want to find out more about membership at Sweetwoods Park visit www.sweetwoodspark. com. Alternatively, call Vicky Fearn, Membership Administrator at Sweetwoods Park on 01342 850 729 Ext 2.

IS YOUR CHILD THE CUTEST KID OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS? Submit your ‘Cutest Kid of Tunbridge Wells’ pics to hello@tunbridgewellslocallife.co.uk & via twitter to @TWellsLocalLife / @HappyFeetMgt / @wardrobefairy to enter our fabulous competition to #Win some amazing prizes.

The winner will receive a 12 month contract for their child with Happy Feet Management Talent & Model Agency based in Tunbridge Wells and mum will receive a day of pampering courtesy of Tunbridge Wells Local Life as well as a personal styling session and treats courtesy of Victoria Genevieve Styling. As well as pics from the photoshoot with the 10 child finalists to be held at The Happy Feet Studio in Tunbridge Wells on 02/09/16'

85 SEEART GALLERY PROUDLY PRESENTS PAST/PRESENT/ FUTURE An exhibition of sculpture and paintings spanning four decades by internationally-acclaimed artist Guy Portelli.

This stunning and iconic collection will be exhibited for sale and include work from Portelli’s renowned Pop Icons and Temptation, Reward series. The exhibition will also showcase never-before-seen paintings and artist studies inspired by travel, which portray his emotional response to landscape, featuring Africa and Latin America.

Born in South Africa, and now living in England, Portelli came to prominence in 2008 after appearing on Dragon’s Den and he is now one of the most recognised and accomplished artists living and working in the UK today.

Currently, Portelli is working on a monumental commission for the town of Battle, East Sussex. The sculpture of a Norman warrior on a horse battling an Anglo Saxon soldier will commemorate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, which is held on October 14th 2016. Created in stainless steel, mosaic and aluminium, the sculpture consists of three different techniques inherent in Guy’s oeuvre. The sculpture is the largest public commission ever for the South East of England and will remain as a permanent memorial for the town.

The maquette and photographs of work in progress will all be on show at the exhibition.

Guy Portelli’s work is held in both public and private collections, which include the Porsche family, Sainsbury’s, Ringo Starr, Sheik Hamdan, Peel Holdings and the Barclay Brothers.

EXHIBITION - PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE

Glen, said: “We are delighted to receive this award and it recognises how we strive to provide our customers with a first-class experience every time they have contact with our dealership.

He went on to say “To just be nominated for the award is a fantastic achievement and it’s reassuring to know that our team has been voted amongst the best of the best by such a respected organisation as Driver Power and has been judged to exceed their exacting standards. We certainly won’t be resting on our laurels though, and with the launch of the All-New Megane only weeks away, we are looking forward to providing our customers with an even better experience.”

Congratulating the dealership, Groupe Renault UK’s Mark Crockett, Director of Total Customer Experience, said: “Lifestyle Renault” can feel very proud with its performance.

Our commitment to improving quality and standards across the board has never been higher, and we established this unique partnership and initiative with Auto Express and Driver Power to offer customers a transparent, independent verification of the customer experience our Dealer partners are delivering. Customers of Lifestyle Renault can rest assured that they will receive the very best service and their motoring requirements are in the safest of hands.”

Established earlier this year by Groupe Renault UK and Auto Express magazine, the Driver Power Dealer of Excellence programme is an accreditation programme that seeks to identify, recognise and reward automotive dealerships that provide excellent customer service. It is backed by the expertise of more than a decade of conducting the annual Driver Power Survey, the UK’s largest independent automotive satisfaction study.

For more information about the Renault range or to book a test drive, visit Lifestyle Renault’s Langton Road showroom now, call 01892 731531 or visit www.lifestylerenault.co.uk

PRIVATE VIEW August 24th 18:00-21:00 sponsored by Royal Riviera Champagne PUBLIC DAYS August 25th - September 1st 2016 Please contact the SEEART Gallery for PRIVATE VIEW invitations or for further information on 01892 512 365 50 The Upper Pantiles | Tunbridge Wells | Kent | TN2 5TD www.seeartgallery.co.uk E: art@seeartgallery.co.uk

Wednesday 27th July 2016

86 � PUZZLES SUDOKU

Wednesday 27th July 2016

7.Inexpensive (5) 12. Play down the position of one subjected to nervous tension (5,6) 15. Model exhibition (7,4) 17. Blow for time in a wellcontested match (5,4) 19. Of reserved disposition, but have a fling (3) 21. First to get the firearm ready (5) 22. See 7 Across

Scribble pad

9.Cover (3) 10.Repulsive (9) 12.Argument (11) 15.Discontented (11) 17.Building (9) 19.Also (3) 21.Set (5) 22.Frightened (7)

17 Structure; 19 Too; 21 Group; 22 Alarmed.

Down: 1 Tepid; 2 Pen; 3 Late; 4 Sheltered; 5 Harness; 8 Devout; 11 Congruous; 13 Trusty; 14 Disturb; 16 Sober; 18 Role; 20 Orb.

Across 6. Justice in Shakespeare is certainly not deep-seated (7) 7 & 22Ac. Are they used in depicting a lakeland scene? (5,7) 9. See 16 Down 10. Young groom can be trusted to be responsible (6-3)

SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU:

CRYPTIC CLUES

Down 1.Lukewarm (5) 2.Enclosure (3) 3.Tardy (4) 4.Shielded (9) 5.Tackle (7) 8.Pious (6) 11.Suitable (9) 13.Reliable (6) 14.Agitate (7) 16.Staid (5) 18.Part (4) 20.Sphere (3)

DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 6 Shallow; 7 Water; 9 Cut; 10 Stable-boy; 12 Under stress; 15 Fashion show; 17 Close game; 19 Shy; 21 Prime; 22 Colours.

Down: 1 Ghoul; 2 All; 3 Boat; 4 Makes room; 5 Remorse; 8 Abases; 11 In the same; 13 Enough; 14 Failure; 16 Short; 18 Mood; 20 Box.

Down 1. The Spirit of the Lough (7) 2, 11Dn & 3Dn. The whole crew suffering together (3,2,3,4,4) 3. See 2 Down 4. Provides space and constructs part of the house (5,4) 5. Compunction about a key method of communication (7) 8. Lowers a foundation on to the top of the soil (6) 11. See 2 Down 13. This will suffice to make one return with an expression of disgust (6) 14. One who doesn’t make the grade if a rule is broken (7) 16 & 9Ac. Quick way one takes to get rid of long QUICK CLUES tresses (5,3) Across 18. This affects how one feels at a reversal of fate (4) 6.Sundry (7) 20. Fight a case (3)

Quick: Across: 6 Several; 7 Cheap; 9 Lid; 10 Repellent; 12 Controversy; 15 Disgruntled;

DOUBLE CROSSWORD

PUZZLES �

87

CODEWORD

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ

WORD SPIRAL

Codeword is the crossword puzzle with no clues. The number in each square corresponds to a letter. Work out the words in the grid using the letters provided. Fill in these known letters first, then use skill and judgement to work out the others.

1. Penelope Wilton and Angela Griffin 9. George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom star in which new ITV drama set in Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison the 1980s? briefly formed which supergroup?

Starting from 1, fill in the grid clockwise with four-letter words. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next to reveal the key word in the shaded boxes.

10. In which current horror movie is Elle Fanning playing an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles?

1

11. What is the title of Professor Brian Cox’s latest documentary series, explaining how our planet’s beauty is created?

15. In which year was Blackadder Goes Forth set?

5. Which 1990s elderly talk show host was created and played by the late Caroline Aherne?

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

A T

9

10

11

12

13

22

23

24

25

26

6. Chaleur Humaine is the debut album from which French synthpop artist?

7. In the 1969 movie, which actors played Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, respectively?

8. Who became presenter of Catchphrase when the series was revived in 2013?

Elle Fanning – Q10

14

15

8

11

4

16 13

12

7

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

6

Cut with axe Tablet Board game Do as told Unit of length Twofold Sediment Complacent

5

9. Instrument 10.Asian desert 11. Wading bird 12.Cleansing agent 13.Treaty 14.Fling 15.Potato, slang 16.Entrance

Keyword clue: A sign of the Zodiac

SOLUTIONS

Redford; 8 Stephen Mulhern; 9 The Traveling Wilburys; 10 The Neon Demon; 11 Forces of Nature; 12 A Little Less Conversation; 13 Avatar; 14 Liev Schreiber; 15 1917

4. In The Secret Life of Pets, what sort of creature is Snowball, voiced

by Kevin Hart?

14. Who plays the eponymous Ray Donovan, a ‘fixer’ working for a California law firm?

10

CODEWORD: 1=M, 2=Q, 3=W, 4=Z, 5=F, 6=K, 7=U, 8=A, 9=S, 10=B, 11=J, 12=R, 13=H, 14=N, 15=X, 16=I, 17=Y, 18=L, 19=G, 20=C, 21=T, 22=V, 23=E, 24=O, 25=D, 26=P

3. Justin Timberlake, star of forthcoming film Trolls, has also released the theme song - what is it called?

9

WORD SPIRAL: 1 Chop; 2 Pill; 3 Ludo; 4 Obey; 5 Yard; 6 Dual; 7 Lees; 8 Smug; 9 Gong; 10 Gobi; 11 Ibis; 12 Soap; 13 Pact; 14 Toss; 15 Spud; 16 Door.

Keyword: SCORPIO

2. What is the name of BBC1’s Saturday night motor-based game show, hosted by Dermot O’Leary?

13. Which James Cameron blockbuster movie starred Sam Worthington as a paraplegic marine on a space mission?

3

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ: SOLUTIONS 1 Brief Encounters; 2 The Getaway Car; 3 Can’t Stop the Feeling; 4 Rabbit; 5 Mrs Merton; 6 Christine and the Queens; 7 Paul Newman and Robert

– Q2 Dermot O’Leary

12. After its use in Ocean’s Eleven, Junkie XL remixed which Elvis song that shot to the top of the charts in 2002?

2

Wednesday 27th July 2016

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90 � ARTS & CULTURE

Your theatre’s future will be less tribute bands and plenty more West End shows

The Assembly Hall’s new Director JJ Almond spoke to Eileen Leahy exclusively about his creative vision for the much loved town venue, and why he believes it’s a place that can benefit audiences from all areas ALTHOUGH John-Jackson Almond has only been in his new role as director of the Assembly Hall just shy of three months, he’s already starting to make his mark at one of the borough’s most established and well-loved theatres.

Having succeeded former director Brian McAteer in May this year, John-Jackson – or JJ as he likes to be known – stresses two things repeatedly throughout the course of our exclusive chat. Firstly that he is very keen for the Assembly Hall to be used a lot more for the good of the local

Wednesday 27th July 2016

community, and secondly he’d like it to be a little more flexible, not just in terms of the content it puts on but working alongside other creative venues.

It would appear then that exciting times lie ahead for the Assembly Hall, which underwent a major and very stylish £1.5million refurbishment last year, bringing it into the 21st century and neatly in line with JJ’s creative plans for its future.

“We have such a cultural asset in the Assembly Hall,” he declares as we sit down on one of the plush sofas in the newly decorated bar area, which boasts a smart, contemporary nickel grey and mustard yellow colour scheme, eyecatching lighting and a slick, superlong bar counter that wouldn’t look out of place in a chic London cocktail establishment.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Having been joint JJ Almond is enjoying his executive director new role as Director of the and producer at Assembly Hall London’s Park

Theatre for the past three and a half years, and in that time produced ten plays, some of which ended up at the National Theatre and in the West End, JJ certainly seems to have all the right credentials for his new role. So how did it come about?

I haven’t been given a directive.

It’s more of a case of ‘if you want to do something you can do it’.

“I was looking for a bigger, better challenge,” he says.

“I loved being at the Park Theatre but after sharing the overall responsibility there I wanted to do something independently.

“I’d been to the Assembly Hall once before with a show called Cissie and Ada, but that was before the refurbishment. So when I came back for my interview and saw how it had been transformed I thought ‘Wow!’ Having brought a show here I knew I could help and change how we do things.”

Other positives that struck JJ about the councilowned venue, which was built in the 1930s and seats nearly 1,000 people, was the fact it’s in such a beautiful place. “When I got the job I was taken on a tour and got a real sense of

just how much there is in the borough. It’s both cosmopolitan and rural and the people are relaxed.”

In terms of having a creative brief to follow, JJ says there isn’t one.

“I haven’t been given a directive. It’s more of a case of ‘if you want to do something you can do it’. What I have been given is the venue and a clean slate to develop what we do, and ultimately I guess we want to be a bit more commercial.”

By this, he says he means in terms of the quantity and quality of the products.

“What I want to see more of in the programme is really good, high quality West End shows. We’ve got Mousetrap coming here which is a classic and celebrating its 60th year. And we’ve just had it confirmed that Rent will be coming in 2017.”

Another thing that JJ is changing is the number of tribute bands that come and play.

“I think there are some really good ones like The Counterfeit Stones and Killer Queen, but ultimately there will be less of this genre.”

A show’s popularity is easily evaluated by simply judging the ‘number of bums on seats,’ says JJ. “When Cabaret, which starred Will Young, came here it sold out so that obviously tells me what people like. That’s why I want more shows like that here. I’d also be interested in getting some high quality Shakespeare in, so I have opened

ARTS & CULTURE �

up discussions with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Further down the line it would be great for us to start creating our own work too as I have those skills in directing and producing.”

But JJ’s approach to finessing the cultural content offered by the Assembly Hall is also very democratic. Since his arrival he has opened up a valuable conversation with the audience members themselves.

“I’m very keen that we talk to them more,” he confirms. “We’ve put out surveys after each show to get a steer on what our audiences did and didn’t enjoy about a particular performance, and we have plans to leave surveys elsewhere in the town like the Gateway. I’m really interested in people’s feedback and all of it comes directly to me. We’re not such a massive organisation that people shouldn’t be able to speak directly to me.”

The community as a whole is of huge value to JJ and he clearly understands the importance of

91

its relationship with the Assembly Hall to ensure ongoing success.

“It’s so important to have that connection. I think we could be doing a lot more with schools and local groups. We have got some regular returning ones such as Tunbridge Wells Operatic Dramatic Society (TWODS) and various orchestras, but there should be more. It’s just another way of trying to develop some community ownership of the building to get people to come here, feel welcome and want to be here.”

JJ says he also wants to strike up positive relationships with people from the other creative hubs in the town.

“We’re lucky to have Trinity Theatre, The Forum, The Grey Lady and the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, so it’s about working out how we capitalise on all our assets.

“By this I mean complementing each other and sharing resources. We could, for example, have a pool of workers and technical people that we could all dip into. It’s about joined-up thinking, sharing information. A simple example is if one venue has a jazz act on then everyone knows so they don’t book a similar one and suffer when hardly anyone turns up.”

JJ’s commitment to making the overall Tunbridge Wells community feel more involved in the Assembly Hall is admirable, but if he personally had to choose some favourite pieces of theatre to put on there, what would they be?

“I enjoy plays that have a truth and a moral journey in them. A favourite would be something like Ragtime as it’s really heartfelt and truthful.

I’m a big fan of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s not like the rest of his plays: It’s fantasy but it’s challenging and the language is very technical.”

For now JJ’s main message for the future is simple: “We’ve got a cultural asset that we can sing from the rooftops about – and it’s your theatre. I’m in no way saying use it or lose it, just make more of your Assembly Hall.”

It’s only rock ’n’ roll (but they like it) Tunbridge Wells trio The Bay Rays played their first festival gig at Glastonbury last month. Here they tell us how it went and why they’re looking forward to playing this weekend’s Leefest

So how was your set at Glastonbury?

Apart from Anthus having trouble with his bass amp two minutes before we were meant to go on, it went really well. As soon as we started the first track of our 25-minute set everything just seemed to click into place.

What was the rest of your festival experience like?

We arrived around midday on Saturday, got our tents set up and then went off to explore.

We spent a lot of time at the Pyramid Stage watching Tame Impala and The Last Shadow Puppets, who were both really good. The biggest surprise was watching Adele. We’re not really big fans of hers but we ended up staying for her whole set – she completely blew us away.

What are you looking forward to most about performing at Leefest?

Playing to a home crowd!

Did it exceed all your expectations?

Most definitely. It took us quite some time to come down from the high of playing after we finished our set. It was such an amazing experience.

What’s next for the Bay Rays?

We are currently in the studio with Jolyon Thomas working on our debut EP. With everything going on in the world at the moment it feels like there is a lot to write about.

How many people came to see you?

We managed to get a decent crowd of a few hundred people despite the fact we were closing the stage on the last day of the festival and the whole site was a complete mud bath!

The Bay Ray’s EP will be released on their own record label later this year to coincide with a 24date UK tour throughout September and October, which will be the biggest tour they have done

Wednesday 27th July 2016

92  WHAT’S ON SEVEN DAYS OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT A GLANCE

WHATS ON WITH THE

Eileen Leahy Local events

>> WEDNESDAY Watch artists at work in the extensive, stunning grounds of Riverhill Himalayan Gardens at their special Art In The Garden event. Or why not have a go yourself at doing some landscape painting and make the most of the experts on hand to advise and guide you? Normal entrance prices of £5.75 for children and £7.75 for adults apply. www.riverhillhimalayangardens.co.uk If you love classic cars then head to Chiddingstone Castle this morning, which is holding a Best In the West Kent Veteran Car Club Run from 10am – 12.30pm.

Funny Money continues all week until Saturday at the Oast Theatre in Tonbridge. It’s a classic, fast-paced farce written by king of this theatrical genre, Ray Cooney, that’ll have audiences giggling all the way through. For tickets and further information visit: www.oasttheatre.com Get Out of My Space (Gooms) is a production company set up by former pupils at Skinners’ School and they will be performing their new theatre offering, Hymns, over the next three nights at The Beacon. The story focuses around four friends who meet in the pub after the funeral of their best friend, but the wake soon turns into a fascinating discourse that ranges from football to cars and girls. Tickets cost £10, £7 for students and can be upgraded by £5 to include food. Visit www.facebook.com/goomsproductions

>> THURSDAY Children’s favourite scruffy dog Hairy Maclary, who is the star of a series of successful books about his crazy antics with four-legged chums Hercules Morse, Bottomley Potts and Schnitzel Von Krumm, comes to the Assembly Hall at 1.30pm.

Bringing the amusing books brilliantly to life, this is a show that will appeal to all ages thanks to its lively canine characters and mix of music and mayhem. Tickets cost £9 per child and £10 per adult. For more information visit www.assemblyhalltheatre Leefest: The Neverland music festival kicks off tonight at a secret location near Tunbridge Wells. This is the tenth anniversary of the now famous festival, which started off as a secret garden gig hosted by Lee Denny in his parents’ garden. This year’s event is bigger than ever, with acts such as Everything Everything, Lianne La Havas and Tunbridge Wells’ very own The Bay Rays performing – see page 91 for our exclusive interview with the band. For more info visit www.leefest.org Soak up the summer sun

MAD HATTER Johnny Depp stars in Alice Through the Looking Glass

Wednesday 27th July 2016

If you would like to see your events featured in our weekly What’s On pages please email info@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

with a trip to Jazz on the Pantiles. This week sees the lively Latin outfift Quinto taking to the bandstand. >> FRIDAY Tonight the St John’s three-day Beer, Cider and Music Festival kicks off. Youth will play on Friday night and Alex Wallace (of Sunday Sessions at The Forum) is DJ-ing on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, a number of Forum artists and bands will play so keep your fingers crossed for sunshine!

Festival fever continues over the weekend with family friendly Chilled in a Field happening at the Hop Farm. Geared towards families having fun out in the sun, there’ll be lots of cool music from the likes of Secret Sessions and The Egg, plus glitter wrestling, glamping, free family theatre shows and hot showers! To book tickets visit www.chilledinafieldfestival.co.uk Can’t stand the thought of standing in a – possibly – muddy field in order to appreciate music?

Then head along to the Spa Hotel this evening at 8pm as their resident jazz singer Lesley Alexander will be performing some classic numbers to ease you into the weekend. For more information visit www.spahotel.co.uk >> SATURDAY From 12 noon today The Mark Cross Inn Garden Party takes place, running right up until midnight.

As well as musicians including Nate Austin and Paul Day playing throughout the day, there will also be a Pimm's and cocktail tent, a barbecue and face painting for the children who will love dashing about the pub’s glorious garden.

Entrance is free. See www.themarkcross.co.uk At 7.30pm the Changeling Theatre company will put on a performance of All’s Well That Ends Well at Tonbridge Castle.

One of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays, it’s the tale of Bertram and Helen, who were brought up together as son and ward of a countess. Helen, however, has fallen in love with her ‘brother’ but he, given her ward status, considers her to be lower class. Will her love be requited? Book tickets, priced from £20, to find out. www. changeling-theatre.com Stand-up fans will be pleased to hear the Mercure hotel in Pembury is hosting a Comedy Night from 7.30pm. Guests will enjoy a two-course meal followed by an evening of laughs courtesy of Gerry K, Jason Simmons and Del Strain & MC Emmanuel. Put on by

Jokers Comedy, the evening costs £25 per person.

For more information visit www.mercuretunbridgewells.co.uk >> SUNDAY Throughout the school holidays Penshurst Place will be hosting a season of Summer Sundays. There will be a variety of events happening, including live storytelling sessions performed by Aardvark Productions at 2pm each Sunday and stunning falconry displays by the Hawking Centre. Keen gardeners can discover all about the house’s grand grounds courtesy of an exhibition in the Old Coach House. See www.penshurstplace.com The Forum’s Unfest Sessions have become a Sunday staple over the past few months. If you haven’t been then head along today and experience the sociable mix of poetry readings, table tennis, music and good food on offer. www.twforum.co.uk The Vintage Fair continues on The Pantiles today, so if you love to rock a little retro chic or to unearth a unique buy for your home then make sure you’re browsing some of its inspiring stalls. >> MONDAY Haysden Park in Tonbridge offers 64 hectares of large parkland with fishing, sailing and boating. It’s also had a £50,000 children’s playground and picnic area created which now gives it all the attributes for a top day out that won’t break the bank. For more information visit www.tmbc.co.uk Trinity Theatre has two good films on offer today.

Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Stephen Fry, Alice Through the Looking Glass is a colourful reworking of Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s novel, which sees Alice trying to save the Mad Hatter and Wonderland from a terrible fate by travelling through time. Tickets cost from £6 and the screening is at 5pm.

The second film is Miles Ahead, a biopic of the legendary jazz musician Miles Davis which stars, but has also been produced and directed by, actor Don Cheadle. It’s garnered lots of very positive praise from critics and music fans alike and also stars Ewan McGregor. Showing is at 8pm and tickets are priced from £9.50. www.trinitytheatre.net >> TUESDAY The Trail of The Tudors six-mile bike ride will take you on a traffic-free route from Tonbridge Castle to the magnificent Penshurst Place via parts of the River Medway along the way. It’s a brilliant day out for keen cyclists of all ages. To download the map go to www.explorekent.org Revelling in Flowers is a drop-in session which runs from 11am to 2.30pm today. Taking place on the field by the skate park in Grosvenor and Hilbert Park – or in the new Hub if wet – visitors can learn how to press flowers and create fancy floral displays.

Dedicated fishermen will enjoy the challenge set

by Bewl Water’s Golden Trout Competition. One lucky angler could win £2,500 if they manage to catch the specially tagged golden trout that’s been released into the reservoir. Although it may sound

ADVENTURE TIME Have fun at Chilled in a Field

WHAT’S ON 

93

THE SPA HOTEL

A ROUND-UP OF THIS WEEK’S MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Paul Dunton

BLOWN AWAY Don Cheadle as Miles Davis

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

Live music fairly easy, there are over 27,000 other fish to wade through so best of luck! A day’s fishing starts at £12 and boat hire costs £18. For more information visit www.bewlwater.co.uk Taylor Talbot Gallery in Tonbridge holds collaborative workshops for fledging artists and enables them to use their services and resources.

They are holding a private view this evening so pop along if you’re interested in working with them or would just like to enjoy the artwork on offer.

PICK OF THE WEEK National Trust Bodiam Castle Knights and Princesses Academy July 27 – August 25

FOR JAZZ lovers, on Wednesday (July 27) you can catch the excellent June Beckles & Roger Lewin at The Cross Keys Pub. For fans of alternative rock, there is a cracking line-up at The Forum this Friday. Headliners Black Gabanza are a truly unique live act, thoroughly entertaining and will rock The Forum to its knees! You can also expect an array of high-octane funky blues and rock-tinged sounds from support acts Storm Engine and Bison.

Saturday night offers a fabulous choice of live bands, including Kharma & The Devil at The Beau Nash and Lost Indecision at The Royal Oak. There is also a medley of excellent local acts performing at The Bedford Pub as part of the Live in The Living Room Tour from 8pm onwards.

For acoustic and folk fans there is a great lineup at The Grey Lady this Sunday with up-andcoming singer-songwriters Josie Lee, Zoe Eve and Becky Briggs at The Grey Lady, and the enchanting sounds of The Morning Tree at The Tonbridge Folk Club, this monday.

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

Doors 7.30pm, entry price variable, event information and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk

WEDNESDAY Word Up Presents: Maddie Godfrey, Spliff Richards and Isaac Holman FRIDAY Local & Live Electric: Black Gabanza, Storm Engine, Bison, Paul Monham SATURDAY Boogie Nights SUNDAY Unfest Sunday Sessions HOW will you fare on the training to become a knight or princess of Bodiam Castle? Every Wednesday and Thursday from July 27 – August 25 there will be sessions at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm & 3pm. In the 45-minute academy you’ll receive all the training you need from sword fighting for the knights to dancing and deportment for the princesses.

You will also get to try on some pieces from our costume and armour collection. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle

Mt Ephraim, Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late, Dining available, booking advised on 01892 520331

CASSIDY'S BAR

Castle Street, open all day, free entry, music from 8pm onwards

FRIDAY Groove Platform

MUSIC ON THE PANTILES BANDSTAND

SCALLYWAG

8pm-10pm live music on The Bandstand Free to attend Donations welcomed

45 Mount Ephraim, open all day, music from 7.30pm, entry charge for music may apply, more information at www.scallywagcafe.co.uk

THURSDAY Jazz series Quinto SATURDAY Soul Train

WEDNESDAY Cabaret Open Mic Night FRIDAY Ed Watts (Jazz Piano)

NO.9 SMOKEHOUSE

THE ROYAL OAK

9 Nevill Street, open all day, free entry music from 8.30pm till late

Prospect Road, 0pen all day, free entry, music from 8pm onwards

FRIDAY Release The Geese SATURDAY The Fireflies

SATURDAY Lost Indecision MONDAY Open Mic/Jam Session

THE BEDFORD PUB

THE BEAU NASH INN

2 Highstreet, open all day, free entry, music from 8pm

Mount Ephraim, open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late

SATURDAY Live In The Living Room – Organised Chaos Tour: Steve Hewitt, Charlie Dorrell, Alex Beharrell, Hannah Richards

FRIDAY Soul Night SATURDAY Kharma and the Devil

THE CROSS KEYS

TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB

St John's Road, Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm, website www.crosskeystw.co.uk

Ye Olde Chequers Inn, 122 High Street, Tonbridge Free entry music 8-11pm Hat collection (£7 recommended) Full details at www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

WEDNESDAY Sonny's Jazz: June Beckles & Roger Lewin THURSDAY UK Music Life Unsigned showcase FRIDAY Sonny's Blues: Paul Malsom Blues Band MONDAY TWURPS- Ukulele Beginners Session WEDNESDAY Sonny's Jazz: Paul & the Nocasters with guests

MONDAY The Morning Tree THE PUNCH & JUDY

11 St Stephens Street Tonbridge Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late

TUESDAY Also Known As

STORM ENGINE

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE

The Pantiles, Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7, websites www.pdag.co.uk + www.thegreylady.co.uk

WEDNESDAY Dale Chapman and Ryan Weeks, Ed Jones and The Diamond Cuts, Harley and Woods FRIDAY Salsa Camina SATURDAY Funkin Function SUNDAY Zoe Eve, Becky Briggs, The Paul Dunton Orchestra TUESDAY Katy Virgoe, The Varlies WEDNESDAY refer to www.pdag/events for confirmed line-up

Wednesday 27th July 2016

94 � BOOKS READ WITH THE TIMES

Two great novels that are worth the read Summer is the time to unwind. Whether you’re relaxing on the beach or in your garden, a good book will keep you company. To help you choose, here are two page-turners you won’t want to miss – about the man who never was, and what happens when all the water evaporates…

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

Thirst by Benjamin Warner

Since her debut, Ralph’s Party, in 1998, Lisa Jewell has been notching up bestsellers left, right and centre, and her latest superb offering, I Found You, is sure to join the ranks.

Forty-something single mother of three Alice befriends a man she finds sitting on the beach, who claims to have lost his memory and has nothing of significance about his person.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Lily, recently emigrated to London from the Ukraine, fears her husband Carl has gone missing when he doesn’t return home from work one evening.

Whilst Lily’s whole marriage is thrown into question when the police inform her that Carl Monrose never existed, the stranger Alice takes into her home is beginning to unlock memories that harken back to an incident that occurred in 1993, involving a family holiday that ended in tragedy. But are the memories better left undisturbed? The synopsis reads like a particularly fanciful Jerry Springer TV episode and, in less accomplished hands, the story could quite easily descend into farce. But Jewell manages to make the impossible seem possible, expertly pulling off an imaginative feat par excellence.

Fans of post-Apocalyptic fiction will welcome Benjamin Warner’s debut novel.

It’s a disturbing, enigmatic book, and all the more troubling for its humdrum setting. The nightmare scenario Warner conjures up is of a sudden and total lack of water everywhere.

Inexplicably, rivers and reservoirs have combusted leaving only beds of ash and charred foliage.

We don’t know how far this disaster extends, only that food and drink is rapidly running out in the sprawling suburb where unhappy young couple Eddie and Laura live.

The situation becomes increasingly desperate as the temperature soars and the inhabitants wait passively for help that never comes.

Warner has something to say about our dependence on authority and lack of meaningful community.

But really this is a visceral book, and where it excels is in its gut-wrenching descriptions of how dehydration ravages the body and mind.

Stock up on bottled water before you read it.

is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £12.99 (ebook £7.47)

is published in hardback by Century, priced £12.99 (ebook £7.99)

9/10 (Review by Jade Craddock)

8/10 (Review by Jackie Kingsley)

(Columnist Kent Barker is away)

Wednesday 27th July 2016

+

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PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE Begin your own tradition.

You merely look after it for the next generation.

By Appo intment to Her Majesty The Queen Jewell er

G. Collins&SonsLtd Royal Tunbridge Wells

(l?;. Oiollins

& ~ons

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76/78, High Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1YB Telephone: (01892) 534018 Fax: (01892) 510536 email: info@gcollinsandsons.com · www.gcollinsandsons.com

Annual Calendar Re£ 5205G