Times of Tunbridge Wells 29th June 2016

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LONDON MAYOR SAYS THERE SHOULD BE NO SECOND REFERENDUM Page 21

VOTE MAKES THE TOWN STAND OUT FROM THE REST… TODAY this newspaper breaks with tradition and publishes on the front page a cartoon that illustrates the stand-alone position that Tunbridge Wells took in last week’s EU Referendum.

The borough was the only one in Kent to come out in favour of Remaining in Europe and was one of only a handful in the south east, outside of the capital, to take that route.

Countywide the vote was 59 per cent Leave with 41 per cent Remain. In Tunbridge Wells it was very different with Remain on 55 and Leave on 45.

Yet again Tunbridge Wells demonstrated that on certain levels it has little in common with its neighbours and reinforces its Wikipedia entry ‘as being the archetypal conservative Middle England town’.

THOUSANDS SIGN UP TO PUPILS’ PETITION FOR LOWERING VOTING AGE Page 5

TRIBUTES PAID TO ‘OUTSTANDING’ FORMER MP WHO HAS DIED Page 8

AT FOURTEEN HE STARTED AN AWARD WINNING INTERNET BUSINESS Pages 12-13

INSIDE WEDDING DAZE

Eight page special with tips from happy couples. Pages 79-86

BLOOMING GARDENS

Why every outdoor space should have a few… roses. Pages 98-99

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

COMMENT Residents know it as an affluent place more readily identified today with London, where there was also an overwhelming vote to Remain, than with its Kent neighbours. The tag ‘Little London’ might now be more appropriate for the town.

Twitter lit up when the results were announced. Andrew Steadman declared: “It’s so Tunbridge Wells to be different from the rest of Kent.”

Patrick Thompson said: “We’re building a wall. Becoming an independent state, introducing a new currency and waiting for all this to blow over.”

Bobby Bewl wrote: “There’s something about Tunbridge Wells that makes it different to its neighbours.”

There certainly is something different about our town. But whichever way any of us voted, let’s remember one thing: To survive we have to live in harmony with our neighbours. It’s good to vote but not to gloat.

A GLASS ACT

The finest homes on the market are featured across 44 pages

READER OFFER

Enjoy 50% discounts at the one60’s July Meat Fest. Page 12

4 � LOCAL NEWS

In association with:

Weather Wednesday

June 29, 2016

º

16 C

Some sunny spells, before outbreaks of heavy rain.

Adam Hignett

adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Visibility: Good

Pollution: Low

Humidity: 69%

Sunrise: 04.47am

Sunset: 21.18pm

Wind: 19mph

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

18ºC

17ºC

17ºC

18ºC

18ºC

The moment Tunbridge Wells stood alone in the sea of blue

19ºC

MIDDAY Clocking cloudy skies

by Phil Spacey

IT WAS 2.30am and the count was in full swing when this reporter arrived at Putlands Sports Centre, Paddock Wood, to witness the people of Tunbridge Wells make their voice known in this historic Referendum.

Tens of thousands of ballots were being processed by a dedicated team of around one hundred count assistants and although they had been awake throughout the night, they were not showing signs of fatigue.

Overseeing the count were agents appointed by both sides of the campaign to ensure fair play.

Supporters from both camps congregated in their respective groups to watch the drama unfold.

There was a sense of isolation surrounding the count as poor phone reception and a lack of wifi meant information about the seismic events unfolding across the country came in only dribs and drabs.

This journalist became dependent on texts from an enthusiastic colleague, who was watching from the comfort of his own home, for a general sense of what was going on elsewhere.

Several rounds of verification took place over the next hour and a half, before the votes were carefully placed back into their boxes and the Local Counting Officer, William Benson, waited for the final go-ahead to announce the result.

Palpable anticipation hung in the air as Mr Benson retreated to a separate room with the final figures, to converse with the Referendum’s South-East regional centre in Southampton.

At one point, it seemed perhaps a mistake had been made when Mr Benson re-entered the main hall to say the regional centre had delayed giving the green light to state the result.

But 15 minutes later, at around 4.15am, he asked for the attention of those gathered.

Cheers rang out from Remain supporters as Mr Benson said the borough of Tunbridge Wells had, by 35,676 votes to 29,320, on a turnout of 79.1 per cent, opted to remain in the EU.

EU Referendum results Great Britain Send your weather pictures into... newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

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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 ‘Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given.

Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful’ John Wooden

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Leave 51.9% (17,410,742)

Remain 48.1% (16,141,241)

72.2% turnout

Kent Leave 59.3% (576,607)

Remain 40.7% (396,440)

76% turnout

Tunbridge Wells Leave 45.1% (29,320)

Remain 54.9% (35,676)

79.1% turnout

However, those who had been campaigning to Leave were far from downbeat, having lost by a margin of just 9.78 per cent in a town which they said would vote Remain anyway, and news from the wider Referendum gave them good cause to be cheerful.

It soon became apparent that Tunbridge Wells was about to find itself alone in a county which voted overwhelmingly for Brexit while the country itself was entering uncharted waters.

Tunbridge Wells was the only district in Kent to vote Remain.

Maidstone was the first district to confirm a result at around 3am.

The biggest Leave vote came in Gravesham, with 65.4 per cent.

THE COUNT Neighbouring borough Wealden, which includes Crowborough, voted to leave by 52,808 to 44,084, 54.5 per cent to 45.5 per cent.

The turnout figures below include spoilt ballot papers.

LEAVE (%)

REMAIN (%)

ASHFORD

41,472 (59.4)

28,314 (40.6)

TURNOUT (%) 69,828 (77)

CANTERBURY

41,879 (51.0)

40,169 (49.0)

82,105 (75)

DARTFORD

35,870 (64.2)

19,835 (35.8)

55,883 (76)

DOVER

40,410 (62.2)

24,606 (37.8)

65,057 (77)

GRAVESHAM

35,643 (65.4)

18,876 (34.6)

54,553 (75)

MAIDSTONE

52,365 (58.8)

36,762 (41.2)

89,173 (76)

MEDWAY

88,997 (64.1)

49,889 (35.9)

137,596 (71)

SEVENOAKS

38,258 (54.4)

32,091 (45.6)

70,393 (81)

SHEPWAY

37,729 (62.2)

22,884 (37.8)

60,659 (75)

SWALE

47,388 (62.5)

28,481 (37.5)

75,913 (74)

THANET

46,047 (63.8)

26,065 (36.2)

72,146 (73)

TONBRIDGE & MALLING

41,229 (55.7)

32,792 (44.3)

74,066 (80)

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

29,320 (45.1)

35,676 (54.9)

65,047 (79)

‘We must accept the decision… whichever way that we voted’ MP Greg Clark who favoured the Remain option, reacted to the vote by saying: “I’m proud that the debate in Tunbridge Wells – including in the pages of this newspaper – was respectful and well informed. That’s how we do things here.

“Although Tunbridge Wells, like me, voted for Remain, we must all accept the decision of the British people.

“Whichever way we voted, we need to come together now for the good of our country and negotiate constructively with our European neighbours. If we do so with courtesy and persuasiveness, we are more than capable of obtaining a good outcome.”

ON LAST week’s front page the Times carried a story forecasting a record turnout across the borough of 80 per cent of those eligible to vote in the EU Referendum. The turnout on the day was 79.1 per cent. It was another example of this newspaper keeping readers informed.

In recent months we have led the way with numerous relevant stories.

We told you that the discount store Wilko was coming to town. We were right. We told you that the retailer The Range was coming to town. The company denied the story. Then later admitted we were right.

We told you the mid-priced clothes store Primark hopes to open its doors in Tunbridge Wells.

It still does.

LOCAL NEWS 

Surgery is forced to move before hub opens THE St Andrew’s Medical Centre in Southborough is being forced to quit its premises by August 31, leaving the practice, which treats 8,200 patients, scrambling to find a new site.

Located in Pinewood Gardens, the practice had already planned to move into the new Southborough Hub on completion as the number of patients is expected to rise to 10,000. No completion date is known.

However, patients risk being left in limbo after the surgery was given ‘very short notice’ to leave by the landlords.

Pensioner cut free KENT Fire and Rescue Service was called to the Great Meadow car park Thursday (June 23) after a woman in her 80s became trapped in a car after it had collided with a wall. She was cut free before being taken to hospital.

Playground theft POLICE have launched an investigation into the theft of fencing worth £800 from a children’s playground in High Brooms. The metal barriers were stolen from the facility in Oak Road between 3pm on Friday June 24 and 10am on Monday June 27.

Young put at risk THE number of young people killed or seriously injured on Kent’s roads while in a vehicle rose by 16 per cent last year. Incidents involving 17-24 year-olds rose to 59 in 2015, up from 51 last year, making up 23 per cent of the total incidents recorded – which fell to 707 from 714 over the same period.

Train jump woman THE woman who jumped in front of a train at High Brooms (June 22) has been detained under the Mental Health Act. It is believed the woman landed between the rails leading to the train passing over her. She had minor injuries.

The cartoonist…

THE man commissioned to create our exclusive front page illustration is the Tunbridge Wells based cartoonist Chris Burke. He has worked for everyone from the BBC to Vogue, including The Sunday Times and Times. He has also been Cartoonist of the Year.

Thousands sign up to schoolgirls’ petition to lower the voting age Adam Hignett

adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk A TUNBRIDGE WELLS schoolgirl has launched an online petition demanding the voting age be lowered to 16 as the intergenerational backlash over Brexit continues.

Rosie Judd set up the petition in the wake of Britain’s historic knife-edge decision to leave the EU and in the space of just five days has attracted over 19,000 supporters – entitling her campaign to a formal response from the Government.

But although DISENFRANCHISED the petition Rosie Judd and requests the Lisha Goldring Government ‘re-

hold’ the referendum to allow her peers to vote – arguing the outcome could have been different – she knows the chances of this are negligible.

However, while a re-run may be off the cards she hopes that with enough momentum behind her campaign the franchise may be extended for future elections.

“I set up the petition with my friend Lisha Goldring at around 10am on the Friday (June 24) the result was announced.

All of my friends were so frustrated that we were not considered when the vote will ultimately affect us the most,” the Tunbridge Wells Girl’s Grammar pupil said.

She added that even if it is not successful in achieving its stated goal, if enough people sign it will still show 16 and 17 olds are ‘engaged’ in the political process.

Larger than life replica reinforces Royal connection TUNBRIDGE WELLS has reconnected with its Royal roots after a statue of The Queen’s favourite racehorse, on loan from Her Majesty, was put on display in the Assembly Hall over the weekend.

It was the first time the 6ft 3inch figure of the Ascot Gold Cup winner Estimate had been seen in public and formed the centre piece of the Tunbridge Wells International Art Fair.

The bronze resin sculpture was created by the world-renowned sculptor Tessa Campbell Fraser - who since June has been represented by The Pantilesbased SEEART Gallery owner Susan Beumee – and will now be auctioned for charity at Newmarket.

It is one of two sculptures of the horse commissioned by The Queen, with a second solid bronze version

now on display in the grounds of Sandringham Estate.

Mrs Campbell Fraser and her husband, the impressionist Rory Bremner, attended a private viewing on Thursday.

Event organiser Victoria Hansen said: “Our private view evening went very well despite the referendum voting.

“A great bonus was the SEEART Gallery being allowed to bring HM The Queen’s horse Estimate to the Assembly Hall Theatre - helping to put the Royal back in to Royal Tunbridge Wells.”

Ms Beumee said: “It was a fabulous event and Tessa thought the horse looked magnificent with the surrounding displays.

“I think it was good for the town to re-connect with the present day royal family.”

A student of Politics at A-Level and hoping to pursue the subject at university, Rosie Judd admits she may be more engaged than many of her peers.

But she points to the high-turnout among sixth form-aged pupils in Scotland during their referendum on independence as an example of where young people voted in droves.

Post vote analysis for the Scottish referendum showed the turnout was 75 per cent for that age group.

“Perhaps in a General Election it would not be as high as that but we do care when it comes to issues of major constitutional importance.

“Every one of my age group that I have spoken to has had an opinion about the EU referendum,” said Rosie Judd who would have voted Remain.

As the campaign gathers pace the next goal for her is to use the formal Government response to help galvanise sixth formers from around the country to sign up.

“I think if people know we are being taken seriously then it will be easier to spread our message,” she said, adding that ‘with enough effort’ her aim of reaching 100,000 signatures – which entitles the petition to be considered for a parliamentary debate – is achievable.

For more information visit www.change.org

ROYAL HORSE FOR A ROYAL TOWN Statue of Estimate

Photo: Sarah Bond

IN OTHER NEWS…

5

The £2,500 transportation costs to get the sculpture to Tunbridge Wells were met with funding by SEEART and event

sponsors Hoopers, Knight Frank, RVP, Camden Quarter, Berkeley, Altitude, Royal Riviera and Thomson Snell and Passmore.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

6  LOCAL NEWS

In association with:

‘Not everyone who voted Brexit is a racist but every racist voted for Brexit’ As the after-effects of the decision to withdraw from the EU continue to be felt across the country, the Times sought the views of two local campaigners on opposing sides of the argument – one from Tunbridge Wells and one from Wealden REMAIN HUSNARA BEGUM – TUNBRIDGE WELLS I’M EXTREMELY pleased the majority of people in Tunbridge Wells voted for Remain, especially in light of the whitewash that swept the rest of Kent.

I thought our local Remain campaign had the edge in the run-up to the Referendum, but I was still pleasantly surprised when the result came in.

We campaigned tirelessly from 7am each day – even in the torrential rain – and our work paid off, but it is a massive shame to be entirely surrounded by areas which voted for Brexit.

From a personal point of view as a

IN

REMAIN Husnara Begum

first generation immigrant from Bangladesh, I worry about the racist undertones in some parts of the Leave campaign.

‘Hopefully those who voted an exit now realise this isn’t just a bad dream’ I fear it will become acceptable to shout racist abuse in public and blame immigrants for the pressure on the NHS and other vital services, even though they work in and support these areas.

I know not everyone who voted for Brexit is a racist, but I believe every racist voted for Brexit.

This complex issue should never have gone to a Referendum in the first place and it was as much about voting against the establishment as it was the EU, even if both are connected.

Hopefully those who voted in favour of an exit and criticised Remain supporters for scaremongering now realise that the constitutional crisis and the inevitable economic downturn that will follow are really happening and this isn’t just a bad dream.

BREXIT: NUS GHANI – MP FOR WEALDEN LAST week, a majority of the people of the United Kingdom decided that our country is ready to march forward into the world free of the bureaucracy, unaccountability and inefficiency of the European Union.

Now can we begin to take back control, with our horizons broadened to the whole world and with the decisions that affect our lives grounded in legitimacy.

However, those who now have the responsibility of acting on the wishes of the people must do so with two things in mind.

‘We must take the entire population on this journey in a calm, measured way’ We must make sure to take the entire population on this journey in a calm and measured way, united in confidence and hope for the future. And we, the Conservative Party, also have a duty to remember we have a wider agenda of responsibilities to be getting on with in Government. That is exactly what we will do.

But having expressed my hope that he would remain in office regardless of the result, I am deeply saddened by the Prime Minister’s decision to announce his intention to step down.

The respect he has shown for the people’s will by holding this Referendum, and by responding to the result in such a dignified way, shows him to be a true public servant.

His call for a wider range of candidates led me to enter politics, he has transformed my party and our country for the better and I will be forever proud and grateful to have TIME TO GO served under Nus Ghani his leadership.

OUT

American Referendum coverage focuses on Tunbridge Wells The US is still fascinated by Britain years after throwing off the colonial shackles, and our town is perfect ‘Middle England’ BERLIN CALLING The New York Times’ Alison Smale

THE New York Times chose to focus on Tunbridge Wells for its social media coverage of last week’s EU Referendum vote.

Alison Smale, the newspaper’s Berlin bureau chief, fronted the Facebook presentation in what she described as a ‘quintessentially English town’ surrounded by ‘some of the most beautiful villages in England’.

Having grown up in Bromley, she is now a senior journalist and a former Executive Editor of the International Herald Tribune – the first woman to be in charge of the paper.

She left the country in 1979 but has returned to

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Tunbridge Wells regularly to visit her sister, who works in the town.

She chose to present her show from The Pantiles and spoke to customers in the Duke of York pub about their impressions of the historic Referendum day.

So why did she choose Tunbridge Wells as her base? “It was a place I’ve known for many years.

I’ve often visited it when I come to see my sister,” she said.

“I thought The Pantiles showed very well what a pretty English town looks like and feels like for our American audience.”

The famous epithet ‘Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells’ has always made the affluent town an easy target for those looking to satirise Middle England.

“Of course the Americans don’t get the reference ‘Disgusted’, but that led me to think it was emblematic of several aspects of the British middle classes.

“The phrase implies a bedrock of conservative values, and that someone in a pretty, established English town finds anything else off-putting.

“But it was a phrase that has had its time in the fifties and sixties. The whole country has moved

on. Still, I am surprised that Tunbridge Wells voted to Remain.

“I haven’t lived here since 1979 and the country has changed a lot since then.”

‘I definitely picked up that every side felt passionate about it’ Working in Germany, she has been aware of the controversial build-up to the Referendum. But she was still taken aback by the intensity of the debate and how feelings were running high.

She said: “Talking outside polling stations, what struck me was how readily they used words like ‘huge’ and ‘historic’ – and ‘desperate’. The emotion generated is undoubted.

“I definitely picked up that every side felt passionate about it – it cut through traditional politics. People were complaining that they hadn’t got straightforward information.”

In the broadcast she said that Germany was ‘palpably nervous’ about the British vote, ‘but not showing it’. So would the vote to Leave have wider implications? For example, could the Germans agitate for their own Referendum?

“I would doubt that,” said Ms Smale. “Germany benefits from having the euro and it believes in the process… But we are in uncharted territory now.

She discovered that young people in the town were much more pro-European, and said ‘whether they voted or not may have made some difference’.

Emma, who works at the Duke of York, said in the report: “People have this massive idea of independence but these are bonds that shouldn’t be broken. Being in the EU makes us stronger.”

But Ms Smale is confident that the country can make a success of its new-found freedom.

“Britain is a resourceful country and I’m sure people will be able to absorb this change in their lives.”

Meanwhile, she claims that her American audience will have been looking on with interest.

“They are concerned in terms of the financial markets and the nature of the special relationship. There are strategic ramifications.

“But there are also sentimental feelings.

Americans are still fascinated by Britain, despite having thrown off the shackles of colonial rule in the war of independence.”

LOCAL NEWS 

In association with:

7

There is a great deal to think about WARNING FLAGS Employment law is likely to change

comparable employees in terms of employment and conditions after 12 weeks in a job.

2 Parts of the Working Time Regulations – which limit how many hours can be worked each week – including how holiday is calculated and accrued during sick leave.

3 Imposing a cap on the amount of compensation that can be awarded for claimants who win discrimination claims.

Changes to employment law could be a hot topic in the next general election.

4 Commercial property

The Referendum vote to leave the EU has left us with more questions than answers, and the way forward is not clearly signposted. What should we look out for in this uncertain future?

James Partridge, Senior Partner at Tunbridge Wells solicitors Thomson Snell & Passmore, describes the impact that the Leave vote will have on businesses and looks at five key areas 1 Commercial contracts LOCAL businesses should plan ahead and review their commercial relationships during the next two years in order to minimise the impact.

For example, any provisions in the contract such as ‘an exclusive right to operate in the EU’ will give rise to uncertainty.

Contracts may need to be terminated in case force majeure provisions – circumstances beyond the control of the signatories – are triggered when the UK leaves.

Such terminations may have to rely on Brexit being classified as ‘material adverse change’.

Pricing arrangements may also need to be re-evaluated.

When negotiating contracts, businesses should consider expressly including or excluding the Brexit from any force majeure provision.

New contracts might also feature termination rights that can be activated when the UK leaves the EU, and provide alternative mechanisms.

2 Dispute resolution MUCH of the legal framework for disputes between businesses in different EU countires is governed

by EU regulations.

Parallel proceedings – simultaneous litigation arising out of a common set of facts – are not allowed.

Recognition and enforcement of judgments are relatively simple, and permission to serve a claim ‘outside the jurisdiction’ – in another EU country pre-Brexit – is not required. It is unclear whether similar rules will continue to apply.

Intellectual Property: UK businesses currently rely to a large extent on Community Trade Marks

or European Design Rights to protect their brands and products in the EU. Such protections may no longer apply.

Insurance: UK firms may now lose EU freedoms to write insurance business in any other member state.

Insolvency: The EU has made little progress in harmonising insolvency laws so the impact of Brexit should be limited.

Sanctions: The UK will no longer be involved in any such EU programme and, subject to any United Nations sanctions, is able to operate its own regime against other countries.

Trade: In the EU, goods, services and people can move freely between member states. The UK has two years to negotiate separate agreements with the EU, which could make trade more complex and expensive.

3 Employment A LARGE amount of the UK’s employment law comes from the EU, for example the Working Time Regulations and the Agency Worker Regulations.

Once we leave, we will have free rein to repeal all those laws, but in the short term, during negotiations around the exit, there will be no significant changes.

The introduction of gender pay gap reporting and the apprenticeship levy are both UK-led initiatives, so our employers should still expect them to be implemented as planned over the next 12 months.

The EU laws that are most likely to be considered for amendment include: 1 The Agency Workers Regulations, which entitles agency workers to the same treatment as

WE MAY now see overseas investors taking advantage of a fall in the value of sterling but otherwise it is too early to predict the full consequences of Brexit.

The initial reaction of the financial markets has been dramatic but the key will be how long this continues and how far-reaching the disruption is.

Investment advisors have been scaling back their operations in the UK anyway, regardless of Brexit, since they believe the upturn in the UK property market will reach its peak in 2016.

Within hours of the referendum result, some of our clients put decisions on hold. Uncertainty is always unwelcome in the property business.

No doubt there will also be opportunities arising, so investors, developers and funders should be vigilant and get in early.

5 Data protection ALL BUSINESSES handle personal data relating to employees, customers or suppliers. Data protection rules cover what they can do with such data and how it must be kept secure.

UK companies should already have been preparing for the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, which takes effect from 2018.

Both the current and future EU data protection regimes allow the transfer of personal data within the European Economic Area (EEA) – or single market – but there are very tight regulations on any transfers outside of the EEA. If the UK ends up outside the EEA, there would be significant challenges to businesses’ ability to share data across Europe.

Non-EU countries, such as Singapore, are adopting laws that follow the EU model in order to gain access to EU data.

As a condition of being granted access, countries have had to introduce export controls to prevent EU data reaching jurisdictions that are considered unsafe.

The UK could be included in this scenario if our postBrexit data protection rules did not match those of the EU. LEGAL ANGLE Senior Partner James Partridge

Wednesday 29th June 2016

8  LOCAL NEWS

In association with:

Local businesses reflect on shock vote The markets have been left reeling following the announcement that Britain will vote to leave the European Union, with many caught completely off guard by the result of the Referendum. We asked our panel of business leaders from some of the town’s most successful and largest financial firms what they make of the result CRAIG STRONG – Head of Capital Currencies

ANDY BELL – Chief Executive of brokers AJ Bell

Friday’s Referendum result certainly shocked the country and has almost certainly divided it.

The Asian markets had an early run on sterling and it wasn’t until Mark Carney offered a statement saying that the pound would be supported and London traders got back into full swing that it bounced back a few cents across the board.

More uncertainty has been added with David Cameron stating he would step down as the Conservative leader by October, although this was expected should the Remain vote lose.

Despite George Osborne’s statement, following that of Carney in trying to reassure investors and the markets, sterling has come under renewed pressure.

Until some orderly control is taken back, the markets will see opportunities through what are very uncertain times ahead.

I don’t envisage anything changing overnight in our market, apart from the rates.

Needless to say we have had a rush of people who have liquidated their currency positions by taking advantage of the adverse move against the pound.

Others have been locking in forward rates to hedge and protect against any further downwards movement.

As nobody has a crystal ball it’s anyone’s guess as what comes next especially as there are now even more variables involved, but sooner hopefully than later, financial stability will return.

The Brexit vote will create a period of political and economic instability and this is likely to depress stock markets and economic growth in the short term.

The key now is who becomes Prime Minister and who leads the negotiation of our exit from the EU. The outcome of that process will determine the UK’s growth prospects over the long term.

From a customer perspective we have seen investors taking advantage of the fall in share prices to pick up bargains.

Seventy-three per cent of the trades via our website on Friday were buys, compared to 26 per cent sells. It is certainly not a time to panic sell.

Market movements driven by uncertainty and sentiment are normally short lived. Long-term it is profit and cash flow that drives share prices and that is what investors should be focused on.

HARVEY WETHERILL – Chairman of United Brokers International – Tunbridge Wells-based insurance underwriters who operate predominantly in France Following the Referendum result we have been busy implementing our contingency plan to ensure that UBI continues to operate successfully during the transition period and then our country’s final exit from the European Union.

The main challenge for us in the short term is to discourage our clients and partners from switching to competitors domiciled in other EEA countries.

RICHARD PHILBIN – Chief Investment Officer at Wellian Investment Solutions Whilst it is not our position to debate the rights and wrongs of this historic outcome, we are acutely aware of the fact that this verdict has raised many poignant and serious questions.

Of these questions, the ones to have the most immediate impact on our industry include whether or not there will be an interest rate hike, will businesses turn away from the UK market and will the M&A (mergers and acquisitions) market suffer even more than it already has done?

The answers to all of these questions are, at this stage, on the list of the many unknown outcomes of a Brexit.

We have substantial international holdings in most of our portfolios and a ten per cent fall in sterling will immediately boost their values by the same amount.

Many of the UK’s best known companies are very international and a fall in sterling will make their goods and services immediately more competitive overseas.

In the weeks ahead we will be spending lots of time thinking through the implications from an investment point of view.

Tributes paid to an ‘outstanding’ local MP Lord Mayhew, who was the MP for Tunbridge Wells for 23 years, died peacefully at his home in Kent on Saturday, aged 86

MAN OF PEACE Sir Patrick Mayhew (centre) at Belfast High Court in 1996 LORD MAYHEW was the Conservative MP from 1974 to 1997 and former President of the Tunbridge Wells branch of the Royal British Legion. He was also Northern Ireland Secretary and Attorney General for five years from 1992, making him the longest-serving secretary of state for NI. In a statement his family said: “He had lived with cancer and Parkinson’s for several years. He worked hard for peace in Northern Ireland.”

The former lawyer and army officer is survived by Jean, a former teacher whom he married in 1963, and their four sons.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Born in 1929, Lord Mayhew was educated at Tonbridge School and went to Balliol College in Oxford, becoming President of the Union in 1952 and of the university Conservative Association.

Previously, he served as a subaltern in the 4th/7th King’s Dragoon Guards. He was called to the Bar from the Middle Temple in 1955.

In Margaret Thatcher’s Government he served as Under-Secretary for Employment, Minister of State at the Home Office, and had roles as Solicitor and Attorney General.

‘A humble but genial chap throughout his political career’ Lord Mayhew, an Irish Protestant, became the first secretary of state to meet the Sinn Fein President and former IRA commander Gerry Adams. The initiative foundered on the IRA’s refusal to disarm, but the contacts established with Sinn Fein (and Dublin) paved the way for the peacekeeping Good Friday Agreement months after Mayhew’s retirement at the 1997 general election.

Current Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark Tweeted: “Patrick Mayhew, an outstanding MP for Tunbridge Wells, former Sec of State and friend has died.

Much loved & respected, will be deeply missed.”

Local residents posted their tributes on Facebook. Christopher Luke, of Kirkdale Road, who has previously stood as a UKIP candidate, acknowledged ‘not only Paddy Mayhew’s devotion to working on behalf of all his constituents throughout his time as MP for Tunbridge Wells, but also that he remained a humble but genial chap down throughout his political career’.

He also recalled an incident in 1984 when, while Solicitor General, Lord Mayhew was unable to access his office so held an impromptu surgery in his car. Mr Luke wrote that he was ‘undeterred by possible greater threats to his own personal security by doing so, following an unsuccessful IRA attempt to assassinate his colleague AttorneyGeneral Sir Michael Havers QC MP a week earlier’.

Kate Adshead wrote: “What a lovely man. He helped my parents a lot with my eldest brother, Nick, who has severe learning difficulties. He also presented me with my O-level certificate at TWGGS in 1986.”

Sue Rose wrote: “I remember seeing him at one of his surgeries in the 90’s. Nice man. He wrote me a nice letter and sent one of his official pictures.”

Janet Rennie said he was ‘a very trustworthy MP, we corresponded several times on various subjects’.

Leaving the Commons, Lord Mayhew received a life peerage; he was until 2006 an executive member of the Association of Conservative Peers, and from 2000 chaired the Prime Minister’s committee on business appointments.

In 2001 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Kent.

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10  LOCAL NEWS

New theatre will not be big enough and will need ongoing subsidies MEMBERS of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Cabinet were told the proposed theatre to be built on the site of the Great Hall car park would be too small to be self-sustaining and that other sites should be considered instead.

The warning came from Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Ben Chapelard at a meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday [June 22].

Cllr Chapelard, who attended the meeting as a member of the public, said the proposed theatre would only have enough capacity for an audience of 1,200 people, meaning subsidies would be required.

SHOPPING CENTRE Council owns RVP freehold

Councillors cheer as property book passes £100million mark

By Adam Hignett

adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk THE value of the council’s property portfolio hit a new high in March, breaching the £100million mark for the first time.

Lee Colyer, the Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, announced the news during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday [June 22], to the delight of the members in attendance.

He said the financial strength of the authority ‘continues to improve’ after revealing the borough council had property assets valued at £102million for the year ending March 31.

This represented an £8.5million increase on the

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Wednesday 29th June 2016

previous financial year. Of this £3.6m was due to increases in the value of existing properties, mainly the car parks, and the remaining £4.9m was additions from the 2015/16 capital programme, for example the new John Street commercial and residential units.

It was the second piece of good news for councillors following the disclosure of a considerable underspend in the year-end accounts.

Mr Colyer said a number of ‘one-off events’ had meant expenditure on services during the year ending March 31 2016 had been £11.9million – just over £1million less than had been forecast.

The majority of the windfall would be used to replenish reserves, he said.

Councillors cheered the news and Council Leader David Jukes praised the ‘superb’ figures before congratulating Mr Colyer and his financial team.

THE ASSEMBLY HALL Final curtain

He said the Liberal Democrats support the proposal to build a new theatre in principle: “The theatre sets an aspiration for the town, which wants to be put on the national cultural map, and it will have a positive impact on the local economy.”

But he added: “The Cabinet report mentions theatre operators would prefer a 1,500 seat theatre.

This would be subsidy-free.

“Yet the Great Hall car park can only accommodate a theatre of 1,200, which would require an ongoing

subsidy, so it appears it will never pay for itself.”

Cllr Chapelard said that in the climate of ‘austerity’ and with the possibility of a negative grant concerns have been raised over how it would be funded.

It also begged the question of whether it was the right site for a new theatre, and he described the process as ‘back to front’.

He said: “It feels like we are trying to squeeze a theatre on to that particular site, rather than say ‘this is the theatre we really want, let’s find a site where it will fit.’”

His concerns were echoed by Conservative councillor Peter Bulman, who had also attended the meeting as a member of the public.

Cllr Bulman said he ‘had heard’ that the estimated cost of the annual subsidy would be around £100,000 and questioned if this would be ‘viable’.

In response, David Candlin, Head of Economic Development, confirmed a ‘number of options’ had been available as to where a new theatre could go – some of which would allow a capacity of 1,500 seats.

These included building it adjacent to the Assembly Hall on the current civic complex –including the police station – or rebuilding where the Assembly Hall currently stands.

Another option would have been the old cinema site – which was recently sold – and other areas outside of council control.

He said these would incur considerable additional costs to purchase the land.

But he added: “It is correct, and I don’t think we have shied away from this, to say that a theatre of 1,200 on the Great Hall site would require a subsidy.

“But how the theatre is operated is yet to be decided in terms of how we move forward.”

LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS 

11

MOVING OUT The depot has been sold

Sale of depot means buses can now depart THE ARRIVA bus depot on St Johns Road, Tunbridge Wells, has been sold to an undisclosed buyer, six months after it was put on the market, the Times can reveal.

The sale, on provision of a leaseback, will allow the bus operator to complete its plans for a strategic relocation to a different site.

It is understood the company has considered moving to the North Farm industrial estate in the past.

The estate agent behind the sale, Durlings , previously told the Times in January that the leaseback is likely to last for 18 months, with flexibility for an extension.

Although the name of the purchaser has not been disclosed, the estate agent said the company was a ‘residential developer’.

Durlings received some 30 proposals for the site,

the majority of interest being to develop it for residential use.

Rupert Farrant of Durlings said: “Given its prime location in the town, it has been the focus of a lot of attention.

“I am pleased that we have been able to help Arriva manage their corporate requirements to maximise the sale receipt and to assist with their relocation, and to have done so within a relatively short time-frame.

Alasdair Baird, Group Property Project Manager at Arriva praised Durlings for their management of a ‘complex’ bidding process, adding: “Their diligent approach has enabled us to keep to the timetable we needed as a business and to achieve the best outcome for the site. It has also allowed us time to progress our planned relocation.”

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

Brexit property seminar looks to the year ahead

Ripples founder makes waves at business award

AS THE dust settles following the news that Britain will leave the EU, many in the commercial and residential property sector are asking what to expect in the next 12 months.

Audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, in partnership with property advisers Montagu Evans, will look to answer some of the questions at an upcoming National Property and Construction Roadshow in July.

The free event, to be held in Wrotham Heath, near Sevenoaks will see participants debating industry hot topics, as well as changes that impact property and construction.

It will take place on July 5 at the Holiday Inn.

THE founder and Chief Executive of the bathroom design firm Ripples has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the industry’s leading award ceremony - the BKU awards.

Roger Kyme founded the company in Bath with his wife Sandra in 1988 before establishing their Tunbridge Wells store next to The Pantiles soon after.

Now in its second year, the BKU awards, which took place on Thursday, were set up to recognize the retailers, brands, people and services within the Kitchen and Bathroom industries.

Creative firm recognised

AXA says growth will stall

DIGITOM, the Tunbridge-Wells based video production company, scooped Bronze at this year’s Kent Digital Awards which were held on Thursday.

It received the award in the Use of Video for Business category due to its production of video content on the UK’s number one flat and house share website, SpareRoom.

Tom Chown, Founder and Creative Director of Digitom, said: “This award is for the whole team, who worked so hard to produce this series of films for our client.

“Online platforms have become a powerful medium for brands to engage with their customers and video is a strong part of this. I’d like to say a huge thank you to SpareRoom for giving us their exciting brief.”

A SENIOR economist at Axa, the largest private employer in Tunbridge Wells has warned that the vote to leave will seriously hinder economic growth.

David Page said the company now expects UK GDP growth to slow ‘significantly’ from the 1.9 per cent forecast for 2017 in the event of a remain vote to just 0.4 per cent. Growth this year is also expected to undershoot initial forecasts of 1.8 per cent to come in at 1.5 per cent.

Mr Page said: “The UK economic outlook is likely to be severely affected by the decision to leave the EU. The economy looks to have sagged under the uncertainty of the referendum itself, with deferral of activity and decision to leave the EU looks likely to make much of this deferral permanent.

“We expect subdued investment and foreign direct investment into the UK to weigh on activity.”

Wednesday 29th June 2016

12  LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS

How a 14 year old started his own award-winning internet business Adam Hignett adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk NOT many people will run their own business, but even fewer can say that at the age of 29 they have been heading a company for more than half of their life.

Having set up Larrytech at the age of 14, Larry Hardcastle has more experience running a company than a lot of people twice his age.

Larrytech designs, develops, hosts, supports and grows the profile of bespoke websites for a broad variety of clients.

The company won the Creative Business of the Year category at the inaugural Royal Tunbridge Wells Business Awards and has grown from a small operation set up to help friends and family into a company of 13 people with 600 clients and a projected turnover this year of close to £380,000.

The fact that Mr Hardcastle started the business at such a young age has raised some eyebrows in the past.

“Because I have been doing this for so long most people are completely used to it, but it was a bit strange early on,” he said.

“It is weird to think that during the course of my life so far, I have been doing Larrytech longer than I have not been doing it.

“Even now when I say I have been running it

Wednesday 29th June 2016

for 15 years some people look at me and ask if I am really aged 40.”

It was through his grandfather that Mr Hardcastle first realised the possibilities offered by running an online business.

The owner of a small local record label, his grandfather believed there could be potential for the acts he promoted to reach a larger audience if pushed online.

‘It is weird to think I have been doing Larrytech longer than I have not been doing it’ Larry Hardcastle “The internet was very different back then,” explained the former Skinners’ pupil. “We set up a simple site in order to see if there was a market for some of the recordings.

“We ended up getting interest and orders from the US, Australia and all over the place. I became really interested in the internet and started to do bits and pieces for friends and family.”

He settled on the name Larrytech because as a teenager he thought ‘it sounded like a rather good idea,’ adding: “This led to an awkward period where everyone would want to speak to ‘Larry’ and were

disappointed if they didn’t get to speak to me.

“Now we are at the point where people seem quite amused to discover that there actually is someone called Larry at Larrytech.”

It was not long before word of mouth meant Mr Hardcastle was providing his services to clients beyond his friends and family, which led him to register the company in 2003.

The business remained a one-man operation for several years while Mr Hardcastle studied business management at King’s College, London – a subject he thought was complementary to his IT skills set.

He likens the experience of running Larrytech during his studies, as having a part-time job but with more flexibility, adding it was only during exams when it became ‘quite challenging’.

Around eight years ago, with a growing list of clients meaning he could no longer rely solely on

contractors for support, Mr Hardcastle took on James Blacklee, an old school friend, as his first employee.

“We were both interested in web stuff and although he had no web background at that point he was working locally, so I said why not give it a go? He has been here ever since and is our creative director.”

Mr Blacklee was soon followed by another school friend, Doug Rubashow, who now heads sales at the company.

“A lot of people advise against working with friends but it has been very good for us as we have complementary skills and see things from different angles,” said Mr Hardcastle.

The first real signs of running a profitable company appeared while he was still at university, although it was after leaving full-time education that he had to make the decision whether to fully commit.

“When I graduated I had to decide whether to move into a job or give the web a go. It was crunch time for me, but I decided I had been doing it for such a long time that it was worth a shot.”

He said the hardest period for his business so far was during the ‘sting’ from the recession.

“The height of the recession was not too bad, but there was a sting during the period following the immediate crisis due to the type of companies we work with.

LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS 

13

WEB WORK Will Hicks and Doug Rubashow.

Far right: Alex Cole

“At the moment we have leads coming in left, right and centre but there certainly have been periods where we were wondering where the next project would come from.

“It is particularly hard when clients struggle and go out of business because we cannot predict that.

“On the other hand it is really nice to watch when they successfully grow.”

Over time, the company has gone from offering a broad range of IT-related services to narrowing things down to what Mr Hardcastle thinks the firm does best. It’s encapsulated in the company’s slogan: Design, development, SEO (search engine optimisation).

“We have kept it very simple and we have really focused on delivering quality of service.

“With web you can go and build your own site for two pounds a month and do it all yourself.

We are not in that market; we are positioned at the high end in order to offer the support people

TECH TEAM Top (L to R): Francois Jarzabek, Will Hicks, Nanda McCarthy, James Blacklee. Bottom l-r: Alex Cole, Larry Hardcastle, Doug Rubashow

need to actually grow their businesses.”

Mr Hardcastle said he no longer gets involved in any of the design and development itself, admitting that what his staff can achieve is ‘infinitely greater’ than what he could deliver.

Instead, he provides oversight of the company’s operations and the strategic vision for where he believes the business should be heading.

Competition within the creative and IT sectors is high, although Mr Hardcastle believes that at the moment there is enough work to satisfy most businesses.

He also believes Tunbridge Wells has an extremely cohesive creative sector with a diverse range of skills,

which means potential rivals can also be collaborators.

“There is a lot of specialisation in this town. Yoyo Design for example; they would be looking for a very different type of project to us so in the past they have referred people to us and we referred people them.

“It is a very collaborative local business environment and there’s a lot of sharing of ideas.

“We have done quite a bit of creative networking. We have sat down and chatted with people from other agencies and made some amazing connections.

“Of course, it’s always nice if you go head-to-head to win a project but it is only a very minor part of doing business. It is a very healthy style of competition.”

Wednesday 29th June 2016

14  PEOPLE

Never mind Glastonbury the place to be seen is Le Mans 24 The Frant-based Jota Sport Race Team has an impressive record in the 24 Hours of Le Mans – one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world. In 2014 it won its category and last year came second. Adam Hignett went along for the ride at this year’s race and discovered there’s a lot more to the Le Mans gathering than cars speeding round the circuit THE FESTIVAL atmosphere began as soon as we drove into Folkestone.

It was the Thursday before the big race and the shuttle terminal was already overwhelmed by motorsport enthusiasts ready to embark on the 280-mile journey to the biggest race of the year.

Hours of queuing at the crack of dawn did not seem so bad with such palpable excitement in the air, and my travelling companion Ben – a petrolhead to the core – educated me by listing off every exotic automobile around.

From a personal point of view, I was more interested in the people who, judging by their accents and

‘Brad Pitt would be starting the race with Keanu Reeves and Jason Statham’ transport, came from all four corners of the UK and all walks of life.

British eccentricity was clearly on display in the car in front of us, a BMW convertible, which had ‘Nuns on the run to Le Mans… The devil made us do it’ written across the rear of the vehicle. The driver and his passenger were clearly not women of God, but

Wednesday 29th June 2016

instead a couple of men in the full religious garb one expects to see in a convent.

Once we got to Le Mans that afternoon our car was ensnared in the gridlock which surrounds the circuit and engulfs the town. We passed the sprawling shanty towns which had sprung up around the eightand-a-half-mile circuit at a snail’s pace, to reach our

waterlogged camping pitch at around 10pm.

Undeterred, but far too much in need of beer to bother pitching the tent, we headed into the circuit to visit the team we had travelled so far to see – Jota Sport.

Surprisingly, with just under 40 hours before the big race, the Jota pit was calm, with only a few of the 30-strong team of engineers finishing off their tasks.

By now the urge for an alcoholic beverage was worryingly overwhelming, so we quickly made tracks to one of the hospitality tents we were lucky enough to have access to.

A decent meal, a few drinks and one major faux-pas later – when my ignorance led me to ask a table of three Jota drivers what they did for the team – and it was time to pitch the tent and get some sleep.

In the light of morning we surveyed the vastness of the campsites which for the next few days more than 250,000 fans would make their home.

The fraternity of motorsport was on

THE ROAD TO LE MANS (L to R) Ben Dodds and Adam Hignett

PEOPLE 

ENDURANCE The circuit never sleeps

THE DRIVERS Car 38 (L to R) Giedo Van Der Gurde, Jake Dennis and Simon Dolan Car 26 (L to R) Will Stevens, Roman Rusinov and René Rast

WHAT IS THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS? Le Mans is the world’s oldest active sports car endurance race and has been running since 1923.

It is hosted on the Circuit de la Sarthe, which is owned by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest – founded in 1906. Situated near the French city of Le Mans, the race was designed to test the ability of manufacturers to build sporty yet reliable cars.

The race is held in June each year and begins in the mid-afternoon, finishing the following day at the same hour the race started the previous day.

Over the 24 hours modern competitors often cover distances of well over 3,100 miles – approximately 18 times longer than a Formula One Grand Prix race. Current regulations mandate that three drivers share each competing vehicle.

There are two categories of vehicle racing during the 24 Hours of Le Mans – prototypes (LMPs) and Grand Touring cars (GTEs), both of which themselves are split into further categories – LMP1/2 and GTE-PRO and GTE-AM. LMP1 is the fastest, with speeds over

15

200mph, and is predominantly, but not always, the preserve of factory-backed teams with big budgets such as Audi, Porsche and Toyota.

LMP2 is the second fastest with cars very similar to the class above, but with some cost limitations because they are only allowed to be operated by private race teams.

GTE cars must be in production for sales and have an aptitude for sport which can be used legally on the open road, with pro drivers racing in the GTEPRO class and amateurs in GTE-AM.

display, with rare collectables and sports cars parked side by side with old bangers next to their pitches and flags from every conceivable nation flying proudly above the sea of tents.

It was soon time for the Drivers’ Parade – a tradition which sees the 180 competitors snake through the town as thousands line the streets to wave them on and led, bizarrely, by Jackie Chan.

Huge cheers rose up for each team, with drivers from both Jota G-Drive cars – the number 28 Oreca and the ‘Mighty 28’ Gibson – receiving rapturous applause.

But I was not entirely there to see cars and soon I found myself in the throng of a bunch of Le Mans fans kitted out as Star Wars Stormtroopers, headed by Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi and, of course, a male Princess Leia. Partying late into the night, we were forced to take a tram back to the circuit.

In a spectacle which puts rioting football fans to shame, our carriage of perhaps 60 people from across Europe broke out in spontaneous song for the

duration of the 20-minute journey.

With vocals led by a bunch of young Englishmen in tweed and flat caps, nearly everyone on board belted out the words to La Marseillaise, God Save The Queen, Oasis, Robbie Williams and, embarrassingly, Frozen.

The next day was more akin to Glastonbury or a carnival than a run-of-the-mill motor race. The smell of petrol hung in the air, and in the pits the atmosphere had gone from relaxed to noticeable anticipation.

As the time drew towards the 3pm start, the crowds staked out their positions in the stands and on the banks to catch glimpses of the cars.

Ben and I listened enthralled to the portable radios we had bought and tuned into Radio Le Mans as the commentators ratcheted up the hype.

Glamour was added when people learned that Hollywood star Brad Pitt would be officially starting the race, with actors Keanu Reeves and Jason Statham in tow.

Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey had his own team taking part, Dempsey-Proton Racing, while

Wednesday 29th June 2016

16  PEOPLE British cyclist and Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy raced in Jota’s LMP2 category for Algarve Pro Racing.

In the last hour before the start, the heavens opened yet again, but nature was not going to stand in the way of one of man’s biggest sporting spectacles and the fans stuck it out.

After Brad Pitt had weaved between the 60 cars which were on the starting grid, the engines roared to life. The wet conditions led to the first hour being behind the safety car, however, once it was removed it was game on – at over 200mph.

The pits were a hive of activity, with teams executing strategies formulated months in advance as well as reacting to unforeseen events.

Mechanics rushed this way and that in perfectly synchronised chaos, shaving off as many seconds as they could with each stop knowing that – despite being 24 hours long – the race could be won or lost in the pit.

Wary of getting in the way, Ben and I departed from the Jota pit to watch from the big wheel and take further advantage of the hospitality suite we had become so dependent upon for sustenance. At dusk we made our way to the ‘Village’ – the part of the circuit which felt more like a Spanish beach resort with its bustling bars and shops.

The sense that it was more about being at a festival than a race was further reinforced when we came across a large stage hosting a rock band in front of several hundred people.

All the time, though, we were listening to the radio in one ear to make sure we missed nothing that involved

Wednesday 29th June 2016

the team we had come to support.

Following a late night tour of the best viewing spots around the circuit, we staggered back to our tent at 3am.

During the five hours in which we slept there was heartbreak for Jota when the ‘Mighty 38’, in its last year before being retired, was shunted out by an Aston Martin.

It was not the first, and by no means the last car to meet its end either on the track or in the pit because of

‘Jota’s 26 car had climbed to second place…’ mechanical failure. In total, 14 of the 60 never saw the finish line.

All was not lost for Jota, however, as the 26 car had climbed to second place in its class and was making good time against the number 36 Signatech Alpine race leader.

We re-entered the Jota pit an hour before the end of the race and it was clear that despite the adrenaline each time the car pulled in, the team were exhausted. Most were sitting halfasleep in deck chairs, counting down the minutes and keeping their eyes on a screen displaying the times.

Friends and family of the team started to crowd into the pit for the finale, but faultless driving by the Alpine meant they held off Jota’s advances, winning by two minutes and 40 seconds.

As the chequered flag went down, the team celebrated their second place – it was their third time on the podium in the last three years, having won in 2014 and clinched silver last year.

ADRENALINE Every second counts

PITT LANE Film star Brad talks to driver Alexander Wurz

The biggest shock of the race came one lap from the end when the overall leader, the LMP1 Toyota, broke down on the home stretch, one lap before the end, handing victory to Porsche.

When it was all over we ran towards the podium to watch the champions receive their trophies in front of the roaring spectators.

Soon after Jota G-Drive had been given their trophies and the spraying of champagne ceased, Ben and I were forced to bid a swift farewell to the team and start our journey back to the UK, leaving many fans to celebrate late into the night.

On our journey home French locals stood on bridges above the motorway waving at the fans heading to the coast and hoping to catch a glimpse of the most exotic cars. And while driving back, we were already planning what we will do next year, when we go to our second 24 Hours of Le Mans – because it really is a way of life.

COMMUNITY NEWS 

Health charity has designs on a new logo LOCAL charity Crossways Community is seeking suggestions for a new logo to commemorate its 50th anniversary next year.

Crossways, based in Tunbridge Wells, has provided support for people with acute mental health issues since 1967.

It has helped some 400 adults over half a century, and currently has 47 residents, providing them with rehabilitative care and life skills training.

Initially they are released from hospital to enter Moxham House, Crossways’ care home in Tunbridge Wells which has capacity for 17 residents.

They can then move on to the group’s supported accommodation at Culverdale and three other residences for more independent clients.

Chris Munday, the Crossways Chief Executive, said: “This is about designing a special anniversary logo that encapsulates Crossways Community and the work that we do.”

The group estimates that around half of all residents become well enough to move back out into the community and find employment.

Crossways has also raised mental health awareness and provided training in schools and churches for the last nine years.

The winner will be awarded £200 worth of Amazon vouchers, with two runners-up receiving £50 vouchers.

Send your entries to Victoria Croton at vicky@ crosswayscommunity.org.uk, or post them to Crossways Community, Moxham House, 8 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9QX.

17

Samba drummers’ summer school is boosted by John Lewis funding BLOCO FOGO, the samba drumming group based in Tunbridge Wells, has been awarded £1,035 by the John Lewis Partnership’s Music Matters programme.

The band performs some 40 gigs a year in the UK and abroad and offers workshops to schools to teach their percussive techniques and dance moves, as well as spreading the word about carnival arts.

The John Lewis Partnership has been supporting musical activities of all kinds for over 75 years.

It offers grants of between £500 and £3,000 for events or projects that make an outstanding contribution to the musical life of the local communities.

Bloco Fogo was formed in 2001 and features up to 75 drummers for major events, making them one of the largest ‘blocos’ or drumming groups in Britain.

Cheryl Hooker-Blake, Music Leader for Bloco Fogo, said: “We are a small organisation, so this financial help will make a real difference to us. We were over the moon when we heard we’d been successful.

“The money will go towards the Meninos do Bloco Summer School, which encourages youth participation in Brazilian samba drumming and creates a vibrant public performance involving carnival arts, movement and samba drumming.”

A summer school will be held for eight to 16-yearolds this summer at St Matthews Primary School in Tunbridge Wells for a second year running, on August 8-13.

BEAT THIS Bloco Fogo in action This year the children will be staging a public performance around the theme of ‘The Firebird’.

Sophie Hine, Branch Manager at John Lewis Tunbridge Wells, said: “Music can make such a differ-

ence to people’s lives; it really has the power to bring people together in our local community.” The summer school costs £90; visit www.blocofogo.com or look on Facebook for more information.

Music video raises money for international community

CROSSWAYS CHIEF Chris Munday

ON THE MONEY Claremont raised £4,600 for Pestalozzi

CLAREMONT SENIOR SCHOOL organised a 24-hour extravaganza of activities to raise awareness and funds for Pestalozzi, a local charity that provides scholarships to help produce ‘globally conscious young leaders’.

Students and staff started with a cross country run around Bodiam Castle, then took part in one-hour slots for sports such as water polo, basketball, indoor football,

netball, benchball and pilates.

It ended with a dawn walk around the castle.

They also made a music video, hosted a movie night and staged a ‘Black Box Talent Show’ featuring headmaster Giles Perrin rapping. Pupils also demonstrated their music, drama and football skills.

This year the school has raised £4,600 for the international community at Pestalozzi.

MUSICAL YOUTH Sixth former Sam Shillabeer, comedy & keyboards

Wednesday 29th June 2016

18 � NATIONAL NEWS

Lights, camera but no action says Corbyn AN APPARENT bid by the Labour leadership to show it was business as usual for Jeremy Corbyn backfired when the party leader objected to the shadow cabinet being filmed.

A TV camera crew had been invited to the meeting of Mr Corbyn’s new top team – assembled from among Labour MPs who have not joined a mass mutiny against him – just hours before a no-confidence vote.

But footage from the room broadcast by Sky News showed the leader staring at the camera in awkward silence before telling aide Seumas Milne: “Seumas, I’m not sure this is a great idea.”

“Are we getting the camera to go?” he adds after another pause, before the cameras are turned off. When filming does commence, there has been a change in the personnel sat beside Mr Corbyn, with deputy leader Tom Watson no longer beside him. Mr Corbyn’s Parliamentary aide Steve Rotheram has taken his place. In the chair on his other side was Emily Thornberry as Shadow Foreign Secretary. Many shadow cabinet positions remain unfilled as Mr Corbyn attempts to recruit a full team in the wake of a large number of sudden resignations.

“Are you rolling?” Mr Corbyn asks the crew, before telling colleagues: “We’re going to do a short piece which I’ll record and then the microphone will be turned off and then there will be some pictures of all our beautiful faces.”

Scotland demands respect at emergency EU debate A SCOTTISH nationalist MEP received a standing ovation at the European Parliament following his demand for Scotland to remain within the EU family of nations.

SNP MEP Alyn Smith was speaking in an emergency debate at the European Parliament in the wake of the UK vote to leave the European Union.

He reminded MEPs that Scotland voted to Remain, demanded that status ‘be respected’ and begged parliamentarians from around Europe: “Do not let Scotland down.”

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is understood to be heading to Brussels today [Wednesday] for talks with senior figures about protecting Scotland’s place in the EU. She has pledged to explore all options, up to and including another Scottish independence referendum.

Addressing the meeting of the Parliament, Mr Smith said: “I want my country to be internationalist, cooperative, ecological, fair, European – and the people of Scotland, along with the people of Northern Ireland and the people of London and lots and lots of people in Wales and England, also voted to Remain within our family of nations.

“Colleagues, there are a lot of things to be negotiated and we will need cool heads and warm hearts, but please remember this, Scotland did not let you down. Please, I beg you, cher colleagues, do not let Scotland down now.”

MEP Martina Anderson, who represents Northern Ireland, which also voted to Remain, said her constituents are not bound by the UK vote to Leave and backed Scotland’s right to stay in the EU. Northern Ireland could face a land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU state, if it is pulled out of the union.

Scotland could face similar border issues with England if it remains an EU territory that is either independent or semi-autonomous from the UK. Ms Anderson said: “The EU has supported our peace process. I ask you to continue to do that.

‘Please, I beg you, do not let Scotland down now’ “MEPs like Diane Dodds and Marine Le Pen would say that we in the north of Ireland are bound by a UK vote. We say we are not.

“Like the previous MEP (Alyn) Smith, we ask you to respect our vote. We stand by the vote of the people from the north of Ireland, just like Scotland, which voted Remain.

“We accept, we respect and we will defend the wishes of the people of the north of Ireland.”

Ukip leader Nigel Farage goaded MEPs who mocked his campaign to take the UK out of the EU. He said: “When I came here 17 years ago and I said that I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union, you all laughed at me – well, I have to say, you’re not laughing now, are you?” n Welsh independence should be put on the

agenda following the EU referendum result, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has said.

HINKLEY POINT An artist’s impression

Nuclear power struggle THE Hinkley Point nuclear power station project could become a casualty of Brexit.

The £18billion plans to build the new plant in Somerset could be cancelled now that Britain has voted to leave the EU, said a Government advisor.

Paul Dorfman said it is extremely unlikely that French energy giant EDF will continue with its plans, in the latest of a series of delays for the development.

Mr Dorfman, senior research fellow at University College London, told The Times: "How can EDF invest billions when there is so much uncertainty?"

Wednesday 29th June 2016

But in response, EDF insisted Brexit will have no impact and a spokesperson said: "EDF confirms its commitment to the Hinkley Point project."

Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, chairman of the Commons energy and climate select committee also claimed in the newspaper that Hinkley is bedevilled by uncertainty.

"Until last week, EDF was investing in another EU member state. Now that is no longer the case," he said.

The plant was originally set to be completed by 2017 but will not generate power until at least 2025, after issues with funding and French unions.

NEWS IN BRIEF

My son could kill himself says vicar THE father of an autistic man accused of hacking into US government computers warned an hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court there was a ‘high probability’ his son would kill himself if he is extradited to America.

Lauri Love, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, is accused of stealing huge amounts of data from US agencies who now want the 31-year-old, who lives with his parents in Suffolk, to stand trial there over charges of cyber-hacking Rev Alexander Love, a prison chaplain who himself works with vulnerable people at risk of suicide, told the court that those he helps often see killing themselves as their only solution to a future they cannot see.

ATM raid arrests EIGHT men, aged between 27 and 41, have been arrested following a spate of ATM raids in the Thames Valley area, Merseyside, Gloucester, Reading, Cheshire, Wiltshire, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire.

Cash machines have been targeted by criminals using explosives.

Hiss-toric rescue AN 8ft long boa constrictor snake had to be rescued by firefighters from the inner workings of a gas heater in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. Billy the Boa had coiled itself so tightly into the mechanism that the equipment had to be dismantled to recover the reptile.

20 � NATIONAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Theatre curtain goes up at Oxford Street store SELFRIDGES is launching a commercial theatre within its flagship London store as part of the commemorations to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

The theatre, which the Oxford Street retailer believes is a world first for a department store, is part of its Shakespeare Refashioned event in homage to the playwright.

Tickets have gone on sale for a new production of Much Ado About Nothing, which will be staged in the fully functioning 100-seat in-store theatre.

Invite from Prince PRINCE Harry has invited a youth choir from Lesotho to perform alongside Coldplay at a concert hosted by his Sentebale charity.

The charity announced that the 12-strong choir, who are aged between seven and 19, will also be joined on the bill by Grammy and Brit Award-winning artist Joss Stone.

The concert will take place on Tuesday in front of an audience of 3,000 people in the public gardens of Kensington Palace to raise funds and awareness of the challenges faced by teenagers living with HIV in subSaharan Africa.

Poverty figures rise THE number of people in the UK living in relative poverty has risen for the first time in almost a decade, according to new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Completion date dispute over high speed rail link THE High Speed 2 rail project (HS2) is under financial strain and the 2026 target date for opening phase one between London and the West Midlands is ‘at risk’, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.

It revealed that the Department for Transport (DfT) has asked the company responsible for building the railway, HS2 Ltd, to assess the impact of extending its timetable by up to 12 months.

The DfT has also called on the firm to revisit its schedule in a bid to increase its confidence of completing phase one on time from 60 per cent to 80 per cent without increasing costs.

But Transport Minister Robert Goodwill insisted that HS2 is ‘on track’, despite the NAO warning that the £55.7billion railway is facing financial pressures.

Cost forecasts for phase one exceed available funding by £204million, while phase two – taking the line to north-east and north-west England – contains some elements that are currently unfunded, the report said.

It went on to warn that the benefit-cost ratio of the scheme could fall from 1.7 to 1.5 if the programme is not delivered well within available funding.

The NAO noted that although significant progress has been made by the DfT and HS2 Ltd in preparing to deliver the project – including some major procurements for phase one and

TIMETABLE Ambitious target processing 2,600 petitions – the timetable set by the Department is too ambitious.

The head of the NAO Sir Amyas Morse said: “HS2 is a large, complex and ambitious programme which is facing cost and time pressures.

“The unrealistic timetable set for HS2 Ltd by the Department means they are not as ready to deliver as they hoped to be at this point. The Department now needs to get the project working to a timescale that is achievable.”

Meg Hillier, Chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: “Today’s NAO report shows that preparations to deliver

High Speed 2 are under severe strain.

“The Department for Transport has, yet again, set unrealistic timetables for delivering this programme and HS2 Ltd is only 60 per cent confident that it will complete phase one by December 2026.”

She added: “The programme is at a critical juncture and the Department has some major decisions to make if it is going to protect taxpayers’ interests and deliver all that the Government has promised from HS2.”

But Mr Goodwill said: “We are on course to start construction next year and complete the scheme on time and budget.”

Runway still ready for take-off THE Government remains committed to airport expansion in south-east England despite the result of the EU Referendum, insists Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

It has been suggested that the resignation as Prime Minister by David Cameron could mean a further hold-up in the much delayed decision on whether to expand Heathrow or Gatwick. In July last year the Davies Commission called for airport expansion by 2030 and recommended the building of a third runway at Heathrow.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

But in December the Department for Transport announced that further investigation into noise, pollution and compensation would be carried out before a decision is made on which airport would get the new runway.

Speaking at the National Infrastructure Forum (NIF) at the Excel exhibition centre, east London, Mr McLoughlin said: “We remain committed to expansion and we remain committed to delivering runway capacity on the timetable set out by Sir Howard Davies.”

BUSINESS NEWS 

Big supermarkets hit by discounters but Euros boost sales of alcohol ALL FOUR of the major supermarkets have endured another year-on-year decline in sales as discounters Aldi and Lidl achieved a record share of the market, figures show.

In good news for consumers, like-for-like grocery prices dropped by 1.4 per cent on last year as supermarket sales fell by 0.2 per cent, Kantar Worldpanel said.

The decline, which dates back to summer 2014, is primarily a result of the fierce price war leading to cheaper everyday groceries.

Almost three fifths of Britons – 58 per cent – visited Lidl or Aldi in the past 12 weeks, leading to them respectively claiming a 4.4 per cent and 6.1 per cent share of the market and increasing sales by 13.8 per cent and 11.5 per cent on a year ago.

Each of the big four lost market share on last year, with overall sales at Tesco dropping by 1.3 per cent and Morrisons sales falling by 2.4 per cent as an ongoing result of store closures.

Sales at Sainsbury’s fell by 1.4 per cent and Asda suffered a 5.9 per cent drop.

However, rival figures from Nielsen found UK supermarkets saw their first genuine increase in year-on-year takings at the tills since July 2015, boosted by sales of alcohol and crisps in the first week of Euro 2016.

Its figures show the value of sales was up 0.4 per cent over the four weeks to June 18, although the volume of sales was flat for the second consecutive period.

Stop city jobs going overseas says Mayor THE MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan, said the vote to leave the European Union must be respected and Britain should not hold a second Referendum.

The government should instead act quickly to provide business certainty and prevent jobs being moved overseas, according to Mr Khan, who was a supporter of the Remain campaign. He also dismissed calls for London to be given City State status.

“The British people have clearly spoken,” he said.

“They have expressed their democratic will. And there can be no going back now. There can be no middle way. Britain will leave the European Union.”

Describing London as the ‘beating heart of the country’, he called for a post-Brexit deal that would retain access to the single market.

He said: “To have access to a single market we have got to renegotiate as best we can and that is one of the reasons why it is crucial for London to have a seat at the table because we are the beating heart of the country and London needs to do well.

“When London succeeds, the rest of the country succeeds, too. And when we fail, the entire nation fails.”

The mayor is nevertheless angling for devolution of fiscal responsibility including tax-raising powers, as well as more control over business and skills, housing and planning, transport, health, policing and criminal justice.

Speaking at the Times

CEO Summit, Mr Khan said: “I used to be a lawyer.

You win cases and you lose cases. When you lose, you have got to accept the jury is always right.

“The Referendum is not a situation where you can appeal to the court of appeal. We gave the public a choice. They made a clear choice. They chose to leave.”

He said that he had spoken to the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who told him if Britain decided to leave the EU, France would be ‘rolling the red carpet out’ in a bid to attract London business to the French capital.

Mr Khan said the government should hold off for as long as possible before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, by which a nation gives notice that it will voluntarily leave the EU. He added: “My worry is that unless there is a plan in relation to negotiating with the EU what is the point of serving the notice?

“I think we do need a new Prime Minister, I think David Cameron was right to not to serve notice to quit until we have a new Prime Minister.

“And I hope when we do have a new Prime Minister, he or she will have worked out the game plan and, as importantly, they will speak to us because we have strong views on this. It is right that the government speaks to Scotland, speaks to Northern Ireland, speaks to Wales, but we need a to have seat around the table because London is crucial to our NO GOING BACK country’s Sadiq Khan well-being.”

21

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

Engine maker decides to stay put – for now ROLLS-Royce has reaffirmed its commitment to the UK in the wake of the country’s decision to exit the European Union, but warned that longer-term assurances would depend on a post-Brexit deal.

The jet and engine maker said that the result was not the outcome the company would have chosen, but added that it remains committed to Britain, where it employs 23,000 people.

Unhappy unions UNIONS have attacked being excluded from a meeting called by the Business Secretary to discuss the outcome of the EU Referendum.

The TUC said it wrote to Sajid Javid asking for unions to be involved in today’s talks at the Business Department in London, but was told its attendance was ‘unwarranted’.

The event will be attended by the UK’s leading business trade associations, including the CBI, Institute of Directors, EFF and the British Chambers of Commerce.

Royal property boom THE ROYAL family’s commercial property empire has delivered a record £304.1million to Treasury coffers and seen the value of its portfolio rise 9.7 per cent to £12billion.

The Crown Estate, which owns large swathes of land and property across Britain, said its income rose 6.7 per cent last year as it reaped the benefits of a regeneration plan and its offshore wind assets.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

22  WORLD NEWS SPORT IN BRIEF

Murray mania back at All England club ANDY Murray fans who camped out overnight in the queue outside Wimbledon to see the British number one tennis player begin his 2016 quest for a second All England singles title were rewarded as they saw the second seed beat fellow British player Liam Broady 6-2 6-3 6-4 in the first round.

This was the first time the two had met on court competitively but although British crowds traditionally like to support an underdog, there was no doubts that Murray mania was already getting into full swing during this match.

England double act FORMER England striker Alan Shearer has called for a double act of Gareth Southgate and Glenn Hoddle to manage the national side in the wake of their Euro 2016 exit.

Roy Hodgson stepped down after their elimination at the last-16 stage following the woeful 2-1 defeat to Iceland in Nice.

Bangladesh test dates THE England and Wales Cricket Board and counterparts in Bangladesh have jointly announced a schedule of three day-night ODIs followed by two Tests to run from the end of September to the start of November.

All fixtures will be split between Bangladesh’s two established international venues, in Chittagong and Dhaka.

Wasps sign Symons AVIVA Premiership club Wasps have signed second-row forward Matt Symons, aged 26, from London Irish.

Symons becomes Wasps’ latest new arrival for next season alongside the likes of Danny Cipriani, Kurtley Beale and Tommy Taylor.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Turkey hopes apology will heal Russian rift IT WILL take time to mend ties between Russia and Turkey following the downing of a military jet, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of formal apology to Mr Putin on Monday, seven months after Turkey shot down the Russian jet on a mission in Syria, triggering a slew of Russian sanctions that have dealt a severe blow to the Turkish economy.

‘One shouldn’t think that everything will be mended overnight. We will keep up our work in that direction’ Mr Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the apology a very important step, and added: “Together we will have to take more than one step to meet each other. One shouldn’t think that everything will be mended overnight. We will keep up our work in that direction.”

Mr Putin is due to talk to Mr Erdogan by telephone today [Wednesday], which will be their first one-to-one chat since the jet was shot down in November.

Mr Putin denounced the downing of the jet as a ‘treacherous stab in the back’. Russia rejected the Turkish claim that the plane had violated its airspace, and responded by deploying long-range air defence missiles to its base in Syria and warned it would destroy any target posing a threat to Russian aircraft.

The incident came amid a rift between Moscow and Ankara over Syria, where they backed the opposing sides in the conflict.

Moscow moved swiftly to ban the sale of package tours to Turkey, which had depended heavily on the Russian tourist flow; banned most of Turkey’s food exports; and introduced restrictions against Turkish construction companies, which had won a sizeable niche of the Russian market.

In contrast to Mr

Peskov, Turkish PM Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday that the ties are already getting better.

“We can say that the ice has melted and that the process of normalisation has started,” he said.

Along with the formal apology, Moscow said it expects Ankara to pay compensation to the family of the killed pilot.

Asked about the possible compensation, Mr Yildirim said in comments carried by the Anadolu news agency that “there is no such thing. We only expressed our regrets, we shared their grief”.

He added that Turkey will go ahead with the IMPORTANT STEP prosecution of the Russian President men responsible for Vladimir Putin the pilot’s death.

WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF

Birthday wishes

Baby killed by dogs

Flight recorder repaired

A US judge has approved a settlement that will put Happy Birthday To You, one of the best-known songs in the world, in the public domain.

The agreement ends the ownership claims of Warner/Chappell Music, the publishing company that has been collecting royalties on the song for years.

The company has agreed to pay back $14million (£10.6million) to those who have paid licensing fees to use the song.

Last year, Los Angeles district judge George King ruled that the company did not own the lyrics and said it had no right to charge for its use.

Warner/Chappell has said it did not try to collect royalties from everybody singing the song, only those who used it in a commercial enterprise.

TWO family dogs in California have killed a three-day-old baby after her mother left her unattended on a sofa for a few seconds.

Fresno Police Sergeant Dan Macias told reporters the mother left the door open because it was hot and she thought the dogs were tied up in the back yard. The baby died at a hospital shortly after the attack.

Sgt Macias said the two male dogs, which are believed to be a mix of shar-pei and pitbull, are owned by the 33-year-old woman’s brother.

He surrendered the dogs to the Central California Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. SPCA spokesman Walter Salvari said the dogs will be put down. Police are continuing to investigate and charges have not been ruled out.

A FLIGHT recorder recovered from the doomed EgyptAir jet after it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, claiming the lives of its 56 passengers and 10 crew members, has been repaired.

Among the victims on board the Airbus A320 was Richard Osman, a 40-year-old father of two, originally from Carmarthen, Wales.

Flight MS804 was flying from Paris to Cairo when it went down in May between the Greek island of Crete and Egypt’s coastline, 175 miles offshore.

Search teams recovered the flight data recorder and this has now been repaired, according to the Egyptian investigation committee.

The cause of the crash is yet to be established, but prosecutors in Paris say there is not yet any evidence to link the crash to terrorism.

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Wrap yourself in a beautif�l war� floor Wednesday 29th June 2016

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 carnival relied upon its authorisation to close the High Street to traffic by invoking powers in an Act of Parliament nearly 170 years old. As the notice attached to the lamp-post on the corner of Avebury Avenue stated, the closure was pursuant to powers under ‘The Towns Police Clauses Act of 1847’!

We therefore have to be very careful not to sweep away our historic legislation too readily, which comes in very handy on such occasions.

Philip Hurling Hadlow

Town hits the headlines four times – big yawn

I’m intrigued that Tunbridge Wells has been mentioned regularly in a popular national newspaper [the Mail] over the past few weeks.

Firstly, it featured in an article entitled ‘Drug Lords of Middle England – drug dealers target town’. Secondly, ‘Rail workers are

being investigated for “wolfwhistling” at a PR executive, 34, as she waited on her own for a late night train’. Thirdly, Gyles Brandreth’s article on ‘Mind your Modern Manners’ mentioning ‘a huge man pushing a loaded supermarket trolley past an elderly lady in the doorway of Tesco, swearing at her for being

Travellers: Counting the cost

THE Council, and indirectly the area’s residents, are counting the cost of the latest illegal occupations by travellers of various sites in the area.

In your article [June 15], Gypsy Council spokesman Joseph Jones was quoted as saying: ‘If someone has got nowhere to stop they are just going to look for a place that’s least likely to attract attention’. Really? The Lower Cricket Ground in Tunbridge Wells [where a group of them stayed recently] is one of the most visible sites in the area. It’s also just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre, where black bin bags are readily available.

If travellers did not damage property, moved on when asked politely to do so, and took their rubbish away with them, their visits might be viewed more sympathetically.

Alison Howard Tunbridge Wells

Parking: Car park concessions

Residents living close to the centre of Tunbridge Wells are fed up with their streets being used as ‘car parks’! Many have some form of restricted parking, but others have to face vehicles being parked from 7 am until 6 pm, thereby denying a short-term parking opportunity to others.

I realise that with more spectacular matters on the agenda – notably the Referendum – this may seem a minor aggravation, but smaller important issues should be easier to fix, n’est ce pas ?

Could I suggest that ALL roads within a half mile of the town centre are provided with some

in his way. (Yes, in Tunbridge Wells). Lastly, ‘Tunbridge Wells is snubbed by Waitrose again!’

Never did I realise our town was that interesting, and I am just bracing myself while I await the next article to hit the headlines.

(Yawn!)

Judith Pryke Via email

form of restricted parking regime, and those persons who may well work in town and facilitate the services we all require, and who currently use our congested roads, are provided with concessions to park in our (often half empty) multi-storey car parks?

Surely this is a small challenge for TWBC, and perhaps the employers of these valuable members of our community?

Martin Dawes Via email

Council: Leader should get bus

Following recent figures published in Times of Tunbridge Wells showing how much Council Leader David Jukes claims from local taxpayers in driving expenses from Crowborough each year, I didn’t find it remotely funny to read this week [June 15] that he was fined for not having the correct parking permit in his Land Rover – not transferred over from his Jaguar.

What exactly is wrong with the 729 bus that stops hourly near where he lives, and that he could use daily with a free bus pass for pensioners?

Alan Bullion Tunbridge Wells

Carnival: Historic legislation

Many people have suggested that a lot of our old legislation should be repealed, e.g. local authority power to round up stray cattle in Tonbridge High Street and to impound them; the prohibition of householders beating their carpets in the High Street after 8am, and being able to exact a 40-shilling fine for drunk drivers in charge of steamrollers: All very amusing.

However, the closure of Tonbridge High Street on Sunday June 19 in connection with the annual

Theatre: Constructive comments

May I make some constructive comments following the letter from Catriona Robb [June 15] regarding the Civic Centre and a Tunbridge Wells University Campus?

Firstly, Catriona raises some important points regarding the relocation of our town’s theatre and the provision of additional car park spaces.

Let us look at the additional spaces required in relation to the proposed developments in the town. Using Kent’s Vehicle Parking Standards, and not the more stringent Department of Environment’s requirements, the new RVP extension of 120,000 sq ft of retail and 22,000 sq ft of food and restaurant space will generate a further 600 car spaces.

In addition to this, there are eight planned screens for the multiplex cinema.Accommodating say 150 people per screen would generate further parking for approximately another 240 cars.

We assume that RVP will accommodate these additional car parking spaces, plus further goods vehicle numbers within its own footprint and additional floor plates?

Relocating the theatre and the council offices to Mount Pleasant Avenue will obviously present a different aspect for parking in our town.

A theatre accommodating 1,200 seats would require 240 car spaces, and TWBC have said that 300 car park spaces will be provided for the new £30m council offices, and replacing the spaces within the existing car park.

When the old cinema site is eventually redeveloped it will have to accommodate cars and goods vehicle numbers relative to the land use classes on site. If you are already frustrated about driving into our town centre, just think what it’s going to be like in the future!

Locating any university accommodation on the Civic Centre site is simply a way of getting over a property problem instead of realising the benefits of a proper campus within a Centre of Excellence in West Kent. With our excellent schools forming a Common Operating Platform, we could have a new symbiotic and coordinated pathway for education through A-levels, universities, degrees and the workplace instead of the present cellular structure.

John Albiston Tunbridge Wells

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 29th June 2016

Calverley TO THE opening night of the magnificent One Warwick Park Hotel. The good and the great gathered to mark the occasion, including Polly Taylor of Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre. She was much taken with the gold-coloured statue of a young Roman, and was heard to say: “I could take him home with me.” Where upon the ‘statue’ moved. She jumped back, screamed, and champagne went all over the place. It was a mime artist.

HAPPILY Calverley managed to race back from Le Mans in time to attend the Warwick Park opening. He was at the 24-hour race to keep an eye on the Jota Sport Race team that hails from Frant. They came a memorable second in their category – well done chaps. Himself was intrigued at the name ‘Jota’ and enquired about its origin, to be told: “It stands for Jammy Old Tarts Association.” Not a lot of people know that.

REGULARS at this particular watering hole were much impressed when the new chef sauntered out of his lair and plonked a plate of quiches on the bar, telling one and all: “Thought you might enjoy these.” As hands reached out to grab the goodies the chef added: “We were going to bin them but then thought of you lot.” Needs a bit of work on his marketing skills.

GEOGRAPHY has never been Calverley’s strong point, but even Himself was taken aback by the following conversation overheard in a local restaurant. Woman One to bride-to-be: “So where are you going on your honeymoon?” Woman Two: “We have booked a week in Santorini.” Woman One, trying to impress: “Oh, that’s one of our favourite places – we just love Italy.”

Santorini is in Greece.

REFERENDUM over and repercussions setting in. Kind friends invite Himself to their annual garden party, which is normally such a fun day filled with much bonhomie.

Not quite so at the weekend. At one end of the manicured lawn the Remainers gathered. At the other end were the Brexiteers. The only movement between the two was that of the waiters ferrying trays of champagne. At one end sorrows were drowned; at the other end glasses were raised in a toast. Come on guys, we’re all in the same boat. It might be a lifeboat, but we all need to pull together.

Chin, chin readers

Education in association with:

www.brightyoungthings.co.uk

EDUCATION ■

25

EDUCATION Times A testing time WITH THE

The headmistress of Benenden, Samantha Price, addresses the efficacy of the exam appeal process for both state and independent schools and asks whether there is an alternative solution

EXAMS have been back in the news recently following a review by Ofqual, the exams regulator, into the appeals system. One of the details that emerged was that independent schools submitted twice as many as state schools. The inference was that children at fee paying schools are somehow gaining an unfair advantage.

Guidelines For the past two years we at Benenden have had to engage in a protracted dispute with our exam board over the marking of students’ GCSE English Literature Controlled Assessment – or coursework, as it is perhaps better known.

As is standard practice, the work is marked internally and checked here by a second person – always using the exam board’s guidelines. The exam board then select a dozen papers at random to check we are interpreting the guidelines correctly and that they are happy with our marking. We hear nothing until results day and the rest of the students who sat that subject are at the mercy of that random selection.

Last year, after looking at that sample of a dozen papers, each of our 90 English Literature

Controlled Assessments was downgraded because the exam board disagreed with our marking.

We appealed the decision, pointing out that we had followed their guidelines and we sent them a different selection of papers as evidence.

Eventually, after something of a battle, they agreed with us and reinstated our original marks.

As a result, 24 students – or 27 per cent of the year group – saw their overall grade for English Literature increase.

This was a frustrating situation, and for some students it was very stressful. However, it was made worse by the fact that exactly the same thing had happened the previous year.

I do have some sympathy with the exam boards, however, because there will always be an element of subjectivity in the marking of coursework, as there is no clear right or wrong answer, so I accept it is the MAKING A MARK most difficult Samantha Price type of paper

for examiners to mark. The imminent reforms to GCSEs will essentially remove this particular problem because coursework will become a thing of the past. However, there is clearly a wider issue regarding inconsistencies in marking and exam boards’ interpretation of their own marking schemes.

I am not suggesting that being an examiner is easy, far from it. It can be an arduous and thankless task.

However, Ofqual’s review provided a real opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of the marking system. Instead, the changes it has announced make the appeals process appear to be vague. I am concerned that this will not result in young people receiving a better service.

In my view the marking system itself requires a fundamental rethink.

It is clear that the country needs more expert examiners. The people best

placed to fulfil this role are practising teachers but schools would need to release them for a week or two during the summer term so that they could devote the necessary attention to this most essential of duties. Of course, not every school would have the resources to allow this, so a suitable funding arrangement would need to be put in place, but there are schools which would be in a position to lend such support, in the interests of improving the overall system.

Benenden is currently considering how to best support staff so that they can examine. It would be difficult for us to release them completely from school at a crucial stage of the academic year but we are confident that we can relieve them of some of their duties to provide them with the time required to fulfil this role: I believe it would be worth it if it was part of a rise in the overall standard of exam marking.

I hope other schools will make similar pledges because, after all, we are all working in education for the sake of our students. Children work extremely hard to achieve the best possible grades, and the education sector – whether you are at an independent or state school – owes it to them to accurately recognise their achievements.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

26  EDUCATION

Education in association with:

www.brightyoungthings.co.uk

The lively theatre company that Zylo Performance are one of the biggest providers of after-school drama clubs in East Sussex, and now they are moving into Kent, plus they are launching new summer schools at two different nearby locations.

We spoke to Ryan Barker and Alexandra Bond about their particular brand of theatrical art for children RAISING THE CURTAIN Founders Alexandra Bond and Ryan Barker

“There are lots of children out there who may not otherwise discover some hidden talent they have in theatre, performance or drama.

“They might not be interested in acting but just want to have fun, and the educational value of what we are doing is often masked within games.

‘Our core principles surround the ideas of creativity and the opportunity for any child to be able to do it’

ZYLO PERFORMANCE started with the ethos of giving every child a chance to develop skills they may not even know they have through their after-school drama clubs and workshops.

Their aim has always been to extend the benefits of dance and drama to as many children as possible through entertaining games and activities which boost confidence and communication, which in turn give pupils valuable tools for life.

“Our core principles surround the ideas of creativity and the opportunity for any child to be able to do it,” explains Zylo’s founder Ryan Barker.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

They don’t realise they are developing team skills, creativity and their confidence and that’s our goal, but at the end of the day the focus is on fun,” he smiles.

Now the company is launching its first musical theatre summer schools for seven to 13 year olds, with a choice of two week-long courses in July – one at Skippers Hill Manor School in Five Ashes, near Mayfield, and one at Uckfield Community Technology College.

The children at Skippers will produce a musical version of the Shakespearean favourite A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the nationwide toast to the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, while the children at Uckfield will have the chance to stage their own musical from

scratch in a separate Create a Musical course.

Both summer schools, which run from July 18-22 and July 25-29 respectively, include acting, singing, dancing, set design and costume making activities and conclude with a big performance on each Friday afternoon.

Ryan Barker started Zylo, which also provides entertainment for parties, events, hotels and care homes, six years ago, in a bedroom at his parents’ house in Heathfield.

“I bought a domain name with an email address and started emailing schools

about after-school drama clubs,” he says. “Buxted Primary School replied saying ‘Yes, let’s go for it’ so we just grew out of that.”

Ryan then moved to a proper office, and later Alexandra Bond joined him in running the company after they met and realised they shared the same ideas and visions.

“When I was in primary school I already knew I wanted to act,” says Ryan.

“I tried dozens of clubs but one in particular kept me hooked because of the atmosphere, the focus on teamwork and the amount of praise and opportunity given to each member.

“It played a huge part in building my confidence and people skills so I wanted

THINK BIG Talents can grow as well as tea cups!

EDUCATION ■

27

puts children firmly centre stage

ALL TOGETHER NOW… Ryan Barker teaches a children’s drama club to create that myself for other children.”

Ryan then studied singing at Brighton’s prestigious British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) and was a member of the National Youth Theatre for six years. He also has ten years’ worth of singing and performance grading with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

Alexandra also started performing from a young age at primary school and in community productions. She went on to study drama at Uplands Community College and West Kent College before gaining a BA degree in Theatre Studies at Rose Bruford College.

When not working at Zylo, Alexandra is a freelance theatrical teaching artist for West End shows and has been involved in projects at numerous top educational establishments, including Regent’s University and Imperial College. She has also worked for drama companies Shakespeare 4 Kidz and Perform.

“Drama really does build confidence,” she says, “and it can help with other things as an adult, such as public speaking.”

Because Ryan loves filming and special effects, too, he also had the idea of starting a Zylo Summer Film School some years ago and since then it has positively boomed.

“We have grown the number of courses and they sell out virtually every time. We’ve got about a thousand families on our database now,” he says.

This Film School gives attendees the chance to write, direct and star in their own short films over four days, culminating in a proper film premiere for family and friends at a local cinema.

“We started with two courses and maybe 14 attending, and HE WENT it grew and grew. We have THAT WAY! now done ten seasons over Kids just the Easter and summer want to holidays. This summer we are have fun set to do six full courses, each with 30 children. So we have 192 pupils attending across

the summer in Heathfield and Brighton.”

The three Heathfield courses, for six to 14 year olds, and are being held at Cross in Hand School in August.

Zylo’s form of teaching has also resulted in the surprise bonus of proving hugely successful with autistic children and their ability to connect and communicate.

“I think it’s just the way we approach what we do and the nature of what it is we are doing,” says Ryan. “Things like the film school are so quick that it just seems to resonate really well with them.”

Zylo’s creative approach has proved such a big

hit in East Sussex they are expanding their after-school clubs into Kent.

“We have just opened after-school clubs near Sevenoaks, at Dunton Green and Ide Hill, and we are looking at Tunbridge Wells,” says Ryan. “We are very much looking forward to that.”

Zylo Performance Musical Theatre Summer School – A Midsummer Night’s Dream is open to children aged 7-13 and runs from 8.30am-4pm at Skippers Hill Manor Preparatory School, Five Ashes, Mayfield TN20 6HR. July 18-22 Bookings: 01825 830 234 Zylo Performance Create a Musical Course is open to children aged 7-13 and runs from 9am-4pm at Uckfield Community Technology College, Downsview Crescent, Uckfield TN22 3DJ. July 25-29. Bookings: 01435 222 150 For more information on Zylo call 01435 222 150 or visit: www.zyloperformance.co.uk or www.zyloparties.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

28 � EDUCATION

Education in association with:

Riders get back in the saddle for yet another win The equestrian team from Mayfield School are celebrating yet another impressive showjumping success after winning the National Eventers Challenge Open Team and Individual Championships at Hickstead

www.brightyoungthings.co.uk

EDUCATION IN BRIEF

Royal seal of approval PUPILS in year 1 and 2 at St Augustine’s Primary School received a personal letter from The Queen’s Lady in Waiting The Hon Mary Anne Morrison last week. She thanked them for the colourful handmade cards they sent Her Majesty for her 90th birthday. In the letter she wrote: “It was very kind of you to make these cards in honour of The Queen’s special day and Her Majesty greatly appreciated the care you have taken with your artwork. I send you The Queen’s best wishes and thank you, once again, for your thought for Her Majesty at this time.”

A record achievement A FORMER pupil from Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Girls (TWGGS) has landed a record deal with Warner Brothers.

Laura Lamn, who is a rapper, will release her single ‘#Don’tStart’ this summer.

Lamn wrote the song in Utah, America last year after a chance meeting with music producer S2_COOL in a New York music shop. “He played me a beat on his phone and I had a good feeling about it so I went to visit him in Utah and we wrote our first song together.” She has also written an album.

WE ARE THE NATIONAL EVENTERS OPEN CHAMPIONS: (L to R) Bindy Vereker, Anna Martin Katie Higgins, and Kitty Ashby MAYFIELD SCHOOL’S Katie Higgins, Anna Martin, Bindy Vereker and Kitty Ashby competed against other schools from as far afield as Cornwall and North Yorkshire and although the competition was fierce and the final positions very close, the Mayfield quartet managed to clinch victory.

As well as winning the Eventers Challenge, another of Mayfield’s teams, made up of Scarlett Vereker, Catherine Haurie-Moss, Tara Keoshgerian and Amy

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Whiffen, came third in the Open competition with Amy also being crowned the National Individual Champion.

The showjumping courses were technical and included banks, dips, steps and a water splash.

Timing was very tight, which caused a number of riders to make errors but the Mayfield girls held their nerve and were triumphant.

Their National Eventers Challenge Open successes

follow on from the school’s National County Show jumping title, which they won in April.

“It is a great asset to have such strength and depth in our squad,” said a spokesperson for the all-girls school. “Whilst other schools may be able to field a team, our recent successes stem from our numbers. Having so many fine riders raises the standard of our teams and also gives us plenty of options during the selection process.”

Judd are on song THE Judd School Music Department is putting on a performance of Karl Jenkins’ contemporary classical masterpiece The Armed Man on July 5. The concert will be held at The Pajoma Hall, Sevenoaks, at 7pm.

Tickets cost £7. To find out more call: 01732 467 765 or visit: www.sevenoaksschool.org

EDUCATION �

29

ALEX

Mead School

ALEX aim to provide a learning programme that gives apprentices a development pathway that exceeds expectations and offers young people the opportunity to start and drive their own career.

The Mead School is a thriving, exciting and stimulating environment with a palpable heart and soul.

Situated in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, The Mead provides a first class education at an affordable price.

Gaining a university degree is becoming increasingly expensive and we recognise that lectures, essays and exams aren’t for everyone. ALEX offers you an alternative route to both a career and a relevant qualification in a non-academic way, along with a realistic apprentice wage and benefits package.

Academic standards and expectations are high, enabling each child to realise their potential and discover their strengths and interests. Mead students are well prepared for their move to secondary school as independent learners who have established excellent work patterns and strong values which will remain with them for life. The school follows a creative, inspiring curriculum planned to the individual child. The children enjoy high quality teaching and resources and their learning is greatly enhanced by a broad range of educational trips and visitors.

With our limited intake of apprentices, they will be offering a one-year contracts for apprenticeships, allowing you to gain relevant qualifications.

ALEX also offers qualifications and accredited courses ranging from ICS (Institute of Customer Service), ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) ECDL (Word, PowerPoint and Excel), and a relevant Technical Certificate.

They are offering the programme in Marketing, Publishing and Learning & Development, all based in Tunbridge Wells. If you wish to apply, you can do so by visiting alex.markerstudygroup.com

Mead school life is fun and full. A huge programme of sport, music, drama and extra-curricular activities is offered and our pupils embrace it all with enthusiasm and confidence.

We hope our pupils will look back on their prep school life and be able to say “those were wonderful days – they set me up!”To arrange a personal tour or attend our Open Day contact us on: 01892 525837 / office@themeadschool.co.uk

Bethany School

Bright Young Things

Currently celebrating its 150th year, 2016 is proving to be one of the best yet for Bethany School in Goudhurst, with the completion of several building projects as part of the ongoing development of the School.

Bright Young Things maintain a traditional philosophy of teaching centred around skills and knowledge. They encourage children to become curious learners who challenge themselves to go beyond the textbook and become productive learners.

Small class sizes encourage children to ask questions and develop an inquisitive mindset. Learning is made to be stimulating and fun, ensuring that children take new skills, enthusiasm and confidence back into the classroom.

They invest time in establishing a relationship; understanding their interests, characteristics and overall aims in terms of subject improvement. They offer a free academic assessment with full analytical feedback.

Classes at BYT deliver traditional, expert, inspirational academic support and genuine academic wizardry for every kind of student.

They are determined to bring supplementary learning within the reach of all. As they are Ofsted registered, they are able to accept childcare vouchers as payment as part of a prevailing mission to turn a good education into a great education.

This year has seen the opening of an extension to the Sixth Form Centre, The Orchard, and Sixth Formers are happily enjoying their modern and elegant facilities which include a brand new kitchen, expansive common room and purpose built study rooms.

As part of the Sixth Form curriculum at Bethany, all pupils are taught the importance of life long exercise with the School’s bespoke 'Body for Life' programme. The opening of a spacious, state of the art fitness room complements this scheme.

Most exciting of all is the completion of the School’s brand new 25 metre, six lane indoor swimming pool. All at Bethany are delighted that Olympic Gold medal winner Rebecca Adlington OBE came to officially cut the ribbon at Bethany’s Speech Day. 01580 211273 www.bethanyschool.org.uk

www.brightyoungthings.co.uk 01892 800492

Woldingham School

Skippers Hill Manor Preparatory School

Woldingham is a girls’ Catholic boarding and day school for ages 11 to 18, welcoming girls from all faiths. Located in 700 acres of breath-taking Surrey countryside, it offers bespoke transport from Sevenoaks and is just four miles from junction 6 on the M25. Woldingham is full of positive energy, offering stimulating education opportunities with an exceptional range of extracurricular activities, creating an environment where the girls can flourish as individuals.

Skippers Hill Manor Preparatory School is a nonselective, co-educational independent day school in Five Ashes, Mayfield, for children aged two to thirteen. Above all, we aim to provide a happy, busy, stimulating and structured environment, where our children feel valued and secure, and where they thrive and achieve to the best of their ability. We pride ourselves on the warm and harmonious family atmosphere at our school, where strong and lifelong friendships are formed.

In 2012, the Independent Schools Inspectorate awarded the school ‘excellent’, the top mark, in every category.

In 2015, 77% (including WJEC Latin) of GCSE grades were A* or A, and 42% of grades at A*. At A-level, almost 59% of grades were A* and A, representing a 3% improvement on 2014.

• We cherish individuality

Open morning on October 1 in 2016, by appointment only with the registrar, at registrar@woldinghamschool.co.uk. For further information, please visit www.woldinghamschool.co.uk

What makes Skippers so special?

• We have an outstanding team of teachers • We are set in 22 acres of idyllic countryside To gain a true insight into school life at Skippers Hill, interested families are encouraged to visit us, sample the atmosphere and, most of all, meet our staff and pupils.

Contact the school office on 01825 830 234 to arrange a personalised tour with our headmaster, Mr Hammond.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

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....__ _ __

WOOD & PILCHER

32  TRAVEL

Chile comes out from

By Sarah Marshall CLUE UP ON CULTURE IN CAPITAL CITY SANTIAGO

Experimental restaurants, a sophisticated arts scene and a general, all-round nod to eccentricity make Chile’s mountain-fringed capital one of the most intriguing cities in South America.

Small enough to discover in a long weekend, Santiago is made up of several easily navigable neighbourhoods, all radiating their own special character.

Considered a cultural heartland, the leafy Lastarria district offers pleasant pavement cafes and distinctive boutique hotels, many housed in the few colonial-style buildings spared by a succession of devastating earthquakes.

Influenced by neoclassical French architecture, the grand Singular Santiago is one of the most spacious and atmospheric hotels in the city. Sip coffee in an elegantly cluttered lounge supervised by waiters attired in smart waistcoats, or zip right up to the 21st century at the hip rooftop cocktail bar.

Many museums and historical buildings can be found in the 16th-century Plaza de Armas, the city’s main square, where old men furrow brows over games of chess beneath the shadow of the

‘Aside from trekking in Torres del Paine, visitors can take a horse riding excursion to Sierra Dorotea’

ornate 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral.

But a more offbeat attraction is La Chascona (meaning ‘wild mane of hair’), the house built in the mid-50’s by Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda for his lover Matilde, who had striking curly red locks. Like the man himself, the property is wonderfully eccentric: A secret doorway links the dining area and bedroom, allowing the host to surprise guests or disappear for a quick nap; and decorations include an enormous pair of men’s brogues, once used by a shoe shop to advertise their wares to the illiterate.

The poet, along with his friend, social activist and singer Violeta Parra, has also posthumously inspired a dinner/dance show not far from his house in the same Barrio Bellavista district. De Pablo a Violeta (depabloavioleta.com) skips, hops and strums through the cultural history of Chile, exploring dance, music, food and wine from different regions. Stick around afterwards to enjoy a limitless bar as folklore bands do their best to lift the roof on one of the area’s typical 100-year-old houses.  Doubles at the Singular Santiago cost from £198 per night with breakfast Visit: www.thesingular.com)  Get Your Guide offer tickets to De Pablo a Violeta with hotel pick-up and drop-off from £68pp. Visit: www.getyourguide.com

A TASTE OF THE ICE Some glacier peaks look like lemon meringue pie

HORSE RIDE ACROSS THE PATAGONIAN STEPPES

Patagonia’s vast, windswept steppes and jagged granite mountains are a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. But softer souls can also enjoy the wild and wonderful environment, without even TEMPTING TREK Through Torres del Paine National Park

having to pitch a tent or set up a portaledge.

The town of Puerto Natales, close to the popular Torres del Paine National Park, benefits from several upmarket and ambitious design hotels.

The Singular Patagonia (sister to their Santiago property) is set within the walls of a former early 20th-century abattoir, where heavy, iron, Britishmade machinery is still displayed in a walkthrough museum. A 5km distance from town, the property has its own pier with boat trips operating to the fjords.

Recalling life in the area’s historic estancias, where European pioneers made their money from sheep farming, the Remota’s 72 rooms line long corridors connected by a ‘sheep channel’. The roof has been shaped to resemble a drying rack for wool, and ‘wind-bent’ picket fences surround the property.

Aside from trekking in Torres del Paine (a onehour-and-20-minute drive away), visitors can take a horse riding excursion to nearby Sierra Dorotea.

Led by a gaucho wearing a traditional ‘boina’ beret and characteristically nonchalant expression, riders on hardy Criollo horses venture up the grassy mountainside to sheer drop viewpoints and forests burned silver by 70kph gusts.

The experience ends in a lichen-draped clearing, with the ritual of lighting a fire and drinking maté. A small gourd filled with herbal tea literally does the rounds, passed in a circle until the last person says ‘thank you’, a signal they’ve had enough.  Doubles at Remota cost from £239 with breakfast. A horse ride to Sierra Dorotea can be arranged at additional cost. www.remotahotel.com  Doubles at The Singular Patagonia cost from £234 with breakfast. Visit: www.thesingular.com

CRUISE THE SOUTHERN ICE FIELDS

Glaciers cover 2.7 per cent of Chile’s long, snaking surface, and dipping into the country’s icy fjords is made easy on a short four-day/ three-night cruise.

A family business for more than three decades, the Skorpios III navigates the Southern Ice Field.

(Sister ship Skorpios II offers a slightly longer cruise in the Northern Ice Field).

Sailing from Puerto Natales, a city close to top tourist attraction Torres del Paine and one of the key access points to Patagonia, the Kaweskar voyage sidles up to the honeycomb ridges of the Amalia Glacier, deposits passengers on the rocks close to El Brujo Glacier, and salutes a cavalcade

Wednesday 29th June 2016

TRAVEL 

the cold of frozen behemoths along the Calvo Fjord.

The trip continues north to the Montanas Fjord, where multicoloured icebergs crack and hiss in a bay below Herman Glacier, and moraine-soiled peaks of Alcina Glacier resemble baked tips of a lemon meringue pie.

Weather in the fjords is generally dull and rainy, but grey skies actually cast these icy showstoppers in their best light, bringing out their characteristic blue hues. At least, that’s what Captain Kochifas and his optimistic staff say to passengers.

From the birdsong wake-up calls to a chart illustrating global warming using underwear as a scale (with bloomers and a thong at

33

HOOF STEPPES Horse riding with a gaucho guide

either extreme), slapstick humour gently pervades every aspect of the journey. Comfortable en-suite cabins carry 90 passengers, enough to be convivial without being claustrophobic, and food is several notches above top restaurant standard.  Swoop Patagonia offer trips on Skorpios III from £1,154pp cruise only, including meals and activities.

Available from October to March.

Visit: www.swoop-patagonia.co.uk

TAKE A BALLOON RIDE ABOVE THE ATACAMA DESERT

Stretching more than 4,000km, Chile spans extremes of temperature and topography. In the north lies the Atacama Desert, one of the

TELL-TALE MUSIC A Chilean folklore band in full flow driest places on earth, where surreal rock formations, sky-soaring geysers and shimmering white salt flats have sparked a growing tourist industry.

Most resorts are based around the town of San Pedro on a high plateau 2,400m above sea level.

At the Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa, low-lying cabins are set against a backdrop that flips between flaming red rocks and diamond-studded, starry skies as the clock turns from day to night.

Adventurous activities bookend the day, with long lunches and spa treatments enjoyed in between. Hike through the Dali-esque dunes of the Valley of the Moon, watch flamingos settle on the Atacama Salt Flats, or study stars through a telescope on the hotel’s observation deck.

This autumn, there’ll be even more action in the skies with the introduction of hot air balloon rides above the Valley of the Moon. Sunrise trips will start from £205 per person. Visit: www.balloonsoveratacama.com  Doubles at Alto Atacama from £444 per night with breakfast. Visit: www.altoatacama.com  British Airways will launch a direct flight from London Heathrow to Santiago in Chile on January 3, 2017, departing four times per week.

Flights now available at a special introductory fare of £749 return in World Traveller (economy).

Visit: www.ba.com

Wednesday 29th June 2016

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Wednesday 29th June 2016

 PROPERTY SECTION

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

In my view…

Your at-a-glance guide to

Kim Stephenson Associate Partner & Agency Manager Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells

Business as usual Last Friday saw a pivotal moment for the United Kingdom. An unexpected result for many, especially Tunbridge Wells whose majority voted to remain, and leads us into uncharted territory.

The sun still rose on Friday morning, and in the office it was ‘business as usual’. The phones rang, multiple offers were received and 3 houses exchanged contracts as they were scheduled to. This Monday we received seven offers on one property following its launch at the weekend – some of which came from buyers working in the financial sector.

Testament to this great area, regardless of politicians and predictions, people continued about their daily lives.

Interest rates are predicted to drop further from their already low rate providing reassurance that mortgages will remain affordable. For some of us ‘older agents’ we vividly remember paying 14% interest. Gross mortgage lending for May was at its highest level for the month since 2008 despite the pending referendum.

In addition to low interest rates, the fall in the pound has made property in the UK more affordable to foreign investors. This, coupled with continued demand which outstrips supply, speaks volumes.

WHISTLER ROAD TONBRIDGE

£435,000

Buyers chose this area for good reason; we have superb primary, grammar and secondary schools and a good commuter service to London. Furthermore, this is a cosmopolitan town with a thriving café culture which is altogether a thoroughly nice place - attractive to buyers locally, London, and further afield as well as investors who prefer to keep their money in bricks and mortar, a ‘safe port in the storm’ despite the higher stamp duty.

Evidently one thing is clear; we are within turbulent times politically, but life will continue.

At Bracketts, it really is business as usual, as the area’s most successful agent for selling houses.

27/29 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1UU 01892 533733 | 01892 512201

UNDER £250,000 CUMBERLAND COURT LONDON ROAD, TONBRIDGE

£230,000 newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? Wednesday 29th June 2016

A purpose-built ground floor apartment offering well-arranged and maintained accommodation, with the kitchen having been refitted four years ago and a new gas-fired central heating boiler

installed in 2015. It has an entrance hall, living/dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a shower room.

A particular feature of the apartment is its own enclosed rear garden, which can be accessed from the second bedroom. Offered for sale with no onward chain.

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

UNDER £350,000 BROOK ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£300,000

A very well-presented modern terraced house which is convenient for High Brooms station. The accommodation comprises an entrance hall, a modern fitted kitchen, a sitting/dining room, three bedrooms and a family

bathroom. There is also a smart front garden providing off-road parking and a large rear garden with a patio to the rear of the house. Plus a shed, a raised deck seating area and a fish pond.

CONTACT Flying Fish Properties 01892 514189 www.flyingfishproperties.co.uk

PROPERTY SECTION 

great properties by price range…

UNDER £600,000 QUEENS ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£550,000

A semi-detached period house on the popular Queens Road. Set over three floors, with a surprisingly large garden, it is beautifully presented throughout.

The ground floor has an entrance hall and two bedrooms, with a kitchen/ breakfast room, sitting room, dining room and shower room on the lower ground floor. The dining room opens to the rear garden. The first floor has two more bedrooms and a bathroom.

CONTACT Flying Fish Properties 01892 514189 www.flyingfishproperties.co.uk

UNDER £800,000 UPPER PROFIT, LANGTON GREEN

£795,000

This well-presented detached house is situated in an established residential area on the edge of the village of Langton Green. The property was built in 1968 and boasts an entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, study, kitchen/breakfast room and ground floor shower room. On the first floor there are four bedrooms and a family bathroom. To the front there is driveway parking leading to an integral garage, and to the rear is a lovely enclosed garden, mainly laid to lawn.

CONTACT Jackson-Stops & Staff Tunbridge Wells 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

UNDER £1MILLION YARDLEY PARK ROAD, TONBRIDGE

£899,950

UNDER £450,000 WHISTLER ROAD TONBRIDGE

£435,000 A lovely link-detached family house overlooking fields to the rear. Benefitting from familysized accommodation that is well presented throughout, the property offers an entrance hall, cloakroom, lounge/diner, kitchen, spacious conservatory, three bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is driveway parking to the front and a

garage, with a delightful landscaped garden to the rear that includes a gate opening to the park behind.

CONTACT Robinson Jackson 01732 757300 www.robinson-jackson.com

A Georgian-style detached home, thought to offer scope for improvement, lying in a sought-after position looking over parkland. The ground floor has a hall, sitting room, conservatory, study/ family room, dining room, kitchen/ breakfast room, utility room and bathroom. Upstairs is a large master suite including dressing area, three more bedrooms and a bathroom. There is off-road parking, an integral double garage and a good sized garden. It is offered with no forward chain.

CONTACT Barnes Kingsnorth Tonbridge 01732 771616 www.bkestateagents.com

Wednesday 29th June 2016

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Robinson Jackson has over 50 years experience as a leading High Street estate ager and London. Our reputation has been built on our ability to achieve the best results to suit their plans. Whether it's an apartment or family home, contact us today for a advice about the Tonbridge property market.

01732 757300 Available until late, even on Sundays

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2 5oop.c.m IN RENTED, £ ' HURST GOT TO B_E Gi?a~~ey want and nee~eed dhurst rental is w ith s children to G A ou big kitchen, w ld be the They must hav~ a nee to the shops wou Walking dist:est they hope forf, lly 1 more 4 bedrooms but hope u lots of space At least h. gh finishes and . feet place They are used to i 1 would be their per . tained renta So a well main

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LOCATING , £s,ooo p.c.m CHIHUAHUA, CHILDREN, CRANBROOK. They are coming to this area for the renowned Cranbrook School.

Not too picky about style but it must be comfortable, that is the rule Flexible on areas, as long as their daily commute is not too long So something more than 20 minutes' drive away would be wrong They need at least 4 bedrooms or even a few more Our pretty villages and the community feel is their draw They have a small dog, a Chihuahua, oh so sweet who they are happy for their new landlords to meet Busy and or noisy roads this family will simply not tolerate But as your next perfect tenants this lovely family would be great.

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY IN RENTED, £1,000 p.c.m IT'S A DOGS LIFE Her dog is more important than anything else could be A rural retreat with good walks so her hound can run free The cottage b ear S l ittle importance for this lady and her pet It is more about location, so country strolls are a good bet 2 bedrooms would suffice, no preference fordmore , . t h ve her own front oor.

As she just cant wait o CaONDITIONS APPLY USUAL TERMS AND

IN RENTED, £ci!t~1~~0N .

A CARPENTER F~ rkshop potential home with wo Looking for a ~e;e country lifest~le, The Country an rty then give ou have such a propeGroup a dial .

If y Property ld free up his . from home wou Hubby working her career wife to resume dr would really hil en ear d f course the c An o h . dad to be so n ke this love t e i r i·table to ma erty be su ur rental prop e true? d Coul yo ·1 's dreams corn d . e us a call, fami y dwork an giv t of the woo d If so, come o;hat it all you ha~::;IT~ ·ONS APPLY USUAL TERMS AND CO

NO CHAIN, £1,900 p.c.m VILLAGE LIFE At a ripe old age many changes have been seen And one may not be as active as one has previously been That is why village life is now heard calling So now all the websites they have been trawling A stroll to the shops would be ideal for mother-in-law Her eyes aren't so good now and her balance is poor Still an avid gardener she loves to plant and weed So ideally a blank canvas for her to sow a variety of seed With two generations living together sharing a house Mother-in-law will take up as much room as a mouse!

But with grandchildren who love to come and stay They too will need some room to frolic and play 5 bedrooms for this extended family would be just right Allowing them a spare bedroom for visitors s~aying overni_ght.

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

RE NTED £1,200 p.c.m IN ' NALPAD A PROFESSIO looking for A rofessional couPle are p their next homhe please pick have something for t em, If you up the phone d Marden, so in Tonbridge, s he nee s H e work s . b tween k best in e ·n be very een ·ew theywi A 1 ng as it is rural, to Vlh both love and adore s o ho t ey floor They have a cat w definitely not top . rtments please, their desire So no apa e would answer fire d a roaring log A 2 bedroom cottag ld be great an ewhere soon Beams wo_u to marry so want s_om and room?

They are saving match for our bride g Could you be the AND CONDITIONS USUAL TERMSAPPLY

NO CHAIN, £4,ooo p.c.m HORSEY HEAVEN Before we go much further, I think we must explain The move is for the horses and their needs are the name of the game "The house?" you ask, let's address that first and get it out of the way "4 bedrooms, anywhere" is all this couple had to say!

Top notch equine facilities are what we are looking for A minimum of 5 acres but they would really love even mor Good, secure stabling is a really important must Their horse is a Houdini and one you cannot trust!

A manege and good hacking will make the package complet So they can simply concentrate on going out to compete

SCOPE AN D POTEN

d ·ano an d b ooks, educa· Room for a gran pihools and village a~e Excellent sc . h" close proxm wit in . . the family can ~': i A quiet location so pe and a mmin 1 nty of sco s• A home with p e definitely a nece .

USUAL TER~S AND CONI CASH BUYER £500,000

Betwixt Goudhurst and Cr: Renting in Cranbroo_k the?7're But after searchmg high i Have found their response is A modest 4 bedroom fami Betwixt Goudhurst and Cranbrool With both modern and period feature

A rural location will surel~ A manageable garden would So please come forward if you ha· USUAL TERMS AND COND UNDER OFFER to £!

BENENDEN GREEN IS TH

· gfami·1Y and two chil With a growin S hool this couJ Homewood House c Their B enden Green. in love with e~ a ub nearby wher a house with p h"lst listeninl) 's Ale w i a pint of Harvey , This would be blis on leather · ties anJ"' h ter proper will look at c arac the school and a J distance to USUAL TERMS AND CON

NOTHING TO £750,00I

APETHAV

If you have a home safe for cats a.I Your home is perfect for ou Say three beds, a kitchen that i Detached, in good condition wit Their son attends Tonbridge Sc So SO mins drive max. These buyE

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

USUAL TERMS AND CC

CASH BUYER, £2,oooA,oNoi TRANQUILLITY R SEEKS PEACE LONDON COMMUTE . . ke a dream home for . ce and tranquillity to ma Privacy, pea h L don commuters .

TIAL

tion is key or this . d family. require nities are f,

iity. "th creativity. nspired wi s is most 4 bedroom iumof sity.

)ITIONS APPLY

t ese aon~ somewhere to forget the hectic . with character OoZing c·t life and computers . 'th on choice of a;:a but it must ~e. somewhere private WI Open charm and trad1t10n ,, ·1 addition uld plan for a .am1 y So when the time is ideal the! co . that would totally spoil foot aths or any form of 1ntrus10n .

No p their desired allus1~n d . . distance to a train h withm rivmg .

In summary it must be a handsome :~~eout and absorb their daily stram In an idyllic home where they can~ ~ ONDITIONS APPLY

USUAL TERMS AN

CASH BUYER £1,700,000

11nbrook

ready to go md low always 'no'

ily nest il will work best sis the test

f' appeal

CASH BUYER Help us steer this couple in the right direction, to provide them with a home for their classic collection.

Do you have a house with a spacious garage?

If so this could be the perfect marriage!

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

s

£1 250,000

CASH BUYE!iFERENDUM

}50,000

lEIRDREAM

bout to start at dren a ll fallen 1 have tota y » e dream wou ld be. to have ld en1oy e they cou d of willow • to 'the soun , s but they s he say asonable rhere within ~ re mai"nline station.

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DAMN THE

fi • France f li em o 1 ·ng eve ry moment ked an d in a trance Living and ovi as left them shoe rn to U.K. a.s.a.p.

Bre:x.it vote h must retu he E E.C. The . . tincts say they life outside t . in France Their ins rt a new re born To reluctantly stabut the children we ormous chance: . d from Kent nd take an en that entails They haile to start over a home and all ty details Now they have ew jobs and a newd leads and proper,, them chools, n . for goo d blow .or So news re looking ll une:x.pecte h"dden gem.

Means that they a soften this rea y be the missing i Please help us t':t will turn out to Perhaps your prope

CONDITIONS APPLY

y

USUAL TERMS AND

DITIONS APPLY

ISELL

I)

'EN

near a m ainline station, r latest application! is big and a garden too :h nothing major to. do. ·h l for his education, , 00 • I irs have no complication.

1d

)NDITIONS APPLY

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

A COUPLE OF CLASSICAL BuYERS

be a steal ve the real deal

ITIONS APPLY

£1,soo,000, NO CHAIN LEAVING LONDON The decision to leave London is the easy part To find somewhere to live is not For a family of five the Kent countryside and schools are a draw But to find the right house is becoming a chore Local schools, fabulous countryside, farm shops, nearby stations . . .

Tick the box A quality, minimum 5-bedroom house with s reception rooms, modern kitchen, garages, outbuildings Tick the box Acres of garden, no neighbours, away from the road and no noise Tick the box But, to find all this in one property is proving tough Any less is not good enough

NOTHING TO SELL

£750,000

A BELGIAN B

UYERWITH A COUNTRY DESIRE

ckley or Rye . ear Iden, Be buy!

If you hve ngentleman readylt~in the U.K. W have a boltho e e . wife wants a they can stay His English h r days where ld F r wonderful o i f time they cou o In the fullness ~iving here h end up Belgium e coming from Because . ood beer. . ait enJoys g they will w . no great hurry They are m for you to find. that in mind. sure so bear no pres r 'd be un d e You

MS AND C USUAL TER APPLY

ONDITIONS

UNDER OFFER £475,ooo

KIDS WILL BE KIDS

£1,soo,000

RELOCATION, RELOCATION, RELOCATION Seeking paradise in the Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks area The more acres the merrier!

They are willing to renovate, restore or improve So if this sounds like your house, this could become their next move Outbuildings are of interest for new hobbies to embrace But not essential, what is important is finding a desirable place

Renting and ready to move! Is there a spacious 4 bedroom house out there, close to a village and surrounding countryside, with a large kitchen, space for kids to 'do their thing' away from adults?

Guest accommodation desired. Period features a bonus.

Whilst we would be happy to do some renovation and decorative work, a major project is a step too far.

We want a garden but are not super-efficient gardeners so low maintenance is key!

Do you have such a house for us?

USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY USUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

Royal Wells Park, Tunbridge Wells Situated within a prestigious gated development in the heart of Tunbridge Wells 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, cinema/ games room. Private garden. Allocated parking and garage. Full time Estate Manager. *CGI

Cowden A beautifully presented property with stunning rural views Entrance hall, drawing/ dining room, kitchen. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2 further bedrooms, family bathroom, balcony. Covered parking and storage in an outbuilding. Garden and grounds extending to approximately 0.4 acres.

Mayfield Road, Tunbridge Wells A newly refurbished and extended three storey Edwardian townhouse situated on a no through road close to the town centre 5 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, 4 bathrooms. EPC rating E.

Bid borough A substantial and beautifully presented family home Entrance hall, drawing room, family room, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom. Master bedroom with en suite shower room, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom, large playroom / bedroom 5. Garage. Established gardens. EPC rating C. In all about 0.23 acres.

Broadcroft, Tunbridge Wells Two impressive brand new detached family homes Forming part of Broadwater Mews, an individual development of just 3 detached town houses, situated on the highly favoured southern side of town. 4/5 bedrooms, 2/3 reception rooms, 3 bathrooms. Enclosed rear garden. Integral double garage. EPC rating C.

Connaught Way, Tunbridge Wells A substantial 1930's detached family home ideally positioned for schools and the mainline station Entrance hall, sitting room, study, dining room, family room, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom. Master bedroom with en suite bath / shower room, 4 further bedrooms, family bath / shower room. Established rear garden. EPC rating E.

� PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE SOUTH COTTAGE HIGH STREET, BRENCHLEY n Grade II listed period house n Renovated and improved n Beautifully presented n Set in the heart of the village n Character features n Sitting room n Dining room n Kitchen n Breakfast room n Study n Cloakroom n Cellar n Three first floor bedrooms n Family bathroom n Top floor master suite n Courtyard garden

£850,000 For sale through Hamptons Tunbridge Wells 01892 516611 www.hamptons.co.uk

Much improved Brenchley cottage dating back to Henry VIII’s reign

T

HIS fine attached, Grade II listed house was built during the reign of Henry VIII and has been totally renovated to a high standard, retaining much of the original character.

Sitting at the heart of the popular village of Brenchley, its character features include a multitude of beams, a beautiful inglenook fireplace with a wood-burning stove and a bay window with a window seat overlooking the front garden.

Opening into a stunning sitting room, which in turn leads into an impressive dining room, the house is beautifully presented throughout. The kitchen is exceptionally well fitted and has hand-built

Wednesday 29th June 2016

units with granite work surfaces and an electric Aga. Adjoining this is an excellent breakfast room which has a lantern roof and bifold doors opening to the courtyard garden. Completing the ground floor is a study and a cloakroom. A useful cellar room lies beneath the house.

The first floor has three bedrooms, all served by a well-fitted family bathroom, while the excellent principal bedroom suite covers the whole of the top floor and has a dressing room and a good sized en-suite.

There is an extremely attractive garden to the front of the cottage, and a walled and paved courtyard at the rear which has a seating area and a covered gazebo.

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk ·"""·

THESUNDAYTIMES

T-"!:AMPTONS

11

INTERNATIONAL

THE altlla.TIMES

Swaylands, Penshurst £2995,00 pcm A stunning executive three bedroom, three bathrom top floor apartment set within a converted Manor House in the village setting of Penshurst. EPC - C

Christchurch avenue £2995.00 A substantial three storey, four bedroom family home located in the 'village area' of Tunbridge Wells within easy walk of the station and the town centre. EPC: E

Clarence Road, Tunbridge Wells £1600,00 pcm A light and spacious, 2 bedroom apartment on the second floor enjoying high ceilings and timber sash windows, including a bay window to the front offering views over the town.EPC: E

Bartley Mill Road, Lamberhurst £2995,00 pcm Beautifully presented 5 bedroom farmhouse with 1 bedroom annex, situated in an idyllic semi rural location overlooking a mill pond and open fields. EPC: F

Tunbridge Wells Office Sales. 01892 597607 I tunbridgewells@hamptons-int.com

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk ·"""-·

THESUNDAYTIMES

THE . . .T IMES

Ashurst Wood Guide Price £1,750,000 A stunning 5 bedroom family home in a tranquil country setting in the sought after village of Ashurst Wood with breath-taking views to the Ashdown Forest. Set within 4 acres of delightful south facing gardens. EPC: C

Bells Yew Green Guide Price £1,000,000 A delightful Grade II Listed converted barn situated in a semi-rural position on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells with both spacious and versatile accommodation and just over 2 acres of gardens and grounds.

Horam £950,000 A character detached family house in semi-rural location providing spacious family accommodation with established gardens and grounds with a lake. EPC:F

Rotherfield £995,000 An exceptionally spacious Victorian stable conversion set back in the peaceful enclave of a former country house estate providing comfortable family accommodation with 5 bedrooms. EPC:D

Groombridge £995,000 A spacious detached house in a superb tucked away position behind electronic gates and beautifully presented throughout, less than a 650m walk from St. Thomas' school. EPC:C

Bells Yew Green £475,000 A beautifully presented and improved 4 bedroom family house situated in a small close of similar properties with views of open countryside and within walking distance of Frant station. EPC: C

Tunbridge Wells Office Sales. 01892 597607 I tunbridgewells@hamptons-int.com

Cross in Hand ÂŁ1,795,000 An outstanding and exceptionally well presented extensively renovated and updated spacious Edwardian country house of about 5,780 square feet set down a long private drive in attractive gardens and grounds of about 2.65 acres. EPC: E

Eridge Green ÂŁ1,395,000 A fine Grade II Listed 6 bedroom farmhouse situated in the rural outskirts of Eridge Green within walking distance of Eridge station, set in gardens and grounds with former stable block of about 4.2 acres.

Drl

 PROPERTY SECTION

MANNINGS WOOD FRENCH STREET, WESTERHAM

£2,550,000

Updated Durtnell house enjoys views over rolling countryside O

CCUPYING a highly soughtafter location, Mannings Wood is a handsome country house constructed by Durtnell in 1936.

Located only a short drive away from the popular, historic market town of Westerham – and the former home of Winston Churchill, Chartwell – the spacious home also benefits from an elevated position affording superb views over the Kentish countryside.

The property has recently had an extensive programme of refurbishment and restoration, resulting in a sophisticated combination of 21st-century technology, modern energy-saving practices and classic architectural features.

Works included overhauling the roof and tile hanging, replumbing, rewiring, specially-commissioned replacement double-glazed Crittall windows, a new private drainage treatment plant and a biomass boiler system.

On the ground floor is an entrance hall, a drawing room, a family room with bifold doors to the rear terrace, a dining room, snug, cloakroom, utility room and two cloakrooms.

The kitchen/breakfast room is by Rencraft with walnut cabinetry, green

Wednesday 29th June 2016

granite work surfaces, a Falcon range cooker and a Quooker hot tap.

The first floor has a master suite with a large dressing room and an en-suite bathroom as well as a further four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The second floor is accessed via a secondary staircase and is laid out to provide a spacious studio bedroom with a large en-suite shower room, which also includes a sauna and a stream shower cabinet.

Approached over a driveway that leads to a parking area in front of the detached garaging, the house sits within very attractive grounds.

The gardens include expanses of lawn, a large York stone terrace and mature trees in some light woodland.

The outdoor pool is heated via a heat exchange system, has a secure electric cover and is surrounded by a pool terrace. In addition there is a heated wave pool in a summerhouse-type chalet.

The all-weather tennis court is fully fenced and the present owner has installed a perimeter electric dog fence.

There is also a secondary access for garden machinery and for the biomass boiler outbuilding.

PROPERTY SECTION �

AT A GLANCE n Imposing detached house n Dating from 1930’s n Recently renovated and refurbished n High specification n Southerly views across countryside n Versatile accommodation n Entrance hall n Drawing room n Family room n Dining room n Snug n Kitchen/breakfast room n Utility room n Two cloakrooms n Master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom n Four further first floor bedrooms n Family bathroom n Family shower room n Top floor studio suite with en-suite steam/shower room n Parking and detached double garage n Swimming pool n Pool chalet housing wave pool n Tennis court n Landscaped gardens and grounds n In all 1.86 acres

£2,550,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff Sevenoaks 01732 740600 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

e

l

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

TO PROMOTE YOUR PROPERTY CONTACT RAJ'SY I<ELLY

PKelly@markerstudy.com I 01892 i74781

� PROPERTY SECTION

Revamped Grade II listed gem still has a priest hole

AT A GLANCE

THE DELLS FRIARS GATE, NR CROWBOROUGH n Refurbished period house n Grade II listed n Semi-rural location with views n Character features n Two reception rooms n Kitchen/dining room n Utility room with WC n Ground floor bedroom n Three further bedrooms, one en-suite n Family bathroom n Cellar accessed from rear n Gardens and grounds of around 0.94 of an acre

OIRO £825,000

‘The kitchen has been beautifully refurbished with shaker-style units and polished wood worktops’

Wednesday 29th June 2016

T

HE DELLS lies in a glorious, semi-rural yet easily accessible location on the edge of Ashdown Forest, and is a charming Grade II listed period house with far-reaching views over the surrounding countryside.

The property has been refurbished to a high standard by its current owners while retaining many period features – including exposed beams, latch doors and a superb inglenook fireplace with a fine oak bressummer beam. The house also has a priest hole hidden off one of the bedrooms.

The ground floor accommodation comprises an entrance hall, a sitting room with exposed beams and a feature fireplace, a second reception room

For sale through Foxwood Maclean Edenbridge 01732 862184 www.foxwoodmaclean.co.uk with an open fireplace and a kitchen/dining room.

The kitchen has been beautifully refurbished with shaker-style units and polished natural wood worktops. A range cooker sits perfectly in the chimney breast and all the appliances, including dishwasher, fridge and freezer, are by Bosch. Stable doors lead out to the large garden.

Also on the ground floor are one of the bedrooms and a utility room with WC. A large cellar is accessed from the rear of the property and offers lots of additional space for storage.

Two bedrooms, both boasting beams, can be accessed from the first floor landing.

Steps up from the half landing lead to a further

landing area with a family bathroom and, at the end of the corridor, the master bedroom with its stylish en-suite shower room.

The front garden has a picket fence with a central pathway leading to the front door, and this is flanked either side by areas of beautifully manicured lawn.

The immediate rear garden is mainly laid to lawn with a paved patio area.

There is a further area of seeded grass with mature trees leading down to a stream that flows around the boundary of the property.

The gardens and grounds, along with a section of the stream, total about 0.94 of an acre.

Hartfield, East Sussex

ÂŁ375,000 Freehold

A delightful conversion apartment on two levels within an imposing Victorian house with private garden and parking space in one of the most favoured villages between Forest Row and Tunbridge Wells. The property is a stunning conversion apartment arranged over two floors comprising the center of an imposing detached Victorian house well known as a prominent landmark within the village of Hartfield. Having been sympathetically divided the apartment retains many character features including generous ceiling height, excellent decorative cornicing and mouldings, fireplaces and doors. EPC - 063

(~ RICS -ACOU TRY LIFE

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Primelocation.corn

4a High Street, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 SAG

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SISSINGHURST

HAWKIN GE

FOLKESTONE

CHURCH MEWS

TERLINGHAM GARDENS

SCHOLARS VILLAGE

[ TNl7 2JG ]

[ CTIB 7SU ]

[ CTl9 SEY ]

1 bedroom luxury conversion duplex apartments and 3 bedroom homes.

2 bedroom semi-detached bungalows & chalet bungalows especially for the over 55s.

2, 3 &4 bedroom homes.

Showhomes available to view.

PRICES FROM £374,995

PRICES FROM £329,995

PRICES FROM £242,995

KENT'S PREMIER NEW HOME BUILDER

per ect y ocate Visit our website to book a viewing and to request a brochure, or call

01303 864590 TERLINGHAM GARDENS

Hawkinge

• ..

Backed by HM Government

Incentives available on selected plots only. Subject to agreement.

Terms and . app Iy. COn d'ltlOnS

CANTERBURY

AN EASY COMMUTE TO AND FROM LONDON ST. PANCRAS USING

Coming

SPEED

soon

~ ~

A Pentland Homes initiative

NEW ROMNEY

•

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Scan a OR code and register your interest

Discover the difference at...www.pentlandhomes.co.uk

 PROPERTY SECTION

A striking new family house with superb sustainability

O

RCHARD HOUSE is a recently constructed family home with hardwearing cedar cladding and highly versatile accommodation.

Set in delightful landscaped gardens that include a substantial terrace and a detached double garage, it has been cleverly designed to maximise the feeling of space and light inside.

The vendors have finished the build to a high specification, meeting a ‘code 3’ level for sustainability – including rainwater harvesting and underfloor heating.

The front door opens to an impressive entrance hall with a stone floor and central staircase.

Double doors then open to the drawing room which has two sets of bifold doors to the terrace.

The excellent open-plan kitchen/breakfast/ family room is fitted with a comprehensive range of contemporary units and integrated Miele appliances. At one end, it is glazed on three sides with a part-vaulted glass roof and bifold doors to the terrace. Double doors from the hall also open to a dining room/study.

Additionally, there are two ground floor en-suite bedrooms and a utility room and cloakroom.

On the first floor, the large, double aspect master bedroom has a dressing room and spacious en-suite.

There are two further bedrooms on this level, one with fitted wardrobe cupboards, and the family bathroom has a superb freestanding copper bath and separate shower cubicle.

Tucked away in the popular village of Otford, near Sevenoaks, and less than half a mile from a station, the property is approached from Shoreham Road via a gate leading to a private gravel driveway. This culminates in a tarmac parking area for several cars in front of a detached timber double garage.

The gardens have been professionally landscaped creating an excellent setting for the house, and there are two large paved terraces.

‘Tucked away in the popular village of Otford, near Sevenoaks, and less than half a mile from a station’ Wednesday 29th June 2016

AT A GLANCE

ORCHARD HOUSE SHOREHAM ROAD, OTFORD ■ Recently constructed family house ■ Highly sought-after village location ■ Tucked away and spacious ■ High specification ■ High sustainability ■ Impressive reception hall ■ Drawing room ■ Study ■ Kitchen/breakfast/family room ■ Two ground floor bedrooms, both en-suite ■ Utility room ■ Cloakroom ■ Master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite ■ Two further first floor bedrooms ■ Family bathroom ■ Driveway and detached double garage ■ Landscaped gardens ■ In all about 0.4 of an acre

£1,575,000 For sale through Knight Frank Sevenoaks 01732 744477 www.knightfrank.co.uk

MADDISONS R E SID EN TI A L

~

THE SUNDAY TIMES

THE alllll.TIMES

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

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Kennett, Southborough

£1,250,000

An immaculate 5-bcdroom property, perfectly located between the spa town of Tunbridge Wells and the market town of Tonbridge. Kennett boasts m·cr .1 ,800 sq ft of well-configured li,'ing accommodation, which includes a separate annexe and stunning south-facing ,·icws m·cr the surrounding Kent countryside.

The White House, Tonbridge

£2,400,000

The \\~1itc Ilousc is a truly elegant and substantial property. nestled between the market towns of Iladlo"· and Tonbridge, m·crlooking open farmland. The highly flexible accommodation includes 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 5 stylish reception rooms and a beautiful , ,·crsatilc annexe, all making The \\'hitc Ilousc the perfect family home.

Maidstone Road, Pembury

£645,000

This lm-cly 4 bedroom family home is situated <lmrn a prin1tc drh·c. ideally located close to the thri\'ing commtmity ,·illagc of Pcmbury. Presented in strong condition throughout "·ith ,rnllproportioncd accommodation. an integral garage. lm·cly gardens and off-street parking.

Upper Postern Barn, Tudeley

£1,100,000

A truly beautiful 4-bedroom barn com·crsion set at the end of a prirntc road in Tudclcy. Vaulted ceilings, a fabulous galleried landing and .1 generous reception rooms create a wonderfully spacious family home. Slightly clcrntcd and set in three quarters of an acre , this lm·cly barn is surrounded by farmland with glorious ,'ic"·s across open countryside.

The Oaks Farm, Brenchley

£1,195,000

The Oaks !<'arm is a beautiful family home situated in the popular ,·illagc of Brenchley, ,Yhich has been completely rcnorntcd by the current mrncrs to a first class standard. This is a substantial property "·ith G bedrooms, 4 reception rooms a large garden, heated s"·imming pool and a fabulous outdoor entertaining space, all set "·ithin a wonderful rural location.

Queens Road, Tunbridge Wells

£399,000

A truly delightful mid-terraced property located in the popular St .John ·s area of Tunbridge \\'ells.

Offering .1 double bedrooms. 2 reception rooms and a stunning 100ft rear garden. this lm-cly home is in excellent order throughout.

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

~

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

-

KENT

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

KENT

Sought after town location + ground floor + 2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + kitchen/breakfast room + reception room + two allocated parking spaces + Council Tax=E + EPC=C

Penthouse apartment + 2 double bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + reception/dining room + single garage + Council Tax=E + EPC=B

£1,450 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

£1,300 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

KENT

KENT

Close to town centre + 2 double bedrooms + bathroom + kitchen/breakfast room + sitting room + allocated parking + single garage + communal gardens + Council Tax=C + EPC=C

Close to Pantiles area + 2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + reception + secure parking for 2 cars + communal gardens + Council Tax=E + EPC=B

£1,250 pcm + £282 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee. Other charges may apply* Contact: Louise Minifie

£1,250 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 o ut fee - charged at the end of o r 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.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

SPELDHURST,

KENT

KENT

MLS 1 .4 miles + modern family house + sitting room + kitchen/d ining room + 4 bedrooms + detached garage with studio + garden + driveway parking + 1,633 sq ft + EPC=D

Stylish contemporary home + popular village location + sitting room + kitchen/dining room + 4 bedrooms + 3 bathrooms + integral garage + 1,764 sq ft + about 0.25 acres + EPC=D

Guide £875,000 Freehold

Guide £775,000 Freehold

MATFIELD'

Contact: Becky Card

TUNBRIDGE WELLS,

KENT

Contact: Becky Card

KENT

4 bedroom character house + 2 reception rooms + study + kitchen/dining room + integral garage + garden backing onto orchards + 1 ,499 sq ft + EPC=D

Fifth fioor apartment with views + convenient location + open plan kitchen/reception + 2 double bedrooms + balcony + communal garden + garage parking space + 711 sq ft + EPC=C

Guide £720,000 Freehold

Guide £325,000 Leasehold

Contact: Becky Card

Contact: Becky Card

 PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE WALLED GARDEN HORNS LODGE LANE, TONBRIDGE ■ Part of a period farmhouse ■ Set within an exclusive development ■ Semi-rural ■ Spacious and versatile ■ Entrance porch ■ Cloakroom ■ Kitchen/dining room ■ Living room ■ Master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite ■ Two further first floor bedrooms ■ Family shower room

‘Forming part of an original farmhouse, this property does indeed include a Victorian walled garden, as well as offering spacious accommodation over three floors’

■ Two top floor bedrooms ■ Two large areas of garden ■ Charming Victorian walled garden ■ Victorian greenhouse ■ Summerhouse ■ Backing on to fields ■ Allocated parking ■ Visitor parking

£800,000 For sale through Robinson Jackson 01732 757300 www.robinson-jackson.com

Nestled in a private development with its own secret walled garden

A

CTUALLY named the Walled Garden, this delightful home is part of Horns Lodge Farm and approached via a half-mile long private lane.

Originally built in the 1800’s by the Earl of Derby, the farm was converted in the 1990’s to a high standard.

Forming part of an original farmhouse, this property does indeed include a Victorian walled garden, as well as offering spacious and versatile accommodation over three floors.

The house opens to an entrance porch with a period style door, tiled flooring and cloakroom.

The kitchen/dining room is fitted with a range of units, a stainless steel Neff oven and hob and

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Amtico flooring. This leads to an inner hall with stairs rising to the first floor, and to a spacious living room with a double-glazed box bay window and a door to the rear, a period-style fireplace and large understairs storage cupboard.

On the first floor is the master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe, en-suite bathroom and a wonderful view across the fields to the rear of the property. To the front are another two bedrooms, each with a half bay window and served by a family shower room.

Two more bedrooms lie on the top floor, both a good size. Plus there is access through one of the bedrooms to eaves storage.

To the rear, the generous garden is divided into two areas. The first, a feature of the property, is about 95ft long, has a patio for outdoor entertaining and a level lawn that leads to a gate which takes you into the beautiful Victorian walled garden.

A gravel path leads around the garden, which has a central area laid to an extensive lawn with stocked borders boasting a range of plants and shrubs. Plus the remains of the original Victorian greenhouse, a summerhouse with power and a garden shed.

Two side gates lead to the communal areas of the development. To the front is allocated and visitor parking.

Pembury

£975,000

A generously proportioned Grade II listed farmhouse with a wealth of character features,

South borough

£5 I 0,000

situated on the outskirts of Pembury. Hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/family/breakfast room, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, attic room. Driveway, level gardens of approx. 3/.i acre.

A well presented detached bungalow located in a private road ofYewTree Road. Hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, utility, cloakroom, 2 double bedrooms, bathroom. Driveway, detached double garage, feature rear garden. EPC: D.

Tunbridge Wells £719,950 A 3 storey Victorian town house situated in the 'village area' of the town, retaining many character features. Hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 4 bedrooms, bathroom. Landscaped rear garden. EPC: D.

Tunbridge Wells £240,000 Set in the heart of the St John's area, an impressive, bright first floor converted apartment, remodelled with crisp, contemporary fittings. Hall, living room/kitchen, 2 bedrooms, shower room.Allocated parking space. EPC: C.

I

-LI Tunbridge Wells Monthly Rental £1,250 A delightful 2/3 bed end of terrace house located on a private road in the popular Mount Sion/Village Area.Arranged over 3 floors comprising 2 reception rooms, fitted kitchen, 2/3 bedrooms, bathroom. Decked rear garden, residents' parking.Avail. from 19 July. EPC: C.

Hawkenbury Monthly Rental £950 A deceptively spacious 3 bed maisonette located in Hawkenbury, close to the Recreation Ground. Large kitchen/breakfast room, spacious living room, 3 good sized bedrooms, bathroom. On street parking.Avail. now. EPC: E.

� PROPERTY SECTION

Charming property with scope for improvements

AT A GLANCE CLAYGATE CLAYGATE LANE, SHIPBOURNE

C

LAYGATE is a character 15th-century hall house with elevations rebuilt in the 18th century. Grade II listed, the property displays wonderful period features, including multi-pane casement windows, an inglenook fireplace and an array of beams to the walls and ceilings.

With a delightful rural outlook and mature gardens, it is considered to offer great scope for updating, subject to the necessary consents.

The ground floor accommodation comprises an entrance hall between the house and the garage, a drawing room with inglenook fireplace, an inner hall, a dining room, a large study, a wet room, a cloakroom, a kitchen/ breakfast room with Aga and pantry, and a spacious utility room/workshop.

Upstairs there is a master bedroom with a generous en-suite bathroom, along with three further bedrooms, a family bathroom and a separate WC. A further bedroom lies on the top floor, along with access to a loft room.

Beautifully manicured gardens wrap around the house on three sides, with level lawns to the front and rear and a parterre rose garden to one corner.

A brick paved terrace runs along the front of the house and the borders are planted with an array of shrub and flower beds.

The gardens are partly enclosed by wall and hedge, with gates leading to a lane. The gravel driveway provides parking in addition to a link-detached double tandem garage which can house four cars. There is also a greenhouse, and a garden store attached to the house.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

n Grade II listed character house n Rural outlook n Period features n Scope to improve n Entrance hall n Drawing room n Dining room n Study n Wet room and cloakroom n Utility room/workshop n Kitchen/breakfast room n Master bedroom with en-suite n Three further first floor bedrooms n Family bathroom n Separate WC n Top floor bedroom n Double tandem garage and parking n Manicured gardens n In all around half an acre

£1,300,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff Sevenoaks 01732 740600 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

‘Grade II listed, the property displays some wonderful period features, including an inglenook fireplace and an array of beams’

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Modern 2 bedroom " back to back" house, open plan Lounge/ dining room with under floor heating, modern fitted kitchen, upstairs bathroom, allocated parking space. EPC D

2 bedroom terrace cottage in an elevated position in Denny Bottom. Living room, open through to dining room, fitted kitchen, rear porch/ utility space, 2 double bedrooms and a family bathroom with separate shower.

Double glazing, gas fired heating and a stunning terrace garden with a garden room and sun deck above. EPC D

This 2 bedroom terrace house requires some refurbishment . The accommodation comprises; Lounge, kitchen/ diner, 2 double bedrooms and an upstairs bathroom. The property benefits from a courtyard garden, double glazing to front and gas fired heating . EPC D

End of terrace house in need of updating. The accommodation comprises; Lounge/ diner, kitchen, 2 bedrooms and upstairs bathroom. The property also benefits from double glazing, front and rear gardens & driveway and has storage heaters. EPC tbc

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CONTEMPORARY SEAFRONT APARTMENTS HYTHEIKENT 6 Unique contemporary apartments, including two stunning split-level penthouses, all with uninterrupted views of the shore line. Direct beach access with terraces on the ground floor and generous balconies at first floor level, ensure all occupants can make the most of this exclusive location.

From ÂŁ625,000. Available from July 2016.

tgdesignerhomes 07887 507798 kate@tgdesignerhomes.com

PROPERTY SECTION 

sold before marketing was launched, the remaining units are sure to be sought after.

Hythe is a small seaside community but with excellent facilities and transport links to London and the rest of Europe. It offers an amazing array of recreational activities. Kite boarding, windsurfing and sea angling are on your doorstep with two indoor heated pools a golf course and gym just 5 minutes walks away.

You can be in London in 50 minutes via the HS1 link from Folkestone West (10 minutes away) and 30 minutes into Calais via the Eurotunnel terminal (15 minutes away). Canterbury is a 30 minute drive as is the Designer Outlet shopping mall in Ashford.

Contact: kate@tgdesignerhomes.com | 07887 507798 or visit our website www.tgdesignerhomes.com and make an enquiry.

New homes in the South Hams offered by top ranking Westcountry homebuilder

TG Designer Homes, is run by a Husband and Wife team who aim to lead the way in bespoke quality living. Working closely with their professional team including award-winning Guy Hollaway Architects, Kate Arnold at the helm with marketing and client care and Mick Gay ensuring the sites are built to the quality and timescales required – they are creating inspiring, spacious developments using the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Based in Kent, the team currently has a number of sites under construction throughout the South East.

Available to reserve now is Bay in Hythe. Situated on shingle beach at the corner of St Leonards road and West Parade, next to the renowned fishmongers and eaterie ‘Griggs of Hythe’, this is a development of 6 unique and contemporary apartments including 2 stunning split level penthouses.

Direct beach access and terraces on the ground floor and generous balconies at first floor level ensure all occupants can make the most of this unique location. With two of the apartments already

Local homebuilder Cavanna Homes has launched its latest development ‘Offshore’, in the picturesque South Hams village of Stoke Fleming, within walking distance of award winning Blackpool Sands which is widely acknowledged as one of the finest beaches in the UK. Set within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this chic coastal retreat is a small development of just 24 three and four bedroom new homes, including a mix of detached and semi-detached properties, in a traditional style, finished with slate or render.

The Torquay-based homebuilder’s newest development is close to the village’s local amenities and is just a short distance from Dartmouth, known for its rich maritime history and cobbled streets full of independent shops, restaurants and bars.

All properties at Offshore come complete with a 10 year NHBC Buildmark Warranty and subject to the stage at which a property is reserved, buyers have the opportunity to select their kitchens and bathroom wall tiles. It is this attention to detail and level of aftercare, that has earned Cavanna Homes a maximum five stars in the prestigious Home Builders Federation customer satisfaction awards four years in a row.

The first properties at Offshore are now available to buy and start from £260,000 (as of 14.06.16).

To view full details of all property types at Offshore please visit www.cavannahomes.co.uk.

Marketing of Offshore is being handled by Marchand Petit’s Dartmouth office on 01803 839190 or email dartmouth@marchandpetit.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

� PROPERTY SECTION

AT A GLANCE WARWICK PARK TUNBRIDGE WELLS n Award-winning contemporary home n Private setting n Desirable road in ‘village’ area of town n High specification n Versatile accommodation n Entrance hall n Study n Sitting room n Open-plan kitchen/dining/living room n Balconies n Cloakroom n Utility room n First floor master suite with bedroom, dressing room and shower room n Two further first floor bedrooms n Family bathroom n Lower ground floor with potential for annexe with bedroom and shower room n Family room

Cutting edge design in one of the town’s most prestigious roads

n Further cloakroom n Laundry room n Integral garage n Driveway n Secluded landscaped gardens n Water features

£1,675,000 For sale through Batchellor Monkhouse 01892 512020 www.batchellormonkhouse.com

T

HIS award-winning contemporary property in Tunbridge Wells’ highly desirable Warwick Park boasts outstanding design and private landscaped gardens.

The owners have created a stylish, adaptable home finished to a high specification and with excellent attention to detail.

The house opens to an entrance hall with a study and a sitting room to either side – both with doors opening to the private front garden.

To the rear is a superb open-plan kitchen/ dining/living room which was featured in Utopia magazine shortly after its completion.

The kitchen area features bespoke cabinetry by Chamber Furniture of Knockholt, Gaggenau appliances and a breakfast bar. The dining area has a roof lantern and bifold doors opening fully to the adjoining balcony, while the living area has double doors on to a second balcony area.

Also on this level is a cloakroom, a utility room and a door to the integral garage.

Upstairs, the master bedroom enjoys an attractive view across the property’s gardens and

to mature screening trees. A fitted dressing room and a luxurious en-suite shower room adjoins this room. There are two further double bedrooms on this level, one with a door to a front balcony, and both are served by a family bathroom.

The lower ground floor has potential for an annexe with a guest bedroom, a door to the terrace and en-suite shower room.

Also on this lower level is a cloakroom, an excellent laundry room housing an air source heat pump, and a family room with bifold doors opening to the rear terrace.

To the front, set behind a mature hedge, is a brick paved driveway. The rear garden has a sunny terrace with slate tiles and retaining walls incorporating a cascading water feature. Beyond the terrace is an excellent level area of lawn with shingle paths, retaining walls, and an array of mature shrubs and trees.

At the foot of the garden is a further area of terrace incorporating a pond, waterfall and fountain, as well as a timber garden shed and a secure gate giving access to Cumberland Walk.

‘To the rear is a superb open-plan kitchen/dining/ living room which was featured in Utopia magazine shortly after its completion’ Wednesday 29th June 2016

For over 200 years, cricket has been enjoyed on Southborough Common The tradition continues, so join us from 11 am on Sunday, 3 July 2016 for a Charity Cricket Day in aid of 8-eat

woodandpilcher. co. uk

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WOOD & PILCHER

Tonbridge

£875,000

South borough

£525,000

Elegant four bedroom townhouse 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 meticulously maintained grounds. complete with tennis court. EPC: C

This well presented five bedroom detached chalet style family residence. situated on a good size plot at the end of a residential cul de sac. should be viewed internally to be fully appreciated. EPC: C

Tunbridge Wells

Sevenoaks

£525,000

£550,000

A fantastic opportunity to take ownership of this unextended four bedroom semi detached house in St Johns. requiring modernisation and refurbishment and with no onward chain. Subject to the necessary permissions being obtainable. there is tremendous scope to take this property firmly into the 21 st century. EPC: E

Three bedroom semi-detached house with garage, plenty of parking and lovely gardens set in the everpopular Bradbourne Lakes area and just under a mile from Sevenoaks station .... Planning permission to extend. ref.no. 14/02676/ HOUSE. EPC: E

Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells

£475,000

Located in an extremely popular residential road this three bedroom property offers spacious family living with the added bonus of permission for a single storey extension of further development which the current owners have already explored. EPC: D

A truly substantial five bedroom. three storey late Victorian town house with versatile accommodation located in an excellent residential area close to three grammar schools and good primary schools.

EPC: F

Tunbridge Wells Office I 01892 511211 tunbridgew ells@w oodandpilcher.co.uk Southborough Office I 01892 511311 southborough@woodandpilcher.co.uk Tonbridge I 01732 351135 tonbri dge@w ooda ndpil cher. co. u k

(i)nTheMarketoom

£790,000

woodandpilcher.co. uk

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Pembury: 01892 822880

Tonbridge: 01732 771616

Lettings: 01732 771616

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 PROPERTY SECTION

Your chance to complete a fabulous redevelopment near Benenden

‘Already finished is the swimming pool complex, accessed by a glass atrium from the kitchen’

H

ARTLEYS is situated just outside the pretty village of Benenden and is well screened from the road by established trees and close board fencing. Approached via timber electric gates and a gravel drive, it presents a rare opportunity to acquire and complete a substantial redevelopment site.

Planning permission is in place for the alteration and extension to the existing house, designed to be in the Wealden style of brick with timber cladding under a clay tiled roof. When complete it will provide modern and flexible accommodation amounting to around 4305 sq ft.

The proposed accommodation will offer a spacious entrance hall, study, boot room, cloakroom, coat room, playroom, large triple-aspect drawing room, kitchen/ breakfast room and utility room.

Already finished is the 1162 sq ft indoor swimming pool complex, which is accessed via a glass atrium link from the kitchen. There is room at the far end for a sauna or gym and there are bifold doors opening on to the garden.

Upstairs, the main property will provide a vast master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom, an en-suite guest room, three further bedrooms, a family bathroom and a shower room.

The generous timber garage complex of approximately 1076 sq ft has also been completed and consists of three/ four bays with a substantial roof area.

To the right-hand side of the drive lie the outbuildings, currently used as home offices, but with annexe potential subject to the necessary permissions.

The established gardens and paddock overlook the fields and woods beyond. Among the mature trees is a pretty pond with a bridge over it.

In addition to the large garage, the driveway offers ample parking for several cars. In all, the plot amounts to a total of two acres.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

PROPERTY SECTION 

AT A GLANCE ■ Redevelopment site ■ Partially completed and with planning permission ■ Completed luxury indoor swimming complex ■ Outbuildings providing home offices with annexe potential ■ Completed timber garage complex ■ Established garden, grounds and paddock ■ Plot totalling around two acres ■ Proposed accommodation to include: ■ Entrance hall ■ Study ■ Playroom ■ Boot room ■ Cloakroom ■ Coat room ■ Drawing room ■ Kitchen/dining room ■ Utility room ■ Master suite with bedroom, dressing room and bathroom ■ Guest suite ■ Three further bedrooms ■ Family bathroom ■ Further shower room

OIEO £1,500,000 For sale through Savills Cranbrook 01580 720161 www.savills.co.uk

HARTLEYS CRANBROOK ROAD, BENENDEN OIEO

£1,500,000

Wednesday 29th June 2016

ELLIS&CO

01732 770077 tonbridge@ellisandco.co.uk

Tunbridge Wells

Andrews >

andrewsonline.co.uk

Woodland Road, TN4 9HF

Guide £449,999

How many four bedroom detached homes have you seen at this price? Living room with open fireplace and doors to garden, kitchen with defined dining area and doors leading onto a raised patio, parking for a number of vehicles - this home ticks many boxes!

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Tunbridge Wells Sales 01892 515 11+1+

LANDLORDS WANTED

To view more properties available from all 85 of our offices, visit andrewsonline.co.uk

Andrews

Required for properties in

• ROTHERFIELD •FRANT • CHIDDINGSTONE • GOUDHURST • LAMBERHURST • MAYFIELD

Contact us on: 01892 51511.tlt

lettings@andrewsonline.co.uk

Owning your first home should feel like a dream come true. Make sure it's somewhere you'll always look forward to coming home to by opting for the quality, comfort, and convenience of Knights Wood.

. . Knight ~ Frank

Knights Wood offers a variety of exceptional new homes in a peaceful woodland setting in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Our marketing suite is open daily from 10am to 5pm, so come and visit us to see for yourself the great choices on offer. Alternatively, call us on 01892 800580.

Two, three and four bedroom homes available now with prices from ÂŁ350,000.

Knights Wood, Tunbridge Wells TN2 3UW

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ONE WARWICK PARK HOTEL WEDDING OPEN DAY

16.07.16 MAIN EVENT WEDDING SHOW

25.09.16

ONE WARWICK PARK

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS

KENT TN2 STA

80 ■ WEDDING FEATURE

Close friends, family and Planning your dream wedding day needn’t be a stressful or overwhelming affair – it’s all about celebrating with the people you love and creating unforgettable memories. Rachel Pepper tells the story of how she and husband Simon tied the knot at Blackstock Farm in Hellingly earlier this month Tell us how you and your husband met Simon works with one of my best friends, Sarah, and she happened to invite us both to her ‘pub golf’-themed birthday night out in London. In a nutshell, we managed to catch the last train leaving London that night due to very heavy snow. The train got stuck near Orpington and we ended up sat next to each other for five hours before we finally got back to Tonbridge in the early hours. It took a few months, but by the following July we were a couple. Quite romantic, really!

Talk us through the proposal It was Valentine’s Day last year and Simon announced that he’d made plans for the afternoon. As lovely as he is, he’s definitely not a planner, so I was a little suspicious.

As we drove closer to Ashdown Forest, I realised we were going to Ashdown Park Hotel, as he knows I love it there. We sat by the fire for afternoon tea, and at the end Simon produced the ring box from his jacket pocket. He’d prepared a lovely little speech, and of course I said ‘yes’! The staff brought over Champagne and we sat for a while before driving home and calling family and friends. It was a very special day.

Where did you get married and how did you choose the venue?

We got married at Blackstock Farm in Hellingly. We instantly loved it and both knew we had to get married there. They have two barns – The Granary and The Tudor Barn. You can hire both, but we had a relatively small wedding and therefore just opted for The Tudor Barn, which is the smaller of the two. It has a private courtyard area with beautiful views over the farm and countryside beyond. It was just perfect. I cannot recommend Blackstock enough to anyone looking for a wedding venue.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

PERFECT MATCH Simon, Rachel and the Morgan cars

Any key highlights from the big day?

The whole day was so incredible – it’s hard to choose highlights. Getting ready at home with friends and family was really special,

and seeing our three nieces in their beautiful dresses. There was a curtain at the end of the aisle, so dad and I stood there, the last to walk down the aisle, and I just remember the

curtain opening and seeing everyone’s smiley faces. Also, being waved off by our guests at the end of the evening, with dad driving us in his Morgan.

WEDDING FEATURE ■

the perfect day…

How did you start your married life together?

We spent a few days at home after the wedding, with some very sad goodbyes to Simon’s brother and sister-in-law, who live in Arizona, and my aunt and her husband, who travelled over from Vancouver. We also spent hours opening our lovely cards, which was even more emotional than the day itself. On the Tuesday, we jetted off on honeymoon to Mexico for ten days, which was fantastic.

In what ways did your suppliers help make the day special?

My dress was from Exquisite You Bridal Boutique in Seaford. The ladies were so helpful throughout, and the seamstress worked wonders! www.exquisite-you.co.uk We used Kim at The Flower House Studio for our flowers. They were absolutely beautiful and it was so exciting when Kim arrived with all the bouquets in the morning. www.theflowerhouse.biz For photography, we used the lovely Clare Fitzgerald at Fitzgerald Photographic. Clare was brilliant on the day and just felt like another friend at the wedding – but with a posh camera. www.fitzgeraldphotographic.co.uk

We were lucky enough to have a fantastic wedding singer, Kathryn Buck, who sang during the ceremony and throughout the day. www.kathrynbuck.co.uk

Our gorgeous cake was beautifully made

by Simon’s sister Miriam, and my sister and maid of honour Claire put the table plan together.

David at Unlimited Promotions took over in the evening and kept everyone dancing. www.unlimitedpromotions.co.uk

Describe your partner in five words Funny, kind, loyal, tidy and stubborn!

Our superb venue was Blackstock Farm in Hellingly, who we cannot thank enough for making our day so special. www.blackstockweddings.co.uk

TIME ALONE Away from the wedding crowd

Rachel offers her five top tips for future brides and grooms

1

Throughout the planning process, try not to obsess too much about the little details.

Stand back occasionally and remember that it’s just one day (although a very special one), and the most important thing is having the people you love there to celebrate the start of your marriage.

2

Take some time out together during the day to sit quietly or go for a walk. We found it really helped us to take it all in, as it goes so quickly (I can’t stress that enough) and you barely get a chance to speak to each other.

3

4

Surround yourself with lovely people.

The staff at Blackstock Farm took all the stress out of planning our wedding and were superb on the day itself. The same goes for all our brilliant suppliers – especially our photographer and hair and make-up. They play a really big part in the day, so it’s important that you feel comfortable with them.

We used the wonderful Jade Hickman for hair and make-up. Jade was so approachable and made sure we were 100% happy. The morning of the wedding wouldn’t have been the same without her. (Bridal hair and make-up by Jade Hickman)

NIECE DAY OUT Two of the bridesmaids enjoy the ride

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS

Make sure someone in the bridal party is responsible for keeping an eye on the time when you’re getting ready. We ended up 15 minutes late because we were all so relaxed and assumed someone else was looking at the clock.

Suits and ties were from Next, and the Morgans belong to my dad and his friend Russell, who kindly drove dad and I to the venue in the morning.

My mum made over 120 shortbread hearts for the favours and patiently helped me on the sewing machine, making metre upon metre of bunting.

81

‘As lovely as he is, he’s definitely not a planner, so I was a little suspicious’

5

Enjoy the whole process – from getting engaged to the wedding day itself – and try not to get too stressed. We went to France to get the wedding wine with my parents, which was a really special day, and those things are all part of the experience. On the day itself, try to relax and enjoy every second!

Wednesday 29th June 2016

82 ■ WEDDING FEATURE

Into the woods for an open-air ceremony Laura and Greg Fox went back to nature with a magical wedding set amongst the stunning backdrop of tall trees and wild flowers Laura, how did you first meet Greg?

My husband and I met whilst at work. We worked in different departments and his mum was my manager. One day he came in to see his mum and met me. However, dating didn’t really work and we went our separate ways. Three years later, I sent Greg a text message asking how he was and then he was on my doorstep telling me how he had never stopped thinking of me and would never stop loving me.

How did he propose?

It was a tough day and Greg was working late. I met him in the kitchen when he got home. Then whilst I stood in my dressing gown he asked me to close my eyes. When I opened them he was on one knee with a Haribo ring in his hand. He told me that he loved me and wanted to marry me. I still have that ring.

Where did you wed, and what made you choose this unusual venue?

We got married at Wise Weddings in Five Oak Green. We decided we wanted an outdoor wedding in a wood – something unique and magical. We also needed a venue that would keep children entertained and give our guests space. Sam Wise, who owns the venue, was really laid back and was able to give ideas. It had amazing tree houses, outdoor sofa swings, fires at night, a marquee, proper toilets and it had an area for our guests to camp.

What happened on the big day, and what were the most memorable moments?

Wise Weddings is not a licensed venue, so we got ‘legally’ married beforehand accompanied by two close friends. This made our wedding even more exciting for us as we had written our own service with our close friend and had our own personal words

SIMPLE STEP TO HAPPINESS Laura with her new stepson

Wednesday 29th June 2016

shared with our nearest and dearest. Both my father and stepfather walked me down the woodland aisle. My husband was joined by his son, who insisted on giving me a big kiss when I arrived, and his sister, who was ‘best person’. We decided on having a BBQ and buffet so our guests could eat what they wanted and we had tables set out in long rows so that everyone could sit where they wanted.

Afterwards, we laid blankets out on the grass clearing whilst the children played in the woods.

We had hidden fairies and filled a chest with toys and bubbles to keep everyone entertained. In the evening we lit the fire and toasted marshmallows.

The woods lit up and the children all had glow sticks so we could keep track of them. Inside the marquee we had a bar and band to dance the night away with.

LEAF OUT OF THEIR OWN BOOK After tying the knot officially elsewhere, Laura and Greg wrote their own words for the woods

THE BRIDE IS BRANCHING OUT Smiles all round

WEDDING FEATURE ■

SAVE THE LAST DANCE For Laura

83

THE MOST PERFECT DAY Laura offers her five top tips for planning your dream wedding

1 2 3 4

Even if you think your groom won’t be interested, talk about everything. A problem shared is a problem halved.

Accept that even the most well-laid plans may change. There is no need to get upset.

Stick to your guns when needed.

Everyone has an opinion but it’s your wedding.

Make time on the day to just have a Bride and Groom moment. Quietly step back together and look at your wedding, the guests and everything in full swing.

5

Accept help from others. No-one can do it alone. Some people also have the insight to point out something you haven’t thought of.

Where did you start your married life?

My father lives in France and we have many French friends. Unfortunately, some were unable to attend, so we went there for a week and spent most of those nights celebrating with them.

Tell us how some of your key suppliers helped to make your day so perfect Our BBQ, buffet and evening hog roast were

supplied by Ben and Vivian from Whites Butchers – they were great throughout. Not only did they love sharing ideas but on the day we were able to leave them to it. Our guests all commented on how brilliant the food was. Amanda Jane Twort spent hours doing my hair, air-brushing my make-up and trying to stop me laughing so it didn’t spoil. Kiera Elysia Designs created all the bridesmaids dresses. She truly was brilliant helping with the designs and ferrying the dresses to and fro. More Tea Vicar were our band, a pair of brothers who came with all the set-up and played anything you asked for. We grew all of the wild flowers for the bouquets and button holes in the garden. Tonbridge Taxis politely took our guests backwards and forwards from the hotel to the venue. The Wateringbury Premier Inn were really friendly and helpful when it came to the block bookings and keeping everyone together (and my grandmother away from stairs).

MEMENTO BOARD Everything is ready for guests to leave a greetings label

Wednesday 29th June 2016

84 ■ ADVERTISING FEATURE

Pretty in beige and boho style

By Maria Musgrove-Wethey

JENNY PACKHAM Cygnet Shrug – Ivory

The Pantiles Bride

‘The three top trends internationally were boho, beautiful backs and beige.

Not boring beige but soft nude shades teamed with ivory lace, soft tulle, organza or crepe’ JENNY PACKHAM Dixie

JENNY PACKHAM Apache Ivory

Please raise your glass PETER is a caring professional toastmaster and wedding master of ceremonies who will make sure that your wedding celebrations run smoothly. This means that the bride and bridegroom, host and hostess, and guests are free to relax and enjoy the day with confidence.

Peter is happy to meet you well before the day to discuss your event in detail, offering any advice required. He will then confirm plans in writing but will remain available to fine tune them until you are happy they meet your requirements. As an experienced public speaker, he would even be pleased to assist you in preparing your wedding speech.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

On the day Peter will be there well in advance, liaising with all concerned to ensure that your day is well co-ordinated and passes successfully in an atmosphere of warm and friendly formality, and your celebrations are conducted as you have decided.

In addition to traditional British weddings, Peter is available for Civil Partnerships and for Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, Islamic, Greek, Caribbean and Chinese weddings.

Please contact Peter to discuss your requirements for a no-obligation quote. Visit: www.southeast-toastmasters.co.uk Tel: 01634 841375 Email: toastmasterpeter@btinternet.com

JESUS PEIRO New to The Pantiles Bride

TO THE BRIDE AND GROOM A toastmaster is the perfect addition to a wedding party

THE most often asked bridal question is: “What’s the trend this year?” For 20 years I could confidently answer “This season it’s strapless, separates, princess, embellished, lace, vintage, etc.” But now anything goes unless you’re looking for a trad meringue or a strapless silhouette.

For 2017, wedding dresses are anything but average. Our buying has taken us from Barcelona to Battersea and we’ve discovered that there’s something for the classic bride, the non-traditional and everyone in between.

We kicked off 2016 by flying to Barcelona for the 2017 Pronovias Preview show – and we weren’t disappointed. Our next buying trip was in May in Battersea for the Designer Bridal show, and then it was high heels off and flats on to tackle the cobblestones at the Tower of London for Suzanne Neville’s 25th anniversary show. The three top trends internationally were boho, beautiful backs and beige.

Not boring beige but soft nude shades teamed with ivory lace, soft tulle, organza or crepe.

Backs can either be bare, softened by lace or embellished with exquisite beadwork. The contrast of crepe with Swarovski crystal on scooped backs was very dominant in the new Pronovias collection.

Olvi’s (a new label for The Pantiles Bride) offers transparent tulle softened with lace applique to give a ‘wow’ back view for your guests to admire.

Bohemian brides planning a festival, barn or woodland wedding are spoilt for choice with the easygoing styles from Jenny Packham, Catherine Deane and Willowby. Sassi Holford tapped into the floral theme with a wonderful pink rose-adorned gown called Marilyn and matching veil. We’re taking appointments now for our Willowby Designer Day at the end of July.

For the drama of a traditional bridal gown but with the modernity of new season trends and cuts, then Spanish label Jesus Peiro is our latest find. The gowns will be with us from early July and our first Designer Day is booked for November.

Trips like this remind us just how fortunate we are to work with the world’s best bridal designers. We’ve been spoilt for choice yet again this year. From the gorgeous classics to fashion-forward numbers, the 2017 collections left a long list of dreamworthy gowns in its wake.

The Pantiles Bride, 34 The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TN. www.pantilesbride.com 01892 514 515

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88 ■ FOOD AND DRINK

Hop along to the Italian Situated in the Hop Farm Village in the Kent countryside, Bella Oliva offers relaxed and informal allday dining, serving up classic Italian dishes and kitted out like a classic countryside restaurant. Burim Ahmeti tells us more about some of the dishes on the menu and live events coming up this summer TELL US ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF BELLA OLIVA Bella Oliva originated from having a passion and love for Italian cuisine, and from previous experiences of running Italian restaurants in the north of England. After ten years, we decided to travel south and open our own restaurant in Kent.

Our chef is Sardinian, and to that end we have a strong leaning to the food from that lovely region of Italy. He’s worked as a head chef in five-star hotels all over continental Europe, including Germany, Italy and Holland.

AND WHAT CAN PATRONS EXPECT FROM YOUR MENU? We provide a wide variety of dishes, starting from traditional English breakfasts, served from 8am

onwards, to authentic Italian and Mediterranean chef’s special dishes, which are served right through to 10pm. We love to support the local economy and believe that local is best. We buy our vegetables from Maidstone, our meat from Paddock Wood, and our seafood is freshly caught every morning from Hastings.

‘Bella Oliva originated from having a passion and love for Italian cuisine’ HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT SELECTING NEW DISHES? We pride ourselves on having interesting ingredients and cooking techniques, along with inspiring presentations. We have different specials available on our blackboard each day, including dishes such as grilled sardines, ovenbaked sea bass and our own homemade pasta.

One of our most popular dishes is panciotti filled with scallops and king prawns.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS YOUR CHEF PUT HIS OWN STAMP ON THE MENU? Our chef enjoys cooking authentic, original, old recipes such as octopus casserole, or arancini, which is Sicilian rice balls filled with mincemeat, cheese and garden peas, served on a bed of tomato sauce and topped with wild rocket.

He also makes all his own sauces and stocks from scratch, and loves to carve artistic shapes into his watermelons, which make for a fabulous centrepiece. All our desserts are homemade and include classics such as white chocolate Bailey’s cheesecake, tiramisu, chocolate brownies, banoffee pie and delicious Italian ice cream.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS? We are in the heart of Kent, only ten minutes from Tonbridge and 15 minutes from Tunbridge Wells.

This makes us an ideal destination if you’re looking for a wedding or a birthday party venue. We can cater for up to 180 guests, and the cost to hire the entire venue starts from £400. We’re aiming to have three evenings of entertainment each week: Wednesday night is Mediterranean grill night, Friday is fish night and we’ll have live performances on Saturday nights from well-known acts such as the lovely Charley Blue, who was a finalist in The Voice 2016. We’re a family-friendly restaurant and love to see the children enjoying themselves.

WHY IS BELLA OLIVA PERFECT FOR BIG EVENTS? Bella Oliva offers the venue for any occasion as well as buffets, two or three-course meals and a bar with a very good choice of wines and spirits that also mixes wonderful cocktails. Our wine selection is second to none, and you can enjoy wines from all around the world, including Italian, French, Spanish, South American, New Zealand and Australian. We pride ourselves on our cocktails and are ARE YOU BEING SERVED? experts at strawberry Burim with tasty dishes and kiwi daiquiris.

FOOD AND DRINK ■

89

eatery with local flavour ‘We pride ourselves on having interesting ingredients and cooking techniques, along with inspiring presentations.

We have different specials on our blackboard each day’

Spaghetti frutti di mare

DO YOU HAVE EXCITING PLANS FOR the local community and bringing in a few THE SUMMER? more charity events, like we’ve previously held.

We do a two-course special happy hour for Our guests give us regular feedback and tell £9.95, which runs from 5pm us that they love not only our food and to 7pm and includes drink but also the lively, convivial atmosphere created by our any starter or dessert fun-loving entertainers. We from the menu with are looking to build on any pasta, pizza or risotto. We hold this feedback and hope to many events here at become THE destination Bella Oliva, and have restaurant for those that enjoy live music, food and had a high demand drink. We look forward to on bookings for these events, so we’re looking to seeing you at The Hop Farm Grilled goat cheese with wild berries hold many more during the Village very soon! summer, where we’ll have many different types of BELLA OLIVA performances.

Hop Farm Village, Maidstone Road, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE BELLA OLIVA GOING FORWARD? Bella Oliva is looking forward to working with

Tonbridge, Kent TN12 6PY 01622 298 615 www.bellaoliva.co.uk info@bellaoliva.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

90 n FOOD AND DRINK

Enjoy the cream of this summer’s soft fruits crop With Wimbledon starting this week we’re suddenly craving a bowl of plump, juicy strawberries to enjoy while watching the tennis. But there is so much more you can do with this versatile fruit and its other seasonal counterparts which are now all in abundance. Here are some tempting berry-inspired recipe ideas to try at home NAKED BERRY CELEBRATION CAKE This fabulously decadent cake is perfect for any party or special occasion Serves: 16-20 Preparation: 40 minutes Cook: 1-11/4 hours To finish: 40 minutes What you need: Lemon cakes: 400g/14oz soft margarine 400g/14oz caster sugar 2 lemons, finely grated rind only 7 medium eggs 550g/1lb 4oz self-raising flour 5 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk Lemon drizzle: 2 lemons, juice only 150g/5oz caster sugar Frosting: 100g/4oz butter, at room temperature 350g/12oz icing sugar 100g/4oz lemon curd 75g/3oz raspberries To decorate: 400g/14oz strawberries, halved if large 225g/8oz raspberries 100g/4oz blueberries Little sifted icing sugar Edible flowers, optional

What you do: Preheat the oven to 160oC/140oC fan assisted/ Gas mark 4. Cut long strips of nonstick baking paper a little taller than the sides of a cake tin.

Fold up one of the long edges by 2cm/3/4 inch then make small scissor snips up to the fold.

Arrange the paper strips around the sides of a 20cm/8inch and a 13cm/5inch deep round cake tin with the snipped edges downwards then add a circle of nonstick baking paper to the base of each cake tin.

Add the soft margarine, caster sugar and lemon rind to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat together until light and fluffy.

Add one egg and beat until smooth, add a second egg and a spoonful of flour and again beat until smooth. Gradually mix in all the remaining eggs and flour alternately until the cake mixture is smooth.

Divide the mixture between the two tins so that they are a similar depth then smooth the surface and bake in the centre of the oven. Allow 50-60 minutes for the small cake and about 11/4 hours for the larger cake until well risen, golden and a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted into the centre of the cake. Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice and sugar together and set aside. Add all the frosting ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat together until smooth. Cover the bowl and chill until needed.

Allow each cake to cool for 5 minutes then turn out

Wednesday 29th June 2016

on to a wire rack set over a cooling rack so that the top is downwards. Peel away the lining paper and skewer what is now the top of the hot cake. Drizzle over the syrup and leave to cool.

When ready to assemble the cake, trim off the domed top if needed then turn the cake back over so that the sticky syrupy base is now the top. Cut each cake into 3 layers with a serrated knife. Put the base layer on to a pedestal stand, spread with a little of the frosting then layer up the two other larger cake layers with frosting. Spread the top of the cake with frosting then add the base layer of the smaller cake and layer up cake with frosting.

Insert 3 long plastic cake supports through the top of the cake down to the second cake to hold them in place. Trim off the top of the cake supports level with the cake using scissors.

Spread a layer of frosting on the top of the cake then decorate the cake tiers and base of the pedestal stand with berries and dust with sifted icing sugar.

Scatter with edible flower petals if using.

COOK’S TIP The cake can be made and drizzled with syrup the day before and kept in a large plastic box lined with nonstick baking paper in a cool place. Make and chill the frosting the day before too. Assemble the cake when needed or 2 hours in advance.

FOOD AND DRINK 

BERRY INTERESTING FACTS: ■

■

■

■

A greater intake of anthocyanidins is associated with reduced memory decline. Researchers observed that women who had higher berry intake had delayed memory decline by up to two and a half years.

Antioxidants, Vitamin C and E found in blueberries are thought to stimulate the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain – and keep the mind fresh.

Berries are brimming with flavonoids, with past studies revealing flavonoids can protect against degenerative diseases and even help people lose weight.

Just seven strawberries contain an adult’s entire RDA of Vitamin C – and they have even more of the powerhouse vitamin than oranges!

COOK’S TIP The rendered duck fat is also excellent for roasting potatoes.

■ The duck breast will be slightly pink in the middle. If you prefer it well done, cook the meat for 5 minutes longer in the oven.

■

91

SUPERFOOD STRAWBERRY AND PINE NUT SALAD Whether you want a light lunch or to prepare an easy but impressive looking starter for dinner guests then this simple salad which is packed full of goodness will hit the spot nicely.

Serves: 2 What you need: 100g of strawberries 1 large avocado 100g kale 150g of cooked wild rice 50g of pine nuts 2 tbsp of olive oil 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar 1 tsp of mustard salt pepper

What you do: Toast the pine nuts in a small pan for a few minutes until golden then leave to the side to cool. Thinly slice the kale leaves into strips.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and mustard together with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Massage the kale with this dressing for 5 minutes until the kale wilts down.

Cut the strawberries into quarters and the avocado into chunks and mix this with the kale salad. Stir in the wild rice, a pinch of salt and toasted pine nuts and serve.

Cheat: add black Thai rice instead or buy a pouch of ready cooked brown basmati and wild rice.

CRISPY SKINNED DUCK BREAST WITH CHERRY SAUCE The trick with cooking fresh cherries is to retain some of their bite, so add them in at the last minute so they retain their firm texture and tart taste.

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes What you need: 4 x small duck breasts (about 160g each) Sea salt Black pepper 150ml whole milk 600ml chicken stock 150g coarse cornmeal 4 tbsp crème fraîche 100g fresh spinach sea salt and black pepper 150ml red wine (approx. 1 small glass) 250ml chicken stock 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp honey 150g cherries, halved and stones removed ½ tsp cornflour 1 tbsp water knob of butter

What you do: Preheat the oven to 160°c (fan). In the meantime make the polenta: place the milk and chicken stock into a pot. Bring to a boil. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the boiling liquid continuously stirring with a wooden spoon as it thickens. Turn the heat down to low. Stir at regular intervals to stop the polenta sticking. When the polenta starts to come away from the pan (about 15 minutes) and thicken to a mash potato consistency, stir in the crème fraîche and spinach. Taste for seasoning.

In the meantime, lightly score the skin of the duck breast with a sharp knife.

Season the duck breasts with plenty of salt and pepper. Heat a heavy based non-stick frying pan.

Place the duck breast skin side down and gradually turn up the heat. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered and the skin has become crisp and golden brown. Turn over and cook for another couple of minutes on the other side.

Place the duck breast in a baking dish in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the duck breasts from the pan (do not wash the pan) and place the duck breasts in a warm place covering the flesh with aluminium foil to rest, but leaving the skin exposed.

To make the sauce, pour off the excess fat from the duck frying pan. Get the pan hot again. Add the red wine and let it bubble for a minute before adding the stock and bring it to a boil.

Whisk the cornflour with the water and whisk it into the sauce. Continue to stir until the sauce has become thick and glossy (about 5 minutes). Add the red wine vinegar, honey and taste for seasoning. Take off the heat and stir in the cherries and butter.

Slice up the duck breast into thin slices (add any of the juices to the sauce).

Place on a heap of creamy spinach polenta and spoon over plenty of the cherry sauce. Serve immediately.

All recipes and photography supplied courtesy of Seasonal Berries. For more information visit www.seasonalberries.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

92 ■ LIFE AND STYLE BERKELEY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY TRUST IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS The Berkeley Foundation has made a £10,000 grant to The Number One Community Trust in Tunbridge Wells to aid the refurbishment of its community hall serving the Showfields and Ramslye estates. A cheque was presented on Tuesday to Janet Phythian, the Trust’s new chair.

Ms Phythian brings leadership and project management experience to her new position, with a special interest in social enterprise, start-ups and community engagement. The donation will be spent on improving sports facilities at the Showfields Community Hall – secured by the Trust for the local community last summer.

Speaking at the presentation of the cheque Janet Phythian said: “We are delighted to receive funds from the Berkeley Foundation, the charitable arm of Berkeley Homes. This will enable us to develop our community hall for sports for young people and others in the community. We will be able to resurface the floor, which is in great need of repair, provide protection for the lighting and paint sports lines for five-a-side football, badminton and other sports.”

Complimentary Ladies Taster Days

Since opening last summer the Hall is proving very popular, with regular bookings for a wide variety of activities from wedding receptions and local children’s birthday parties to youth clubs and fitness activities.“ Teams of local volunteers, with valuable help from local organisations, worked hard to bring it back to good condition but now our dream to develop it as a sports venue is a reality, thanks to the Berkeley Foundation,” said the new chair, Janet Phythian.

Peter Smith, Managing Director at Berkeley Homes (Eastern Counties), said: “As a local business to Tunbridge Wells, working in the community we are extremely proud to support the Number One Community Trust and make this donation of £10,000 to the Number One Community Centre. This amount will make a huge difference to the Trust’s members and provide a fresh new space for social and sporting activities to take place.”

Thursday 14th July 5-8pm Friday 15th July 12-3pm

#thisgirlgolfs

SWEETWOODS PARK SET TO HOST LADIES TASTER DAYS TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN INTO GOLF. Calling all ladies looking to try something new this summer; head to Sweetwoods Park Golf Club on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th July for a complimentary Ladies Taster Day.

SKIN CARE SECRETS OF THE STARS TO BE REVEALED AT FREE COSMETIC SURGERY EVENT The Bella Vou Clinic’s renowned cosmetic surgeons will put down their scalpels to host the first specialist skin care workshop at The Pantiles Clinic on Thursday 30th June. The event, in conjunction with experts from award-winning cosmetics supplier Obagi Medical, will run from 10am to 1pm.

The free to attend event will provide local people with expert advice on how to rejuvenate sun damaged skin, eliminate wrinkles and improve their appearance ahead of the summer holiday season.

Bella Vou will host the event with Obagi Medical, a leading manufacturer of specialist skin care products used by countless celebrities including Alicia Keys, Jennifer Aniston and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

ERIDGE HORSE TRIALS The Tunbridge Wells office of Jackson-Stops & Staff are proud to be sponsoring the Eridge Horse Trials at Eridge Park for the 5th consecutive year and to be associated with this prestigious local event.

The event offers a great day out for all the family with dressage, show jumping and cross country from top international to local riders competing at different levels over the weekend.

There is a Country Market with trade stands and food stalls and on Sunday, falconry displays and Dogs in the Park with terrier racing. www.seesltd.com/eridge-horse-trials Jackson-Stops & Staff specialise in the residential sales, lettings and probate valuations of town and country homes including equestrian properties. www.jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Roger Bigwood, Clinical Director at Bella Vou, said: “With summer finally here, we’re giving our clients the opportunity to get ready for the holiday season with our best anti-aging and radiance-boosting treatments. We want our clients to understand that looking your best doesn’t always require surgery, and this specialist clinic will provide people with the tips, techniques and products to achieve radiant looking skin that reflects the way they feel inside.”

Visitors to the clinic will benefit from a personal one-to-one skin assessment with Bella Vou’s consultants and recommended a prescribed skin care regime, based on their individual requirements. All those that attend will also receive a complimentary Obagi facial peel with purchases over £50.

Discover for yourself why Obagi have won Cosmeceutical Product of the Year at the Aesthetics Awards for four years running, and why so many celebrities choose them! Register for the

free event at www.bellavou.co.uk/events/ skin-care-workshop-session-obagi/

Sweetwoods Park is working in conjunction with England Golf on a nationwide campaign to help get more women experiencing the golfing world. The campaign #thisgirlgolfs is striving to show how accessible the sport of golf is, no matter your gender, ability or budget.

Set on the A264 between Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead, ladies of any golfing ability can visit Sweetwoods Park on Thursday 14th July, 5-8pm and Friday 15th July, 12-3pm and experience the golfing offer for ladies.

There will be the opportunity to meet Director of Golf, Matt Tyler, the current Lady Captain and other fellow lady members. Take a tour of the facilities, experience a group tuition lesson with Matt and enjoy Pimms and canapés all completely free of charge.

Director of Golf at Sweetwoods Park, Matt Tyler, said “Golf is a game for all and it would be great to see more ladies enjoying the sport. We hope these taster events will encourage women to give golf a try and see how much fun can be had. Sweetwoods Park already has a fantastic ladies section but it would be great to see this grow further.”

A complimentary 2 ball voucher will be given to all those that attend as well as an exclusive lesson offer of 6 lessons for the price of 5 with Director of Golf, Matt Tyler. This allows the perfect opportunity to kick-start your golfing vocation.

Registration is essential and spaces are limited for these taster days so please email vicky.fearn@sweetwoodspark.com or call 01342 850 729 Ext. 2 to secure your place. Further information on Sweetwoods Park can be found by visiting www.sweetwoodspark.com

WITH THE

THE TOWN’S TOP MOTORING GUIDE – FROM EVERYDAY DRIVES TO LUXURY SUPERCARS

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

FIRST DRIVE

AUDI Q7 3.0 TDI S LINE

FACTS AT A GLANCE PRICE: PERFORMANCE: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI S Line, £54,540 Top speed 145mph, 0-62mph in 6.5 ENGINE: seconds 3.0-litre unit producing 268bhp and 443lb.ft of torque ECONOMY: 47.9mpg combined TRANSMISSION: Eight-speed automatic gearbox EMISSIONS: driving all four wheels 153g/km of CO2

By Matt Joy WHAT’S NEW? Large premium SUVs are more popular than ever and, given that the outgoing Q7 is nearing its ninth birthday, Audi has decided it’s time for a new one. Rather than a refresh, the German maker has gone to town with Q7 MkII; there’s a new body and chassis with a substantial weight reduction, a new exterior and interior, the latest engines and a major upgrade in terms of standard and optional technology. Few stones have been left unturned in the quest for the best-in-class title.

LOOKS AND IMAGE Presence and stature are everything at this end of the market, and clearly Audi have given the Q7 as much of both as possible. Ditching the grey plastic cladding around the lower portion of the car for body colour gives it a smarter look, and the old car’s curvy waistline has been ditched

for something a little more squared off. Whether it’s better looking or not is a matter of opinion however; the front grille is inspired by the smaller Q3 but looks huge on the Q7.

There’s nothing to touch the Q7’s image this side of a full-size Range Rover. People will see you coming and be in no doubt about which manufacturer your mighty SUV comes from.

to drive, but it’s the level of comfort on offer that is most important, and the refined driving experience and low noise levels are impressive.

VALUE FOR MONEY

SPACE AND PRACTICALITY It may be lighter than the old car, but the new Q7 is certainly not short of space. Inside it is vast; it doesn’t matter which seat you sit in, there’s head, leg and shoulder room in spades. The larger windows help the feeling of space too, while the space itself is well managed. The third row of seats can stow electrically while the second row tilts and folds for easy access. You can fit three child seats across the second row, giving you the unsettling prospect of being able to carry six infants in one car. Even with all seats in place there’s 770 litres of boot space, and 1,990 with them all folded.

‘There are few better views than from behind the wheel of the Q7, thanks to the high driving position’ BEHIND THE WHEEL There are few better views than from behind the wheel of the Q7, thanks to the high driving position and large glazed area. There are fewer buttons now thanks to the slick MMI Touch system and it all works beautifully well.

Diesel will be the preferred option in the UK and the latest 3.0-litre TDI unit is a gem. Refined and with plenty of torque on offer, it can move the Q7 along very briskly indeed, with 0-62mph taking only 6.5 seconds, although it’s so refined it doesn’t feel as fast. Remarkably, it’s also frugal with it, with a claimed combined consumption figure of 47.9mpg with 153g/km of CO2.

It’s secure and stable, rather than thrilling

All Q7 models come with a lengthy standard specification, with highlights such as DAB audio with satellite navigation, electrically-operated and heated front seats, electrically-folding third row and electric tailgate, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, front and rear parking system, keyless start and hill descent control. SE models get 19-inch wheels as standard too, whilst S Line models add 20-inch wheels, leather seats, privacy glass and four-zone climate control.

The options list is huge too, but includes goodies like the clever virtual cockpit already seen in the TT, Apple Car Play or Google Android Auto and a smart rear tablet for entertaining passengers.

WHO WOULD BUY ONE? If there was ever a perfect family wagon then the new Q7 is it. With so much space inside and a great deal of flexibility on how that space is used it can probably cope with any kind of combination of passenger size, number and accompanying luggage as you could throw in it. What’s more, those passengers will be carried in comfort. It’s not cheap of course, but it’s a luxurious cabin and an effortless driving experience to boot.

THIS CAR SUMMED UP IN A SINGLE WORD: Massive.

IF THIS CAR WAS A… boat, it would be a luxury cruise liner – big, comfortable and a fine place to relax.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

94 n MOTORING Our premises are lacated at Kingstanding Way Business Park in Tunbridge Wells.

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 fflDT anline with us

. . . . . .,

Contact details: H-Engineering Unit 12, 2, Kingstanding Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3UP 01892 549 042

I

www.h-engineering.com

NEW FORD C-MAX Hectic family life? Challenging journeys? The new Ford C-MAX is designed to make that a thing of the past.

FORD C-MAX ZETEC SOR 1.0 lOOPS

- WAS £19,770 - NOW£16,995 - SAVE £2,775 - ONLY £255* PER MONTH LIMITED STOCK UNITS ONLY

Lifesty/~ord Your journey storts here

V

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Tunbridge Wells 01892 739131

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Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (11100km) for the Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max range: urban 44.8 (6.3) - 39.8 (7.1). extra urban 62.8 (4.5) - 57.6 (4.9). combined 55.4 (5.1) - 49.6 (5.7). Official CO, emissions 149-ll7g/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 01.04.16 and 30.06.16. *Finance example shown available over a finance period of 36 months with £2,000.00 customer deposit. Amount of credit £14,995.00. Charge for credit £944.00. Finance Facility fee £10. Purchase Fee £10. Optional final payment £6,741.00. Total amount payable £17,959.00. 2.9% 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 BAG. Images for Illustration purposes only, metallic paint available at an extra cost.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

MOTORING NEWS ■

Wheel of misfortune DRIVERS aged 25-34 are most likely to have bad driving habits, according to a survey by AA Tyres.

Although younger drivers are generally considered to be the most dangerous on the roads, the poll discovered that so-called ‘Generation Y’ drivers (those born in the 80’s and 90’s) were most likely to have 11 of the 12 ‘bad habits’ included in the survey, including eating or drinking behind the wheel and hard braking.

Almost nine in ten people in this age group (88 per cent) admitted to regularly adjusting in-car tech such as radios and satellite navigation systems while driving, and almost as many (87 per cent) were guilty of braking hard and late, and driving while tired.

The survey also found roughly twothirds (66 per cent) regularly fail to indicate at the appropriate time, such as when leaving roundabouts, and more than half (53 per cent) are often found driving in the middle lane of the motorway when the inside lane is clear.

Despite these results, there were one or two mitigating circumstances for Generation Y’s motorists.

For three of the 12 bad habits investigated (not indicating, tailgating and rubbernecking), 18-24-year-olds were just as likely to be found guilty, and for one bad habit – littering – the younger age group was deemed the most likely offender.

It wasn’t just the youngsters saving some of Generation Y’s blushes, either,

ARE YOU A BAD DRIVER? The 25-34 age group are most likely to have the most bad habits

as the older generation were the most likely to break the speed limit. A massive 90 per cent of those aged 45-64 admitted to regularly speeding.

A key finding of the survey, though, was just how many motorists overall are frequently engaging in bad habits.

Of the 21,741 questioned, 89 per cent admitted to speeding, while more 72 per cent confessed to regularly driving while tired. Nearly half (48 per cent) also said they were often guilty of undertaking, and more than a quarter regularly wear inappropriate footwear, such as flip-flops or high heels.

“It seems Britain’s millennial motorists could learn a thing or two from their elders when it comes to etiquette and safe driving,” said AA Tyres’ Managing Director Mark Shankland. “They were the worst offenders for tailgating, being distracted by technology, braking too late and driving while tired, which put themselves and other road users in unnecessary danger.

“However, we all seem to be guilty of these bad habits in different measures, and it is worrying to see the majority of those polled often admit to speeding.”

95

Kia recalls its Souls KIA is recalling its Soul and Soul EV models due to a potential fault which could cause the steering to fail.

The voluntary recall is being issued as a precautionary measure, and includes all Soul models produced from January 18, 2014 to September 30, 2015.

Kia made it clear this defect could only lead to steering failure in ‘extreme circumstances’, and that there have been no reports of defectrelated injury.

A Kia spokesperson said: “At present, there is no evidence of this potential defect causing any injuries or accidents to any customers in the UK or globally. There have also been no reports or complaints of vehicle defects from any Kia Soul customers relating to this issue.”

The recall currently affects 5,707

Soul and Soul EV vehicles in the UK, owners of which will be entitled to free repairs with immediate effect.

The defect is to do with an adhesive with ‘insufficient bonding strength’ used during the assembly process of the steering gear.

Because of this, there’s a risk that a plug securing the pinion gear to the steering gear assembly could come loose – which could potentially result in the components separating, possibly causing loss of steering.

Kia has said it will notify its customers of the fault through the post or by email, and strongly suggests owners of the affected vehicles visit their closest Kia dealership to have the problem rectified. Anybody with questions can telephone Kia’s customer service team on: 0333 202 2990.

SOUL-SEARCHING Ring Kia if you want yours checked

Wednesday 29th June 2016

MASERATI GHIBLI DIESEL. FROM £399 A MONTH +VAT.* You kno w you ha ve always wanted to own a Maserati. Now there is absolutely nothing to hold you back.

The Ghibli Diesel is every inch a Maserati, featuring a gorgeous, coupe-like silhouette, luxury leather interior and with its economical yet potent diesel engine, 8-speed ZF automatic transmission, there are also plent y of rational reasons to justify your decision.

MASE RAT I

MOTORLINE MASERATI MAIDSTONE BIR CHOLT ROAD, MAID STONE, ME15 9XY Phone : 0162 2 616 LQL,

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Offi cial fuel cons umpti on fi gur es for t he Mase rati Gh ibl i Di esel in mpg llitres/100 km] : Urban 36 .7 17.71, Extr a Urban 57.6 li.j .9], Comb ined l.j7_9 15.91. C0 2 em iss ions on comb ined cycle : 158 g/km . Fuel consumption and CO, figures are based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. *BUSINESS USERS ONLY. Model shown is Maserati Ghibli Diesel MY16 V6d ljdr Auto. Contract Hire payment profile of £/j,788 +VAT in advance, followed by 35 monthly rentals of £399 +VAT. Rentals shown above exclude maintenance and are based on 8,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charge apply. Finance subject to status. Guarantees and indemnities may be required, we work with a number creditors including Maserati Financial Services. Vehicles must be registered with FCA Fleet Services UK Ltd by 30th June 2016. PO Box lj590, Slough, Berkshire SU OWU.

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NAPPY Free paint upgrade across the Fiat 500 range from 24th - 30th June 2016* THAMES MOTOR GROUP TUNBRIDGE WELLS, LONGFIELD ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT TN2 3EY. TEL: 01892 549766 WWW.THAMESMOTORGROUP.CO.UK Fuel consumption figures for the new Fiat 500 range in mpg (1/100km): Urban 51.4 (5.5) - 68.9 (4.1); Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) - 94.2 (3.0); Combined 60.1 (4.7) - 83.1 (3.4). C02 emissions 110 - 88 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO, figures b ased on standard EU t ests for comparative purposes and may not refl ect real driving results. · Th e free paint offer is availabl e on selected stock o n th e Fi at 500 range. Offer appli es to chargeable paint optio ns and norm ally varies fro m min, £350 up to m ax £750. Offer available on new o rd ers from 24th - 30th June 201 6 o nly, regist ered by 30th June. Ret ail Cu stom ers only. Subject t o availability. Offer m ay be varied and w ithdrawn at any time. At parti cipatin g dealers o nly.

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CITROEN prefer$ ToTAL Offer app~es to retail sales of qualifying mode ls ord ered & delivered 01/04-30/06/2016 o r until such time as offers/prices may be withdrawn by Citroen at its complete discretion & indude VAT, d elivery to dealer& number plates, Government Registration Fee & 12 months' graduated vehide excise duty. •Citroen SimplyOrive 3 year Personal Contract Purchase offer available on all Citroen C1 models. A deposit is requ ired followed by 35 monthly payments, with an optional final payment at the end of the contract. Excess mileage charges will apply if you exceed the agreed annual mileage. A guarantee may be requ ired. Over 18s only. Finance provided by&: written quotations available on request from PSA Finance UK Limited !company registration number 0 1024322) t/a Citroen Financial Services, Quadrant HouH, Princess Way, Redhill Surrey, RH1 1QA, UK. Citroen Financial Services is authori5ed and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Thames Motor Group (Tunbridge Wells) Ltd is acting as a credit broker&: is not a lender. To finance your pun::haH we will only introduce you to Citroin Financial Services, the exclusive provider of SimptyDrive. ooThe first year's Road Fund Licence {RFL) is provided with the car. Vehicle tax is charged at a rate of £0 for Citroen C1 as it falls within vehicle tax band A. The customer must apply for years 2 &: 3 RFL. Citroen SimplyDrive is subject to status. +Minimum age 18, maximum age 75 . DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED TO INSTALL THE TELEMATICS BOX&: CONSENT TO DATA CAPTURE&: TRANSMISSION TO QUALIFY FOR INSURANCE. All drivers must hold a full UK licence&: meet e ligibility criteria including limits on driving convictions&: claims. INSURANCE SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION IF YOU RECEIVE FOUR WARNINGS FOR POOR DRIVING. Excesses apply. 3 years motor insurance is prc,,,,ided and underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulatio n Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prude ntial Regulation Authority. Payments will vary according to age, post code&: annual mileage. The costs of insurance, servicing&: Roadside Assistance are included within the monthly cost of Citroen SimplyDri11e but are provided on a monthly pay-as-you-go basis&: can be cancelled at any time without penalty or affecting the remainder of the Citroen SimplyDrive contract. Routine servicing included, excludes wear parts. Offers&: specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms&: conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability.

Official Government fuel consumption figures (Range): Urban cycle, Extra urban, Combined (litres per 100km/mpg) & C0 2 emissions (g/ km); Highest: Citroen C1 PureTech 82 manual 5.4/ 52 .3, 3.7/ 76.3, 4 .3/ 65.7, 99. Lowest: Citroen C1 VTi 68 5&5 manual 4 .5/62 .8, 3.4/83.1, 3.8/74.3, 88. MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions.

THAMES MOTOR GROUP 01892 549766 NORTH FARM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT, TN2 3EY www.thamestunbridgewells.citroen.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

98  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

Everything’s coming up roses in the perfect summertime planting scheme This classic floral bloom has a long and colourful history. Roses have been symbols of love, beauty and peace and therefore, says Victoria Truman, every outdoor space should have a few…

A

GOOD rose garden consists of many elements, each with its own part to play in creating that feeling of drama, excitement and completeness. The scent, colour and sheer variety of roses makes them a fantastic flower with so many varieties to choose from and more than one choice for every location and situation. Climbers, ramblers, shrub, tea and standard are just a few of the different species you can enhance your external space with.

A fantastic garden to visit now with so many beautiful roses about to burst into life is Sissinghurst Castle, once the home of Vita Sackville West.

Go there in the next couple of weeks and you will see for yourself just how well the gardeners have pruned and trained the roses. I always like to stand back and admire the beautiful, intricate webs of rose stems, with green and copper leaves just emerging but not yet too full to hide their design.

This specific rose training technique originated at Cliveden last century courtesy of the Astors’ head gardener Jack Vass, who took the technique with him when he moved to Sissinghurst in 1939 and they have been grown in this exceptional way ever since.

Sissinghurst’s owner, Vita Sackville-West, couldn’t have been happier when Vass arrived as she loved her roses too, particularly the dark, rich Gallicas varieties such as ‘Charles de Mills’,

Wednesday 29th June 2016

‘Tuscany Superb’ and ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’.

Other National Trust properties now send their gardeners there to learn this ingenious technique.

The philosophy can be summed up as ‘treat them mean, keep them keen’. If you put every stem of a rose plant under pressure, bending and stressing it, the rose will flower more

prolifically. The plant’s biochemistry tells the bush it’s on the way out and so needs to make as many flowers as possible. I’ll reveal more on the Sissinghurst technique in the pruning season later in the year.

Roses are seldom better displayed than when looking down at us from above, so climbing roses are the amongst the most valuable of

GARDENING 

99

all garden roses. They are perfectly suited to growing over arches and on pillars, trellises, pergolas, pillars and obelisks. Nearly all climbers have the advantage of repeat-flowering, providing colour and interest all summer long.

Roses have been valued for centuries for their fragrance.

The Romans used to scent bathrooms with them and Cleopatra allegedly filled a room over a foot deep with rose petals while wooing Marc Anthony.

In general, roses with the best scents are darker and have lots of thick, velvety petals. Red and pink roses usually smell like a ‘classic rose’ all sweet and powdery while white and yellow ones often infuse tones of violets, nasturtium, and lemon. Orange roses can have fruity notes of violet, nasturtium or clove.

Roses look beautiful in amongst herbaceous borders, acting as a complimentary flowering shrub to perennials such as delphiniums. This plant combination is typical of the quintessential English cottage garden look.

Personally I love roses when they are used in a border with box balls and a clipped short yew hedge to allow for structure when the roses are over and pruned in the winter months. But whatever your individual taste or style is, one thing is for sure, any type of rose will instantly give your garden a fabulous flourish…

Top tips for ravishing roses

Fastidiously clearing fallen leaves during 4 the autumn will help prevent any disease

1 Like other plant diseases, the

5 Hard pruning in early spring will remove

prevalence of rose blackspot, mildew and rust will vary from year to year, depending on weather conditions and the severity of the winter. If you haven’t fed your roses this year, do it now because vigorously growing roses are less likely to succumb to disease attack.

2 Ideally, feed your roses twice; once in March or April and again during July using a specific rose fertiliser such as J. Arthur Bower’s rose food.

3 It’s also worth maintaining a thick mulch

over the soil surface to make sure the roses do not suffer stress due to lack of water.

spores from overwintering. diseased stems before the new growth starts. Mulching after pruning is also worthwhile because this will help prevent fungal spores that have overwintered in the soil from being splashed on to emerging foliage during heavy downpours in April and May.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

100 � PUZZLES

Wednesday 29th June 2016

15. The fur shown to belong to me after hesitating (6) 17. A bit of dish with pastry not half nice! (5) 18. Told off for UK breed mutation (7) 20. A real grilling for the triple graduate? (5,6) 22. Article included amongst others (3) 23. Top entertainer being entertained? (5,4)

Scribble pad

QUICK CLUES Across

Down

1. Revivify (9)

2. Stray (3)

8. Possess (3)

3. Lift (5)

9. Temporary (11)

4. Banished (6)

11. Outermost (7)

5. Prickles (7)

12. Find out (5)

6. Act jointly (11)

13. Lowest (6)

7. Hypocritical (9)

15. On land (6)

10. Conspicuous (11)

17. Scope (5)

11. Disconcert (9)

18. Substitute (7)

14. Late (7)

20. Apathetic (11)

16. Would rather (6)

22. Transgress (3)

19. Bit (5)

23. Fervently (9)

21. Zero (3)

SOLUTIONS

20 Indifferent; 22 Sin; 23 Earnestly. Down: 2 Err; 3 Raise; 4 Exiled; 5 Tingles; 6 Collaborate; 7 Insincere; 10 Outstanding; 11 Embarrass; 14 Overdue; 16 Prefer; 19 Piece; 21 Nil. SUDOKU:

CRYPTIC CLUES Across 1. Hire purchase, perhaps, at times when pupils have least difficulty? (4,5) 8. Was in a hurry to seek election? (3) 9. When there’s good reason to become work-shy? (8,3) 11. Drivers aim to miss it (but snooker-players at it?) (7) 12. Rhythm came together again (5) 13. Girl let ham go bad (6)

Down 2. You and I face ancient leader in reverence (3) 3. Roots thrown out by trunk (5) 4. Strip of cloth for covering athlete? (6) 5. Speech defect could stem arm movement (7) 6. Presumably there’s no need to offer him a penny for his thoughts! (11) 7. Those are the ones to finish with when getting better! (2,3,4) 10. Quite literally intended for the landlord? (2,3,6) 11. Tolerate as companion when getting accommodation (3,2,4) 14. Get me in the assembly somehow (7) 16. Game to carry one over a gap? (6) 19. Animal noise comes from table (5) 21. Time in another age (3)

SUDOKU

DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 1 Easy terms; 8 Ran; 9 Retiring age; 11 Pothole; 12 Metre; 13 Thelma; 15 Ermine; 17 Piece; 18 Rebuked; 20 Third degree; 22 The; 23 Guest star. Down: 2 Awe; 3 Torso; 4 Runner; 5 Stammer; 6 Freethinker; 7 On the mend; 10 To the letter; 11 Put up with; 14 Meeting; 16 Bridge; 19 Bleat; 21 Era. Quick: Across: 1 Resurrect; 8 Own; 9 Provisional; 11 Extreme; 12 Learn; 13 Bottom; 15 Ashore; 17 Range; 18 Replace;

DOUBLE CROSSWORD

PUZZLES 

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ 9. All I Really Want To Do and Mr Tambourine Man were UK top ten hits in the 60s for which US rock band?

10. In which recent film starring Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson, do three generations of a family come together?

11. In the BBC period drama, who plays the evil Marquis de Feron, corrupt governor of Paris and enemy of The Musketeers?

2. What is the name of the PR professional-turned-detective played

by Ashley Jensen in the TV comedy of the same name?

3. Which band, fronted by Martin Fry, released the sequel to their 1982 album Lexicon of Love last month?

4. Who is playing tech prodigy Walter Mabry, who blackmails extreme stage illusionists The Four Horsemen, in the new film sequel Now You See Me 2?

5. Which 1980s soap opera set in California centred on the lives of a family in the wine business?

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

14

15

16

17

18

19

S

E

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

6. X-Factor winner Louisa Johnson achieved her highest chart entry yet featuring on which Clean Bandit hit?

7. In which year did Arnold Schwarzenegger first portray The Terminator?

8. Which EastEnder has been languishing in jail following his

12. What was the title of Madonna’s first UK number one single, released in July 1985?

13. Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown and Goin’ South are among which actor’s film repertoire?

14. Two junior investigators working a case against a pharmaceutical company is the plot of which contemporary BBC One TV drama?

15. Where on the “English Riviera” was John Cleese’s hotel, Fawlty Towers?

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.

1

2

3

9

10

14

15

8

11

4

16 13

12

7

6

5

1. Cot 9. Tartan skirt 2. Bee’s sound 10.Fish 3. Metal 11. Afresh 4. Gateau 12.Desire 5. Catch sight of 13.Cowl 6. High-pitched bark 14.Challenge 7. Rugby forward 15.Austen novel 8. Select 16.Male voice Keyword clue: An American river

SOLUTIONS

Branning; 9 The Byrds; 10 Mother’s Day; 11 Rupert Everett; 12 Into The Groove; 13 Jack Nicholson; 14 New Blood; 15 Torquay.

wrongful conviction for the murder of Lucy Beale?

CODEWORD: 1=Q, 2=L, 3=N, 4=Z, 5=K, 6=E, 7=B, 8=I, 9=A, 10=O, 11=F, 12=C, 13=H, 14=S, 15=G, 16=R, 17=M, 18=X, 19=V, 20=P, 21=U, 22=W, 23=J, 24=Y, 25=T, 26=D

1. “Under attack” is the theme for the seventeenth series of which reality show?

WORD SPIRAL: 1 Crib; 2 Buzz; 3 Zinc; 4 Cake; 5 Espy; 6 Yelp; 7 Prop; 8 Pick; 9 Kilt; 10 Tuna; 11 Anew; 12 Wish; 13 Hood; 14 Dare; 15 Emma; 16 Alto.

Keyword: POTOMAC

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.

WORD SPIRAL

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ: Answers: 1 Big Brother; 2 Agatha Raisin; 3 ABC; 4 Daniel Radcliffe; 5 Falcon Crest; 6 Tears; 7 1984; 8 Max

CODEWORD

101

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Wednesday 29th June 2016

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Wednesday 29th June 2016

106  WHAT’S ON SEVEN DAYS OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT A GLANCE

WHATS ON WITH THE

Eileen Leahy

Local events

If you would like to see your events featured in our weekly What’s On pages please email info@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

reception beforehand and front row seats. For more information call: 01732 304241.

Catch the Importance of Being Earnest >> WEDNESDAY At 6.30pm the Odeon cinema is screening The Importance of Being Earnest. This classic comedy

by Oscar Wilde sees David Suchet playing the role of the formidable Lady Bracknell and also stars Downton Abbey’s Michael Benz as John Worthing.

This much loved satire on the pomposity of Victorian manners is directed by Adrian Noble and was originally staged at the Vaudeville Theatre in London in 2015.

This evening at Tonbridge School there will be a Dancing with the Praes event in order to raise money for the Down Syndrome Research Foundation and Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Eleven prefects from the school and their accompanying partners will take to the floor and perform four dances including the cha-cha-cha and a waltz in front of a judging panel. Tickets cost £15 or £30 if you would like to enjoy the champagne

See the Spa Valley’s steam trains

Wednesday 29th June 2016

will also be a good range of vintage trains to spot at Tunbridge Wells and Groombridge and a fantastic fish and chip supper will be available on board trains running on Saturday evening. Tickets cost £17.50 per adult and £8.75 per child. For further information please visit: www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk

>> THURSDAY From 10am ‘til 12noon the Baptist Church in Darenth Avenue Tonbridge will host another Man2Man meeting for retired men. Today’s talk will be given by Keith Morgan on his time spent exploring the Australian Outback. For more details and to book tickets which are priced at £1 per person call: 01732 352 824.

There will be another Murder Mystery night at the Scallywag café from 8pm performed by the 368 Theatre Company. So if you fancy coming along to this evening of skulduggery, suspicion and sleuthing then tickets cost £10 and are available on the door.

If you missed it at the cinema at Christmas then tonight is your chance to catch the huge hit Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Presented by Moonlight Drive In Cinemas the film will be screened at 9.30pm at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood: www.moonlightcinema.com Jazz on The Pantiles continues its summer run with a concert that features the Force 10 Big Band tonight. >> FRIDAY For babies who like to boogie and toe-tapping toddlers Diddy Dance classes are the perfect pastime. The 45-minute sessions take place every Friday morning at 9.30 and 10.30am at Langton Green Village Hall and cost £6.

For more information visit: www.diddidance.com The Tonbridge Festival starts today and runs until July 10. As well as art exhibitions, comedy performances, classical music concerts and a spot of variety theatre, there will also be a beer festival and poetry readings.

For more information visit: www.tonbridgefestival.co.uk Every first Friday of the month the Women’s Equality Party Party, whose aim is to create more balance in the world of politics, business

Comedian Mark Watson

and industry for females, meets at The Fine Grind for a drop-in coffee session. Kicking off at 10.00am and finishing at 12.30pm it’s a chance for the group to discuss current affairs and issues and also welcome new members.

The popular comedian Mark Watson, who has appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You, comes to Trinity Theatre this evening with his new show I’m Not Here. Expect lots of quirky humour from this Edinburgh Festival veteran. Tickets cost from £16: www.trinitytheatre.net >> SATURDAY The popular Pantiles Food Market is on this weekend so make sure you pop along to pick up all your necessary gastronomic goods and seasonal produce.

Join the Calverley Adventure Grounds team for a Jam Jar Celebration in Metro Bank Tunbridge Wells from 10am to 4pm. See how much you have raised by counting your coins in their Magic Money Machine.

You’ll also have the chance to receive a goody bag for all your hard work. The team will be on hand throughout the day if you’d like to learn more about the Calverley Adventure Grounds project.

On Saturday and Sunday the Summer Steam Festival at the Spa Valley Railway gets underway. The main action will take place at Eridge station with two huge industrial steam trains on display as well as heritage diesel ones, Clinique’s steam rollers and even a Run or Dye miniature railway. There

>> SUNDAY Pull on your running shoes and take part in Clinique’s Run or Dye 5k event from 10.30am.

Dubbed the ‘world’s most colourful run’ due to participants being pelted with coloured powder as they run, walk or even dance round the course, this fun race helps raise money for Great Ormond Street and Clinique’s Kiss it Better campaign, which has been supporting children with cancer for the past 12 years. Olympian champion cyclist and jump jockey Victoria Pendleton will also be taking part. Tickets start at £25 for adults and £5 for children and includes T-shirt and goody bag. To find out more visit: www.runordye.co.uk The summer season of Unfest Sunday Sessions continues this afternoon at 2.30pm at The Forum.

Table tennis, poetry, live music and a BBQ are just a few of the things on offer. >> MONDAY The Tonbridge Festival continues all this week and today sees the launch of the fun Artwork Trail. Local primary school children have contributed drawings on this year’s theme of Roald Dahl which are displayed in various shops along the high street. Simply purchase a special trail map from the Gateway in town for £1 and follow it until you have spotted every oeuvre.

Proceeds go to various charities.

WHAT’S ON 

A ROUND-UP OF THIS WEEK’S MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS Tonight the popular production of Save The Last Dance For Me starts its six night run at the Assembly Hall. Starring former Blue boy band star Antony Costa, this feelgood musical set in the 1960s promises to have you jiving in the aisles. See pages 108 and 109 for our exclusive interview with Antony. For tickets visit: www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk >> TUESDAY Our National Trust properties in the area will be carrying out their 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 ¾ activity programme throughout the summer months so if your children are at a loose end after school why not go along to Scotney Castle or Sissinghurst and have a fun afternoon seeking out bugs, making stick trails or daisy chains.

Geoffrey Rush and Sam Neill star in the indie Australian film The Daughter tonight at Trinity at 8pm. The story centres around a young man who returns to his hometown and discovers a disturbing family secret that could shatter his estranged relatives’ lives forever.

PICK OF THE WEEK HEVER IN BLOOM JUNE 27 – JULY 3

Paul Dunton

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

The Varlies

THURSDAY MassMatiks, Rory Indiana, Come The Spring SATURDAY Boogie Nights SUNDAY UNFEST Sunday Sessions NO.9 SMOKEHOUSE

9 Nevill Street, Open all day, free entry music from 8.30pm till late

All this week you can visit the Hever in Bloom experience at one of the area’s oldest castles.

Wander around the stunning 13th century historical grounds and enjoy sites such as the stunning English Rose Garden which will be in full bloom by now. Many of the castle’s impressive rooms, which were once home to Anne Boleyn, will also be decorated with floral arrangements. For more details visit: www.hevercastle.co.uk

FRIDAY Kolo SATURDAY Salsadelic THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE

The Pantiles, Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7, websites www. pdag.co.uk or www.thegreylady.co.uk

WEDNESDAY Music Station Presents, Abi Hudson, Jack Burns, The Ackerleys FRIDAY One Jump Ahead SATURDAY The Violet Jive TUESDAY Miar Murphy, Dan Webster, Amelia White, Fran Tidd

SUNDAY Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society An Afternoon of Operetta SCALLYWAG

45 Mount Ephraim, Open all day, music from 7.30pm, entry charge for music may apply, more information at www.scallywagcafe.co.uk

FRIDAY Ed Watts (Jazz Piano) WEDNESDAY Carradine’s Cockney Singalong THE ROYAL OAK

Prospect Road, Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm onwards

SATURDAY Stone Cold Sober MONDAY Open Mic/Jam Session TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB

Ye Olde Chequers Inn, 122 High Street, Tonbridge Free entry music 8-11pm Hat collection (£7 recommended) Full details at www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

MONDAY Causton & Walker THE PUNCH & JUDY

WEDNESDAY Young Apollo, Kev Minney, Della Lupa, Dull Knife

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

Doors 7.30pm, entry price variable, event information and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk

TRINITY THEATRE

Church Road, Concert times and Ticket information available at www.trinitytheatre.net or 01892 678678

Live music THIS Thursday go along and support the UK Unsigned Music Life showcase at The Cross Keys Pub which features some amazing up and coming local acts.

This Friday night at The Grey Lady Music Lounge, The Violet Jive will be performing two sets of their über cool retro swing sounds with feverish Latino curves with an alternative dark twist sprinkled into the mix.

For acoustic and singer-songwriter fans The Grey Lady also has some great line ups on Tuesday with Miar Murphy, Dan Webster, Nashville artist Amelia White, and local songstress Fran Tidd. Next Wednesday it hosts Young Apollo, Kev Minney, Della Lupa, Dull Knife.

This Saturday there are plenty of opportunities to don your dancing boots with John Whitehorn of The Varlies at The Beau Nash, Stone Cold Sober at The Royal Oak, Salsadelic at No.9 Smokehouse and ‘Boogie Nights’ at The Forum which essentially is a superb house/funk/soul mash up disco and loads of fun.

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THE BEAU NASH INN

Mount Ephraim, Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late

11 St Stephens Street Tonbridge Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late

TUESDAY Fate The Juggler Causton & Walker

SATURDAY John Whitehorn and the Varlies JAZZ ON THE PANTILES

8pm - 10pm live music on The Bandstand, free to attend, donations welcomed

THURSDAY Force 10 THE CROSS KEYS

St Johns Road, Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm, website www.crosskeystw.co.uk

WEDNESDAY Sonny’s Jazz: Charles Alexander & Andy Robinson THURSDAY UKMusicLife Unsigned Showcase featuring two acoustic acts and one full band.

FRIDAY Sonny’s Blues: refer to venue website above for confirmed act MONDAY TWURPS Ukulele Beginners Session WEDNESDAY Sonny’s Jazz: Paul & the Nocasters and guests

Wednesday 29th June 2016

108 � ARTS & CULTURE

Prepare to rock and roll your way through a tale of teenage love set to classic hits from the sixties The musical Save The Last Dance For Me starts its run at the Assembly Hall next Monday and according to its star, Antony Costa, it will have audiences jiving in the aisles all week. Eileen Leahy chats to the former Blue boy band star about his love of the theatre, being an underdog and why he has swapped his pop microphone for musicals Can you tell us a little bit about the storyline of Save The Last Dance For Me? It’s written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the duo behind the hugely successful West End show Dreamboats and Petticoats, and is about two sisters who go on a holiday for the first time without their parents in 1963. They meet two American Air Force guys: Curtis, played by Wayne Robinson and Milton, whom I play. They invite the girls out to a dance at their base and the younger sister Marie (played by Elizabeth Carter) falls in love with my best friend Curtis. He’s black and she’s white so it’s really a tale about their relationship and how it is viewed by others in the very conservative early 1960’s.

It’s been dubbed a ‘jukebox’ musical – can you explain what that means?

The emotion and drama of the love affair that unfolds between Curtis and Marie is played out against a soundtrack of famous Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman 1960’s hits including Viva Las Vegas, Can’t Get Used To Losing You, Save The Last Dance For Me and Teenager in Love. It’s called a ‘jukebox musical’ because all the previously released songs are familiar to the audience and there is no original soundtrack.

JIVE BUDDIES A scene from the show So how did you get the part?

I auditioned for the role of Milton last year and Bill Kenwright, the show’s producer, whom I had worked with on Blood Brothers, offered me the part there and then. It felt good to be undertaking something creative with him and his team again.

What do you love most about performing on stage?

The fact that every role is different and the audience is not there to see just you.

When I was performing with Blue in concert people were all screaming for us, but in a musical or play it’s just not like that. They’re there to see the show and not just one individual and I like that. It means I’m not the centre of attention and the pressure is not on me. I can really enjoy performing and have good fun with it.

When was the first time you appeared on stage as an actor as opposed to a singer?

Professionally it was Blood Brothers in 2007, but when I was at school and did Cabaret that’s when I initially got a real buzz for acting: I loved every minute of it. I’ve also done a nationwide tour of Boogie Nights and really enjoy making the audience happy. When they’re clapping along and singing you know you’ve done something right.

Wednesday 29th June 2016

STAR POWER Antony Costa loves the stage

Would you say you like the anonymity acting can give a performer?

Yes. If you’re in a band like Blue people are there to see just you you, but with theatre work it’s all about the story, the content and the actors.

That’s what I enjoy the most: I like being an underdog. I like proving people wrong and getting applauded for something I’m not very well known for.

How far are you into the Save The Last Dance For Me nationwide tour?

We’ve only really started it, but the great thing is every town, every show is so different. We’re really looking forward to coming to Tunbridge Wells and seeing what people like about it. We finish in October but we’ve already had some extra shows added due to its popularity popularity, so that’s a real confidence booster. I’m lucky, I’m working with a very good team who are all really talented.

You’re doing six nights at the Assembly Hall. What can audiences expect from the performance?

To come along and have a really good time. They’ll definitely have lots of fun thanks to the fantastic live music and great atmosphere. Save The Last Dance For Me gives you pretty much everything you could possibly want from a good night out.

ARTS & CULTURE 

What do you do in your spare time?

I like discovering different towns, going for lunch and just chilling out. I also try to get to the gym on my days off, but to be honest this is such an energetic piece of theatre, with so much dancing and singing, that I’m able to get my work out while on stage!

COSTA’S CAREER CV 2000-2005 Antony Costa and Duncan James form Blue. They encourage friends Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe to join them and a new boy band is born. The R&B/pop influenced quartet enjoy five years of hits which include All Rise and One Love.

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TRUE ROMANCE The gaze says it all

2005 Antony appears in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Here! He lasts 14 days in the Australian jungle.

2006 Do You Ever Think Of Me is the name of Antony’s first solo single which he releases in February, and it charts at No 19. A few months later he competes in Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up in order to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with It’s A Beautiful Thing but fails to win.

‘I like proving people wrong and getting applauded for something I’m not very well known for’ What are you plans when you finish in October?

I’ll have about ten days off and then I’ll go straight into doing panto. I’m in Jack and the Beanstalk in Gravesend and looking forward to it.

With pantomime you can break a false wall, have some banter with the audience, but with straight theatre you have to have that barrier with them: They have to believe what they are seeing.

Have you got any plans to reform with Blue again?

Maybe one day, but we’re all in our mid-30’s now so who knows? We’re still very much the best of friends, though, and talk to each other nearly every week. It’s nice we have been able to get together and do a few gigs but right now I’m just concentrating on myself.

Do you have a dream musical you’d like to appear in?

I’d love to do Jersey Boys – that would be a fantastic one to tick off my CV. The story, the acting, the music, I just love everything about that show. I have been working on a few other things but I can’t really talk about them so you’ll just have to watch this space!

2006-2007 The West End producer Bill Kenwright casts Antony in his production of Blood Brothers, for which he receives plenty of critical acclaim.

2007-2008 Antony embarks on a nationwide tour of Boogie Nights and shortly afterwards tours with his solo album.

2009-2010 Appears in Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime for the first time, which leads to him touring with the production Popstar: The Musical.

2011 Reunites with former bandmates from Blue and they represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song I Can. They come 11th with 100 points.

2013 Blue release their fourth album, Hurt Lovers, and join the Big Reunion Tour with other bands including Atomic Kitten, Liberty X and 5ive. [sic] 2014 The quartet go on a national and worldwide tour, but afterwards decide to call it a day.

2015 Antony auditions for the part of Milton in Bill Kenwright’s production of Save The Last Dance For Me .

2016 In March Antony and his fellow performers kick off their nine-month tour of Save The Last Dance For Me.

LOVE AND SONGS Two sisters fall for two US airmen Save The Last Dance For Me is on at the Assembly Hall from Monday July 4 until Saturday July 9. Tickets start from £23.50. For performance times and to book tickets visit: www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Wednesday 29th June 2016

110 ■ THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Kent Barker Country matters

After taking a leap from London, the plan was to start a new life in the countryside and a career as a famous author. Instead I acquired a dog and part-time work managing a community orchard. You can read these experiences on my blog: www.kentcountrymatters.blogspot.co.uk

Fresh air really is good for you

T

O THE north of my village is a complex of buildings known today as the Benenden Hospital. It’s a curious place, stuck out in the middle of the Kentish countryside, neither NHS nor exclusively private, with a singular history. My parents knew it as the Chest Hospital, while for my grandparents it was the Sanatorium. And its very existence resulted from a disease that has now all but disappeared but was, for more than 5,000 years, a dreaded killer – tuberculosis.

‘TB’ has many other names – among them consumption, phthisis, scrofula, Pott’s disease and the Great White Plague. From evidence found in mummies and ancient cemeteries, we know it was around in Egyptian times. It’s likely Nefertiti, the great Egyptian queen who preceded Tutankhamun (and may have been his mother), is believed to have died from it. Egyptologists have even found evidence of ancient TB hospitals. Which brings us back to Benenden and a forward-thinking Post Office clerk named Charles Garland.

Tuberculosis had spread into Europe in the 17th century, reaching epidemic proportions. Death was considered inevitable if you contracted it. In 1650 it was recorded as the principal cause of mortality and earned its moniker the ‘Great White Plague’. No effective treatment was available and it wouldn’t be for another 200 years – 1869 – that Jean-Antoine Villemin would show TB was contagious. Then in 1882 that Robert Koch, a German microbiologist, identified its causal agent, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis or Koch’s Bacillus.

Early treatments following this breakthrough began immediately throughout Europe, though Britain proved extremely resistant to their basic principle – fresh air! Crowded and unsanitary conditions were shown to incubate and spread the disease. Fresh air was known to prevent or dramatically slow its progress. But so ingrained was our British obsession with avoiding draughts and living in stuffy rooms that we ignored the

Wednesday 29th June 2016

evidence. Rich consumptives could take off for Davos in the Swiss Alps or Menton on the French Rivera for treatment, but working class Brits were isolated in prison-like conditions – which almost certainly helped propagate the illness.

Until, that is, Jane Harriet Walker – only the 45th female doctor to qualify in Britain – went to Nordrach in the Black Forest. There she studied this new continental fad: Fresh Air Treatment.

Back in Britain, she opened a hospital in Norfolk with demonstrably improved results and soon any number of other doctors (male) had jumped on the bandwagon, launching the ‘Sanatorium Movement’.

Enter (at last) Charles Garland. Born in 1867, he started work as a Post Office telegraphy clerk and became an officer of the London Branch of the Postal Telegraph Clerks’ Association in the late 1800’s. Consumption seems to have been particularly rife in the crowded working conditions of the Post Office and Garland was an early campaigner for better healthcare and improved circumstances for staff. Before the NHS, medical treatment was often prohibitively expensive for working people – especially if they succumbed to a long-term illness such as TB. So Garland proposed that workers contribute two shillings a year (a ha’penny a week) from their

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Benenden Sanatorium

salaries. Supported by the famous Dr Thomas Lister, the nascent plan was presented to the Postal and Telegraph Clerks’ Conference in 1903.

As a result The Post Office Sanatorium Society was founded two years later – joining other organisations and friendly societies under the snappy banner of: ‘The National Association for the Establishment and Maintenance of Sanatoria for Workers Suffering from Tuberculosis’ – later abbreviated to the more manageable ‘National Sanatorium Association’. Garland’s Post Office society raised enough money buy 250 acres of land at £20 an acre, on farmland just to the north of Benenden and construction began on the original Benenden Sanatorium, which opened to patients in 1907. The open-air treatment regime seems to have been a success: In 1913 they claimed that 506 of their 565 TB cases were either cured or improved – though another statistic I’ve seen suggests that average life expectancy for half of those treated in sanatoria was only five years.

During and immediately after the First World War, soldiers returning from the unsanitary conditions in France were treated at the ‘Ben San’, and in 1923 membership of the mutual society was extended across the whole civil service. Then, in the 1940’s and 1950’s came the real change – widespread vaccination coupled with new forms of treatment all but completely eliminated tuberculosis. By 1987 there were only around 5,000 new cases in Britain, compared to 117,000 in 1913.

Which left the Sanatorium with a bit of a problem – no patients! So they reinvented themselves – extending membership to all and providing a wide range of non-emergency medical treatments. But their founding father, Charles Garland, is still revered, and my generation was raised with his early understanding of a simple concept – fresh air is good for you!

‘Which brings us back to Benenden and a forwardthinking Post Office clerk named Charles Garland’

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