Times of Tunbridge Wells issue 6, April 8th 2015

timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk @timesoftw

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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

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GIN COMES OUT OF THE BATHTUB Page 54

AN EMPHASIS ON COMFORT AND REFINEMENT, THE LEXUS NX200T

REACHING FOR THE STARS

BIG BEAST BRONTOSAURUS COMES BACK

Page 66

Page 11

Page 62

Don’t let council destroy this ancient woodland

INSIDE SOUTHBOROUGH

Football pitches to be lost to community hub

PAGE 3

PEOPLE

Youngster dedicates life to helping others

PAGE 8

MUSIC CONCERN Oliver Newham believes the woodland is at risk

American Pie manuscript sells for $1.2 million

Conservation group’s concerns for 240 acres of ‘important’ natural beauty •

By David Jarvis

THOUSANDS of years of irreplaceable natural beauty, history and ecology could be wiped out as a result of a council development plan, according to the Woodland Trust.

The Times has discovered a planning document earmarking 240 acres of ancient woodland for possible development, submitted by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to the government.

TWBC insists the document is not a planning application, that no woodland would be lost if the areas covered were built upon and that by including them, they could be protected from other potential developments.

But the Woodland Trust says it represents the biggest threat to natural woodland it has encountered in Britain.

Senior conservation advisor Richard Barnes, a wildlife expert who knows the threatened areas well, fears any development could be catastrophic.

He said: “This is the first step towards the potential loss of our most ancient woodlands.

“If this planning strategy goes ahead it opens the door to all sorts of issues in years to come, not only for wildlife but for the natural beauty of the area.

“Ancient woods like these are nationally important and to destroy them would wipe out hundreds, if not thousands of years’ worth of ecology, history and beauty that can never be replaced.”

For full story, turn to page 7

‘This is the first step towards the potential loss of our most ancient woodlands’

PAGE 10

INNOVATION

Ian’s ‘miracle’ technology helps thousands

Richard Barnes Wildlife expert PAGE 20

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2 � NEWS

WEATHER THE WEEK IN VIEW

Photographer Pat Pope hits headlines for

rubbishing band’s free pictures request

WEDNESDAY

• By Sarah Bond

APRIL 8 2015

A TUNBRIDGE Wells photographer who is known for snapping the stars was at the centre of an internet storm when a rock band asked to use his pictures for free.

Managers of Garbage asked Pat Pope to use his photographs in a book, with only a picture credit in return.

In response, Mr Pope published an open online letter to Garbage, pictured right, who he has photographed several times.

Mr Pope told the Times why he went public.

He said: “I didn’t decide to quit rock and roll photography, the whole landscape changed when digital came in, it’s much harder to make a living now.

“People like to see their name in print. I was the same when I started, but I’ve got loads of picture credits relating to Garbage and another one doesn’t help me.

“When you’re talking about somebody so high-profile, it’s ridiculous when I’m so poor.”

Mr Pope’s letter appeared on Facebook on April 2, and on Twitter and his website. It was shared by already paid you in 1995 for thousands and picked up by the entire shoot from which national media. these images were selected, Garbage’s management we really didn’t expect such a company had emailed Mr Pope hostile reception to our enquiry.

Pat Pope asking to use the photos in a book.

Adding that they ‘adore the Mr Pope wrote: “I’m one of photographs’, she wrote: “As an the fans of your band that will pay for independent band on our own label, we a premium service because I think you are struggling to juggle the harsh realities should be paid. of the modern music business with our “If I want to release a music album, can I use desire as artists to produce music and your music in it if I give you a proper credit? accompanying content …

“I’m proud of my work and I think it has “Our book is not intended as a profit a value. If you don’t think it has any value, generating venture but something don’t use it.” beautiful to create and present directly Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson to our fans.” posted an open reply. She wrote: “Having But Mr Pope said: “It’s the principle. It’s

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 EDITOR SIMON FINLAY simon@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576042 DEPUTY EDITOR ELEANOR JONES eleanor@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 HEAD OF SALES JOE STONER joe@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779624 GENERAL INQUIRIES newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk FIND US ONLINE facebook.com/timesoftunbridgewells timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timesoftw IF YOU HAVE A STORY WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. Contact details above 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU

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.

If you would like to make a comment on any aspect of the newspaper, please write to the editor, 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU, or email newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

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JUST TEASING… CHECK OUT OUR CROSSWORDS, PUZZLES AND QUIZ ON PAGE 57.

TO WHET YOUR APPETITE HERE’S A COUPLE OF CRYPTIC CLUES. • Burst into song about wine? Fair enough! (8) • It plays a starring role but doesn’t shine (6)

Wednesday 8th April 2015

never about the money. I wasn’t paid a fortune to start with and I’ve never asked for any more for usage.

“It wasn’t personal. They’re genuinely nice people, just misguided. If they’d said ‘You’re right. We shouldn’t have asked’, they’d have looked a lot bigger.

“This is hypocrisy because Garbage have been vocal in the past about people stealing their records. It can’t be one way for them and another for me, or any other content provider. That’s ridiculous.”

Mr Pope has largely left the stars behind now, instead finding success in Tunbridge Wells with his ‘alternative’ portraits.

To read the letter, visit www.patpope.com and click the ‘blog’ option.

EDITOR’S COMMENT

PLANS for a multimillion-pound, three-screen cinema in The Pantiles have been submitted and with it has come a buzz of anticipation.

To be built on the former A Day at The Wells tourist attraction, which shut more than a decade ago, Curzon Cinemas has announced it would like to move into the Corn Exchange.

Curzon would like to create a café and bar on the ground floor with the screens located upstairs.

Judging by the artist impressions of the plans, this could potentially be a scheme to draw people in from the upper part of the town into the many attractive places to visit, eat and shop in the lower end.

There has been some mixed reaction to the news of the planning application but it has been mostly positive.

The restaurants and bars in the area will surely gain from the presence of a cinema, creating another destination within the town.

A luxury, high end cinema in the centre of any town is to be welcomed and almost harks back to a bygone era when they were the norm across the land, rather than the exception.

It might also make a refreshing change

from the soulless multiplex developments stranded on industrial parks out on the edges of towns, which serve only to drive people away from the communities they live in.

Can it work? Curzon seems confident after similar openings in diverse places such as Canterbury, Bloomsbury, in central London, and Sheffield.

Will parking be an issue?

Certainly, Curzon will not have entered into an application of such scale and ambition without having been sure that this and other questions can be answered in due course.

It is also a sign, perhaps, that the recession really is over and large companies feel sufficient confidence to be able to commit to massive undertakings as the economy grows and strengthens.

LETTY McMaster, of Langton Green, is a remarkable young woman and on page eight of this week’s Times, we tell the story of how she intends to dedicate her life to helping street children in Africa escape poverty.

Aged 21, the former Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School pupil has already started to raise funds for an orphanage in Iringa,

Tanzania. It was a quest inspired by a threeweek stint as a volunteer two years ago when she saw first-hand the appalling and heartbreaking conditions some children have to endure.

Since then she has been back and forth to Africa – often at her own expense – to help the children who touched her heart.

It takes motivation, focus and drive to have such a clear plan ahead at such a young age and one imagines that her efforts will be handsomely rewarded.

A fundraising ball has already made £4,000 with future events in the pipeline to build on that impressive total. We would hope that you can lend your support to these.

Letty, who speaks fluent Swahili, is to start university in September to study international development and social anthropology because she had learnt that in Africa ‘you don’t get taken seriously without a degree’.

It is a remarkable story about an impressive young woman. We wish her every success in the world.

Simon Finlay, editor

LOCAL NEWS �

3

NEWS IN BRIEF

Council urged to drop free onstreet parking in town centre

WORRIED Chris Hoare believes the green space is the ‘real community asset’

Development of Ridgewaye football club pitches will fund community hub project Concern over effects the loss of open space could have for Southborough youngsters

• By Eleanor Jones HUNDREDS of children who play football every weekend could be affected by the sale of pitches for house-building, a parent has warned.

Kent County Council has confirmed that 12,500 square metres of land used

by Tunbridge Wells Ridgewaye FC will be sold to developers in order to fund the Southborough community hub.

The Times reported last month that the project features a new or revamped theatre space, a library and a café. It also includes a new pavilion for the Ridgewaye – but at the cost of the equivalent of between 1.5 and two fullsize pitches.

KCC says it is looking into the possibility of the club’s using local school facilities instead – and treasurer

John Francis said he would rather not comment on the loss of the land until he knew what was being offered in return.

But Stephen Lukacs, whose son plays with the club, said: This will devastate the community.

“There’s nearly 550 members of the club – if you go up there at weekends, it’s packed. It’s all the local kids playing together, parents watching, all socialising, which has more community spirit than anything a hub could offer.

“The Royal Victoria Hall isn’t the issue, the issue is selling land to build houses on.”

Chris Hoare, Kent county councillor for Tunbridge Wells East, is also concerned about the loss of land.

He said: “I see the green space as the real community asset up there.

“I don’t think it’s a question of either the hub or the space, which is how

it’s being presented. The plan is to build houses to fund it but I think the project’s overblown and I don’t think residents realise they’re going to lose the space for it.

“Ridgewaye has more than 500 players and although it’s been said they’ll benefit from better facilities, they’re going to lose pitches. But the club’s in a difficult position because the different councils own different bits of the land up there. They have to keep their heads down and hope they come out of this intact.

“As it stands, we’re losing precious space which is far more of a community asset than any hub.”

KCC was unavailable for comment as the Times went to press. eleanor@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

THE Royal Tunbridge Wells Town Forum has urged the council to get rid of free on-street parking in the town centre in a bid to ease congestion.

The group also wants the borough council to consider offering a free hour to motorists in all town centre car parks as compensation.

The suggestions were made in direct response to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s recent draft parking strategy consultation.

Jane Fenwick, acting chairman of the forum’s transport working group, said: “Tunbridge Wells is congested and has a reputation for expensive car parks. Free parking on residential streets in the centre makes the congestion worse.

And the price of car parks makes people want to use these free spaces. There are 1,000 empty spaces in the town for most of the year.

“If the free on-street parking is stopped, people will have to use the car parks and we think it would be a good idea if the council compensated them by offering their first hour free.

“Our suggestions to the council will ease congestion, give residents back their parking spaces and hopefully fill up those empty car park spaces and help increase council revenue.”

Charity dog-walk record attempt A WORLD record attempt is to be made at a charity dog-walk in Lamberhurst next month.

Estate agent Savills’ Cranbrook and Tunbridge Wells offices are sponsoring the walk, at Bewl Country Park on May 16.

The event is in aid of Labrador Rescue Kent & Borders and the world record attempt is for the largest official gathering of Labradors.

Registration is from 9.30am and all breeds of dog are welcome.

For registration and sponsorship forms, visit www.labrescuekent.co.uk

Rush-hour crash brings traffic

TRAFFIC came to a standstill in the town centre yesterday after a rush-hour accident at the junction of Church Road and Mount Pleasant.

Police were called at about 8.40am to the crossroads, where a Seat Ibiza and a lorry had collided.

Two ambulances were also at the scene and one person was taken to hospital but it is thought there were no serious injuries.

Local trophy firm supplies Grand National meeting

GUARD OF HONOUR Soldiers from the Royal Mercian & Lancastrian Yeomanry with the Grand National meeting trophies

A TUNBRIDGE Wells-based company has been appointed sole trophy maker for the Grand National for the seventh year running.

Inkerman is supplying more than 70 awards for the Aintree race meeting, which runs from tomorrow until Saturday and includes 21 races.

Director Louise Eadie said: “We are delighted to be the official trophy supplier for such a prestigious sporting event and be able to continue our close working relationship

with Aintree and their sponsor Crabbie’s. Our team’s longstanding connections and passion for racing means we have a deep understanding of the sport.”

“The Grand National is a race meeting that is steeped in history. It is a celebration of the best of British and Irish sporting endeavour which connects with the British public like no other.”

The trophies will be guarded by soldiers from the The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry during the event.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

4 � INTERVIEW

Meet the candidate

With the general election campaign now in full swing, we have been speaking to those hoping to win your vote and represent Tunbridge Wells in Parliament. Last in the hot seat is the Conservative candidate…

THE CONSERVATIVES IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS

� THE borough has been true blue since its creation as a parliamentary constituency in 1974. Sir Patrick Mayhew served as MP from 1974 until 1997 and Archie Norman from 1997 until 2005.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is Conservative, with the party holding 38 of the 48 seats.

At the most recent TWBC elections, the party secured 14 of the 16 contested seats with 46 per cent of the vote.

The party also holds six of the seven Tunbridge Wells borough seats on Kent County Council.

• By Eleanor Jones NAME: Greg Clark AGE: 47 LIVES: Tunbridge Wells DAY JOB: MP for Tunbridge Wells, minister for universities, science and cities HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN POLITICS AND WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED? I was elected as an MP in 2005 but from 2001, I was head of national policy for the Conservative party and in the 1990s, I was a councillor for Westminster. Further back, I was an advisor to the trade and industry secretary when we were previously in government.

I grew up in the northeast and went to a comprehensive school in the 1980s and I remember noticing when I was about 15 that the vast majority of my classmates left at 16 and didn’t go on to further study. I thought at the time that a lot of my friends could have benefited from more opportunities but they didn’t get given the chance to pursue them – there wasn’t the same

expectation as there is in some places today. I rebelled and thought: ‘Something should be done about that, this should be encouraged’, and that was an early political thought, about challenging the education system and changes to how things were done. It got me interested.

When I went to university, I became interested in policy and started writing papers for think tanks. My interest continued when I started my PhD in London. I became a councillor and found I really enjoyed working for the community – standing up for local residents and trying to make things better. It was good to do that by rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in, rather than commenting from the sidelines.

It’s very satisfying. Since I was first elected, I’ve always loved the constituency work most.

It’s an enormous privilege and responsibility to be the representative in Parliament for a whole community.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH? The first thing to recognise is we’re a very strong community. We have a lot to be proud of but we can build on that.

The dualling of the A21 was the big campaign this parliament. I fronted the group of all the MPs up and down the road and we finally got the money agreed in 2014 with the whole community working together, but we now need the next section dualled, between the Blue Boys roundabout and Lamberhurst. It’s a very winding road, there are often accidents which block it, yet this is the main road between the M25 and the south coast – I’ve always been clear it’s a twostage plan.

Then there’s Colts Hill. The road is the main link between Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood and Maidstone, and between the Maidstone and Pembury hospitals. It’s very dangerous and we need to improve safety and capacity.

On health, we’ve got the best hospital in the

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Celebrating our latest collection of beautiful fabric sofas & previewing an exhibition by mixed media artist Linda Pocock

county but we need to make sure we’ve got the best services, especially mental health for children and young people in particular, Alzheimer’s and stroke services, which aren’t as good as they should be.

One thing we didn’t have until we campaigned was rail services every 15 minutes from Tunbridge Wells and High Brooms but we need better value for money, and flexible tickets for people who work less than five days a week and can’t get season tickets.

We need better cycling facilities, that’s another big campaign I’d continue, as is aircraft noise, which affects people in the west of the constituency.

The next issue is mobile phone and broadband coverage in rural areas. It’s ludicrous, here we are 35 to 50 miles from London and we get poorer coverage than you can in some parts of the Alps.

We need comprehensive coverage for mobiles and broadband, a lot of rural businesses depend on it, and to put pressure on phone companies to share their masts.

I also think we need to strengthen our town and village centres. I’m not a fan of out-of-town shopping, it’s very important we have active and vibrant town centres, including a top quality building on the old cinema site, a re-opened hall and theatre in Southborough, and action on flooding in Paddock Wood, Five Oak Green and the villages.

Finally, we need to back young people. We need to make sure they can get school places, apprenticeships, jobs or further education and get on the housing ladder.

WHY SHOULD TUNBRIDGE WELLS PEOPLE VOTE CONSERVATIVE? People vote nationally on local issues. I hope that whatever their views, people will reflect on the fact that five years ago, the economy was in crisis.

Since then, it’s been very difficult but I hope most people will see we’re on the right track. More than two million private sector jobs created, for example, unemployment here is 0.8 per cent – but we haven’t finished the job. I hope people will see the progress and that to jeopardise that would go back to chaos.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOTE FOR YOU PERSONALLY? Whatever their politics, I hope my constituents will look at my record and see I’ve been approachable, visible and effective as their MP, that we’ve achieved a lot of successes, by working together, irrespective of politics, and that I’ve got things done, whether for the community or

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Wednesday 8th April 2015

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for individuals. In the last few years, I’ve been in personal contact with about 20,000 constituents who I’ve been able to help. I hope whatever it was about, they feel I’ve done my best to help them personally, as well as the community.

I’ve been privileged to be MP for ten years but there’s a lot more I want to get done with the community. There’s no let-up in my determination to make a good and beautiful place even better.

ARE YOU HOPEFUL OF VICTORY? I’m hopeful but I’ve never taken my constituents for granted. I’ll work very hard through this campaign, and if I’m re-elected, to earn and justify their support.

WHAT REACTION HAVE YOU HAD ON THE DOORSTEPS? One of the things I most enjoy is talking to people.

One of the lovely things about this part of Kent is whatever their politics, people are warm and positive, you can have a good chat and they’re very personally supportive.

I find there’s respect for what the Government has done in very difficult circumstances and locally, the work I do tends not to be party political. You might wear a rosette on election day but once you’re in, you have a serious responsibility to stand up for anyone and everyone who needs your help in your constituency, whether they voted for you or not.

GENERAL ELECTION 2010: TUNBRIDGE WELLS PARTY

CANDIDATE

Votes

%

+/-%

� CONSERVATIVE

Greg Clark

28,302

56.2

+5.5

� LIBERAL Democrat

David Hallas

12,726

25.3

+0

� LABOUR

Gary Heather

5,448

10.8

−9.6

� UKIP

Victor Webb

2,054

4.1

+0.6

� GREEN

Hazel Dawe

914

1.8

+1.8

� BNP

Andrew McBride

704

1.4

+1.4

� INDEPENDENT

Farel Bradbury

172

0.3

+0.3

MAJORITY

15,576

31

TURNOUT

50, 320

69.8

+3.9

LOCAL NEWS �

Green and pleasant land or just a legal tax dodge?

5

NEWS IN BRIEF

Cycling shop sells invisible safety paint A TUNBRIDGE Wells cycling shop is selling a special invisible spray to reflect beaming car headlights.

Velo House in St John’s Road is one of six retailers nationwide stocking LifePaint, manufactured by the car giant Volvo, designed to bike riders against glare and to reduce the number of accidents involving cyclists. Almost 20,000 riders are injured or involved in accidents annually in the UK. The spray can be used on shoes, clothing, bags and helmets and will last for up to a week before it fades or comes out in a wash. Volvo claims if the trial-run proves popular, the spray can be rolled out to retailers across the country and internationally.

Cycling shop sells

Tunbridge Wells farmland soars in value as investors enjoy the benefits • By Simon Finlay THEY say that Kent is the ‘Garden of England’ but it appears its green and pleasant land has never been so expensive to buy.

Farm fields in the Tunbridge Wells area are up to 50 per cent more valuable than the national average, according to one local land agency.

While an acre of farmland can command £7,925 in other parts of the United Kingdom, specialist agent Lambert and Foster reckons that plots in this area can fetch up to £12,000 per acre.

The average price of land rose by around 15 per cent, outstripping the burgeoning London property market and the ANTHONY FIELD FTSE 100. partner with BTF It is not a

sudden interest in farm expansion or an entry into the precarious and low-yield world of the dairy farmer which is driving demand - but tax breaks for those who see land as a gilt-edged investment.

Agricultural relief allows land and farm buildings to be passed on free of inheritance tax, whether as a gift or in a will.

If the land is used by someone else, it must have been utilised for agricultural purposes for seven years, dropping to two if used by the owner.

Other investors are coming from London having sold businesses to pay for farms to avoid capital gains tax (CGT) HM Revenue and Customs figures show that while the claims for agricultural relief have broadly remained the same since 2007, the value of the claims has shot up dramatically from £256m in 2007 to £334m in 2012.

Anthony Field, partner with the land agents BTF in Heathfield, said: “There have been in the past two or three years, a lot of people coming out of London, having sold businesses buying whole farms. They are not selling their London homes to do this, they are using the proceeds subject to

CGT to roll into farms to avoid the CGT. “Add to that the fact that if they hold the asset they can pass on its agricultural value largely free of inheritance tax.”

Isobel Bretherden of the National Farmers’ Union said: “There have been bodies buying huge areas of land throughout Europe and Russia, too.

“In broad terms, land is a precious commodity and they’re not making any more of it…and farmland value will continue to rise in the future.

Within Kent there will be a big difference in the value of land on the South Downs compared to the High Weald.”

Alan Mummery, partner in the Tunbridge Wells estate agents Lambert & Foster, said basic land values in this area are around range from £7,000 to £12,000.

The lower values are for Wealden pasture and then mid-price arable cereal lands, rising sharply to the high-profit returns of fruit farming plots and growing land.

Mr Mummery said: “None of the farm land would hold any value for development. There are agricultural and investment values to be had.”

HEATHFIELD and Waldron Parish Council is embarking on a public consultation exercise to gauge which services and facilities residents want to see in the area in the next three years.

The council covers Heathfield as well as Waldron, Cross-in-Hand, Broad Oak, Old Heathfield and part of Punnetts Town.

The council has been distributing the surveys to households. The survey needs to be completed and returned to the parish council in the High Street, Heathfield, by April 10. The annual parish assembly takes place on April 14 in the Heathfield Community Centre, Sheepsetting Lane. Survey details are available on the council’s website, www.hwpc.org.uk

Heathfield bomb scare RESIDENTS in Heathfield were startled when a bomb went off in the middle of the afternoon. Disposal experts were called to an unexploded WW2 shell which had been unearthed. They carried out a controlled explosion in Heathfield Park last Tuesday.

Sahara runner’s marathon effort A MARATHON runner facing the ‘toughest footrace on earth’ piled on extra clothes for training to replicate the heat of the Sahara desert.

Alastair Dauncey is currently running the Marathon des Sables, a 250km weeklong challenge, in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK. To get into condition, the Tunbridge Wells accountant, who last year raised almost £4,000 for the charity by walking 192 miles across England, has run a marathon every weekend for six months, with shorter runs on weekdays.

The 56-year-old will also be coping with temperatures of up to 50C while carrying supplies including food in a

backpack weighing 10kg.

As the Times went to press, Mr Dauncey had already run the equivalent of four marathons and was approaching the final stage, the equivalent of a double marathon, in the competition that started on April 3.

Before he left, Mr Dauncey said: “I’ve had to run wearing layers and layers. After ten minutes, it gets incredibly hot but I’ve had to keep going.

“My aim is to obtain as much sponsorship for research into dementia as is out there and that’s why I’m upping the ante with this year’s challenge.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/ Tim-DaunceyMDS.

IN TRAINING Alastair Dauncey in his running gear

Wednesday 8th April 2015

6 � LOCAL NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Brave Hayley loses her fight for life aged 17 A TEENAGER from Cranbrook who suffered from the rare premature ageing illness progeria has died aged 17.

Hayley Okines – whose condition meant she had a body of someone aged more than 100 – died peacefully in her mother’s arms last Thursday.

Kerry Okines posted on Facebook: “My baby girl has gone somewhere better.

She took her last breath in my arms at 9.39pm x.”

Hayley had been told she would not live past the age of 13 but defied the odds, capturing the nation’s hearts in doing so.

She had begun pioneering drug treatment in the United States to halt the ageing process but had been in hospital with pneumonia and passed away at home.

Hayley featured in a number of documentaries, including The Girl who is Older than Her Mother and World’s Oldest Teenager: Extraordinary People.

At the age of 14, she published her autobiography called Old Before my Time.

There are only around 70 known progeria cases on the planet.

The genetic disorder is undetectable at birth and with time, it results in baldness, aged-looking skin, dwarfism and a small face.

Charity 12k handout CHARITIES and good causes have benefited to the tune of £12,000 from the Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table.

The RTWRT annual giveaway of funds was raised from the massively popular Dunorlan Park fireworks, including through sponsorship from businesses.

Among the recipients are the Community Car Service, Colebrook Road Hostel, 3H Helping Hands for Holidays, the Counselling Centre, Compaid, Friends Together and St John Ambulance.

The group’s chairman Andrew Mockford said: “This year’s charity giveaway has been incredibly successful. We have supported individuals and organisations in several different fields and it was a great pleasure to see so many worthy recipients attending.

“It makes all the hard work and dedication that goes into the fireworks event very worthwhile indeed.”

Mr Mockford paid special thanks to local people and those from beyond who attended the fireworks display and helped raise the cash to give away.

Mayor Julian Stanyer praised the young people involved in Round Table.

The group is open to men aged 18-45 and details of how to join is on the website at www.rtwrt.org

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Will new Curzon mean a return to old-fashioned cinema houses?

Influential Pantiles businessman backs Corn Exchange scheme • By Julie Rae AN INFLUENTIAL Pantiles businessman believes the Curzon Cinema project could spell the end of leisure complexes and a return to old-fashioned town centre cinema houses.

The hotelier and restaurateur welcomes the plans for the independent three-screen cinema in the Corn Exchange and believes people do not want to drive out to industrial estates.

Julian Leefe-Griffiths said: “A lot of Tunbridge Wells people don’t want to drive out to an industrial estate to go to a multiplex that offers plastic food to watch a movie.

“If the Curzon cinema plan gets the go ahead Tunbridge Wells will enjoy a quality cinema in the great quality situation of the Pantiles.

“It’ll be an incredible addition to the town and a fantastic luxury cinema is what’s needed to bring people back from the industrial estates and into town.

“All we’ve been doing for the past 10 years is knocking cinemas down in town and any person who brings a new cinema to Tunbridge Wells should be given a medal.”

Mr Leefe-Griffiths claims that Tunbridge Wells is in need of ‘cheering up’ and that a new cinema from art-house specialists Curzon could do just that.

“The cinema would be a great vibrant addition to a town that needs a bit of fun and cheering up. There’s only limited entertainment available in the town. Curzon show really interesting films and they’ll be the perfect fit for Tunbridge Wells.”

THE BIG IDEA Artist impression of Curzon cinema proposal

The owner of The Tunbridge Wells Hotel and Bistro is delighted that the plans include the independent cinema chain.

He said: “Personally I really like Curzon. They are the most luxurious, top quality, best run cinemas.

“I previously worked in films and to see a film in great surroundings will be a luxury for Tunbridge Wells.

“It’s a big investment on their part and also a leap of faith and confidence to bring their cinema to our town. And that’s fantastic.”

The restaurateur, who also owns the town’s Black Pig pub, the

George and Dragon in Speldhurst and the Leicester Arms in Penshurst, believes that despite the new cinema boasting its own café and bar it will still boost business for restaurants and pubs in the area.

“Even if the cinema has its own restaurant and bar it’ll still be great for the restaurants and bars in the Pantiles because it will bring people to the area to eat and drink who don’t necessarily want to dine in a cinema café.”

Curzon Cinemas are famed for their ‘luxurious’ independent cinema houses in London and plans were recently submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

to transform the town’s Corn Exchange into a three-screen Curzon cinema with café and bar.

The entertainment group hope the cinema project will ‘delight, broaden horizons and spark conversations’.

Mel Alcock, Curzon chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Pantiles to bring a new Curzon cinema to Tunbridge Wells. We look forward to Curzon serving the local community with our acclaimed programme of films and events.”

If plans are approved the cinema could open its doors to the public as early as next year.

WHAT THE TRADERS SAY...

SUE HILL, 52, SUE HILL DESIGNS “I think the cinema would bring a nice type of people into the Pantiles, people who like art-house films. The Odeon takes people out of town, anything that brings people back into the town is worth having.

“We have a lot of nice niche shops in the Pantiles and when the sun’s shining it’s got an amazing vibrant atmosphere. To situate a cinema here would be a lovely idea. If it gets the go ahead people could shop, eat and drink then go to the cinema.

“Why would anyone want to go anywhere else?”

VAL MARSHALL, 67, THE PANTILES BOOKSHOP AND THE DAILY GRIND “The concept of having a cinema is an excellent idea. The plans make it look quite good.

“But a cinema might well bring people here but they’ll be interested in the cinema not shops.

When we have events people walk past all the shops straight to the event. We help organise these things in the hope that the visitors will come back to our shops but they rarely do.

“I don’t think a new cinema in the Pantiles will make much difference to our sales or those of the other shops. The food and drink establishments will do much better from it than the retailers.”

ELLIE STOPHER, 19, FLOSSIES HOMEMADE ICE CREAM PARLOUR “I think having a cinema here will very good for Flossies. This is a family business so obviously I do hope it’ll be good for us.

“It would be lovely if we got lots of people popping in for ice creams before the cinema.

I imagine our ice creams are a lot cheaper than they will be in the cinema.

“I don’t think that the Curzon will be a place for young people, it’ll be more for the older people of Tunbridge Wells. I don’t think they’ll show the type of films I would watch.

So I probably wouldn’t go there.”

LOCAL NEWS �

ANCIENT woodland is land that has been continually wooded since at least 1600. It covers just two per cent of the UK but supports a host of rare, protected and threatened wildlife - species that are slow to react to change, find it difficult to adapt and are not mobile enough to move other locations to survive.

It is home to more species of conservation concern than any other habitat, supporting some 256 species.

CONCERN Oliver Newham warns that ancient woodland could be lost

Ancient woodland could be lost forever Charity warns of threat to natural heritage from ‘development plan document’ • EXCLUSIVE by David Jarvis COUNCIL chiefs have been accused of proposing the destruction of ancient woodland around Tunbridge Wells in a bid to exploit the area’s stunning natural beauty.

The Times has uncovered a planning document outlining possible development on 240 acres, potentially threatening thousands of years of natural history in one fell swoop.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has submitted what is called a ‘development plan document’ to the government which the Woodland Trust says represents the biggest threat to natural woodland it has encountered in Britain.

Woodland earmarked for possible development – which could mean housing and community development projects – include 100 acres at Gregg’s Wood and Coneyburrow Wood, which borders 80 acres in Robingate Wood, six acres in Brick Kiln Wood which borders 30 acres at Foal Hurst.

A further 2.5 acres in The Strikes and ten acres of unnamed land are also under threat.

Gregg’s Wood is designated a Local Wildlife Site, and Coneyburrow Wood is a natural habitat of the nightjar, an endangered summer migrant bird.

Woodland Trust senior conservation advisor Richard Barnes, a wildlife expert who

knows the threatened areas well, fears any development could be catastrophic for wildlife.

The 52-year-old said: “This is the first step towards the potential loss of our most ancient woodlands.

“If this planning strategy goes ahead it opens the door to all sorts of issues in years to come, not only for wildlife but for the natural beauty of the area.

“Ancient woods like these are nationally important and to destroy them would wipe out hundreds, if not thousands of years’ worth of ecology, history and beauty that can never be replaced.”

The public consultation period on the controversial document lapsed virtually unnoticed on March 23 until the intervention the Woodland Trust, which has now submitted an official objection.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council says its development plan document, which contains locations of possible development for the next five years, does not constitute a planning application and says that no woodland would be lost if it went ahead and developed the areas in question.

It claims the document merely identifies areas which could be developed, possibly for housing, and that if development went ahead, it would be around the woodlands, causing no disruption the habitats and wildlife.

It also claims that by including the areas in the plan, it is protecting

them from other potential developers.

But the Woodland Trust, a registered charity which campaigns to protect the nation’s historic woodlands, says the plans do pose a massive threat to wildlife, habitats and areas of natural beauty because other council documents contain get-out clauses allowing it to change its plans.

It points to the wording of the council’s strategic housing and land availability assessment (SHLAA) which states: “The approach to any sites that contained part of an area of ancient woodland was to generally exclude such parts of the site from the developable area.”

Oliver Newham, senior campaigner at the Woodland Trust TUNBRIDGE Wells Borough Council has strongly denied the proposals would threaten woodland and vulnerable species.

A spokesman said: “The recent statements by the Woodland Trust in relation to proposals to develop on sites of ancient woodland in the borough of Tunbridge Wells are wholly untrue and without foundation.

“No ancient woodland is allocated for development. Sites are allocated for development that contain ancient woodland but no woodland is being lost as the policies associated with those developments make it clear that the woodland is not to be developed but rather to be

added: “Our concern stems from the term ‘generally’.

“So the council’s claims are undermined by the fact that the SHLAA does not definitively rule out the possibility of developing these sites.

“For TWBC to consider that the allocation of ancient woodland in its development plan document is necessary as an attempt to protect it, clearly shows the planning system is flawed.

“Ancient woodland should be protected and cared for as a national asset.

“We still believe that allocating this habitat puts it at greater risk of future development, which will go beyond the lifetime of the current local regime.” conserved and enhanced.

“It is the council’s policy to deliberately include these areas (green spaces and ancient woodland) so that we can through the development process secure their protection and long term management.

“Were this not done, the woodland may prior to development be sold to a third party.

“Our policies and plans do specifically exclude these areas from development. The council takes a robust interpretation of the national policy in safeguarding ancient woodland and has no intention or proposals to develop on ancient woodland sites.”

7

NEWS IN BRIEF

Sea cadets to steal a march at RVP MEMBERS of sea cadets unit TS Brilliant will be demonstrating what they have learned at Royal Victoria Place this weekend.

The youngsters from the Tunbridge Wells unit will be showing off their skills in knottying, marching and even sailing – with a real boat – in the shopping centre on Saturday, between 9am and 6pm.

The youth group, which promises travel and training and is made up of sea and Royal Marine cadets, will also be recruiting at the event.

Based in a converted church hall in Albion Road, the unit meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, offering activities for young people aged 12 to 18.

The aim of the sea cadet corps is to develop young people to be ‘active and useful members of society’.

Training can include qualifications such as NVQ and BTEC and there are opportunities to travel.

Car park art show A NEW art gallery has opened in a Tunbridge Wells car park showcasing artwork by young people from local schools.

The Crescent Gallery is using the wall space of the stairwells of Crescent Road car park, as part of the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, and will host three displays a year.

The current exhibition ‘Selfie, Ego, Identity and Narrative” started on April 1 and was created by young people from local secondary schools working with artist Andrew Bruce.

It takes inspiration from a series of portraits on loan to Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery from the Fifth Marquess Camden Will Trust.

Crash injures two A DRIVER and a young passenger were rushed to hospital on Good Friday after a smash in Brenchley.

The accident happened just after 8.30pm with paramedics and air ambulance personnel is attendance.

The man is understood to have suffered chest, arm, leg and hand injuries while the female passenger was treated for abdominal pain.

STAR BUY

Wednesday 8th April 2015

8 � LOCAL NEWS

How Letty plans to build orphanage in Tanzania Former grammar pupil aims to dedicate her life to helping children after gap year experience

DEDICATION Letty, left, and Pat McMaster, right, with some of the orphans in Iringa

TV producer Steve’s new CBBC Chart Show launch A TELEVISION producer from Tunbridge Wells will be behind the next generation Chart Show.

The regenerated music programme will be going out live on children’s channel CBBC every Sunday from May 10 in conjunction with the radio charts.

The digital television version will be produced by Steve Wynne in the Radio One studios in London.

It will incorporate videos made by viewers as well as pre-recorded slots filmed in schools, including the Skinners’ Kent Academy.

Mr Wynne is no stranger to children’s television, having previously produced SM:TV Live with Ant and Dec. He said: “I used to tape the Top 40 off the radio and I’m really excited to be working on a version of that for TV especially as it’ll be shown live while the radio show is going out.”

“It’s going to be a very up-to-date

Wednesday 8th April 2015

EXCITED Steve Wynne will be producing the programme

TV programme aimed at kids in a format tailored for them.”

The Chart Show will feature ‘user-generated content’ created by young viewers as well as prerecorded ‘lip dub’ videos, and

presented by 19-year-old Waterloo Road actor Cel Spellman.

Mr Wynne added: “I can’t wait to get to the Radio One studios and start filming. It’s going to be such an exciting time.”

• By Julie Rae A STUDENT who travelled to Africa in her gap year has vowed to dedicate her life to helping street children escape poverty.

Letty McMaster, of Langton Green, has started raising funds to build an orphanage in Iringa, Tanzania. She first visited two years ago, when during three weeks’ volunteering, she saw first-hand the conditions in which orphaned children lived.

The 21-year-old and her mum Pat have already raised £4,000 with a charity ball but hope to increase the total with future events.

Miss McMaster said: “There are hundreds of children in the Iringa orphanage living in horrendous conditions. Most of the bed sheets are soiled, the children share beds and the food is terrible. But the minute I saw the children, I fell in love with them and I knew I would dedicate my life to helping them.”

The former Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar student, who is fluent in Swahili, has since spent every spare week in Africa working with the children. She has paid for some to visit hospital when necessary and flew out at Christmas to cook them a festive meal.

“I come back to the UK and work to make money. Then I go back to Iringa,” said Miss McMaster.

“I spend every waking minute with the children. Their normal diet consists of maize and beans.

Sometimes I buy them luxury food like rice so they can have a nice meal.

“The orphanage can’t pay for the children to visit hospital so I have found myself paying for them to see a doctor when they are sick or have broken bones.”

Miss McMaster is due to start university in September, to study either international development or social anthropology, but she still plans to spend every spare minute in Tanzania and continue to fundraise for her future orphanage.

She said: “You don’t get taken seriously in Africa without a degree so I’ve got to go to university. But I will be spending all my holidays at the orphanage. Then when I’ve qualified, I’ll move back out there and work towards getting my own orphanage built. It’ll take time but I’m committed to this.”

For more information, www.streetchildreniringa.wix.com/ maisha. julie@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Boost to rural west Kent economy THE rural west Kent economy could get a boost from a new business and job creation strategy announced by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SE LEP).

The rural strategy will help farming, horticulture, viticulture, forestry and tourism by creating sustainable businesses, supporting village communities and protecting the environment.

Nick Sandford, SE LEP board member for rural growth, said a strategy was needed to ensure the southeast had the most buoyant economy in the UK. “We need to create a vibrant rural sector,” he said. “Our strategy sets out SE LEP’s objectives to enable continued economic growth,

Prison for man who breached drink Asbo A MAN who breached his Asbo and was found drunk in Calverley Road has been sent to prison.

Richard Lee Clark, of no fixed

absorb the development of new infrastructure, business and urban expansion and to manage the rural environment to provide clean air, water and safe and nutritious food.”

As part of the EU’s European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development scheme, micro and small businesses can apply for awards of at least £50,000 to support SE LEP Rural Strategy-led projects. address, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in the town centre on March 7, and to breaching as Asbo made last June, by being drunk in an alcohol control zone in Tunbridge Wells.

The 45-year-old was sentenced, on March 9 by Medway magistrates, to 120 days’ jail and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.

LOCAL NEWS �

Town councillor carpeted over treatment of official Revealed: inside the strange world of authority’s independent member • By Adam Wells A PADDOCK Wood town councillor has been found guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards a female employee.

Cllr Ronald Goodman was called before a conduct committee at Tunbridge Wells town hall last Thursday to answer allegations of bullying, harassment and intimidation.

Deputy clerk at the council Christine Darbyshir also accused Cllr Goodman of ‘belittling’ her and leaving her ‘shaken’.

The six-person panel found him guilty on two of the three charges of misconduct brought against him.

The committee ruled he had used intimidating and threatening language during a telephone conversation with the town hall official on one occasion and behaved in a threatening manner towards her on another.

A third charge was dismissed on grounds of insufficient evidence.

After a ‘bullying and intimidating’ encounter in March 2013, the official claimed in evidence: “I was physically shaken, crying and feeling sick.”

She was forced to seek help from her GP who has since treated her for ‘stress and anxiety’ and prescribed sleeping tablets ‘in order to function properly.’

The deputy clerk said in a statement: “Although this is the first time I have made a formal complaint, this is by no means the first

time that Cllr Goodman has upset me. Neither am I the first person he has had in tears.”

The offences date back to March 2013 but due in part to what the committee referred to as Cllr Goodman’s ‘refusal to co-operate with the process’ that they were dealt with two years on.

Cllr Goodman called the allegations as a ‘figment’ of the deputy clerk’s imagination and claimed he ‘didn’t engage in the process because I didn’t believe it would be independent.’

But the monitoring legal officer, John Scarborough, stated he was satisfied the process had been ‘fair to both sides.’

The committee recommended sanctions against Cllr Goodman including a six-month period in which he can only visit the Paddock Wood council buildings on pre-arranged visits while under supervision, code of conduct training and the writing of an apology letter to the former deputy clerk.

Following these recommendations, Cllr Goodman continued to display what Mr Scarborough called ‘an absolute lack of remorse’ while the committee was out of the room finalising its verdict.

He told reporters: “How can you apologise to someone who’s tried to ruin your life?

I’d apologise for her being upset, but not for these allegations.

“She just wanted to make a case for harassment. She was under stress. She’d probably had a hard day.”

He also said the ruling was ‘what we expected’ but ‘not the truth’ adding: “This is how things

He said: “If I’d done something wrong I wouldn’t be here to defend myself.”

• Claimed his relationship with the official had been a cordial one and this was proved by the fact she had begun her correspondence to him “Dear Councillor Goodman”.

• When asked if he’d ever been offered any code of conduct training before, he responded:

“Politicians don’t give yes or no answers... I’m independent, I don’t want to conform to other people’s way of thinking. I think for myself.”

• Demanding to know why the hearing was taking place just before the elections, given that he would most likely be running for office, he was reminded that a hearing had been scheduled for March 3 but had been postponed

NEWS IN BRIEF

Invest in solar farm in Paddock Wood for £60 A SCHEME has been launched to give residents near a Paddock Wood solar farm the chance to invest in the business.

Local people will be able to take up the option of five-year bonds costing £60 in Knells Farm in Pearsons Green Road.

The company behind the construction, Luminous Energy, claims the operations will produce enough energy to power 2,760 homes per year.

Organisers Big60Million will reserve 10 per cent of the total bonds for six weeks for businesses and homeowners living within 10 miles of the 67-acre site.

The farm, which will be in place for 25 years, was connected to the National Grid last month and will be maintained day to day by Belectric UK. More details of how to invest can be found at www.big60million.co.uk/ paddock-wood-solar-farm/

New bus routes IN DEFEAT Ron Goodman, left, leaves after the hearing are done in Tunbridge Wells. They make it up.

I’ve been victimised because I don’t go along with the status quo.”

Dismissing the investigating officer’s findings, Cllr Goodman said: “I make those decisions on my own, what’s right or wrong.”

The committee’s recommendations will now be passed on to the Paddock Wood council to enforce as it sees fit.

Here are few examples of how Cllr Goodman presented his case: •

9

in light of a specific request he made to delay it.

• Blamed Outlook Express and his ‘BT Internet nightmare’ for not having responded to emails from Donna Price, the investigating officer, regarding the allegations against him.

• Cllr Goodman was baffled and angered by his inability to question the witnesses he wanted to during the hearing. He thought

calling them and asking them to come to the hearing would have contradicted his instruction not to discuss the case with anyone.

“If it’s confidential how can I call them? It’s nonsense!”

• Cllr Goodman asserted several times that he had nothing to say to the town council’s former deputy clerk and wasn’t willing to ever to be in same room as her. However, he complained she wasn’t at the hearing for him to cross-examine.

BUS timetable changes affecting Tunbridge Wells come in from Sunday.

Operator Arriva has announced changes which will see extra services provided during peak times, as well as a change of carrier for an evening route. Nu-Ventre will now take on the 77 and 147 routes between Snodland and Tunbridge Wells.

On Saturdays, the busy 402 service from Tonbridge Station to Hildenborough Church will also have an extra bus running.

The changes have been made as a result of Kent County Council having taken on contracts for some of the services they support financially in the districts.

Clarification IN LAST week’s Times, we reported that the parking machines being trialled would cost Tunbridge Wells Borough Council £27,000 each. That is actually the cost for all five machines, including installation, and the trial will now end in June. The Times is happy to clarify this.

Silver Sheep top of pop-ups THE fashion for pop-up shops in Tunbridge Wells continues to grow after two local women took over a vacant retail unit in Ely Court.

Caroline Smith and Sylvia Kus opened The Silver Sheep in March where customers can see them making silver jewellery and knitted products in the store and can order bespoke items.

“We met at a local market in The Pantiles and had been thinking about a shop,” said co-owner Mrs Smith.

“When Royal Victoria Place manager Nicky Blanchard bought a necklace from our stand at Christmas she suggested a pop-up shop in Ely Court.

“There is a trend towards more popup shops because they are a great way to test the market without having to pay for a long-term lease. We will be here for another four weeks and if it works out we will stay.”

The Silver Sheep also sells locallymade soaps, chocolates and even dog biscuits.

SILVER SHEEP Caroline Smith and Sylvia Kus

Wednesday 8th April 2015

10 � NATIONAL NEWS

£5k reward for information on escaped murderer Kerr A £5,000 reward is being offered for information about a ‘very dangerous’ convicted murderer who breached his licence after being released from prison.

North Yorkshire Police believe William Kerr, 53, travelled to London after disappearing from approved premises in Hull.

Crimestoppers is now offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of Kerr who police said must return to prison ‘as a matter of urgency’.

Kerr was jailed for life at Leeds Crown Court on June 26, 1998 for murder, and released on licence on January 23 this year.

A Crimestoppers spokesman said: “Police have described Kerr as a very dangerous man and it is urgent that he is returned to prison after this breach of his licence.

“We understand that it might be someone that knows him personally who is aware of where he is, and for that reason, I would

urge you to contact Crimestoppers, completely anonymously, safe in the knowledge nobody will ever know you spoke to us.

“Do the right thing and tell us where Kerr is.”

North Yorkshire Police has previously warned the public not to approach Kerr but to call 999 if they spot him.

Officers believe Kerr, who also has links to the Humberside and West Yorkshire areas, may attempt to book in to a hostel in London under a false name.

Appealing directly to Kerr, Detective Inspector Eamonn Clarke of North Yorkshire Police, said: “William, you know you have breached your licence conditions, and by continuing to do so you are only making things worse. It is now time to do the right

thing and hand yourself in to the police.”

Kerr, who speaks with a Scottish accent, was jailed along with co-defendant Christopher Moody for the murder of 43-year-old Maureen Comfort, whose body was found in a cupboard in her flat in Leeds.

According to court papers, she was last seen alive on December 4, 1995, and her body was found by relatives on January 8, 1996. She had been strangled.

To qualify for the reward, anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers directly on 0800 555111 or via crimestoppers.uk-org

American Pie notes auctioned for $1.2m THE original manuscript and notes to American Pie have sold at auction for 1.2 million US dollars (£804,976).

Don McLean put the wistful anthem that asks “Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died?” on sale at Christie’s in New York. The 16 pages include the original working manuscript and typed drafts.

The auction house said two people vied for the manuscript, one in the room and one on the phone. The winning bid went to the collector in the room who wished to remain anonymous.

The eight-minute song, released in 1971, was a No 1 US hit for four weeks in 1972.

“The day the music died” refers to the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

McLean, who lives in Maine, says writing the song was “a mystical trip into his past”.

American Pie has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was named a ‘song of the century’ by the Recording Industry Association of American and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Accused mayor dead

Town ups fines for Clooney gawkers LINGER too long near George Clooney’s Italian villa in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the actor-director and his new bride and you might pay dearly.

The town of Laglio, where Clooney has an 18th-century mansion with private dock on Lake Como, has hiked fines for those who create ‘problems of public order’ when gathering to gawk on the main road behind the villa or approach by boat closer than 100m offshore.

Mayor Roberto Pozzi said he signed ordinances last week introducing fines as stiff as 500 euros (£365), five times higher than before.

The twin ordinances – one to discourage

Wednesday 8th April 2015

land-based out-of-town gawkers, the other for boat-based voyeurs – run until September 30, covering the spring-summer period when Clooney usually stays in Laglio, at the base of forested foothills stretching towards the Alps.

Clooney married London-based human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in September in Venice.

“We haven’t seen him since he got married,” Mr Pozzi said. “We’ll see if he comes in his usual period.”

Mr Pozzi said so far ‘common sense’ has prevailed and no one has been fined.

The ordinances, posted around town, “aren’t aimed at repression”, said the mayor.

“If a tourist wants to come by the villa and take a photo, that’s OK.” Instead, by raising fines, the town wants to discourage what he called “knots of people” from gathering and lingering, posing traffic dangers on the busy road.

Mr Pozzi noted Italian navigational law already forbids boating within 50 metres of shore. Sports clubs’ canoes are exempt from the ordinance.

Townspeople have enjoyed good-neighbour relations with Clooney and his frequent Hollywood star house guests.

The celebrity put sleepy Laglio on the tourist map. The mayor said property values for choice villas have tripled.

A FORMER mayor of Tours has been found dead in a suspected suicide just as he was to go on trial over suspected kickbacks involving Chinese group weddings in the picturesque Loire Valley city.

Jean Germain, a Socialist senator, was found dead after failing to turn up for the start of Tuesday’s trial, French officials said.

A defence lawyer said half a dozen people are on trial over alleged kickbacks linked to 750,000 euros (£547,843) that the city spent from 2008 to 2011 to lure Asian visitors.

Some of the weddings were presided over by Germain while he was mayor.

Defence lawyer Dominique Tricaud told the Associated Press that Germain had suffered through the legal ordeal.

France’s political class was in shock at the death and President Francois Hollande expressed sadness.

Hazzard actor dies THE prolific actor best known for his role as Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane in The Dukes Of Hazzard has died aged 88.

James Best’s wife, Dorothy, said he died last night in hospice care from complications of pneumonia.

Best starred in the television series which ran from 1979 to 1985 as the lawman chasing the Duke brothers.

Dorothy Best said they had been married 29 years and that he is survived by children and grandchildren.

She said he was an incredible man and an incredible talent.

NATIONAL NEWS �

Brontosaurus makes a comeback BRONTOSAURUS has come thundering back after being sent into exile by the scientific community.

The giant dinosaur and its evocative name - meaning ‘thunder lizard’ - has enthralled generations of youngsters.

But since 1903, experts have believed the creature was originally misnamed. Instead of belonging to the genus, or species ‘family’ Brontosaurus, it should in fact have been classified as ‘Apatosaurus’ - which does not have quite the same ring.

Over the decades, the Brontosaurus moniker has stuck, at least with children. And now new research has shown that it

is, after all, sufficiently different from Apatosaurus to deserve its own genus name. The thunder lizard is back.

Scientists from the UK and Portugal submitted the evidence for resurrecting Brontosaurus in a study almost 300 pages long published in the open access journal PeerJ. Dr Roger Benson, one of the authors from Oxford University, said: “The differences we found between Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus were at least as numerous as the ones between other closely related genera, and much more than what you normally find between species.”

Colleague Emanuel Tschopp, from Nova de Lisboa University

in Portugal, said: “Our research would not have been possible at this level of detail 15 or more years ago. In fact, until very recently, the claim that “Brontosaurus was the same as Apatosaurus was completely reasonable, based on the knowledge we had.”

The history of Brontosaurus is both complex and intriguing.

In the 1870s, palaeontologists led by Othniel Charles Marsh discovered two enormous partial skeletons of long-necked dinosaurs in the US and shipped them to the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut.

Marsh described the first of the creatures as Apatosaurus ajax, the “deceptive lizard”, after the

Greek hero Ajax. Two years later, he named the second skeleton Brontosaurus excelsus, the ‘noble thunder lizard’.

Neither skeleton was found with a skull, and Marsh reconstructed one for Brontosaurus excelsus.

However, his reconstruction, based on evidence from another longnecked dinosaur, Camarasaurus, was later found to be wrong.

Shortly after Marsh’s death, scientists from the Field Museum of Chicago found another skeleton similar both to Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus. In fact they were so similar that experts decided it would be correct to treat them as two species from the same genus: Apatosaurus.

The final blow to Brontosaurus came in the 1970s when researchers showed that Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus was not closely related to Camarasaurus but Diplodocus, another dinosaur from the same era.

Diplodocus had a slender, horse-like skull, not the box-like one reconstructed by Marsh and modelled on Camarasaurus.

Thus the myth was born that Brontosaurus was actually an Apatosaurus with the wrong head.

11

BGT solution to school audition truancy issue CHILDREN are being auditioned at school for Britain’s Got Talent to stop them bunking off lessons, it has been revealed.

Teachers say youngsters have been playing truant as they attempt to find instant stardom on the ITV talent show.

Now for the first time producers have held auditions at dozens of secondary schools and colleges around the UK for the new series.

They claim it helped reduce absenteeism in some schools. Teacher Angela Butler said Britain’s Got Talent spent two hours at her school – Newtown High School, in Powys, mid-Wales – and a local sixth-form college in November.

Mrs Butler, a head of year, described similar on-site auditions across the region as a preventative measure to stop youngsters skipping school.

Brit, 25, dies in NY fall A BRITISH businessman has fallen to his death during a trip to New York.

Tax adviser Duncan Hodgetts, from Birmingham, West Midlands, worked for accountancy firm Ernst and Young.

The 25-year-old reportedly fell from a 14th floor apartment window at the Executive Plaza building at 8.30am yesterday. He was found on a third-floor balcony of the neighbouring Michelangelo Hotel and was declared dead at the scene.

Birmingham-based Ernst and Young spokesman Adam Holden confirmed that Mr Hodgetts had been based in the city.

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12 � NATIONAL NEWS

Former PM Blair backs Ed Miliband ‘100%’ MR BLAIR Full support for Miliband

NEWS IN BRIEF

Youngsters failing to get interviews, study ONE in 10 young people have not been offered an interview despite applying for an average of 11 jobs in the past year, according to research.

A survey of 1,000 under 24-year-olds showed they have only attended two interviews on average.

Employment services firm Adecco said its study suggested that many teenagers were leaving school with little or no knowledge of how to enter the world of work.

Two thirds admitted they were illequipped to get a full-time job because they lacked practical experience.

Alex Fleming, managing director of Adecco, said: “Our research shows that young people are not hitting the ground running when leaving school or university.

“Whilst they might feel confident in their studies, they do not feel they have the experience required to actually secure a job.

“It is clear there is a disconnect between the habits and views of young people and the current jobs market.”

Clarkson: no charges

‘Mr Blair also acknowledged that times have changed since the days of New Labour’

FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted he supports Ed Miliband ‘100 per cent’ and he will lead Labour to victory at the Election.

The former prime minister has previously been interpreted as criticising the Labour leader after warning that fighting an election along ‘traditional’ left-right battle lines would result in a traditional Tory victory.

But Mr Blair has backed Labour’s current stance on inequality, while Mr Miliband revealed he has consulted the three-time election winner over policy during the last four and a half years.

After a speech in his old Sedgefield constituency, Mr Blair faced numerous questions about his relationship with Mr Miliband, and insisted: “I support him 100 per cent to lead our party to

victory at the election.”

Mr Blair also acknowledged that ‘times have changed’ since the days of New Labour, during which he oversaw a fundamental shift in the party’s viewpoint.

He said: “I think he is absolutely right to note that the times have changed, that this is a huge issue for people and I think he has got an excellent set of policies to deal with it.”

Paramedic ‘refused’ to help sick woman at end of shift - tribunal A PARAMEDIC refused to help a women thought to be pregnant who was vomiting and feeling dizzy because he was near the end of his shift, a care standards tribunal has heard.

Edmund Daly, a London Ambulance Service team leader at the time of the incident, also said it was ‘dangerous’ to respond to the emergency call because his crew were ‘very tired’.

Daly was about to complete a twelve-hour night shift and he wanted to ‘finish his shift on time’, the Health and Care Professions Council was told.

As a result the woman was forced to wait for about 90 minutes before she was taken to hospital.

At the hearing today a panel was told how on May 29 2013 at 5.25am Daly was asked to answer an emergency call for a 43-year-old woman in Kingston who was vomiting, dizzy and thought to be suffering complications from a pregnancy.

Presenting officer Simon Walters told the

Wednesday 8th April 2015

hearing: “During the conversation at 5.25 the registrant questioned the emergency call being allocated (to his crew) and explained that in his opinion they could not do the call because there wasn’t enough time to attend the patient and finish their shift on time.

“In particular Mr Daly made reference to the fact they had not had a break during their shift.

“Despite reminding Mr Daly that there was a patient at the other end of the line he continued to refuse.

“As a result of Mr Daly’s actions the emergency vehicle, which has only one purpose, which is of course to serve the public who are in need, was taken out of service by the registrant and made unavailable.”

Daly, who did not attend the hearing, is facing one count of misconduct with the Health and Care Professions Council.

In a written statement Mr Daly asked the panel to consider health problems as a mitigating factor, as well as an incident involving a call to a fire in 2009 that had a ‘profound’ effect on him.

POLICE have said there is ‘no need for further action’ against Jeremy Clarkson following an inquiry into the Top Gear fracas which saw him fired by the BBC. The force said although BBC TV producer Oisin Tymon did not wish for police action on his behalf, it still had to make routine enquiries.

It added that now all the interviews were complete, it ‘would not be pursuing this matter any further’.

Mr Tymon was punched by Clarkson at a hotel last month.

The attack occurred following a row over a lack of hot food after a day’s filming.

It was alleged Mr Clarkson continually abused the producer verbally before hitting him.

Mr Tymon suffered swelling and a split lip in the assault on March 4 and visited a hospital A&E department for his injuries.

Boys head for Syria TWO teenage boys from Yorkshire are believed to have travelled to Syria, counter-terrorism police have confirmed.

The 17-year-olds are thought to have fled to the war-torn country after boarding a flight from Manchester airport to Dalaman in Turkey on March 31, West Yorkshire Police said.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Milsom said: “We are extremely concerned for the safety of these two boys and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.”

The boys from Dewsbury were last seen by their families on the day they are believed to have boarded the Thomas Cook flight to Turkey, West Yorkshire Police said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS �

1,700 soldiers feared dead as graves dug up

NEWS IN BRIEF

Axeman, 100, kills his sleeping wife of 88

Iraqi forensics start gruesome task FORENSIC teams in the newly liberated city of Tikrit have started exhuming bodies from mass graves believed to contain hundreds of soldiers killed by Islamic State militants last year.

Kamil Amin, from Iraq’s Human Rights Ministry, said work started yesterday on eight locations inside Tikrit’s complex of presidential palaces, where much of the killing is believed to have taken place.

He said at least 12 bodies were exhumed yesterday.

IS militants overran Saddam Hussein’s hometown last June, capturing around 1,700 soldiers as they were trying to leave Camp Speicher, an air base previously used by US troops on the outskirts of Tikrit.

IS claimed to have killed the troops shortly afterwards and posted videos purported to show their mass killings.

The teams began the gruesome task of uncovering the bodies of the young army recruits of Camp Speicher, slaughtered by the Sunni ISIS militants as they surged across northern Iraq for the ‘crime’ of being Shi’ite.

The deaths showed Iraqis that Islamic State fighters, who have also attacked ethnic and religious minorities as well as fellow Sunni Muslims opposing them, were a threatening new kind of foe.

For almost 10 months, their devastated families have been left wondering what became of their sons and brothers who had been marched through Tikrit, once Saddam Hussein’s stronghold of support.

The only clues they had were videos posted by the jihadists on social media sites, showing them being machine gunned down in their hundreds.

But now it seems their final resting place may have at last been discovered, after ‘dozens’ of ID cards belonging to the army cadets were found at the late dictator’s presidential compound last Wednesday.

Today, the first of the 12 mass graves on the banks of the Tigris River began to give up their terrible secrets, days after Islamic State’s fighters were driven from the city by Iraqi forces and Shi’ite paramilitaries.

13

A 100-year-old man is believed to have murdered his wife with an axe as she slept before killing himself.

Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli said there was a ‘history of domestic issues’ between Michael Juskin and his 88-year-old wife Rosalia.

But it was not clear what sparked the apparent murder-suicide in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, on Sunday night local time.

Police found the couple in their Spruce Street house after a relative, who was not in the home, called authorities.

Barbara Szczecina, 65, said she saw Mrs Juskin sitting on her front porch at about 10am on Saturday.

“She used to be in her garden all the time,” Ms Szczecina said. “They were always together, putzing around outside.”

Protestors clash with police in Nepalese general strike PROTESTORS clashed with police and set vehicles on fire in Nepal’s capital as they enforced a nationwide general strike that crippled life across the nation.

The alliance of 30 opposition parties is demanding the Himalayan nation’s new constitution draft be passed by a national consensus.

The ruling coalition has been attempting to get the draft approved through a vote in parliament after negotiations with

the opposition failed.

Protesters and police clashed in Kathmandu on the first day of the three-day strike.

Riot police fired tear gas shells, while the protesters retaliated by throwing stones. The demonstrators also set a taxi and a motorcycle on fire.

General strikes are a common tactic for the opposition in Nepal and it is common for protesters to attack vehicles, shops and businesses that defy the calls to strike.

74 children dead in Yemen AT LEAST 74 children have been killed since the Yemen conflict intensified almost two weeks ago and more than 100,000 people have left their homes in search of safety, the UN children’s agency says.

Unicef said hospitals are struggling to treat large numbers of wounded people with insufficient supplies.

The agency added that at least three health workers have been killed in attacks.

It said fighting disrupted water supplies in the south and sewage is flowing in the streets, raising the risk of disease.

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14 � BUSINESS NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Kellogg’s told to come clean over its profits BREAKFAST cereal giant Kellogg’s has been urged to come clean over its tax arrangements after it emerged it effectively paid no corporation tax in Britain in 2013.

Tax experts said the complex web of companies it uses to do business in the UK generates ‘significant opacity’ which makes it hard to tell if it is paying its fair share of tax in this country.

Kellogg’s was accused of acting like ‘a classic US-owned IT company’ with bases in Ireland and Luxembourg rather than as a food manufacturer known around the world for its cereals. Kellogg’s has three factories in Britain..

Two subsidiaries paid corporation tax of £8.4million on profits of nearly £50million in 2013.

It also has six Luxembourg-registered companies which paid corporation tax of £210,000 on profits of about £57million.

But the £210,000 and £8.4million figures were offset by an £11.8million tax credit at another UK registered operation, Kellogg Group.

Richard Murphy, of Tax Research UK, said: “That can only be explained by a tax avoidance motive.”

A Kellogg’s spokesman said: “We are a responsible taxpayer.”

Banks’ fines from profits BRITAIN’S biggest banks have been forced to pay out 60 per cent of their profits in fines, says a top accountancy firm.

Costs including repayments relating to payment protection insurance (PPI) and so-called interest rate hedging products cost banks £9.9bn last year.

It was a reduction of eight per cent from 2013, said KPMG. The accountants analysed the results of Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays and Standard Chartered.

The total in penalties for the last four years was £38.7bn.

Banks have been repaying customers who didn’t want, ask for or understand PPI - an insurance against missing loan repayments. Their PPI bill is £24bn, says consumer group Which?

Nine UK banks have reimbursed business clients £1.8bn after selling them complex deals on interest rates they probably did not understand or were likely to cost them more than a regular loan.

UK economy ‘on the up’ The UK economy maintained a steady pace of expansion in the first quarter of 2015 and looks set to gather momentum in the current period, according to the latest growth indicator from the CBI. Its figures suggest that gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.7 per cent in the January-March period, slightly up from 0.6 per cent in the last quarter of 2014.

But there was a sharp drop in manufacturing export orders and the CBI warned that the strong pound was weighing on already muted foreign trade performance.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Global giant FedEx delivers a £3bn bid for rival TNT Express PARCELS delivery firm TNT Express is set for a takeover by rival FedEx after the Dutch firm backed an offer worth 4.4 billion euro (£3.2 billion).

The two companies want to combine TNT’s European road operations and FedEx’s strength in other regions such as North America and Asia.

Air and road giant TNT Express employs more than 65,000 people and has 2,300 depots, mainly across mainland Europe.

But there are also around 8,500 staff employed in the UK at headquarters at Atherstone in Warwickshire and at 54 depots across the country.

It is the second time in recent years that TNT Express has been a takeover target for a US firm after UPS attempted a deal in 2012.

However, the Atlanta-based company ditched its plans when it became clear European regulators were ready to block the move.

Royal Mail shares rose by two per cent today as a result of the latest consolidation moves in the European parcels sector.

TNT dates back to 1946 when Ken Thomas started his own transport business in Australia with one truck.

In the 1950s Thomas Nationwide Transport developed overnight services before international expansion led to it becoming Dutch-owned in 1996.

TNT Express was created in 2011 following its separation from TNT Post.

The business now operates 26,000 road vehicles and 47 aircraft.

Its chief executive Tex Gunning said his company had been geared up for life as a stand-alone company.

However, he added: “While we did not

solicit an acquisition, we truly believe that FedEx’s proposal, both from a financial and a non-financial view, is good news for all stakeholders.”

Young people ‘giving up’ on home ownership MORE young people are giving up the dream of owning their own home, with high house prices and low incomes seen as strong barriers to getting on the property ladder, a report suggests.

The proportion of people aged between 20 and 45 who are saving for a deposit to buy their own home has fallen by six percentage points compared with a year ago, to 43 per cent, according to the Generation Rent report from Halifax.

Schemes such as Help to Buy have enabled people to get on or move up the property ladder with a low deposit, but while 53 per cent of people said they believe the scheme has had a positive impact, eight per cent think it has had a negative impact and 39 per cent do not know or are undecided.

The three most common barriers to home ownership that people who do not own a property gave were the size of the deposit needed, high property prices and low incomes.

Some 79 per cent of 20 to 45-year-olds surveyed thought banks do not want to lend to first-time buyers.

Figures recently released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders showed more than 300,000 people took their first step on the property ladder in 2014.

But Craig McKinlay, mortgages director at Halifax, said: “The difference between the reality and (young people’s) perception needs to be addressed urgently if we are to prevent people from giving up on getting on the housing ladder.”

The report gathered information from more than 40,000 20 to 45-year-olds and 4,000 parents with children aged between 20 and 45.

Shelter’s director of communications, policy and campaigns Roger Harding said: “House prices have now shot up to ten times the average wage, leaving ‘generation rent’ left with two alternatives - either carry on living with mum and dad, or pay out dead money to landlords.”

16 � BUSINESS NEWS

Expanding ice cream business urges others to increase export trade Taywell boss believes companies should explore the overseas market

• By Steve Hemsley WEST Kent-based Taywell Ice Creams wants to significantly increase its export trade over the next five years – and is urging other local companies to do more to boost overseas sales.

Exports currently account for just five per cent of the Beltring-based business’s turnover, but owner and entrepreneur Alastair Jessel, who set up the company in 2006 to use surplus fruit on his farm, wants foreign trade to represent about twothirds of the total by 2020.

“Our export targets might sound ambitious but you can succeed if you understand how to go about exporting,” said Mr Jessell. “As a business, you have to accept that you cannot sell to everyone overnight so you must choose your markets carefully.”

The company made its name selling ice creams and sorbets in London and the Home Counties but in recent years has found customers in Hong Kong, Dubai and the Netherlands. It will enter Germany and Nigeria within weeks.

Mr Jessel hopes Hong Kong will ultimately provide a route into China, which is a difficult market for any UK company to crack.

“When you want to export dairy products to China there are a lot of

restrictions with export and import licences. You need them for every product and flavour you want to sell there. It is worth jumping through the hoops though because the rewards will be huge.”

The company’s customers in Dubai prefer Taywell’s Sweet Rebellion range of ice creams with no added sugar, while in the Netherlands there is demand for Taywell’s Japanese flavours such as black sesame and chocolate and wasabi. Hong Kong residents have a taste for British flavours such as blackberry and apple crumble.

West Kent businesses looking to boost sales in China could benefit from additional support announced

by Chancellor George Osborne in his March budget.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) which works closely with British exporters is getting a funding increase. It will now receive £7.5m to promote UK trade with China after it identified £1.3bn of export opportunities in the country.

“West Kent companies need to look at the opportunities from exporting and not the barriers. China is probably not the first place to target so start by looking at Europe first,” said Mr Jessell. “We have such an advantage being in Kent because we are so close to France, Belgium and other key markets such as Germany.”

“It beggars belief that smaller companies fear exporting so much they would rather slash their prices in the UK to compete with the supermarkets when they could do much more business overseas.”

He added that companies need to ensure they have the capacity to meet any rise in sales from exports.

“We can increase the number of manufacturing shifts we run and our freezer space. People want to buy British ice cream and we have the Union flag on all of our pots.”

UKTI is holding the 7th Export Week from May 18 to 22 with a series of events to help companies begin exporting or increase their foreign sales. Government department claims companies earn about £100,000 in additional sales within 18 months of working with it.

The Institute of Directors also runs local events advising member companies on exporting and selling abroad.

Chairman Emma Liddiard said: “Centrally we offer members extensive support in the form of the information advisory service, which allows them access to targeted departments and functions to help with any exporting issues, questions or opportunities.”

According to the Federation of

Small Businesses, only a quarter of entrepreneurs currently export. The FSB has lobbied for more support for companies that want to sell to foreign markets and it has called on the government to make it easier for businesses to access export finance.

The Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce provides help and runs training events for members looking to sell overseas.

Head of business development Tudor Price says companies call him for advice on what paperwork is needed, local distribution and payment. He said growth areas include the Middle East and South America.

“Often we get a call when a company has had a website enquiry from another country and they do not know what to do,” said Mr Price. “They worry if it is a real order, how they will be paid and whether they can just package a product and send it.”

He says many companies worry about payment, delivery and having the right paperwork.

“There are different payment methods, including asking for money up front, while we advise firms not to try and do everything themselves.

They should find a good local shipping firm and specialists who can handle the documentation.”

Mr Price also urges Kent companies to ensure they capitalise on that first order and to make use of the 45 British chambers of commerce located around the world, which can put exporters in touch with local distributors and suppliers.

“Find out how they discovered you and what the demand might be elsewhere in their country for your product or service,” he said. “Also find a local distributor and use the power of the internet. This includes ensuring your website is translated for local markets as this will boost orders.”

‘West Kent companies need to look at the opportunities from exporting and not the barriers’

CASE STUDY TUNBRIDGE Wells-based sports communications agency John Tibbs Associates (JTA) won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade last year.

Chairman Jon Tibbs says JTA’s exports as a percentage of turnover in the past three years have risen to more than 68 per cent on sales of £2.7m. Its export revenues in 2015 are already ahead of those it achieved in the whole of 2014.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Among the countries it exports its consultancy services to are Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

JTA provides strategic brand-building and communications advice to clients in the Olympic Movement including the International Olympic Committee and the Association of National Olympic Committees.

“We think of ourselves as a Tunbridge Wells

company with global clients,” said Mr Tibbs.

“When exporting, you have to make a real effort to understand the culture of the companies and markets you are targeting. Think about how your product and service is better than that offered by a local business.”

He added: “You have to build close personal relationships because you’ll never win exports via email.”

Mr Tibbs says the Queen’s Award for Enterpris, has boosted the morale of his 16 staff and helped to win new business.

“Exporting is not always glamourous,” he said. “There can be a lot of travelling, cancelled meetings and staying in dodgy hotels. Receiving any award that has the crown on it helps exports because it is viewed as an endorsement by the UK government and the Queen.

BUSINESS NEWS �

Leading chiropractors expand their business into The Pantiles Sussex couple have high hopes for their fledgling Tunbridge Wells practice

• By Steve Hemsley TWO leading chiropractors who have opened a practice in Tunbridge Wells want to build a community health business that will expand across west Kent.

Directors Joe Williams and Zoe Pantelios have launched TWC Chiropractic in The Pantiles, having previously worked in Eastbourne and Hailsham.

Over the next few months, the couple, who are getting married in May, will host demonstration events at farmers’ markets and on The Pantiles, and education talks in local cafes.

“We’ve opened in Tunbridge Wells because we love the vibe and energy of the town and the fact families take their health so seriously,” said Mr Williams. “Chiropractic is not just about back pain, it’s also about posture and helping prevent other conditions such as headaches from the neck.”

Mr Williams says he wants to educate people about how to avoid problems with their joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves, especially related to the spine. The practice’s youngest Tunbridge Wells patient in its first week of opening was a few weeks old while the oldest was 86.

“There are a lot of unhappy babies who have to go through the trauma of birth and need support for their spine and nervous system,” said Mr Williams.

TWC Chiropractic is already looking to expand, with a deal to acquire a practice elsewhere in west Kent expected to be announced in June.

Mr Williams hopes to benefit from

increased awareness among office workers and commuters of the dangers of spending too much time sitting down.

Research published by the campaign Get Britain Standing.org claims British people sit for 8.9 hours each day on average. This can lead to the enzymes responsible for burning harmful blood fats shutting down, reduced calorie-burning, disrupted blood sugar levels, increased insulin and blood pressure levels, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

According to the British Chiropractic Association, women can be more susceptible to back and neck pain because of the weight of their handbags, their high-heeled shoes and even bras.

Throughout April, TWC Chiropractic is offering new clients a 50 per cent discount on consultations.

BACK WHERE HE BELONGS Joe Williams has opened the practice with fiancée Zoe Pantelios

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Make west Kent high-tech and science hub, says MP Fallon SEVENOAKS MP Michael Fallon wants west Kent to become a hub for technology companies, to help the region compete with the cluster of science businesses in east Kent and the so-called Silicon Roundabout in London.

Opening the West Kent B2B conference and exhibition organised by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce in Tonbridge in March, Mr Fallon said west Kent suffered from its proximity to London, and expensive land prices.

“West Kent must raise its game in the same way east Kent has with the development of science parks which have allowed businesses to take advantage of lower land and property costs, and other infrastructure benefits such as the high

speed rail service,” he said. “West Kent is also losing too many talented people to London.”

He said technology companies need to be encouraged to come to business parks in west Kent, adding: “The government cannot create these clusters. As we have seen with the Silicon Roundabout, it is the market that decides the best place for these hubs to grow.”

Kent Invicta chief executive Jo James said there was a role for the West Kent Partnership in encouraging a technology hub.

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18 � LETTERS

And another thing…

The Times of Tunbridge Wells always wants to hear your feedback, whether on reports we have printed or any other issues you think we should know about. Write to or email us using the contact details on page 2, or search for us on Facebook and Twitter.

MANY thanks to the staff of Hotel Chocolat for sending us this picture they sent out on social media of The Beau Bunny which chose a discerning read during last week’s Easter tour stop in Tunbridge Wells.

Have you got a picture you would like us to publish?

Drop us an email at… newsdesk@times oftunbridgewells. co.uk

YOU must have given some people a near heart attack when they read your April Fools joke on page 9 - my issue fell through my letterbox just 30 minutes ago. I had a meeting with David Jukes and William Benson of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in September 2013 when I put forward some suggestions in tackling the issue in a Traffic Circulation and Pedestrianised Streets idea and some traffic infrastructure. Despite spending nearly £1m on paving they admit that TWBC have no money.

John Albiston Darnley Drive

CONGRATULATIONS on producing an excellent local paper.

Please tell me that your article today, page 9, about a 98p Store on the old cinema site, is an April Fools’ joke?

This proposal is about the only one that I can think of that would be worse than leaving the old derelict building as it was.

The clearance of the site has highlighted what a wonderful open space is available in the centre of town. A public facility - a park, a sports ground, a swimming pool, or even a cinema (!) – that draws people into the area would not only look better but surely make longer-term business sense? People visiting that facility would then go on to use the existing shops and eating places in the surrounding area.

Shops and cafes are already struggling in the area. We don’t need another shop, least of all a giant one targeting thousands of bargain hunters. Saving 2p from £1 does not create enough funds to spend in the relatively expensive outlets next door.

Or how about a primary school? Or residential property? Again, drawing more people into local businesses and in that case without creating much traffic.

This proposal is so short-sighted it must be a joke, but it’s not funny one.

Toby Brandon Tunbridge Wells Resident

WELL done on your April Fool last week. There was steam coming out of my ears when I read the piece about the 98p store. I should have twigged when I got to the ‘2p or not 2p’ quotation, but I didn’t.

I handed my copy to my wife and declared: “Have you seen this?

Typical!”

She replied: “Have you noticed the date on the front, dear?”

I don’t know who dreamt it up but it was a good one! Well done. Keep up the good work.

Ryan Johnston email (Editor’s note: Yes, for the record, this was an April Fools’ Day joke!

Thanks to those readers who also took the time to ring us about it)

PRINCIPAL, not principle! (Move with the Times, April 1) Nothing like making an elementary error and then sticking it into a headline for all to enjoy. (I notice, for good measure, that it’s also in the body copy a couple of times.) At least, accommodation is correct!

Hope this is helpful.

Mike Blacker

WE ARE a Kent charity which provides vital hospice care in the homes of seriously ill children across the county has a new name.

EllenorLions Hospices and its children and young people service chYps is now known as ellenor.

Serving a community of 1 million, ellenor is the only charity in Kent to provide hospice care for people of all ages – from newborn babies to elderly people in the final moments of life.

With demand for services rapidly increasing, operating under one name is crucial to enable the charity to raise funds to provide vital 24/7 care to local families.

An important part of ellenor’s work is caring for over 150 children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in the comfort of their own home and providing consistency of support for teenagers who later require care as adults.

This care is available to families living in Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Gravesham, Dartford, Swanley, Bexley and surrounding villages.

Each year ellenor provides pain and symptom relief and end-of-life care to around 1500 adults in north Kent in their place of choice, whether their own home, at the charity’s Hospice in Gravesend or in local care homes.

The charity also supports families throughout a loved one’s illness and after they have died, by offering emotional, bereavement and spiritual care and financial advice.

To find out how you can support ellenor, please visit www.ellenor. org or call the Fundraising team on 01322 626504.

Tessa Youens EllenorLions

I WAS intrigued to read your piece about the worst traffic jams around in the country. The television news carried a piece about Brighton folk having problems getting around in a car, with one chap saying it took half an hour to get to the ‘city’ centre from Hove, a distance of about a mile and a half. Surely the BBC did not have to travel that far to get a vox pop on opinions about traffic congestion.

About a mile and half up the road from the BBC’s headquarters in Tunbridge Wells is a car park that is known as the Pembury Road where I and many of my colleagues seem to spend fruitless hours of my life each week sitting in a queue of traffic. Having said that, it would probably take them so much time getting there it would be quicker to drive to Brighton!

Alison MacFarlane email

CONTACT US

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615

EDITOR SIMON FINLAY simon@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576042

DEPUTY EDITOR ELEANOR JONES eleanor@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037

16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU facebook.com/timesoftunbridgewells timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk twitter.com/timesoftw newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

Calverley I RUN into my old Liberal Democrat chum Lynne Beaumont as she scurries to an interview at the BBC Radio Kent evening political slot, Never Mind the Ballots. On air, La Beaumont extolls at some length the virtues of the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, and his stewardship of the economy.

What she fails to mention was that, up until last week, her husband Peter Carroll was £90,000 a year special advisor to, er, Danny Alexander.

I FIND myself at a meeting of Southborough Town Council, at which the proposed ‘community hub’ is on the agenda. Much debate ensues on whether or not press and public should be excluded from discussion of different aspects of the plan, and finally, an agreement was reached.

Seemingly forgetting the outcome, a female councillor launched into her opinion on the topic. “Oh s***”, she declaimed as her error was pointed out.

TO JAMIE Oliver’s new Trattoria restaurant where I bump into the amiable David Tonna who tells me he is leaving estate agent Andrews for a similar post in Horley. His colleague Chris Archer, at the same do, tells me he manages to combine running the busy independent agency with his role as a special constable.

TALKING of the Special Constabulary, I hear the heavyweight chief constable of the part-time force, Gavin McKinnon, is now not only a special adviser to the Kent police chief Alan Pughsley but, more recently, press chief to the Police and Crime Commissioner, Ann Barnes.

Strange one, that. I was under the impression the commissioner and Mr McKinnon are not best buddies.

A READER calls Times Towers last Wednesday.

“I take it the story about the 98p store is an April fool?” she demanded. When it was gently revealed that this was indeed the case, she huffed: “Oh for goodness’ sake!” and put the phone down rather quickly.

SPOTTED A sign in the window of that fine old boozer at the top of the High Street, The Bedford. It reads: “Soup of the Day – BEER!” Chin Chin!!

Wednesday 8th April 2015

EDUCATION �

19

Kent recognises e-safety is one of the biggest issues facing schools today Expert discusses how she tries to protect children online INTERNET safety for children is important in Kent – its county council is one of the few local authorities in England to have a dedicated e-safety officer. In the second of our digital safety specials, Sarah Bond speaks to Rebecca Avery, who has even advised Prime Minister and parent David Cameron…

EVERYONE you speak to says Kent County Council e-safety officer Rebecca Avery is ‘brilliant’, from teachers to child safety experts to policemen.

Many local authorities culled online safety roles in 2010. “So there aren’t many of us left,” says Rebecca. “Thankfully Kent kept my post going.

“The last year has been the busiest ever, so we’re now looking at expanding.

“I think it’s due to the amount of access children have and the number of tablets and apps. Most of my consultations now come from primary schools.”

Our county leads the way on e-safety. KCC’s resources and guidance have been recognised nationally and beyond.

“There are a couple of schools in Tunbridge Wells I talk to regularly,” says Rebecca, who in the past has trained some of the town’s primary schoolchildren to be e-safety ambassadors, as well as holding training sessions for staff and parents. And she has seen the biggest rise in devices in wealthy west Kent.

“Many of those children have tablets, Xboxes, Playstations from about four upwards. It’s a bit like living on a main road. The more access you have to fast-moving traffic, the more likely it is you’ll encounter an accident.

“Buying a device needs to be thought through. What are the benefits? What can go wrong? And

‘E-safety is not just a one-off, it has to be taught every day’ what do I do if it happens? There are things parents and children can put in place to limit that.”

Rebecca was part of a select group consulted about internet child safety by David Cameron two years ago, before e-safety was included in the national curriculum from last September – and she says she was perhaps more outspoken than the PM expected.

“I think I did slightly, not annoy him, but he asked my views about e-safety as a statutory subject, and I said it was really positive that it was on the curriculum, I just wished it wasn’t only in computing

but also in PSHE (personal, social and health education).

“He said ‘well of course good schools will already be teaching it in PSHE’, and I said ‘yes’. I worded it carefully and it was very diplomatically answered.”

It is a message Rebecca is passing to schools.

She says: “Our push at the moment is for schools to make sure this is embedded across the curriculum. E-safety is not just a one-off, it has to be taught every day.”

Since her meeting with David Cameron, internet issues involving children have escalated considerably, with child porn and homophobic bullying two major concerns, along with the rise in children’s use of webcams, which are often built into their devices.

“The increase in video usage is a massive issue,” says Rebecca.

“It’s not always what’s referred to as paedophiles, it can be opportunistic. We have increasing concerns relating to children coerced by adults or other children into performing acts on webcams and then being blackmailed.

“There’s been a serious increase in that kind of exploitation, definitely in primary schools.

Childnet has a brilliant factsheet for parents about webcams.”

Games such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and Minecraft are a worry, too, Rebecca says.

Last week, 16 schools in Cheshire wrote to parents warning them

they risk being reported for neglect if they allow under-18s to play or watch others play adults’ violent or sexually explicit video games.

Rebecca, whose help is available to all schools, and who also runs focus groups for parents, would have advised a different approach.

She says: “If one of the Kent schools approached me, my advice would be to discuss concerns with parents first.

“GTA is very graphic. It’s got incredibly sexually explicit content, it’s not just stealing cars, and it’s the normalisation. This kind of content is much more accessible much earlier now.

“Things I was seeing in secondary schools five years ago are now happening in primary schools, and what I was seeing in primary is in early years.

“Very rarely would we say we want that child arrested. That only tends to be when it’s very serious, death threats or homophobic or racist comments.

“But we shouldn’t demonise the internet. It’s very much about behaviour, not technology.

“This is our children’s lives, it’s their future. We have to give them digital skills.

“We need to allow some of these devices and help children use them safely and it has to be a shared approach between schools and parents.

“I hope at the end of the day what I’ve done has helped keep a child safe.”

REBECCA RECOMMENDS THESE WEBSITES FOR ADVICE FOR PARENTS AND SCHOOLS::

• www.gov.uk/government/

organisations/department-foreducation

• www.kent.gov.uk/education-andchildren/protecting-children

• www.kelsi.org.uk • kscb.org.uk • www.nspcc.org.uk • www.childnet.com • www.saferinternet.org.uk • www.internetmatters.org

CONFERENCE Rebecca Avery with PM David Cameron

Wednesday 8th April 2015

20 � PEOPLE

The healing power of microcurrent

PASSIONATE Ian Thirkell and Lena PearsonWoods with an equine patient

THE ArcEquine unit was this month chosen as one of the best 20 inventions and innovations in the UK for the Gadget Show Live British Inventors’ Project.

Eleanor Jones met the man behind the ‘miracle’ microcurrent machine.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

IAN Thirkell is a former Met Police copper, who has never ridden in his life.

But the 66-year-old from Hawkhurst has made a difference to the lives of thousands of horses, other animals and people with his ArcEquine unit, causing significant improvement to conditions from broken legs to bullet wounds and from allergies to asthma.

The technology behind the Arc is simple, but its effects are fantastic.

The unit generates minute sequences of electrical current which replicate exactly that produced by every cell in the body.

By doing so, it appears to promote and speed up healing, reduce pain, both mental and psychological, remove scar tissue, regenerate and, as Ian describes it, “completely reboot and rebalance the body”.

“I’ve devoted 13 years to exploring the boundaries of the clinical applications of this technology”, says Ian. “I haven’t found them yet.”

The former Skinners’ pupil has seen more than 3,000 subjects, from cows with prolapsed uteruses to amputees with phantom limb pain, and the Arc has helped all of them.

But when he first heard of microcurrent technology, when his wife was offered the chance to study the subject for a PhD, Ian, who had recently retired from the Met, was deeply sceptical.

“My wife explained how it worked and I was totally scathing”, he remembers. “For someone with my evidence-based police background, it was completely illogical – but I kept an open mind.”

Ian read books associated with his wife’s course, grew intrigued with this technology and its ‘incredible’ results and eventually, using a basic prototype delivery system, started some trials of his own.

“Someone told me the physiology of horses is very similar to that of people so the effects must be the same”, he says. “So I set up a company as a vehicle to test it. I quickly found that no one would send me a horse which the vets had said might come right. The ones I was sent were far worse than that – they’d had life-changing, careerthreatening injuries and their other option was being retired or shot.”

Between 2002 and 2004, Ian was sent 16 racehorses, with injuries such as completely ruptured tendons which should have meant they were never ridden again, let alone raced.

But the average time from the start of treatment to the first race back was 30 weeks. And although he has not yet created a unit specifically for human use, riders who have used it on their mounts have been so impressed with its effects, they have used it to treat themselves, with comparable results. Ian has also

worked with sportsmen and women competing at international level.

So how does it work?

“The unit replicates the current which exists in the body at cellular level”, he explains. “It affects everything that goes in and out of each cell and therefore the proper function of the body, which is entirely made up of cells.

“If there’s damage or trauma to a group of cells, it’s like a broken electric circuit, it doesn’t work properly. In layman’s terms, we introduce this same current from an external source and it re-boots the body. It’s like a defibrillator almost in that it shocks the system into working again but not only that, it works at an enhanced level. It’s like a set of jump leads, which kick-start and supercharge the body.”

The unit does not appear particularly ground-breaking at first sight. A small black box and a strap, designed to fit on a horse’s leg but just as comfortable on a human arm.

The user selects the programme he or she wants – there are two different sequences of current, each delivered in two different ways, which therefore have slightly different effects – applies gel to the rubber electrode pads, straps it on and leaves it for three hours.

And although intermittent or occasional use has been known to have beneficial effect, the key is to

allow the treatment time to work.

“The two most important words are compliance and patience”, says Ian. “The microcurrent seems to have a cumulative effect, it slowly builds.

This isn’t a silver bullet, it doesn’t work overnight – although I have seen that happen, it isn’t normal. We recommend that to give it the best chance of working properly, you give it six weeks.

“This isn’t a miracle cure, nothing is, but it will work if you give it a chance.”

Although it may seem illogical, the unit does not have to be strapped to the affected part of the body – far from it. In fact if a horse has an injured leg, the Arc is rotated between the other three limbs, yet the injured one heals.

“This isn’t one cell talking to one other cell, it’s one talking to lots of others”, Ian explains.

“If you stub your toe, you pull it away immediately. The signal has gone up to your brain and back down again instantly.

“It works systemically so it doesn’t matter where you introduce the current, it always goes to the right place, it seems to seek out whatever’s out of place.

“I first found out about that when I dealt with a woman in Ashford, who had an ankle problem. She put the unit on her leg and when I saw her six months later, she said the ankle

PEOPLE �

was better but that she had even more to be grateful about. She said her hay fever had gone and that while her hair had been sparse and she’d had a bald patch the size of a 50p, her hair was thick and lustrous and the bald patch had gone. The unit had only ever been on her leg.”

Ian tells of other subjects who used the Arc to treat a specific condition but had also noticed sensations in other places.

“I always asked if they’d injured that place and the answer was always yes. My theory is that the current’s done its job, gone looking for other things to repair, found scar tissue and eliminated it.”

As well as removing old scar tissue, Ian says, another remarkable thing about the ArcEquine is that it heals by regenerating cells. So while a torn tendon would naturally repair itself with scar tissue – which has different elastic qualities to the original fibres and attaches

at two points so there is more risk of re-injury – the Arc induces regeneration of the original fibres.

“It creates a different type of collagen”, Ian explains. “We don’t know why, but it does.

“I’m not scientific, the last 13 years have been trial and error, that’s one reason it’s taken so long to get where we are now.

“Relatively early on, about 2004, it became apparent that this was a very significant way of treating many, many conditions. This was exciting but a double-edged sword as dyed-in-the-wool clinicians and vets couldn’t accept that a tiny electric current could do that.

“I made a conscious decision early on to go slowly. If I’d stood up and made all sorts of claims, I’d have been attacked by other agencies, including pharmaceutical companies, and the technology could have been discredited very easily. I wasn’t prepared to risk it as

this is too important to be rushed, but now I’ve built a wealth of anecdotal evidence so people will look at it carefully, with clinical trials.

“We have to go through regulatory hoops, to get approval, for the human version. We’ll have doubleblind clinical trials, using it on people after knee replacements, trying to show that using it before and after the operation influences the return to normality. This could be so significant for the NHS. “I’ve been doing this for 13 years and it’s cost me a fortune but I’ve yet to take a penny from it. Yes, I’d like to make money but that’s not the driving force. That’s to have acceptance of the Arc as a mainstream alternative to drug dependency and drug use.

“We’re at a tipping point now, it’s quite emotional and very exciting.

“I haven’t a clue where it’ll be this time next year – not a clue.”

21

‘This isn’t a miracle cure, nothing is, but it will work if you give it a chance.’

MY VIEW: Physiotherapist Lena Pearson-Wood ‘takes her hat off’ to ArcEquine creator  ANIMAL and human physiotherapist and

and galloped around completely sound and I

injuries and they’ve healed but also, their

livery yard owner Lena Pearson-Wood has been

thought ‘Oh. Maybe miracles happen’.

temperaments have improved, their feet have

“But the next one was similar. We started

working with Ian since 2006.

She said: “Ian arrived in my yard looking

putting it on complete no-hope situations,

got better or their tails have really grown.

“I could go on and on, it’s an astounding piece

for somewhere to keep his broken horses and

humans and animals. You name it, ligaments,

of kit. I take my hat off to Ian, he walks into the

I was hugely cynical, especially as when the

tendons, fractures, I can’t think of a case where

room and tells everyone about it, whether it’s a

bandage came off the first horse, its fetlock hit

it’s been used properly and hasn’t worked.

professor or a local man with chronic pain.

“Whereas most ways of promoting healing do

the ground.

“Six weeks later, that horse jumped out of my stable yard over a wall at least five feet high

“He’s passionate about it and so am I.”

so by increasing circulation, this is a step away

 For more information, visit

from that. We’ve had horses treated for tendon

www.arcequine.com

SMALL PACKAGE The unit in action

The treatment you urgently need - delivered by specialist consultants A range of advanced procedures for private patients There’s no need to sit at home waiting for treatment a minute longer. You can receive a wide range of treatments, including hip and knee replacement, varicose vein treatment or cataract removal, as a private patient at benenden hospital.

For many procedures you will be treated as a day care patient, but if you do need an overnight stay, you will stay in a comfortable, well equipped single private room.

We offer specialist treatment and care Why Benenden? We’re well established as a centre of excellence for a range of procedures as we perform thousands of surgical treatments every year. Our safety record is second to none. Our facilities are modern and

comfortable. Our staff are friendly and welcoming.

And, however you choose to travel, we’re easy to find.

You’re in safe, expert hands for a variety of treatments including: • Orthopaedics – such as hip and knee replacement

• ENT Surgery

• Cataract removal

• Paediatrics

• Varicose vein removal • Hernia repair

• Gynaecology • Physiotherapy • Urology

As we’re not-for-profit, we can offer highly competitive rates too.

For more information or to book a consultation call 01580 242 521 (quote TTW) or visit us online at www.benendenhospital.org.uk The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England, number 3454120. Registered charity number 1065995. Registered office, The Benenden Hospital Trust, Goddard’s Green Road, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4AX

Ask your GP to refer you

Wednesday 8th April 2015

22 � FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Feed your inner self How can the food you eat affect your internal health? We meet Tunbridge Wells nutritional therapist Claudia Williamson to find out…

• By Charlie Bond TEN years ago, if you’d gone into a restaurant and asked for a gluten-free pizza base, or been shopping and asked where the quinoa was, you’d probably have been met with a blank stare. Now though, things are different.

It’s become normal, even fashionable, to cut foodstuffs out of your diet, and restaurants and shops are catering for the masses of people who suffer from food intolerances and allergies.

The trouble is, pinpointing what those intolerances and allergies are can be half the battle. That’s where someone like Claudia Williamson, 50, comes in. As a nutritional therapist, she’s trained to help clients understand what’s going on inside their bodies and how they can eliminate the problems they’re suffering with.

Claudia’s interest in nutrition came when her daughter was three. Rather than being a happy, energetic child, she was lethargic and didn’t want to eat. After numerous GP trips and hospital tests, the family only got their answers when visiting a cranial osteopath, who diagnosed her with a wheat intolerance.

“Within three days she was a different child,” says Claudia. “I began to realise that doctors don’t know everything and that a lot of illnesses don’t need medication, just a lifestyle change.”

In 2007 Claudia decided to train as a nutritional therapist, opening her clinic in Tunbridge Wells after she graduated. Now she helps those who are struggling to get answers about their ailments elsewhere.

“I tend to help people who are often desperate,” she explains. “They’ve been to a GP or specialist and are still no better because nobody seems to be able to help them.”

Today, I’m one of Claudia’s clients, discovering what the process of going to see a nutritional therapist entails. Having suffered with IBS for a decade, I’m keen to see whether she has an alternative solution

to my problems, because despite many visits to the doctor over the years, none of these appointments have been fruitful.

A few days before my appointment, I’m asked to return some forms to Claudia, including a questionnaire about my health and a food diary, detailing what I’ve consumed over three days the previous week. Claudia begins the consultation by telling me that as far as she’s concerned, IBS doesn’t exist.

“It’s just a title for a cluster of symptoms,” she says. “If you find the cause and treat it you can sort out the symptoms – but don’t treat the symptom.”

Claudia discusses the boxes I’ve ticked on the questionnaire, asking me about the things I’ve mentioned, such as the fact I have poor circulation and my stomach complaints. She asks me to go into detail about my symptoms, making notes as she goes along. She talks to me about the type of stresses I’m under, about my skin and nails and my exercise routine too, as well as looking at my sleep pattern and noting that although I’ve said I sleep well, I’m actually not getting much sleep.

Once we’ve discussed the questionnaire, we move on to my food diary. On it, I’ve included what I ate and drank during two work days and one at the weekend. The first thing Claudia comments on is my breakfast choices, or lack of. I find I’m often in a rush in the morning so grab a cereal bar to eat on the way to work, or at weekends I tend to go without.

“You need to do something about breakfast – your body will view this as a stressor,” Claudia advises.

Next, we look at the rest of my meal choices, from lunch and dinner to snacks during the day. Lunch is usually something like a bagel, and dinner on the week I’ve chosen to focus on is fajitas, pasta and a burger. I’ve also written down snacks, which tend to be a biscuit if I’m feeling peckish in the afternoons.

For a while I’ve wondered whether I’m intolerant to dairy, but once we’ve gone

through my food diary, Claudia throws another idea into the mix – gluten.

“You don’t have that much dairy in your diet, so I would suggest it might be something else as well. You do eat a lot of gluten, and a breakfast, lunch and supper that’s wheat or gluten-based isn’t ideal because it’s quite an irritant.”

Claudia suggests it might be worth me cutting dairy and gluten out of my diet for a couple of weeks to see whether it makes a difference. She then explains how the gut works, and how my IBS could be caused by malabsorption, leaving food to ferment in my gut, which indicates a lack of ability to digest carbohydrates. She also says I could have ‘leaky gut’ which is where irritant foods inflame my gut wall and pass through into the bloodstream.

I mention that large meals often leave me

feeling unwell, and Claudia explains that I could be producing too little stomach acid, so I’m unable to digest large quantities of food.

“This isn’t just a harmless thing going on, this is a poison to your body and if you’re not finishing off digestion properly it leaves behind all kinds of nasty metabolites,” she explains.

Before I leave, Claudia gives me lists of dairy and gluten-free foods, as well as advice about my snacking (nuts and seeds instead of biscuits) and breakfast (smoothies rather than cereal bars). She advises I try a gluten and dairy-free diet for two weeks to see if I notice a difference, and gives me a symptom tracker to work out how I feel after certain foods.

I leave, wishing I hadn’t already made my lunchtime bagel and interested to see whether eliminating foods will make a difference to how I feel.

‘This isn’t just a harmless thing going on, this is a poison to your body and if you’re not finishing off digestion properly it leaves behind all kinds of nasty metabolites’ Wednesday 8th April 2015

MOVE

THE TOWN’S NEW PROPERTY GUIDE – A MUST READ FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BUY, LET OR SELL IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WITH THE

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

BUCKHURST LODGE

STEP inside this stunning French-inspired house in a commanding elevated position. Buckhurst Lodge is just one of the range of high-quality homes for sale and to let featured in the following pages.

See page 25 for full details.

Wednesday 1st April 2015

24 � PROPERTY

Wonderful views are among the charms of Bidborough house

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

In my view…

Nick Butler, MRICS Partner/head of residential surveys and valuations, Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells

Here’s where we take a look at what’s happening in the property market.

This week, we hear from Nick Butler at Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells.

THE residential ‘buy to let’ market is booming, but it is easy to make mistakes when buying an investment property. It is essential to know its condition in order to achieve the best rental return. There is little point purchasing a property and expecting a good income, only to spend the money on unexpected repairs.

There may also be work required to maximise the rental income and to avoid complaints from tenants about defects such as damp, condensation, leaking roofs, faulty heating systems etc. Rental properties need to be well presented, tastefully decorated and in good condition.

The most common cause of tenants refusing to pay rent is serious damp and condensation, which is often found in older properties.

When we carry out a survey on an investment property, we provide a report on the rental value and any recommendations to maximise the income.

We have ten chartered surveyors, seven of whom specialise in the survey and valuation of residential property in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Crowborough and surrounding villages.

Bracketts can tailor-make a survey to suit your needs, the most popular being a building overview; improvements and alterations report and market/rental valuation. For more detailed reports on condition, there are the homebuyer survey and the building survey.

If the property needs work, we have an excellent group of builders, plumbers, electricians and decorators who will carry out the work on time and to budget.

Please call the survey team at Bracketts and we can tailor-make a survey to suit your requirements.

AT A GLANCE Property: Realm Park, detached country house Location: Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3 plus shower room & WC Land: About 9.85 acres Extras: Cinema/playroom, wine cellar, two-bedroom log cabin, all-weather tennis court, outdoor heated swimming pool, summerhouse, patio, hot tub, ménage, stable block, paddocks, pond, garaging for two cars, open barn for two cars, electric gates, sunken garden, terrace Best bits: Relaxing in the grounds at Realm Park is a real joy, thanks to the attractive sunken garden with its central fountain and pathways. A heated swimming pool, summerhouse and hot tub are located to the east of the house, with the adjacent tennis court. Other delightful features include a stone bridge leading to a pond to the north.

Price: £2.25million For full details contact Knight Frank 01892 515 035 www.knightfrank.co.uk

Wednesday 8th April 2015

BENEFITING from a private and elevated position, Realm Park is an impressive family home that offers far-reaching views and wellarranged, versatile accommodation. In the beautiful grounds extra living space is available in the log cabin, which has two bedrooms, a shower room, a kitchen/living room and separate access. Plus, the playroom/cinema room on the ground floor of the main house could be used as a self-contained flat for staff or relatives.

A wood burning stove adds extra charm to the entrance hall and there’s another in the dining room. The drawing room is a fantastic space for entertaining, boasting an open fireplace, exposed beams and doors to the terrace; like the other reception rooms, this room also offers delightful views.

A vaulted ceiling, slate flooring and double doors to the terrace are among the highlights of the striking kitchen/breakfast room. The rest of the ground floor accommodation comprises a sitting room, study, shower room, utility room, wine cellar and cloakroom.

Views of the garden can be enjoyed from the five bedrooms, four of which are on the first floor. The master bedroom has the use of an en suite bathroom, while a family bathroom serves the other residents.

The fifth bedroom, with en suite bathroom, is on the second floor.

Equestrians will delight in the stables, paddocks and ménage, plus there’s plenty of garaging and off-road parking for those who enjoy their cars.

01892 533733 bracketts.co.uk IN ASSOCIATION WITH

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

PROPERTY �

25

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AT A GLANCE Property: Buckhurst Lodge French-inspired period home renovated to a very high standard Location: Best Beech Hill, Wadhurst Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3 plus bath/shower rooms & WCs Land: 3.92 acres Extras: Three superb reception rooms, Kitchen/breakfast room, Library, Study, Utility, Master suite with sitting room plus two dressing rooms and two en-suite bath/ shower rooms, Guest suite with dressing area, en-suite and access to loft room, Three further bedrooms, two en-suite, Family bathroom Best bits: Almost 6,000sq ft of accommodation, Bi-fold doors, Zoned heating, Natural swimming pool,Large detached garage, Extensive grounds, Lake and pond, Shepherd’s hut, Tennis court, Croquet lawn, Stables with two pony boxes and a small paddock Price: £3million For full details contact Savills 01892 507000 www.savills.co.uk

A stunning French-inspired house in a commanding elevated position setting DESIGNED and built by former consular officer Hubert Caliste de Jacobi du Vallon in the 1930s, Buckhurst Lodge is set in an elevated position overlooking its sweeping grounds to the south.

Following extensive renovations which have created an impressive modern family home, it is now ready for the next chapter in its story.

With every modern convenience imaginable but at the same time maintaining the original character and charm of the property, Buckhurst Lodge is light, bright and beautifully presented, with nearly 6,000sq ft of accommodation in all.

As well as offering adaptable reception rooms, it has triple-aspect, full height bi-fold doors which span the southern side of the property, allowing the ground floor to flood with natural light and bringing the magnificent views into the home.

Features to note include engineered oak, limestone and porcelain flooring throughout, as well as zoned heating, LED lighting and surround sound to the ground floor. Outside there is a superb natural swimming pool, a

stable block, tennis court and much more.

The house is situated on the fringes of the pretty village of Wadhurst in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is accessed via a long driveway which sets the property well back from the road. The ground floor comprises an entrance porch and hall, a drawing/music room, a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen/breakfast room, a library, study, lobby, utility room and two cloakrooms.

The kitchen is of a particularly high standard and features bespoke, hand-painted cupboards and drawers with granite work surfaces, a large central island with bar stool seating, a four-oven Aga and a walk-in larder with open shelving and wine racks.

Three of the reception rooms – the sitting room, dining room and the impressive drawing/music room with its central brick fireplace – face to the south. The library, which is comprehensively fitted with book shelves, and the study are more private areas, accessed through the sitting room.

On the first floor there is a master bedroom with a triple aspect and incredible views. With its own adjoining sitting room and two fully fitted dressing rooms, each with an en-suite, it provides a show-stopping master suite.

On the opposite side of the house a generous guest suite also boasts a dressing area and an en-suite shower room, as well as a staircase which leads to an attic area above. Three further bedrooms, two of which have en-suite facilities, and a family bathroom complete the fabulous accommodation.

The grounds surrounding the property, totalling 3.92 acres, enjoy a high degree of privacy, with landscaping currently in progress. Sweeping lawns stretch down from an Indian sandstone terrace which flanks the rear elevation and merges into the house through the bi-fold doors from the reception rooms. Stone steps lead down to a lower area on the southern side of the property with a fire-pit and seating area. The intention is to create a wildlife area nearby with a lake, a wild

flower meadow and bog garden. There is also a delightful shepherd’s hut with a raised oak deck terrace. Offering a place to quietly enjoy the lovely views, it would be ideal as a studio, with electric supply connected.

Other features outside include a walled kitchen garden with raised beds, an enclosed all-weather tennis court, a wooden stable block with two pony boxes and a small paddock to the front, a large detached garage with a storage area above and of course the swimming pool.

Within easy reach of the kitchen/breakfast room, this is an intriguing feature of the property. Requiring no chemicals, the water is filtered through a stone and reed bed which warms and cleanses the water. The result is attractive and eco-friendly focal point which gives pleasure year round.

This extraordinary home is one of a kind and although it certainly makes a statement, it has been designed to interact and blend with its surrounding environment.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

26 � PROPERTY

A substantial portion of an elegant period house with separate cottage in the deal

SAYERS House, at the top of Frant Road in Tunbridge Wells, offers generous family accommodation arranged over four floors as well as a separate detached cottage which could be used as an annexe or home office. Bursting with period features such as high ceilings, deep recessed windows and working fireplaces, this bright and comfortable family home is beautifully presented.

An impressive L-shaped entrance hall, leading to an attractive staircase, makes an excellent first impression on entering the house. With doors through to a comfortable double-aspect drawing room with wooden floors, open brick fireplace and bespoke cabinets and bookshelves, and also to a utility room and cloakroom at the front of the property, the rear portion

comprises a vast, interconnecting kitchen/breakfast room and dining room. The kitchen features granite work surfaces, painted wood cupboards and cabinets by Smallbone of Devizes, a Belfast sink and a useful island. It is open-plan at one end to the dining room with its wood floors, wood-burning stove and French doors to the rear garden.

The cellar has been converted to a games and cinema room, with stairs down from the hall. It also benefits from its own door to the garden.

Meanwhile, another flight of stairs leads to the top two floors of this spacious building. On the first floor there is a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a magnificent guest bedroom, another double bedroom, a single room which could easily be used

a study and a family bathroom.

The second floor offers two more double bedrooms and a shower room with a door through to a useful attic storage room.

Outside there is a detached cottage in the garden with open-plan sitting/ dining room/kitchenette and separate shower room, and a mezzanine level bedroom. Although it is rented out until May, at £695 per month, it could be easily converted to provide an annexe, guest accommodation or a home office.

To the front of the property, a long gravelled driveway provides plenty of parking and the landscaped rear garden features a large brick patio, screened and enclosed by Hornbeam trellis, and beyond it a lawn with a concealed play area and a garden shed.

AT A GLANCE SAYERS HOUSE, 62A FRANT ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS Substantial portion of period property

Three further bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first floor

Arranged over four floors

Two bedrooms on the second floor

With detached annexe/cottage (currently rented out)

Shower room Access to eaves storage

Drawing room

Gravel driveway providing parking for numerous cars

Utility room Cloakroom Kitchen/breakfast room Open plan to dining room Cellar games room Master bedroom with en-suite

Landscaped rear garden £1,100,000 For sale through Sumner Pridham: 01892 516615 www.sumnerpridham.co.uk

Red-bricked terrace near The Pantiles perfect for a family AT A GLANCE 5 GRECIAN ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS Attractive family home Arranged over four floors with flexible accommodation Lower ground floor open plan kitchen with dining/family area Two cloakrooms Sitting room Study Two bedrooms Family bathroom Further attic bedroom Courtyard garden £550,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff: 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday 8th April 2015

THIS pretty family home, set in the village part of Tunbridge Wells and close to The Grove and The Pantiles, has more to offer than just good looks. Arranged over four floors, it is versatile, spacious and well presented.

Approached from the pavement via a flight of stairs up to the ground floor, the unusual layout lends itself to different uses, with reception rooms on two floors. The entrance hall has staircases going both up and down.

The lower ground floor has been thoughtfully converted into an openplan kitchen and dining/family room with a cloakroom. Large windows provide lots of light and a door gives access to the rear courtyard garden.

There is an attractive slate floor and the kitchen has a range of creamcoloured units, granite work surfaces and space for all the large appliances,

including a range-style cooker. The dining/sitting area has a feature fireplace and storage cupboards.

Upstairs, the primary sitting room has a window to the front, a pretty Victorian open fireplace and a door through to a study with an ornamental fireplace and window to the rear. Heading up the stairs there is a half landing with another WC. The first floor provides two bedrooms and a family bathroom while another flight of stairs leads to the second floor with its good size double bedroom, which is currently being used as an office, and access to useful eaves storage.

To the rear of the house is a walled and fenced courtyard garden with a flight of brick steps leading to a paved area and part decked terrace with storage under and a rear gate to a twitten.

PROPERTY �

Estate lodge set in mature grounds yours for £700,000

OAKLEY Lodge is a former entrance lodge in one of the private drives off Pembury Road and benefits from open views across part of the Oakley School grounds. Arranged over a single storey and offering spacious and flexible accommodation, this detached home has a peaceful and secluded feel.

The Georgian property is approached through a set of large iron gates and has a generous, brick-paved parking and turning area with space for several cars. Outside there is a detached double garage with a pitched slate roof and space for a workshop area.

An arched entrance porch leads into an entrance hall, opening to the first of the three

AT A GLANCE Cart Lodge, Mount Pleasant, Lamberhurst Unusual Grade II listed conversion Mostly arranged on one level Equestrian facilities Period features Contemporary design Stunning kitchen/breakfast room Sitting room Dining room Master bedroom with stairs to first floor bathroom Three further double bedrooms Modern wet room Large integral garage Old stable block now used for storage and utility room Newly built stable block Paddock and field shelter Woodland play area Further west-facing field Six acres Offers over £900,000 For sale through Jackson-Stops & Staff 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

bedrooms and into a large open-plan sitting/ dining room with a kitchen area. A light and generously proportioned room which offers several possible layout options, it features a wood-burning stove, full height double-glazed windows, French doors to the patio at the rear and a double width opening to the bright and sunny conservatory to the side. A converted bell tower in the centre of the ceiling now provides extra natural light, with porthole windows to all four sides, and acts as a lantern skylight.

The fitted kitchen has a range of cupboards and granite work surfaces incorporating a deep butler’s sink and space for all appliances. It opens into a large conservatory with triple aspect and

a clear roof which really brings light into the space and gives stunning, far-reaching views from inside the house. With underfloor heating and terracotta tiled flooring, this is a large and comfortable room which the current owners use as a breakfast area and second lounge.

The master bedroom has views to the rear of the property and an en-suite bathroom with a door through to a dressing room which could also be used as a study. With French doors to the garden, it is currently fitted with a range of shelving and mirrored wardrobes. The third bedroom is double-aspect with windows to the side and front and there is a separate family shower room.

The gardens, surrounding the property,

27

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AT A GLANCE Oakley Lodge, Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells Former entrance lodge to an estate Secluded setting on a private drive Arranged over a single storey Open views across attractive school grounds Detached double garage Lovely light living/dining room Opening into a bright conservatory Fitted kitchen Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and study/dressing room Two further bedrooms Family shower room Attractive gardens £700,000 For sale through Brooks Peacock 01892 531199 www.brookspeacock.com comprise sweeping lawns with shrub borders, including a beautiful mature magnolia. With a pleasant paved arbour draped with climbing plants providing the perfect place for dining al fresco, and a paved patio at the rear of the house, the garden lends itself to outdoor entertaining in the stunning surroundings of this secluded and characterful property.

A fascinating listed conversion blending period charm with contemporary style UNUSUAL, stylish and with Grade II listed status, Cart Lodge near Lamberhurst is a real discovery.

Situated in a small hamlet in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and with views across the Teise Valley, this rural retreat is one of a kind.

Once part of Mount Pleasant Farm, little more than a mile from the centre of the village, the property is listed as a building of architectural or historical interest and is of brick and weather-boarded elevation under a slate and tiled roof, with the original stable building extended by the present owners to create a modern family home. Along with its extensive equestrian facilities and outbuildings, it extends to about six acres in all.

Mostly laid out on a single level, a heavy oak door leads into the reception hall with high vaulted beamed ceiling and oak plank flooring, features which continue through much of the house.

This leads through an archway to a

sitting room with two pairs of French doors, a log-burning stove and stairs to the stunning kitchen/breakfast room.

A real focal point in this house, the kitchen is bright and contemporary, with flagstone floor and vaulted beamed ceiling. There is an extensive range of grey painted units under black granite work surfaces, fully integrated equipment including a dishwasher, wine cooler, microwave, coffee maker and a Smeg range oven, and a large island unit with breakfast bar. Two sets of French doors open to the rear courtyard terrace. Another broad archway leads to a dining room.

Doors from the kitchen and dining room open into a lobby from which there are steps to the master bedroom, featuring French doors to the front of the property. Another flight of stairs in the lobby leads up to the bathroom.

Three further good size bedrooms and a contemporary wet room can be found on the other side of the house.

Outside, the property is approached via a shared driveway leading to a private gravelled parking and turning area in front of the large integral garage. To the front there is a twin-track driveway flanked by lawns and trees, affording a wonderful view of the Teise Valley and tributary of the River Medway.

Immediately in front of the house is a terrace and to the back, a courtyard terrace with slate tiling on two levels which provides a lovely area for entertaining.

There is a detached former stable block which is now divided into a

secure storage room, a former loose box used for storage and a feed store now used as a utility room. Further down the driveway is the stable yard with a gravelled parking area and modern stable block. The space has a central way and six loose boxes.

Alongside the stables is an area of woodland in which the current owners have created a wonderful children’s play area and the drive continues to a small paddock with fenced-off dog run and field shelter. A further field is accessed via a small track and a stream boundary at the bottom of the valley.

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Wednesday 8th April 2015

Launching 11 th & th am pm 12 April 10 - 4 by a p p oi n tm e n t on ly

A Select Development of 3 and 4 Bedroom Luxury Homes

St James Court is a collection of three and four bedroom homes set within a private courtyard in the sought after town of Royal Tunbridge Wells.

• Allocated private parking • Landscaped rear private gardens • Custom designed German kitchens with integrated appliances • 10 year LABC warranty • Great transport links • Prices from £475,000

Register your interest now!

01892 507005 savills.co.uk tunbridgewellsrds@savills.com

Computer generated image

www.purelake.co.uk

STATION ROAD, AYLESFORD, ME20 7JH

You are invited TO OUR

LAUNCH WEEKEND STAMP DUT Y PLUS LEGAL FEES UP TO £1,000 PAID ON THE

FIRST 8 HOUSES NOW AVAIL ABLE Saturday 18th April: By appointment only and Sunday 19th April: Open House.

A brand new development of four and five bedroom houses which offers a new way of living, with the countryside on your doorstep and easy access to the city.

4 BED HOUSES FROM £395,0 0 0

V I S I T: W W W. A S H L I N Q UA RT E R . C O M / K E N T TEL: 01622 790 090

EMAIL: INFO@ASHLINQUARTER.COM

MARKETING SUITE/SHOW HOUSE OPENING HOURS, 10AM – 5PM, 7 DAYS A WEEK Prices are correct at time of going to press. Computer Generated Imagery is for illustrative purposes only. Interior pictures are of the show house at Ashlin Quarter, the Blackwell and furnishings are not included.

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XU

01892 507050 tunbridgewells@savills.com

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

BRENCHLEY, kent

MAYFIELD, east sussex

Grade 2 listed mid terrace house ø kitchen/dining room ø 2/3 bedrooms ø shower room ø bathroom ø sitting room ø small garden ø open bay garage ø EPC exempt £1,500 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

Mayfield Grange development ø 2 bedroom apartment ø drawing room ø 2 en suite bathrooms ø landscaped grounds ø 2 allocated car spaces ø EPC rating = D £1,950 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

MAYFIELD, east sussex

HARTFIELD, east sussex

5 bedrooms ø drawing room ø dining room ø sitting room ø kitchen/breakfast room ø detached triple garage ø 2 bedroom annexe above garage ø EPC rating = F £4,250 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

Kitchen/breakfast room ø master bedroom suite with his and hers dressing rooms ø 4 further bedrooms ø triple garage ø direct access to ashdown forest ø EPC rating = C £5,000 pcm + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply*

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

Contact: Katrin Olander

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

Renting or letting this spring? Talk to Savills.

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XU

01892 507000 tunbridgewells@savills.com

savills.co.uk

Open House by appointment saturday 18 april TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent Station 0.5 miles ø town centre 0.25 miles ø within Tunbridge Wells Conservation Area ø rare opportunity ø accommodation over 4 floors ø currently arranged as a 3 bed maisonette and two 2 bed flats ø enclosed rear garden ø driveway parking ø about 0.22 acres ø 3,909 sq ft overall ø EPC maisonette=E, Flat 1=C, Top Floor Flat=E

Guide £1.25 million Freehold

Contact: Amanda Wyatt

Open House by appointment saturday 11 april TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent

TUNBRIDGE WELLS, kent

PP to create a 5 bed house ø Grade II listed with character features ø town centre and MLS within 0.25 miles ø South facing rear garden ø forecourt parking ø 2,708 sq ft ø EPC exempt

Town centre and station within 1 mile ø opposite Dunorlan Park ø 1 reception room ø 4 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø garden ø integral double garage ø 1,334 sq ft ø EPC=D

Guide £925,000 Freehold

Guide £550,000 Freehold

Contact: Liz Devall

Buying or selling this spring? Talk to Savills.

Amanda Wyatt Negotiator 01892 507009 acwyatt@savills.com

Liz Devall Negotiator 01892 507060 ldevall@savills.com

Charlotte MelroseCantouris Negotiator 01892 507001 cmcantouris@savills.com

Contact: Charlotte Melrose-Cantouris

With 600 offices globally, we put your property within the world’s reach.

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XU 01892 507000 tunbridgewells@savills.com

Savills Sevenoaks 74 High Street Sevenoaks TN13 1JR 01732 789700 sevenoaks@savills.com

Savills Cranbrook 53-55 High Street Cranbrook TN17 3EE 01580 720161 cranbrook@savills.com

Move than you’re looking for. savills.co.uk

PROPERTY �

33

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Fine country house offers special lifestyle that’s just perfect for entertaining AT A GLANCE Property: Crowbourne Grange, Georgian detached house Location: Goudhurst, Kent Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3 plus 2 shower rooms & WC Land: 3 acres, plus up to 30 acres available by separate negotiation Extras: English Heritage complex with two-bedroom cottage, garaging, tennis court, paddock, manicured gardens, apple orchards, Cranbrook School catchment area Best bits: The beautiful grounds are an outstanding element of Crowbourne Grange – not only can you admire stunning views towards Horsmonden Church and the surrounding countryside, you can also enjoy a game on the tennis court and there’s space to install a swimming pool if you wish.

Guide price: £2.5million For full details contact Country Property 01580 211 888 www.countrypropertygroup.com

FROM the moment you arrive at Crowbourne Grange, you’ll be stunned by the spectacular views and this unique masterpiece of a house.

Crowbourne Grange was built during the Georgian era and was completely remodelled and extended at the turn of this century, to create a magical family home in a truly magnificent pastoral setting.

The current owners, Stephen and Vanessa Gibson, have commissioned architect Stephen Langer to draw up

designs to change the façade into a classical Georgian country house.

These plans are available but at this juncture, if the buyer so wished, the designs could be tailored to fulfil their own dreams.

On the ground floor, the entrance hall gives access to the kitchen/ breakfast room, which is spacious, beautifully presented by Bespoke Kitchens of Goudhurst and has large folding doors to the garden. This in turn opens to the contemporary

High class period property in the High Weald

dining and family room. Retrace your steps to the hall and you’ll find a drawing room, further dining room, double aspect sitting room, laundry room and an office/games room with lots of hidden storage space.

Upstairs, all five bedrooms boast en suite bath or shower rooms and two of the bedrooms have mezzanine levels.

Beautiful views can be enjoyed from all the bedroom windows and there’s plenty of built-in storage, plus there’s also a playroom on this floor.

AT A GLANCE Property: Hawksden Lodge, 17th century detached cottage Location: Witherenden Road, Mayfield, East Sussex Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 plus shower room Land: About 0.92 acre Extras: Double garage, barn with workshop and stores, large terrace, vegetable garden, pond

JUST a short drive from the attractive village of Mayfield lies Hawksden Lodge, an exceptionally charming 17th century cottage. Being in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty means this home offers a splendid outlook over its own secluded ground and the countryside beyond..

Stepping through the oak front

door, you’ll find a lobby giving access to the double aspect drawing room on one side and sitting room on the other; this room has a glazed door opening to the generous brick and flagstone terrace. Beyond the drawing room is the traditional style kitchen, with its red brick floor, electric two-oven night storage Aga and secondary staircase to the master

bedroom. An archway opens to the adjacent breakfast room, which also has a door to the terrace.

Upstairs, the master bedroom benefits from views over the front garden and an en suite shower room. There is a currently disused connecting door to the neighbouring bedroom, which is double aspect and has an inglenook fireplace fitted

with a wood burner. In the attractive family bathroom there’s a freestanding roll top bath and separate shower cubicle.

Outside, the terrace is a real asset, providing the ideal place for alfresco entertaining and enjoying views of the garden. The rear garden backs onto woodland and there’s a section of pond towards the southern boundary.

Best bits: Dating from the 1600s, this Grade II listed cottage is packed with charming period features that make this home feel like a piece of living history.

The drawing room and one of the bedrooms have inglenook fireplaces and other features include exposed oak beams, oak framed leaded light windows, droplatch doors and vaulted ceilings in the bedrooms.

Price: £835,000 For full details contact: Savills 01892 507 000 www.savills.com

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Old Heathfield An immaculate manor house in a beautiful rural setting Reception hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen / breakfast room, 2 studies, boot room, utility room, butler’s pantry, cellar. Master bedroom suite with dressing room, 4 en suite bedrooms, 4 further bedrooms, 3 further bathrooms. Swimming pool and gym. A range of outbuildings. Stunning gardens. Beautiful views. EPC rating D. In all just over 13 acres. Further land and cottages available by separate negotiation.

Guide price: ÂŁ3,000,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/CHO140066

Langton Road, Tunbridge Wells An impressive and distinctive town house, beautifully presented Entrance hall, cloakroom, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, drawing room, dining room. Master bedroom with en suite dressing room, large loft bedroom / studio, 2 further bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, shower room. Landscaped south facing private gardens. Garage.

EPC rating F. In all about 0.5 acres.

To find out how we can help you please contact us KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells tunwells@knightfrank.com 01892 310269

@KF_TWells KnightFrank.co.uk Guide price: ÂŁ1,495,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/TNW120201

36 � INTERIORS

Finishing touches SO YOU’VE got the keys to that dream property and are ready to make it your new home. Now that you’re all moved in, the fun can really start as you begin adding those personal flourishes. To give you some inspiration, here are some fabulous products that will make those interiors sparkle.

Tukang Vintage Sideboard – Green £399 www.puji.com

Monaco Ottoman Open £379 www.time4sleep.co.uk

Gold Gilt Emmanuel Bedroom Chair £326 www.sweetpeaandwillow.com

Polygon Squat Pendant £99 www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

Artisan Multi Drawer Chest £795 www.puji.com

Tang Console Table in Black £295 www.lukuhome.com

Valencia Two Seater Linen £1,485 www.one.world

Robot SMF01RDEU £402.51 www.smeg.fr/revendeurs

Triptych Arched Distressed Table Mirror £45 www.thefarthing.co.uk

Rustic 11 Bottle Wine Rack £38 www.in-spaces.com

DALSTON DINING FURNITURE Dalston Dining Table £995 Dalston Industrial Dresser £2,195 www.sweetpeaandwillow.com

Grille-pain TSF02BLEU £124.35 www.smeg.fr/revendeurs

Bouilloire KLF01PKEU £102.40 www.smeg.fr/revendeurs

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Woodcroft Railing Side Table £987.50 www.one.world

Cooke & Lewis High Gloss Aubergine Curved Pan Drawer £115 www.diy.com/cooke-and-lewis

PUBLIC NOTICE

Tonbridge

Wood & Pilcher are now in receipt of an offer for the sum of £305,000 for Apartment 10, Grove Hill House, 21-27 Grove Hill Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1SA. Anyone wishing to place an offer on this property should contact Wood & Pilcher, 23 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1UT, 01892 511211, before exchange contracts.

• 2 Bedrooms • En-Suite Shower Room • Secure Allocated Parking

Tunbridge Wells • 3 Bed Semi Detached • Popular St Johns Location • Private Rear Garden

Tunbridge Wells • One Bedroom Garden Flat • Sought After Location • Spacious Sitting/Dining Room

£229,950

Tunbridge Wells • 4 Bedrooms • 2 Reception Rooms • 2 Bathrooms • Good Sized Rear Garden

• Cash Buyers Only • Detached 3 Bed Bungalow • In Need of Complete Refurbishment

Tunbridge Wells • Link Detached House • 4 Bedrooms • Good Family Sized Accommodation • Popular St James’ Location

£360,000 • Wood Burner to Lounge • On Street Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: D

• No Onward Chain • Off Road Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Southborough

£415,000 • Gentle Modernisation Required • No Onward Chain • Garage & Off Road Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: E

Southborough

£950 PCM • Close To Town & Station • Energy Efficiency Rating: D • Agent’s Fees Apply

£1,800 PCM • Close To Mainline Station • Popular Location • Energy Efficiency Rating: C • Agent’s Fees Apply

£350,000 • No Onward Chain • Off Road Parking & Garage • Energy Efficiency Rating: D

£345,000

• Semi Detached House • Well Presented Throughout • 2 Double Bedrooms, 1 Single • Garage En Bloc • Generous Lounge/Dining Room • Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Tonbridge • 3 Bedrooms • Brand New Home • En-Suite Shower Room • Decked Rear Garden

£1,550 PCM • River Views • Close To Town & Station • Energy Efficiency Rating: B • Agent’s Fees Apply

woodandpilcher.co.uk Tunbridge Wells Office 01892 511211 tunbridgewells@woodandpilcher.co.uk Letting & Management 01892 528888 lettings@woodandpilcher.com Southborough Office 01892 511311 southborough@woodandpilcher.co.uk OTHER OFFICES Tonbridge Office 01732 351135 tonbridge@woodandpilcher.co.uk Crowborough Office 01892 665666 crowborough@woodandpilcher.co.uk Heathfield Office 01435 862211 heathfield@woodandpilcher.co.uk

Southborough • 3 Bed Semi Detached House • Beautifully Presented Interior • Stunning Kitchen Extension • Open Plan Living Space

£450,000 • Popular Cul-de-Sac Location • Generous Family Friendly Garden • On Street Parking • Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Crowborough • 4 Bedrooms • Modern Fitted Kitchen • 2 En-Suite Shower Rooms • Low Maintenance Garden

£1,400 PCM • Garage & Off Road Parking • Popular Location • Energy Efficiency Rating: B • Agent’s Fees Apply

If you’re thinking of purchasing a property to rent out to tenants, Tunbridge Wells is a great location, attracting a wealth of potential interest from professional couples and London commuters. Alexandre Boyes looks at some of the town’s main benefits and best areas to let out your home...

“What should I buy to let?” is a question that we are asked on a daily basis. Key features to consider in the Tunbridge Wells buy to let market include: SCHOOL CATCHMENTS – probably the number one reason why so many families relocate to Tunbridge Wells.

Purchasing a house within one of the school catchments, or

located within walking distance or on a bus route to one of the key schools, will protect the value and demand of your investment.

PROXIMITY TO A STATION – a huge propor tion of tenants in Tunbridge Wells relocate from London, or commute to London. Demand is highest for proper ties within walking distance of the mainline station and within a school catchment.

Budget: £1.5million Location: Boyne Park, TN4 Estimated rental value: £4,250 to £4,500 PCM

PARKING – off road parking is ideal, but, depending on the location, it can be hard to come by. Demand in the town is higher for proper ties eligible for parking permits.

FLATS/APARTMENTS – before committing, make sure that you check the length of lease, whether it is share of freehold/ leasehold, the annual service charge and balance of reserve

Key features: Walking distance of town centre and mainline station; new build with high specification interior, including cinema room; off road parking in central location Typical tenant profile: Company let or insurance relocation Family relocating from overseas

Budget: £950,000 Location: Fordcombe, TN3 Estimated rental value: £2,400 PCM

Key features: Village location with good primary school; bus route to local grammar schools; large family garden of half an acre in the ‘golden triangle’ to the west of Tunbridge Wells Typical tenant profile: Family relocating for schools and ability to commute

Budget: £250,000 to £300,000 Location: Stratford Street, TN1 Estimated rental value: £1,100 PCM Key features: St James’ school catchment area; houses are a USP in this price bracket due to lack of supply; garden Typical tenant profile: Professional couple Professional sharers

48 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 8AU Twitter: @AlexandreBoyes_ Facebook: Alexandre Boyes

www.alexandre-boyes.co.uk

01892 525522

info@alexandre-boyes.co.uk funds. Service charges and ground rents will automatically have an impact on the yield achieved, so make sure this is accounted for when budgeting your return.

Additional fees will include:

TOWN OR COUNTRY? – Price per square foot is higher on the lets that we achieve in central Tunbridge Wells than on proper ties in the surrounding villages.

The peak ‘summer’ market when family homes achieve their highest demand and rental value is May through to August, in preparation for the new school year in September. Top tip: don’t market your proper ty too early for the summer season, which is a mistake some agents make to the detriment of their clients.

TIMING – The average yield achieved on a buy to let in Tunbridge Wells is currently between 5% and 7%.

Depending on the time of year that a proper ty is marketed, the monthly rent for mid to high end proper ties can fluctuate by approximately 10%.

FEES – As a landlord, you should expect to pay between 7% and 10% for a let only ser vice, 9% to 12.5% for rent collection or 10% to 15% for full management, of the gross rent agreed for the tenancy period, all subject to VAT.

• Professional carpet cleaning

Budget: £525,000 Location: Stephens Road, TN4 Estimated rental value: £2,250 PCM

• Energy Performance Certificate • Gas Safety Certificate and any necessary works • Electrical Safety Test(s) and any necessary works • Professional cleaning of the property • Chimney sweep certificates • Rent and legal costs insurance • Professional inventory and check in

Key features: Traditional Victorian property; within catchment and walking distance of key primary and secondary schools Typical tenant profile: Family with children at local schools Relocating from London or overseas

Budget: £275,000 Location: The Pantiles, TN2 Estimated rental value: £995 PCM

Key features: Popular Pantiles location, with its boutique bars, restaurants and shops appealing to young professionals; walking distance of the mainline station; contemporary and fresh interior Typical tenant profile: Professional couple London commuters

Budget: £750,000-£800,000 Location: Arundel Road, TN1 Estimated rental value: £2,250 PCM

Key features: Walking distance of Claremont School – In 2014 we achieved £50,000 over the asking price on a property located within the catchment for Claremont Primary School; ‘Old Village’ location a short walk from the Pantiles and High Street; close to Grove Park with its playground and strong local family community Typical tenant profile: Family relocating from London or overseas; Claremont School catchment requirement; London commuter

bracl<etfs

Batcheller Monkhouse -----------------

____,ft,____ WOOD & PILCHER

BROOKS PEACOCK Town & Country Propertzes

ellis

ESTATE AGENTS & CHARTERED SURVEYORS

and co

EST 1900

Lambert & Foster PART OF THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE

~MJProperty

"Knight WFrank

savills

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Registered Office: 3rd Floor Con naught House, 1-3 Mount Street, London W1 K 3NB, England.

bracketts est. 1828

When experience counts...

Ticehurst – Guide Price: £615,000

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price: £720,000

· · · ·

· · · ·

A substantial 4 bedroom detached family house Scope for improvement/extn (subject to PP) Integral garage / good sized gardens/ quiet cul-de-sac EPC: D

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price: £515,000

· · · ·

A deceptively spacious Victorian house 3 bedrooms / 3 receptions / 2 bath/shower rooms Delightful rear garden / ORP EPC: D

Tunbridge Wells – Monthly Rental of £1,700

· · · ·

A well presented 4 bedroom town house Central position Secure gated development EPC: F

A generously proportioned detached residence 5 bedrooms / 3 receptions / 3 bath/shower rooms 50’ x 50’ enclosed rear garden Internal viewing recommended

Tunbridge Wells – Guide Price: £369,000

· · · ·

A pretty 2 bedroom end of terraced cottage Unrivalled central position Enclosed rear garden EPC: F

Tunbridge Wells – Month Rental of £2,250

· · · ·

A luxuriously appointed duplex apartment 2 receptions / 2 bedrooms / 2 en suites ORP / Overlooking The Common EPC: F

Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 tunbridgewells@bracketts.co.uk

bracketts.co.uk

42 � PROPERTY

ALL IMAGES BY PA PHOTO/THINKSTOCKPHOTOS

WARM PINK Bedroom feature wall with a mural inspired by nature

Creating a feature wall is an easy way to give the room a stunning focal point Whether you want to make a bold statement or you simply have a small space that needs to impress, Julia Gray tells us her top five tips for making your mark…

1.

You can create a feature wall in pretty much any room - chimney breasts, alcoves and walls behind beds, dining tables and sofas usually work well, but not all rooms have these obvious spots. That doesn’t mean it can’t still be an option though, you might just have to think more carefully about which is the best wall of the room to focus on - maybe you want to brighten up the darkest wall, or liven up a wall without any other inbuilt features on it.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

2.

Painted stripes look fabulous on a feature wall, but are fiddly, time-consuming and often frustrating to do properly.

You need to use low-tack masking tape for adjoining stripes - and try a tester piece of tape first, in case it’s not as low tack as it claims to be.

Alternatively, do freehand ‘rough’ stripes with a paintbrush or roller and no tape - it’s much easier, but more of an acquired taste.

3.

Wallpaper is another great way to create a feature wall - if you want stripes the easy way, buy a striped design. Feature walls enable you to enjoy patterned wallpaper without it overpowering the room or making it look too busy. You can even create a horizontal feature on all four walls by using wallpaper (or a different colour paint) between the picture rail and cornicing, between the picture rail and dado rail, or between the dado rail and skirting board.

4.

Murals are similar to wallpaper, but usually depict a scene (a beach, cityscape, mountains, etc) or a large-scale design, such as typography or a map, rather than a more conventional pattern. Unlike wallpaper, which can be hung on as many or few walls as you like, a mural is usually designed to be used on just one, feature wall.

5.

Feature walls can be practical and pretty. For example, you can have a tiled one in a bathroom or shower room, and a chalkboard one in a kitchen or playroom. Chalkboard paints are available in different colours, so your feature wall doesn’t have to be black. If you’d prefer something less permanent, how about a chalkboard sticker? Wall stickers are fantastic for feature walls because they come in lots of different designs, colours and sizes, enabling you to create a unique look.

PROPERTY �

43

PRODUCT TIP

‘You just have to think more carefully about which is the best wall of the room to focus on’

TIP

To see how to paint horizontal stripes on walls, go to www.ehow.co.uk/video_8103877_paint-horizontal-stripes-wall.html

 Wooden worktops are stunning, but it can be a challenge keeping them looking good, as they stain and warp if not protected properly. It’s vital to oil a new wooden worktop before it’s fitted and to keep oiling it in-situ to give it maximum protection. Ronseal Antibacterial Worktop Oil (£22.99 for 1ltr, Screwfix) offers more protection than most wood oils because it prevents bacterial growth and kills E. Coli and MRSA, so your worktop won’t be a breeding ground for bugs.

The oil nourishes and protects the wood, leaving a lovely natural finish - it makes untreated wood slightly darker, as any oil will, but doesn’t colour it. Apply liberally to untreated wood with a lint-free cloth, working in the direction of the grain, then wipe off any excess. Allow it to soak in completely, before applying additional coats - in good light, you can see if the oil’s still sitting on the wood and needs longer to be absorbed. The more coats you do, the quicker it is to do a coat.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

. wa ng ed ni M ai er m Riv re the

4 g st kin La rloo ve lo Al

Thinking Retirement… Think Churchill.

y

I love it here – I should have done it years ago!

A beautiful Churchill Retirement Living apartment at Waterside Lodge, means your retirement can be as peaceful or as busy as you like. You can enjoy outings and exercise – or simply relax on the riverside terrace, completely stress-free!

YOUR HOME – WITH ADDED PEACE OF MIND • Lodge Manager • Owners’ Lounge • Wellbeing Suite • Guest suite for friends and family • Riverside Terrace • 24-hour support • CCTV security entrance system • Lift to all floors

Retirement apartments for sale – find out more today.

TRUST IN US.

H O ME WINNERS 2009-2014

BRADFORD STREET, TONBRIDGE

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Choose your preferred location and post back for further information.

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£255,000

FORDCOMBE

£160,000

Three bedroom semi-detached house in need of updating. The accommodation comprises; 3 bedrooms, lounge/diner, kitchen, upstairs shower room and separate W.C. The property also benefits from double glazing, gas fired heating, brick built out-house, driveway, front and rear gardens.

EPC D - NO CHAIN.

This detached park home is situated in an elevated position on the popular Hedge Barton site (designated site for the over 50s). The property benefits from a large living room, modern kitchen, master bedroom with en-suite, second double bedroom, a modern bathroom, gas fired heating, double glazing, garden and allocated parking. Restrictions and charges apply.

RUSTHALL

RUSTHALL

£420,000

£132,500

Exceptionally well maintained detached family home in a cul de sac location in Rusthall. The accommodation comprises; 4 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, conservatory, kitchen, downstairs cloakroom, en-suite shower in master bedroom and a family bathroom. The property also benefits from warm air heating, double glazing, front and rear gardens, driveway and garage. EPC D.

1 Bedroom first floor retirement property for the over 60s with stair lift. This popular retirement development is situated in the village of Rusthall and benefits from a house manager, communal laundry room and communal gardens. Residents Parking (subject to availability) EPC Rating C.

HAWKENBURY

RUSTHALL

£429,995

3 bedroom detached house with garage in Hawkenbury, the accommodation comprises; fitted kitchen, fitted bathroom, 2 reception rooms and 3 bedrooms. The property has gas fired heating and double glazing but would benefit from some further improvements. NO CHAIN. EPC F.

www.kmjproperty.co.uk

£265,000

This semi-detached character cottage is situated in an elevated position in the popular Lower Green area of Rusthall. The accommodation comprises; two bedrooms, lounge, kitchen/diner and a downstairs bathroom. The property also benefits from gas fired heating, front and rear gardens and a parking space. EPC D - NO CHAIN.

01892 515188

sales@kmjproperty.co.uk

NO TH W E AV SO EN LD UE O UT

THE LANES

NEW PHASE - NOW RELEASED The Lanes, the next phase of contemporary homes at Knights Wood, is released for sale.

Computer generated image indicative only

This charming collection of three and four bedroom homes are set amongst tree-lined avenues, enveloped in circa 205 acres of established woodland.

Each home features the high level of specification and attention to detail that is fast becoming synonymous with this landmark development.

Register your interest now to avoid disappointment!

Prices from ÂŁ425,000. Legal fees paid on selected homes, ask for details.

CALL NOW TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST 01892 800 580 knightswood.co.uk Internal photography taken from Show Suite

by

Wednesday 8th April 2015

andrewsonline.co.uk

Addison Road, TN2

£350,000

A well presented, mid terrace family home set on the Connaught Park Development within a third of a mile of High Broom mainline station with links to London. The accommodation comprises entrance hall, living room, kitchen/dining room, three bedrooms, upstairs bathroom, downstairs WC, rear garden and allocated off road parking space.

Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Modest Corner, TN4

£450,000

Victorian semi detached house surrounded by trees on the edge of the Common in Modest Corner. With entrance hall, open plan living room/dining room/kitchen, family room which could be used as a bedroom, upstairs and downstairs bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, off road parking, double garage and garden.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

St. James Park, TN1

£570,000

Victorian 3/4 bedroom town house offering flexible accommodation over three floors in the popular St. James area comprising entrance hall, living room with feature fireplace, kitchen/breakfast room, sun room, 2 bathrooms and 1 shower room. Parking to front and garden to rear.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

Tunbridge Wells Sales 01892 515 144 tunbridgewells@andrewsonline.co.uk

Park Road, TN4

£925 pcm

Two double bedroom 2nd floor flat located near Southborough common. The apartment has been refurbished throughout including a newly fitted kitchen with new appliances including: cooker with gas hob, washing machine and fridge. The shower room has been completely refitted, there is new carpets in the bedrooms, lounge and hallway. Other features include: double glazed windows, new gas boiler, car port and well-kept communal gardens.

Energy Efficiency Rating: C

Upper Grosvenor Road, TN1

£695 pcm

One bedroom ground floor apartment located less than half a mile from High Brooms train station. Benefitting from a private entrance, the accommodation comprises entrance hall, double bedroom, bathroom with shower over the bath, living room with laminate floor and an open-plan kitchen with appliances. The property also offers communal garden, double glazed windows, gas fired central heating and allocated off road parking for one car.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Tunbridge Wells Lettings 01892 525 551 tunbridgewells.lets@andrewsonline.co.uk

Herons Way, TN2

£1,095 pcm

Three bedroom semi-detached house in the popular village of Pembury. Set in a quiet residential location, the accommodation comprises through lounge/dining room, fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms, a further single bedroom and an upstairs bathroom with shower over the bath as well as an enclosed rear garden. With the added benefits of a garage and driveway parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

Sales | Lettings | Financial Services | New Homes | Surveyors Leasehold Management | Property Management | Conveyancing

MOVING WITH THE TIMES TO PROMOTE YOUR PROPERTY CONTACT US

advertising@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779650 O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

Wednesday 8th April 2015

PROPERTY �

49

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Weave the magic with this traditional Kent timber framed 16th century house SET in stunning grounds of about six acres, Weavers Cot is a charming Grade II listed country house that exudes a sense of Kentish heritage. Four oriel windows make the frontage particularly appealing and the interior is packed with period features, from exposed beams and inglenook fireplaces to the original oak Tudor staircase.

Already a spacious home providing more than 5,000 sq ft of accommodation arranged over two floors, there’s potential to create a

self-contained area in the versatile attic rooms, currently used as a playroom/sitting room, bedroom and storage area.

On the ground floor, the attractive reception rooms – comprising a drawing room with inglenook fireplace and bay window, a triple aspect morning room also with inglenook fireplace and a dining room – offer great spaces for entertaining or relaxing.

Bespoke oak cabinets are a feature of the kitchen/breakfast room, plus you’ll find a study and

cloakroom on this level.

Upstairs, there are seven bedrooms and the master chamber has an inglenook fireplace and an en suite shower room. Two family bathrooms mean everyone can get ready in the mornings, while the balcony is a charming and unusual feature of this house. Another original staircase leads up to the attic storey.

Those who work at home will love the detached studio and the numerous outbuildings provide plenty of potential.

AT A GLANCE Property: Weavers Cot, Grade II listed country house Location: Biddenden, Kent Bedrooms: 8 Bathrooms: 2 plus shower room & WC Land: 6 acres Extras: Attic rooms, balcony, extensive outbuildings, glass house, double garage with storage area, studio with shower room, wildflower meadow, natural ponds, walled kitchen garden, irrigation system, within Cranbrook School catchment area Best bits: Landscaped over a period of 30 years, the gardens and grounds are a real highlight of Weavers Cot – from growing your own produce in the delightful walled kitchen garden, to strolling along the raised Cob Nut walk or bluebell lined woodland walk, this is a fantastic place to enjoy the nature of the Weald.

Price: £1.95million For full details contact Jackson-Stops & Staff 01580 720 000 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday 8th April 2015

50 � PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THINKING OF MOVING HOME THIS SPRING? You’ve made the decision to move, found your dream home and your offer has been accepted. Feelings of excitement and apprehension set in and all you want is the whole process to end with you safely ensconced in your new home. So what steps can you take to ensure that the process will run smoothly and costly mistakes are avoided? Well, skimping on surveys and conveyancing can cost you dearly in the long run. So here are some top tips to help your move go as smoothly as possible

5

REMEMBER TO ARRANGE BUILDING INSURANCE FROM THE DATE OF THE EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS. From exchange of contract you will be legally responsible for the structure of the property. This is often overlooked and can potentially have serious consequences. Make sure you have buildings insurance cover in place from this date.

With this being said and the potential risks of buying a home with hidden problems amounting to thousands of pounds in potential outgoings, why would you cut corners for the sake of a few pounds when the risks are so large?

For your free copy of the Kent Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home or for further advice regarding your home buying/selling experience contact our office today and speak to one of my property team on 01892 539 379 or email times@max.barford.co.uk

For a free copy of the Kent Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home or for further advice regarding your home buying/selling experience just complete and cut out this coupon and post to the address below. Alternatively call or email us today quoting reference MBRTO104 Telephone 01892 539 379 or Email times@maxbarford.co.uk

E ID EERS GU FRE MOVE

2

DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE HAPPY TO RELY ON THE MORTGAGE LENDER’S VALUATION OR DO YOU REQUIRE A FULL SURVEY. A lender’s valuation is an assessment carried out by and for the benefit of the lender in order to check that the property presents adequate security for its loan should you default and the property has to be sold. However, it does not report on actual faults in the property. For many, a Home Buyer’s Report, which will expose problems such as damp, dry rot and subsidence, is adequate but if you are buying an older house or unusual home a full structural survey will be a wise investment.

You wouldn’t buy a car without the knowledge of a service history, so why would you run this financial risk when buying a house?

You wouldn’t buy a car without the knowledge of a service history, so why would you run this financial risk when buying a house?

options available in order to try to resolve the issue.

M

1

GET YOUR MORTGAGE AGREED FIRST Although borrowing from banks and building societies has improved recently, it is not a given. So to avoid disappointment, check you can get the mortgage you need before starting the process. You can get a mortgage agreement in principle secured first, but remember that this is an indication and not a legal agreement.

you are instructing and that the firm is registered with a regulatory body such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

There are bogus law firms out there who will take your money and then close up shop which means you lose the money and your dream home. That is why it is essential that you get the advice and guidance you need every step of the way from a known reputable law firm. They are there to help you avoid the pitfalls of what can be a murky area.

The cheapest option may not always prove to be the best. Remember, this may well be the biggest purchase you’ll make and you want to be sure that you know what you are buying. You should be able to contact your conveyancer and fully understand what is happening at each step of the move. If you are not sure, ask! One further point to bear in mind is that your conveyancer will not visit the property themselves, so should there be something you feel uncertain about bring it to their attention and they will provide you with the

HO

• By Deborah Miller

Name Address

Tel.No Email Max Barford & Co 16 Mount Pleasant Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QU www.maxbarford.co.uk

3

REMEMBER TO FACTOR IN THE TRUE COST OF MOVING. Mortgage arrangement fees, survey fees, legal costs and removal costs are all substantial costs of moving. However, the often overlooked but most expensive cost is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) which varies dependent on the value of the property purchased. If you purchase a property above £125,000 SDLT becomes payable. Recent changes to SDLT have been introduced to try to make the tax fairer. Under the old regime the SDLT percentage rates increased at various thresholds. Under the old rules SDLT was payable at a single rate on the whole transaction value. From 4 December 2014, SDLT is payable on a sliding scale depending on the portion of the purchase price that falls within each rate band.

Where contracts have been exchanged on or before 3 December 2014, and the transaction is completed on 4 December or later, you can choose whether to use the old or the new rules.

There is no doubt that the SDLT changes will be of benefit to many home buyers.

For example, under the old regime, Stamp Duty Land Tax payable on a purchase price of £350,000 would be £10,500 and under the new regime it would be £7,500 - representing a saving of £3,000.

4

CHOOSE YOUR CONVEYANCING SOLICITORS WITH CARE If you take the risk of buying without the support and guidance of an expertly trained legal conveyancer, you run the risk of walking into a financial booby trap which can seriously hamper your progression up the property ladder. You should also make sure you know who Max Barford & Co. is a trading name of Parfitt Cresswell. Parfitt Cresswell is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. No. 71480

Wednesday 8th April 2015

FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY �

51

CLAUDIA SHARES HER TOP TIPS � Try to eat like your grandparents did. They had to make food and they knew what was in it. It was all locally sourced � Don’t have refined foods � Eat more fruit and veg, but always have more veg than fruit every day � Be aware of sugars, it’s a massive problem. � Refined grains and sugar have caused problems across the world and people are hugely nutritionally deficient � You have to be healthy before thinking about being thin. For women, it’s actually better to be slightly overweight than underweight � Never choose the ‘diet’ food option.

They often contain a lot of artificial sweeteners which are very bad for you.

VERDICT

Due to various events I haven’t yet been able to adopt a totally dairy and gluten-free diet, but I’ve made changes such as swapping bread at lunch for a salad and snacking on nuts and seeds rather than my usual 11am digestive biscuit. I’ve definitely noticed I feel less uncomfortable and bloated as a result and haven’t has as many IBS symptoms since cutting some foods out. I’ve also done more reading on the lack of stomach acid and think that could be a major contributing factor in my breaking down my food, so I’ve been following Claudia’s advice and having some lemon juice in water before mealtimes to see whether it helps. Every time I’ve visited a GP I’ve been told my IBS is stress-related, so visiting a nutritional therapist has definitely given me a new outlook and some options to try. www.claudiawilliamson.co.uk

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

SPIRALISER

LAKELAND £29.99 After visiting Claudia and deciding to cut out some carbohydrates, I bought this great spiraliser, Spirali. Now, instead of pasta, spaghetti and noodles I can use this handy gadget to make the likes of courgetti for a healthy alternative!

CONSULTATION Claudia Williamson and Charlie Bond discuss diet

Wednesday 8th April 2015

52 � RECRUITMENT

RECRUITMENT MAKE THE CHANGE Working in partnership with jobsinkent.com, The Times of Tunbridge Wells recruitment team is proud to work with local businesses and agencies alike to bring you your next career move

Dor2Dor.net are a Kent based innovative Direct Marketing Company specialising in Door to Door delivery of local advertising material including leaflets, newspapers, election and newsletters around Tunbridge Wells.

Job Description We are looking for a 3rd Line IT Support Engineer, a strategic technical position within the operations department. The Engineer will be responsible for handing 1-3 line helpdesk tickets, participating and organising various projects involving servers installations, migrations and virtualisations. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining customer’s software systems and so broad knowledge of popular market solutions is essential.

The successful candidate must have at least 5 - 7 years’ experience in the following areas: * Servers... Microsoft core products with strong Hyper-V and VMWare skills * Storage... Experience installing and maintaining leading storage arrays, eg. NetApp, Dell Equalogic, HP * Networking... Firewalls, Switches, Routers, Cisco etc.. * IT Support.. 3rd Line In a corporate environment. * Self-management skills.. You will need to be able to work on your own to resolve problems as well has have good documentation skills * Knowledge of phone systems would be advantageous * MS Exchange skills, including 2013, 2008, 2003, DAGs / Clusters, experience in migrating between Exchange servers (upgrades) and to O365 * Apple Mac skills would be advantageous Qualifications in the following areas would be nice, but are not necessarily essential if 5 years’ experience can be proven: * PRINCE2 Project Management - would be ideal * MSCE – required * CNA – would be ideal * Office365 Experience – would be ideal Please send CV to recruitment@itsactiveit.co.uk

Wednesday 8th April 2015

f po or l cur T st oca ren he pe l tl y op pe y re are T Tu he le anople cruit on nb T d he to b ing we W e e d rid im lp d ecom tra k n in , in es in ge es elive e th day g wi an eir a W of r th d o nd w go su n Th el od pp lo ur ls c o s ra rt al da te is ar y s o p ea ea f p rov . F ch ay ide ull . d,

To find out more about becoming a postperson and getting paid to get fit, then call: 01233 820434 or call/text 07988 135136.

Applicants can also apply online: www.dor2dor.com/jobs

Andrew Frisby the MD of Dor2DorKent reports "Our postpeople include active retired people and people with spare time who want to deliver the marketing material so they can get fit and stay active. We are looking for very reliable people to help us get this great newspaper out in a quality and timely manner each week".

RECRUITMENT �

Recruitment Resourcer, Tunbridge Wells Competitive salary and excellent rewards package.

We offer a fast moving, fun and supportive environment and a practical, structured training programme that will quickly have you established in the rewarding world of recruitment. Focussing initially on candidate generation and managing the ‘candidate experience’ longer term opportunities with us could include account management, internal recruitment, team leadership and search and selection.

To be seriously considered for one of the opportunities you will be a bright graduate (and/or have recruitment experience) with plenty of drive, commerciality and the ability to learn quickly. This is a target oriented career which requires energy and resilience as well as excellent communication skills.

NQ-3 year PQE Litigation Solicitor/Experienced Legal Executive, Hastings £DOE Due to expansion, this well regarded Regional firm are currently seeking a Solicitor or experienced Legal Executive to join their friendly and

professional team. The role will involve a large proportion of property litigation plus general civil litigation and will offer genuine career prospects and opportunities to develop.

Senior Manager, Accountancy Practice, Maidstone c.£55,000 This growing Kent based Accountancy Practice is seeking to strengthen its senior management team with the appointment of a Senior Manager.

This opportunity is all about succession planning and comes with genuine potential to move into full partnership within the short to medium term. The firm has a healthy, diverse portfolio of clients predominantly within the SME category and across sectors.

Activities will include supervising the full range of accounts preparation, management accounts, VAT and tax computations.

This opportunity will suit an ACA/ ACCA qualified manager with a practice background.

Conveyancing Legal Secretary – Eastbourne £22,000- £23,000

This friendly, well established regional firm currently have a vacancy for a conveyancing legal secretary, to work in a private client department supporting a fee earner in the residential department on a one to one basis. Covering all aspects of legal secretarial support and handling some telephone & face to face client contact.

This excellent opportunity will suit someone with strong secretarial skill ands a property background.

Counter Fraud Analyst £18,000 - £23,000 An outstanding Insurance company currently have a vacancy for a counter fraud analyst, dealing will be investigating fraudulent claims, investigating & managing MI reports.

The ideal must have exceptional attention to details, some experience in fraudConveyancing Legal Secretary – Eastbourne

The ideal candidate must have exceptional attention to detail and a minimum of 12 months experience within the insurance industry.

Finance Assistant – Tunbridge Wells £20,000 This well-known highly respected multi office Kent based law firm is currently seeking a Finance Assistant, you will be responsible for assisting the cashiering team & other finance staff. This opportunity will suit someone with minimum 2 years working within accounts and ideally experience working within a law firm.

Counter Fraud Analyst - Sevenoaks £18,000 - £23,000 An outstanding Insurance company currently has a vacancy for a counter fraud analyst, dealing with investigating fraudulent claims, and investigating & managing MI reports.

16 Lonsdale Gardens Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU jobs@gerrardwhite.com 01892 55 33 55

53

Publishing Assistant Unicorn Press Group is looking for a cheerful Publishing Assistant to multitask in all aspects of admin, marketing and production.

You will be based in our busy production office in rural Kent and be the main point of contact for customers, authors and general enquiries.

For a full job description please email your CV enclosing current salary details to: Ryan Gearing on ryan@unicornpress.org

WE’RE LOOKING TO RECRUIT THE NEXT GENERATION OF BRIGHT, EXPERIENCED AND AMBITIOUS

SOLICITORS

TO JOIN OUR BUSINESS WHERE THERE ARE NO GLASS CEILINGS AND YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP YOUR FULL POTENTIAL AND TO REALISE YOUR PERSONAL ASPIRATIONS. SO, IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A NEW CHALLENGE IN

PRIVATE CLIENT, FAMILY OR PROPERTY AND THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES THEN SEND YOUR CV BY EMAIL TO nigel.harper@parfittcresswell.com AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH STRAIGHT AWAY

MAX BARFORD & CO

JEVONS RILEY & POPE

PARFITT CRESSWELL

KEENE MARSLAND

Keene Marsland, Max Barford & Co and Jevons Riley & Pope are trading names of Parfitt Cresswell Parfitt Cresswell is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority no. 71480

Wednesday 8th April 2015

54 � FOOD AND DRINK

Gin comes out of the bathtub and back into fashion • By Damian Cotton GIN is indubitably in. Gin is cool and trendy. No longer the preserve of the late middle-aged drinking Gin and It on chintzy sofas or redfaced colonials downing Gordon’s and tonic. Gin is cutting-edge, yet firmly steeped in tradition. There has been an explosion in new distilleries and in in soi-distant

Wednesday 8th April 2015

artisan and craft gins. You can even take courses at some distilleries to make your own individual style and take it home with you.

Part of this is the resurgence in cocktails as a modish thing to sup.

There are endless cocktail bars, gin-only bars and it’s only a matter of time before some enterprising fellow opens a replica gin palace.

The very best cocktail bar for gin aficionados is The Bar with No

Name at 69 Colebrook Row in Islington, although I will admit a part of my fondness is that I lived in a garret overlooking the location as a penniless graduate when I first moved to London decades ago. The Booking Office at St Pancras and any of the Hawksmoor Steakhouse bars are well worth a visit too.

So what exactly is gin? It began its life as a medicine in the Netherlands in the 16th century the nascent distilling industry was producing crude malt-based spirits and apothecaries traditionally believed in the curative powers of juniper berries. A convenient collision between the two resulted in an alcoholic tincture of juniper extract that was taken as a restorative cordial and soon became enormously popular. In fact so many folks became ‘unwell’ that the pharmacies were overrun and specialist distillers took over production.

Here in England, it became a standard product after troops returned from the Thirty Years War which was mostly fought in the Low Countries (hence the term

Dutch Courage). Initially, gin was mainly consumed mixed with beer, often warmed or mulled, in the drink known as ‘purl’, which you will often find mentioned in the works of Dickens. Then, in the 1660’s, the coincidently Dutch William of Orange, having acquired the British throne, dropped the tax on spirits made from British grown corn under pressure from the landed gentry who had a surplus, and raised the tax on beer to compensate. This led to more than 60 years of inebriation which was occasionally eased and exacerbated in turn by well-meaning but clumsy legislation. Eventually, a more balanced alcohol duty structure, the use of licensing for production and sale, and the increase in quality due to the introduction of the plum at still led to the emergence of gin as a premium product, not just a potent narcotic.

Subsequent boosts came from the empire where gin was added to tonic water to ameliorate the bitter taste of quinine, and then the cocktail fashion of the 1960s – although cocktails evolved from the

‘It was the cocktail hour that filled the empty time between work and dinner for the middle classes that truly established the idea of spirit based gins’

FOOD AND DRINK �

55

GIN AND TONIC Who does this bloke think he is? Who needs a recipe for a G&T? Well, there are a couple of factors most people fail to take into consideration - by all means, choose the gin you like, I will not be that prescriptive. But consider the ice: use big lumps - that will chill more effectively and dilute much less. Choose a tonic that is aspartame and saccharine free and buy it in the smallest containers you can - a big bottle that has spent a night in the fridge after being opened will do you no favours. Fruit - do you really need it? If your gin and your tonic are good enough, will a slice add anything?

TOM COLLINS Get a bottle of Old Tom, full bodied with a touch of sweetness.

Dissolve a teaspoon or so of sugar in the juice of half a lemon (or use gomme syrup instead of the sugar). Add gin, about a treble is right, shake with ice, pour into a long glass (surprisingly called a Collins glass) and top with plenty of soda water. Whether invented by the American Jerry Thomas or descended from the old English John Collins punch, it is a fine thing to slowly sup on a summer afternoon.

NEGRONI Just about the girliest cocktail a man can drink and keep his dignity. Gin, Campari and red vermouth in that order - go as dry as you can with minimal vermouth, shake over ice.

MARTINI MAKERS The Anno gin team; Dr Andrew Reason, Dr Norman Lewis, and Kim Reason

traditional punches long ago, and there was a vogue for mixing bathtub gin during prohibition in the USA to hide the rough taste, it was the cocktail hour that filled the empty time between work and dinner for the growing middle classes that truly established the idea of spirit based gins.

Gin is essentially a flavoured vodka, the flavours being derived from ‘botanicals’ - the plant based substances such as juniper, coriander, cassia, angelica, and so forth, but that is a glib definition and does not reflect the care and skill involved in distillation and flavouring. Technically, there are several types of gin: the original genever (from the Dutch for juniper) or ‘Hollands’ which is frequently beige and has a pronounced flavour of the malty spirit as well as the botanicals; London gin which must be made from high-quality spirit and prescribed botanicals macerated and re-distilled in a particular way; Plymouth gin is similar but must come from the town it is named after and has a slightly different collection of botanicals (not to be confused with Navy strength gin which was undiluted until actually served so it needed less storage space aboard ship); Old Tom, a darker, sweeter, more full- bodied style, perfect for mixed drinks and now

back in vogue; and ‘international’, which generally means modern craft gins that push the envelope on flavourings and methods. There are also the legal definitions of compounded gin (which is just flavoured vodka) and distilled gin which is a poor relation of London style. I could go on, but will spare you the details.

And what of our corner of the country? Kent was a main landing site for smuggled gin, and Maidstone had a successful distillery that was licensed on the basis that it would reduce the illicit trade. Nowadays, gin production in the area is resurgent, with a strict policy on quality and craftsmanship, using both tradition and up to date best practice to deliver some top end liquors.

Tunbridge Wells has its own Professor Cornelius Ampleforth - makers of Bathtub Gin (linked only in name to the Prohibition era illegal stuff that wasn’t made in the bath, but diluted there, the bottles generally being too tall to fit under a sink tap) which is ultra-artisan and small batch and classic in botanicals giving a bold clean flavour of juniper, cardamom and orange peel with a note of cinnamon - it works beautifully with tonic but best in a classic Martini. They also make an Old Tom whose fruity character and peppery citrus nose make it ideal in a Collins (see recipe). Do not be put off by the fabulous packaging - unlike many over marketed mainstream gins, these are solid and well made.

Up the road in Marden is Anno - a modern set-up with a copper still named Patience whose regular gin is a favourite of mine. Anno Kent Dry Gin has a backbone of the traditional botanicals and then a gentle layer of flavours from local plants, including a touch of elderflower, Romney Marsh samphire, lavender, rose hips and hops. Very classy and smooth enough to drink on its own, perhaps with an ice cube and soda on a warm day. They also make an elderflower vodka which is very trendy.

Over the border in Sussex is Blackdown Distillery whose gin has won multiple awards. I first tasted this at a trade show just after it launched and was struck by its crisp clean minerality - the unique ingredient is silver birch sap - the tasty result of a laborious procedure that brings a minimal fructose sweetness and enhances the characteristics of the other botanicals. Again, this can be drunk alone but it mixes well and makes a great Martini.

At time of writing, the Maiden Distillery in Maidstone is not quite ready to come to market but their trial production runs have been a big hit at food festivals in the region. Based in a building that was a historical gin distillery, owner Helen is a renowned mixologist and I expect this to be another great local product - watch this space for more information.

Hopefully, you have a slight thirst now - so go forth and challenge your drinks retailer and cocktail barperson to enlighten you further.

Happy sipping.

‘Gin production in the Kent is resurgent, with a strict policy on quality and craftsmanship, using both tradition and up to date best practice delivering some top end liquors’

More than any other cocktail, there are a plethora of entirely dull origin myths about the Martini/Martinez. In the end, it is a matter of personal taste. Once, a Gin and It was a 50-50 mix of gin and Italian white vermouth; over the decades, the trend has been towards less vermouth. And less again, until a further mythology has arisen on how to make one. Two are my favourites are as follows. Picasso: place a glass of gin on a table, and a bottle of Noilly Prat on the window ledge, then let the sun shine through the vermouth into the glass.

Robert Oppenheimer claimed to have strapped a bottle of vermouth to the framework supporting the atom bomb in the first Nevada test which was vaporised in the explosion, hence one simply holds a glass outside the window for a few seconds and allows a molecule or two of vermouth to fall in, then add gin.

Damian’s Perfect Martini: buy a bottle Sloane’s gin. Think about putting it in the fridge, but don’t bother. Consider swirling some Chambery vermouth round a glass but decide against. Look at olives and tiny pickled onions then discard as gratuitous. Pour two fingers of gin in a tumbler and sip slowly while thinking about the botanicals.

Maybe listen to the song Gin by the cabaret act The Tiger Lilies.

TOM COLLINS

MARTINI

GIN & TONIC NEGRONI

Wednesday 8th April 2015

56 � FOOD AND DRINK

On the menu at...

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Coffee and Peacan Cake Lychee and Rose Cheesecake Strawberry and Pistachio Eclair Peanut Choc Tart Choc Fondant Cake Salmon Bagel St Clements Cake Salmon Plate with Carrot Celeriac and Corriander Soup Flowering Green Tea Sparkling Pomegranate Cappucino Milk Brown Bread

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The steaks are of a high quality at CAU restaurant STEAK is my favourite food. It is my first choice for dinner always. So for an anniversary dinner, I could think of nowhere better than CAU, an Argentinian-style restaurant dedicated to steak and all things meat-related.

The menu at CAU, Mount Pleasant Road, is not extensive, which in my opinion is a good thing because when faced with too many choices I struggle to choose anything and go for the safe option. But featuring meat-based comfort foods, bread and several different sides and sauces including baked sweet potato, ‘causlaw’ and blue cheese sauce, it’s a well thought-out menu.

I don’t normally eat a starter but as it was a special occasion, the other half and I shared a picada. Described as a selection of Argentinian-style charcuterie served with sourdough and pickles, this starter was everything I expected and a little bit more.

However, everything else was spoton. The bread was toasted and tasty, the other meats salty and a bit spicy, reminiscent of the meats I’ve seen and smelt hanging in Spanish supermarkets.

But it was the main I was here for and it did not let me down.

Instead of my usual traditional steak choice I opted for a specialty cut, the medallions with ‘triple-cooked’ chunky chips. The other half went for a rump with thin chips and a peppercorn sauce.

What can I say about my medallions?

“The finest, most succulent cuts of lomito” is a pretty decent description but to be honest it does not do the juiciness

Wednesday 8th April 2015

of these medallions justice. My knife slid through them and each bite melted in my mouth with chargrilled beef deliciousness. I wanted those medallions never to end.

Word of warning for lovers of chips - the triple-cooked chunky chips are big. They’re not just potato wedges big, they’re half a potato big. I gave mine to the other half and forced him to hand over his skinny fries.

This is a bright, loud restaurant with ‘caugirl’ and ‘cauboy’ waiting staff who take their jobs seriously and serve efficiently. CAU seems to currently be a weekend favourite for the young Tunbridge Wells hipsters. But don’t let that put you off - you will not regret doing a bit of CAU tasting. www.caurestaurants.com

‘My knife slid through them and each bite melted in my mouth with chargrilled beef deliciousness’

PUZZLES �

DOUBLE CROSSWORD

WORD SPIRAL

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

Down 2. She gives patient advice on social problems (7) 3. Confines one after another, we hear (7) 4. Amusement for which I rent men a tent perhaps (13) 6. Prepared scheme - for winning a tennis match?

(3,4) 7. He’s in the right position not to be found out (7) 8. It plays a starring role but doesn’t shine (6) 13. You have to do so (7) 14. Too much self-expression (7) 15. Expound and leave (3,3) 16. Might follow me up to authorise (7) 17. Balances used in eleven supermarkets (5,2)

13. Paper clip, perhaps, to keep things secure (5,8) 18. Burst into song about wine?

Fair enough! (8) 19. It runs into the sea (4) 20. Man of taste might rue alteration to long poem (7) 21. Partly under water from waves caused by passing vessel (5) 22. Superfluous oil-well (4) 23. Supporters of horse-riders (8)

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Across 1. Equip (8) 5. Suspend (4) 9. Bother (4) 10. Drinking-bout (8) 11. Journal (5) 12. Break (7) 13. Not helped (13) 18. Menace (8) 19. Squad (4) 20. Transgression (7) 21. Bet (5) 22. Cultivate (4) 23. Status (8)

Down 2. Wariness (7) 3. Remark (7) 4. New order (13) 6. Beating (7) 7. Balcony (7) 8. Pair (6) 13. Opening anthem (7) 14. Horrible (7) 15. Prairies (6) 16. Miser (7) 17. Lamp (7)

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Young sheep Prejudice Unaccompanied Solemn vow Detest Reverberation Leave out Story Compass point

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10. Amphibian 11. Ruminant mammal 12. Genuine 13. Pillage 14. Side 15. Network 16. Stringed instrument

Keyword clue: A weapon

SUDOKU

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

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1.

Which new BBC sitcom stars Matt Lucas as the titular penniless aristocrat?

2. Who is hosting the new BBC2 entertainment show Let’s Play Darts for Comic Relief?

3. What is the title of Madonna’s latest single?

4. Which actor is playing Nick Wild, a Las Vegas bodyguard with a gambling problem, in the new film Wild Card?

5. By what name was the long-running character Joan Ferguson, played by actress Maggie Kirkpatrick in TV’s Prisoner: Cell Block H, better known?

6. What is the title of the new collaborative album from singer Chris Brown and rapper Tyga?

7.

Which actor played the titular safecracker Henri Charrière, aka Papillon, in the 1973 film of that name?

8. Which Sky1 sitcom starring Chris O’Dowd as Sean, the imaginary friend of a young boy named Martin, recently returned for a third series?

Enjoy life’s simple pleasures

9. Which US rock band’s hits of the 1990s included Killing in the Name and Bulls on Parade?

10. Which new film stars Ryan Reynolds as Jerry, an office worker who believes that his cat and dog are talking to him?

SOLUTIONS

11. Which actor is playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a new ITV1 adaptation of Arthur & George by Julian Barnes?

12. What was Jamaican musician Shaggy’s first UK Number One single, released in 1993?

13. Who directed the much-loved 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland?

14. Russell Tovey and MyAnna Buring are among the cast of which new BBC2 drama from Jimmy McGovern, set in New South Wales in 1788?

15. Glass of Champagne and Girls Girls Girls were hits of the 1970s for which British pop group?

11 Deer; 12 Real; 13 Loot; 14 Team; 15 Mesh; 16 Harp.

Keyword: TORPEDO CODEWORD: 1=K, 2=W, 3=F, 4=N, 5=U, 6=S, 7=V, 8=I, 9=X, 10=Y, 11=R, 12=H, 13=Z, 14=Q, 15=G, 16=O, 17=L, 18=E, 19=P, 20=A, 21=T, 22=B, 23=C, 24=D, 25=M, 26=J ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ: 1 Pompidou; 2 Gabby Logan; 3 Living for Love; 4 Jason Statham; 5 The Freak; 6 Fan of a Fan: The Album; 7 Steve McQueen; 8 Moone Boy; 9 Rage Against the Machine; 10 The Voices; 11 Martin Clunes; 12 Oh Carolina; 13 Victor Fleming; 14 Banished; 15 Sailor.

SUDOKU:

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.

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ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ

CODEWORD

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DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 1 Malinger; 5 Asti; 9 Omit; 10 Athletes; 11 Entry; 12 Rankled; 13 Press fastener; 18 Sporting; 19 Pier; 20 Epicure; 21 Awash; 22 Sump; 23 Stirrups. Down: 2 Almoner; 3 Interns; 4 Entertainment; 6 Set plan; 7 Insider; 8 Planet; 13 Possess; 14 Egotism; 15 Set out; 16 Empower; 17 Evens up.

Quick: Across: 1 Accoutre; 5 Hang; 9 Fuss; 10 Carousal; 11 Diary; 12 Rupture; 13 Independently; 18 Threaten; 19 Gang; 20 Offence; 21 Wager; 22 Till; 23 Standing. Down: 2 Caution; 3 Observe; 4 Rearrangement; 6 Assault; 7 Gallery; 8 Couple; 13 Introit; 14 Direful; 15 Plains; 16 Niggard; 17 Lantern.

WORD SPIRAL: 1 Lamb; 2 Bias; 3 Solo; 4 Oath; 5 Hate; 6 Echo; 7 Omit; 8 Tale; 9 East; 10 Toad;

CRYPTIC CLUES: Across 1. Stay well away from work (8) 5. A way I finish the wine (4) 9. Neglect to ring a man back (4) 10. They make the least and the most effort on the track (8) 11. A record number of contestants in the field (5) 12. Was the first to go after a row became embittered (7)

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QUICK CLUES: Scribble pad

57

at Holmes Place, Crowborough To find out more or to book an appointment to see our show apartments please call Seraina Raleigh on 01892 662428 or visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/holmesplace Retirement apartments for the over 60s in Crowborough Crowborough Hill, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 2RS

Typical Master Bedroom

Club Lounge

Typical Kitchen

Wednesday 8th April 2015

58 � WHAT’S ON

Live music & events

Times

O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

Paul Dunton reveals his guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead…

MUSIC

Times

MUSIC DO YOU HAVE A GREAT BAND OR EVENT YOU FEEL SHOULD BE LISTED?

01892 779 650 newsdesk@ timesof tunbridgewells .co.uk

DAVE Barnett makes a selection of events from around Tunbridge Wells during the next seven days. Full details of these and more than 700 other events are available from www.tunbridgewellsevents.co.uk/thisweek >> WEDNESDAY THE Easter-themed events continue at venues in and around Tunbridge Wells.

Still plenty to keep the children occupied.

The first of this week’s films at Trinity Theatre is an animated action packed comedy adventure Big Hero 6 followed in the evening by the thought-provoking French language film La Cour De Babel (School of Babel) an immigrant view of assimilating into the French way of life.

O F TUNBR IDGE WEL LS

If so then drop our editor a line at: Times of Tunbridge Wells, 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1NU

SEVEN DAYS OF EVENTS AT A GLANCE

PAUL’S GIG OF THE WEEK Harley & Woods

PAUL’S GIG OF THE WEEK IS… The brilliant Harley & Woods headline The Grey Lady Music Lounge this Sunday evening.

Their music is described as a soulful fusion of blues, funk and Americana.

Superb musicianship, incredible vocals, one of the best local original bands around at the moment, Harley & Woods are not to be missed!

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM Doors 7.30pm, entry price variable, event information and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk Thursday - New Motion and Annaca and Everything Fundamental and James Wood Friday - The Xcerts and Heyrocco and Glass City Vice Sunday - (3pm start) - Maven and The Reckostacks and One Day Elliott and First Sign Of Light and Red Light Runner and Flawless Carbon and Scott Freeman & Band and Alex Parker Wednesday - Platform Presents: MassMatiks and Hows Harry and James Wood and Rachael Stalker

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £5/£7, websites www.pdag.co.uk and www.thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday – Liam Hannigan, Nick Stephens, Ben Bishop, Jack Mackey Thursday – Natalia Gonzalez-Morales, Bea Everett, Lui Dodds, Lee Willz Friday - The Cruel Birds (9.30pm till late) Saturday - Soul Avenue (9.30pm till late) Sunday - Mystery Clarke, James Lattimer, James & Grace Carroll, Harley & Woods Tuesday - Jennifer Lee Ridley, TYN, Alex Thomas, Kathryn Anderson Band Wednesday - The Days We Don’t, Zoe DeightonSmythe, Sam Firth, Dan Clews

THE ASSEMBLY HALLS Crescent Road Doors 7pm, event information and tickets at www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk or 01892 530613 Friday - T.Rextasy Saturday - No Jacket Required

Sunday - RTWSO (3pm start) Rebecca Bottone & Roderick Dunk

THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Free entry, music from 8pm.

Thursday - Acoustic Reverb Collective Open Mic

THE CROSS KEYS St Johns Road Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Thursday - Sonny’s Jazz: Dick Pearce with Roger Lewin Friday - Blues with Bottle Club: Mark Deason’s The Moths Saturday - Bluegrass Plus Club - Mardi Gras Monday - TWURPS Beginners Ukulele Jam Session Wednesday – Open Mic Night

THE BEAU NASH Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry, music from 9pm.

Saturday – Red Rooster

THE ROYAL OAK Prospect Road Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm Saturday – Grosvenor Road

>> THURSDAY If the children need something other than chocolate this holiday, you might want to look at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park where there is a Lottery funded event, led by a nature artist. You can see what the park has to offer and learn how to create a nature diary.

Tonight you can see the first of this week’s two cultural offerings from the Odeon with the Globe’s production of Titus Anderonicus.

Described as ‘grotesquely violent and daringly experimental’, you’ll either love it or hate it!

Over at Trinity, Bradley Cooper is demonstrating a different sort of violence in the Oscar nominated film American Sniper. >> FRIDAY You’ll be wondering whodunit as Trinity bring us Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts, a play inspired by both the novels and the TV series. Written by Alma Cullen, who wrote several episodes of the series, it is going to have a familiar feel. >> SATURDAY I know how I should start today, with a parkrun! This modern day phenomenon, a simple timed 5k run, starts at 9am every Saturday in Dunorlan Park.

Maybe next week...

Meanwhile there’s an event for dog-lovers at the Hop Farm this weekend with some K9 Aqua Training, a bit of splash and dash from the people who put on the popular Paws in the Park show.

Tonight at Trinity there is comedian Arthur Smith. Expect

an evening crammed with jokes, anecdotes, short stories, poems, songs and readings from his recent memoir My Name Is Daphne Fairfax. >> SUNDAY Start a lazy Sunday at Cafe 1809 in Hildenborough where you can indulge yourself at a Secret Sunday Brunch featuring Joel Bailey. Or you can catch some live classical music at the Assembly Hall this afternoon when the RTW Symphony Orchestra perform a selection of pieces by Berlioz, Canteloube and Stravinsky. Directed by Roderick Dunk with guest soprano Rebecca Bottone, it looks like a top-notch concert.

Trinity will be busy today as Signor Baffo’s kitchen visits this afternoon. Weird and funny at the same time, according to Jamie, aged five, it sounds a good way to keep the children entertained.

Later on, Trinity has two chances to see the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with Dame Judi Dench heading a great British (mostly) ensemble cast. >> MONDAY There’s two more films at Trinity today. First there’s Shaun the Sheep Movie followed in the evening by Selma, the start of the story of Martin Luther King’s stand for equal rights. >> TUESDAY So the school holidays are almost over so why not take the little ones along to Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom at the Assembly Hall to celebrate, on today and Wednesday.

If you prefer some culture, the Odeon give us a chance to see a film showing the treasures in the Vincent van Gogh museum in Amsterdam marking both a major re-showing of the gallery’s collection and a celebration of the 125th anniversary of Van Gogh’s death.

And to round of the week’s events, Trinity gives us three chances to see Trash, an acclaimed film based around the garbage dumps of Rio de Janeiro.

Something in Tunbridge Wells tonight with Collins tribute TRIBUTE act No Jacket Required will perform hits by Phil Collins and Genesis when they return to the Assembly Hall on Saturday.

“It’s the show he never performed”, said No Jacket Required frontman Dave Whitehouse. “We will be playing more than 20 hit singles by both Phil Collins and Genesis in the same concert. Every song is a hit – and there are so many, we’ll be on stage for more than two hours!”.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

When Phil Collins released his first solo single in 1981, few would have thought he would match the success of Genesis – yet In The Air Tonight became a worldwide hit and his solo career would go on to achieve even greater heights.

From that point, Collins would alternate between solo and group projects but hit singles were produced at every turn.

“Phil Collins’ voice identifies not only his own songs but those of Genesis and

in fact many people often confuse the two”, Mr Whitehouse said. “We have always performed a Genesis medley but this year we are going to perform Genesis songs in their entirety. Our new tour really is the best of both worlds – a show of hit singles by Phil Collins and by Genesis.”.

To buy tickets, call the box office on 01892 530613 or visit www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

WHAT’S ON �

59

The Easter holidays: what will you do with them?

WE CATCH UP WITH HEART KENT BREAKFAST PRESENTERS JAMES AND BECKY GO ON then, admit it. How many Easter eggs did you get through? If you’re like me and still have a stash in the cupboard, Easter is lasting a little longer and I couldn’t be more delighted!

James has the week off, so Neil Kefford has joined me from his Heart drivetime show and we’ve been holding the fort in his absence.

With Easter brings the Easter holidays! The nice long bank holiday now seems a distant memory for most and others are trying to entertain their children! If this is you, I have a recommendation for you. Last week, James and I had our ‘experiment week’ and we got up to all sorts of things… find the videos at heart.co.uk. That will keep the kids entertained for hours, and you could earn the title of ‘coolest parent on the planet’!

A nice story this week led to an interesting question. We asked: “If you got married where you met your other half, where would it be?” This was after a couple got married in a Morrisons supermarket, as they met in the café there! We loved all your stories. Grant in Ashford said he would get married in a field with model aircraft all around, as he met his wife when they were children, when both their parents used to fly model aircraft in the fields behind

their houses. So sweet! James from Sandwich met his wife Claire when she was a waitress in a cocktail bar!

(I feel a song coming on too!) and Tina from Rochester would be getting married on a bus, as she met her husband on the Kingsferry coach to London. These stories are amazing and just go to show, you never know who you’re going to meet… or where!

If you’re single, today might be your lucky day!

A final thought as we head into April. Once again, Heart is proudly supporting Race For Life and ladies, we would love you to get involved!

It’s time to lace up those trainers, grab your friends and enter Race For Life in Tunbridge Wells, a 5k in Dunorlan Park on Saturday, June 7.

You can walk, jog or run, it’s about having a laugh and together we can help beat cancer!

For more information, visit raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/

Spicing it up with the Chanky Chank Cajun Band THE Chanky Chank Cajun Band comes to the King Charles Church Hall, 3 Warwick Park, on Saturday, April 25. The aim is to recreate the sound of the1940s and 50s Cajun dance bands, when Cajun was known as ‘chanky-chank’, with rock and roll, country and swing influences.

A spokesman said: “Paying homage to legendary musicians of this era such as Aldus Roger, Nathan Abshire and Pee Wee Broussard, Chanky-Chank add their own unique spice to the pot

to produce an irresistible dance groove.”

Gavin Lewery is on accordion and vocals, Loraine Baker Wakefield on double bass and vocals, Pete Wakefield on guitar, David Buyle on the violin and Andy Watson on drums.

Doors open at 7.30pm and admission is £10. A café will serve drinks and cakes but guests should bring their own alcohol, and glasses, if required.

For more information, call 01892 533493 or visit www.cajunbarn.co.uk

SEPARATION AND DIVORCE

WHY SEPARATION AND DIVORCE CAN BE A CIVILISED AFFAIR If you are experiencing the anxiety and loss of a relationship ending and suffering sleepless nights worrying about the future, you are not alone Almost 50% of all marriages end in divorce and for many it can be the most traumatic time in their lives.

Months and sometimes years are spent deciding whether to separate and then when the decision has been made it can take an age to pluck up the courage to take action. Emotions run high and delays are usually down to fear of the unknown and what life will be like after the separation, not to mention how you’ll cope fi nancially and what you’ll tell the kids.

The truth is there is no easy way out. However, the actions you take now and the choices you make will have a big impact on your new life.

Your future is in your hands. You can choose to be reactive to your situation or you can be proactive, take the lead and put a stop to the fi ghting, anger and hurt.

Divorce and separation is a life changing event and mistakes can be costly both emotionally and fi nancially, you must be prepared to invest to secure your future. To take control you need information and advice from an experienced and trusted advisor, which will allow you to make informed decisions about your future.

My dedicated team are handpicked for their experience working with people who are going through a relationship breakdown. They are

all members of Resolution, which means that they have the legal experience required to give you the best advice and are committed to solving your problem in a conciliatory way if possible – saving you the emotional drain of the legal court battle and the legal fees that go with it. They understand the emotional pressure and stress you are going through, they can help ease the pain and will work with you to achieve the best outcome possible for you to move on with your life.

Our service is confi dential, discreet and

bespoke to each client and we will never disclose your information to others. Out of hours appointments are available.

For a limited period of time I am offering a selected number of potential clients the opportunity to meet with one of the family solicitors in my team for a free consultation to discuss the options available.

Due to high demand my team are only able to offer 20 appointments this month and I know that the appointments will book up very quickly.

Choosing the right legal team is key to your emotional and fi nancial future. So contact us today to see how we can help you achieve the outcome you want.

For further information and to apply for a free consultation just complete the coupon and post to the address below. Alternatively call or email us today quoting reference MBFT0104 Telephone 01892 539 379 or Email times@maxbarford.co.uk Name Address

Tel.No Email Max Barford & Co 16 Mount Pleasant Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1QU www.maxbarford.co.uk

Max Barford & Co. is a trading name of Parfitt Cresswell. Parfitt Cresswell is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. No. 71480

Wednesday 8th April 2015

60 � YOUR TV

WEDNESDAY

THE ISLAND WITH BEAR GRYLLS Channel 4, 9pm

OUR PICK OF THE WEEK

The survival challenge returns, with men and women taking part on separate islands, filming everything themselves. The story of each location is told on alternating days, with the first edition following the male participants as they swim ashore, before finding a safe place to rest and enduring harsh storms.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

THURSDAY

BBC2, 6.30pm

The team investigate two remarkable trophies that record great British moments of athletic endeavour in the worlds of bare-knuckle fighting and football.

A rabbit called Speedy has a broken leg after a fight with his female companion, and the bone is the smallest Noel Fitzpatrick has ever operated on. Ten-month-old Snoopy has been run over by a delivery van and the dog’s paw cannot be saved, but the vet thinks he may be able to fix Snoopy up with a prosthetic. And a nine-month-old English bulldog called Winston is brought in as an emergency case with a mysterious paralysis.

Alex Polizzi comes to the rescue of more struggling establishments, beginning in Cornwall with the Fieldhead in Looe run by Julian and Gill Peck. Despite sea views and a traditional approach to customer service, Alex finds that old-fashioned values may be the cause of the plunging occupancy rates, with a barely comprehensible booking system and an unsustainable work-life balance.

SLOW TRAIN THROUGH AFRICA WITH GRIFF RHYS JONES

ITV, 9pm

The comedian makes five train journeys taking in the spectacular sights of Africa, travelling to unexpected places in deserts and forests, villages and cities, and finding out how the railways are used today. He begins in the north, on a line that links the trading cities of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Stocking up for his trip at a souk in Marrakesh, he boards the train for a seven-hour ride to Fes.

ICE RINK ON THE ESTATE

ITV, 9pm

New series. When they started their careers in their home city of Nottingham, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean received a grant from the council that allowed them to give up their jobs and focus on ice-skating. Now, the Olympic icons want to give something back, and their aim is to set up an ice rink in the heart of St Ann’s estate and get the local teenagers involved in putting on a show. As training gets under way, the participants face their first performance – skating to Beethoven in front of an audience from their school. Narrated by Suranne Jones.

SECRETS OF GREAT BRITISH CASTLES

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

Channel 5, 8pm

BBC1, 10.35pm

New series. The irrepressible host returns with another sofa full of Hollywood A-listers and British TV big shots, chatting about what they’ve been up to recently.

SATURDAY

Dan Jones explores the turbulent history of the Tower of London, which is one of Britain’s most famous buildings and has been a military fortress, a palace, a royal mint, a prison, a zoo and a place of execution. He reveals how one king’s obsession with money led to the Tower becoming the focus of the worst Jewish massacre the country had ever seen and explains how a mob of disgruntled peasants managed to break through its defences as they sought bloody revenge for taxes they could no longer put up with.

GOLF: THE MASTERS LIVE

ROWING: THE BOAT RACES

Hazel Irvine introduces coverage of the third day from the Augusta National in Georgia, as the opening Major of the year continues.

Overnight leader and eventual champion Bubba Watson had his worst round of the tournament at this stage last year, carding a two-over-par 74 that allowed 20-year-old Jordan Spieth to gain four strokes and join him at the top of the leaderboard. With commentary by Peter Alliss and Ken Brown.

Live coverage of the men’s and women’s University Boat Races on the River Thames, as Oxford aim to retain their titles against Cambridge. This is the first time that both races have taken place on the same afternoon, and the women’s race will be competed for along the same stretch of water. Thousands of people will line the course from Putney to Mortlake in what is one of the longest-established events on the British sporting calendar.

BBC2, 7.30pm

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT

ITV, 8pm

New series. Ant and Dec return with a fresh search for the nation’s brightest new star, as a wide assortment of contestants, from a hypnotising dog act to a girl with a gravity-defying hula hoop, compete for the chance to win £250,000 and a slot at this year’s Royal Variety Performance. There’s no change to the judging line-up, with Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon all returning to give their verdicts on the hopefuls in this first audition show.

THE OLIVIER AWARDS

ITV, 10.15pm

Lenny Henry hosts the annual awards ceremony recognising excellence in British theatre, from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Nominees include Murder, She Wrote star Angela Lansbury for her triumphant return to the London stage in Blithe Spirit and The Fall’s Gillian Anderson for her portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

TATAU

POLDARK

MASTERCHEF

BBC1, 9pm

WILD IRELAND

In the second of the semi-finals, the hopefuls head to Lincolnshire for a big catering challenge. The 90 members and support crew of the Red Arrows are gathering for a 50th anniversary lunch – and guess who’s cooking it? The would-be chefs are split into teams of four and have to run their own kitchens – and success is vital because the team John Torode and Gregg Wallace judge to be the weaker returns to the kitchen for a Palate Test, after which one contestant hangs up their apron for good.

New series. Christine Bleakley explores the Wild Atlantic Way, driving, climbing, walking and swimming along the 1,500-mile tourism trail on the west coast of Ireland. In the first programme, the former Dancing on Ice co-host visits the island’s most northerly point – Malin Head – and joins a group of daredevils with an exciting hobby.

LATER LIVE – WITH JOOLS HOLLAND BBC2, 10pm

New series. The music show returns for its 46th run, with altrock band Blur performing tracks from forthcoming album The Magic Whip, their first as a fourpiece in 16 years. Also appearing are Hampshire folk-rock singer Laura Marling and London indie group the Vaccines.

The success of the smelting company and Ross’s successful bid for copper at auction only serve to anger George more than ever before, while Francis is increasingly volatile now he has lost his mine and is reduced to working the land. Ross discovers there is a fever at Bodmin Jail just weeks before Jim is due to be released, so he takes desperate action to save his friend.

New series. Upon landing on the South Pacific island of Manutaki, backpacker Kyle is surprised to discover his selfdesigned tattoo provokes strange reactions from the locals. Determined to uncover its significance, he stumbles across a terrible crime and unwittingly upsets the island’s residents who do not take kindly to his meddling. Supernatural drama, starring Joe Layton.

ITV, 8pm

MY BIG FAT ASIAN WEDDING Channel 4, 10pm

BBC1, 4.15pm

BBC1, 9pm

BBC3, 10pm

MONDAY

TUESDAY

The knockout stage continues, and if the amateurs thought it was tough getting this far, the upcoming round will really sort the dishwashers from the chefs. Over the next two nights the remaining contestants are split into two groups and get their first taste of professional cooking. Tonight’s hopefuls head to London restaurant Typing Room.

Channel 4, 8pm

THE HOTEL INSPECTOR

SUNDAY

BBC1, 8pm

THE SUPERVET

Channel 5, 9pm

FRIDAY

MASTERCHEF

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETECTIVES

Documentary following the work of Raj Somaiya, one of Britain’s busiest Asian wedding planners – who’s on a mission to establish his family-run business as the go-to organiser for decadent and lavish ceremonies. Across the wedding season, Raj and his team go to extraordinary lengths to deliver on his clients’ challenging demands, with six-figure budgets and guest lists regularly running to 400.

SKINT

Channel 4, 9pm

New series. The documentary following people living in some of Britain’s most deprived areas heads to Merthyr Tydfil, the former industrial powerhouse in the south Wales valleys. It’s more than 30 years since the coal mines and ironworks closed, and unlike their forefathers, who had jobs for life, the younger generation live in a town with few opportunities and one of the highest unemployment rates in Wales. This week, 23-year-old Ash goes for his first job interview in four years, while motherof-seven Hayley redecorates with the help of loans.

2,000 TATTOOS, 40 PIERCINGS AND A PICKLED EAR

Channel 5, 10pm

Documentary about three people who have transformed themselves from head to toe with an array of tattoos, piercings and body alterations, looking at the effect it has on their personal and social lives.

YOUR TV �

THE NIGHTMARE NEIGHBOUR NEXT DOOR

BRITAIN’S JIHADI BRIDES

Channel 5, 8pm

A couple trying to renovate a barn are forced to live in a caravan during a longrunning dispute with their neighbour, and a farmer is suspected of killing a family’s dogs.

More than 60 young British women have travelled to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the radical Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq. This documentary examines how a combination of slick marketing and religious fervour has lured them there.

THE LAST DAYS OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS New series. John Guy, Kate Williams and Robert Hutchinson are among those debating the legacy of one of Britain’s most tragic monarchs as they examine whether Mary, Queen of Scots, was a victim of her cousin Elizabeth I’s treachery or the author of her own destruction.

The stories of 10 songs that were considered unsuitable by the BBC for broadcasting on its radio and television stations. Tunes include Lola by the Kinks, Jackie by Scott Walker and (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang by Heaven 17, though it is perhaps surprising that Bing Crosby and the Munchkins are among the other performers on the list.

ITV, 7pm

Sky Living, 9pm

PLAY TO THE WHISTLE

LIVE FORD SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

ITV, 9.20pm

New series. Holly Willoughby hosts this sports-based comedy panel show, in which team captains Bradley Walsh and Jimmy Bullard are joined by some of the biggest names from the worlds of sport and entertainment, who will arrive matchfit and ready to play to the whistle. The seven-week series promises fun for all the family and some hilarious physical games alongside traditional panel show material.

Sky Sports 1, 4.45pm

Burnley v Arsenal (Kick-off 5.30pm).

Coverage of the match from Turf Moor.

POINTLESS CELEBRITIES

When the remains of a teenager are found half-buried in a wood, Vera finds herself investigating a 30-year-old mystery. Identified as Carrie Telling, a girl who disappeared during the 1984 miners’ strike, the team retrieves news footage from the protests that shows her taking pictures in the background.

It appears she got caught up in the unrest that day, contradicting her father’s assertion that she went straight home.

Alexander Armstrong presents a 1990s-themed edition of the general knowledge quiz as one-time weathergirl Ulrika Jonsson, former Gladiator Diane Youdale (Jet), comedy duo Trevor Neal and Simon Hickson, ex-hosts of The Word Terry Christian and Katie Puckrik, and Right Said Fred band members Richard and Fred Fairbrass take part. Co-presenter Richard Osman has all the answers.

ITV, 8pm

The main suspect is released to a storm of controversy, and with the killer of the two schoolgirls still at large, Baker proposes the ambitious plan of testing the blood of every male in the area between the ages of 18 and 34 – the world’s first DNA manhunt. But he and Jeffreys face huge opposition from sceptics within the police and the community, as well as the establishment. Can they get everyone to believe in the science?

HOLBY CITY

ORDINARY LIES

Guy is struggling to hold it together as he prepares to launch the Supercentre – a situation not helped by Jac’s disappearance, pressure from Ric and new demands on the Darwin ward. Pushed to the limits, the CEO is forced to make a bold decision that has far-reaching consequences.

Salesman Pete is renowned as the office hypochondriac, but it soon becomes clear his ailments are the least of his worries.

Having just discovered he and his wife are expecting a baby, he is feeling the pressure financially – so when he and Jason fall victim to a carjacking, the police are convinced it was an inside job.

BBC1, 9pm

The contestants receive a lesson in posing and take part in their first photoshoot, before two teams face the prospect of elimination.

Liz’s fate hangs in the balance when she is questioned in court about the harbourmaster’s murder, and Red realises the only way to clear her name is to track down Tom. With time running out, he goes to extreme lengths to locate the next target on his list – the man who trained Tom to become a secret agent, and will know exactly where he’s hiding.

Sky1, 8pm

VERA

ITV, 9pm

Sky Living, 8pm

Mel Giedroyc chairs the funpacked quiz, in which the Gordons from the West Midlands take on South Glamorgan family the Hawkes-Harringtons, competing in rounds designed to test their general knowledge and intelligence. But only one of the clans can make it through to the next stage.

CODE OF A KILLER

BBC1, 8pm

Max and Caroline are arrested when they decide to break into a guy’s flat to retrieve some items of jewellery Caroline accidentally left there after she spent the night with him. Meanwhile, Sophie begins to plan her wedding to Oleg.

New series. Diarmaid MacCulloch explores how Christianity has shaped Western attitudes to sex, gender and sexuality throughout history, beginning by examining how the early Christians transformed intercourse from a biological necessity into a vice and from a pleasure into a sin.

New series. Competitors from across the nation test their strength, speed and courage in this obstacle-course challenge. Those who make it to the end of the adrenalinefuelled mission face one final task – scaling the heights of a tower named Mount Midoriyama.

Footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones presents a show packed full of car chases, catchphrases, stunts, pyrotechnics and villains in a countdown of the best films from the action genre as voted for by viewers.

Featuring contributions by actors Gary Busey and Steven Berkoff and actress Tia Carrere.

Two of England’s most notorious and feared witchfinders are summoned by Sir Andrew Pike to the unassuming village of Little Happens to try a defenceless old woman. Elizabeth Gadge stands accused of consorting with the Devil and will be burnt at the stake if she is found guilty by Mr Clarke and Mr Warren.

THE FACE AUSTRALIA

E4, 8pm

THE BLACKLIST

The fantasy adventure returns having taken a break just before Christmas. News of Ariadne and Jason’s wedding plans reaches Pasiphae, who is terrified Atlantis will be lost to her for ever – so she resolves to do all she can to prevent the union, no matter what the cost. However, her pursuit of power has devastating consequences for everyone. Jack Donnelly, Aiysha Hart, Sarah Parish and Mark Addy star.

Channel 5, 11.20pm

2 BROKE GIRLS

RELATIVELY CLEVER

NINJA WARRIOR UK

ULTIMATE ACTION MOVIES WITH VINNIE JONES

Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool (Kick-off 7.45pm). Coverage of the sixth-round replay from Ewood Park, where a semi-final match against Aston Villa awaits the winners.

BT Sport 1, 7pm

SEX AND THE CHURCH

ATLANTIS

BBC1, 7.45pm

New series. Ellie Harrison and Adam Henson go hunting for hidden corners of the UK landscape and meet some of the people who live there. They begin by exploring the unseen water world of the Brecon Beacons in south Wales, where Ellie confronts her fear of tight spaces to venture into Britain’s deepest cave – carved through the rock by an ancient underground river – and a couple reveal how their lives were transformed when they bought a 200-year-old toll bridge over the River Wye.

INSIDE NO 9

BBC2, 9pm

BBC4, 11pm

LIVE FA CUP

BBC2, 10pm

BBC2, 8pm

BRITAIN’S MOST DANGEROUS SONGS: LISTEN TO THE BANNED

SECRET BRITAIN

BBC1, 9pm

BBC2, 9pm

61

NCIS: LOS ANGELES

BBC1, 5.15pm

JACK DEE’S ELECTION HELPDESK BBC2, 10pm

New series. The comedian is joined by a panel of four guests to shed light on dilemmas and issues relating to the General Election raised by the studio audience.

MILLIONAIRE BASEMENT WARS BBC1, 10.45pm

London’s super-rich are maximising their properties as never before, by digging down and creating new basements.

However, some take as long as three years to complete – and the noise of the digging and builders’ lorries has made daily life hell in these neighbourhoods.

INSIDE HARLEY STREET BBC2, 9pm

New series. Film-maker Vanessa Engle looks inside the hidden and exclusive world of private medicine, telling the stories of patients and doctors at clinics in central London’s famous street and its neighbouring area.

Sky1, 10pm

Callen and the team search for the culprit responsible for hijacking a missile test and sending it off course. But when extra assistance is required, Hetty brings in a young computer hotshot – who proceeds to rub Nell up the wrong way. Drama, starring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J.

LIVE FORD MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Sky Sports 1, 7pm

Liverpool v Newcastle United (Kick-off 8.00pm).

Coverage of the Premier League encounter at Anfield, where Liverpool are looking to avenge a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.

LIVE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

A VERY BRITISH AIRLINE

Juventus v Monaco (Kick-off 7.45pm).

Coverage of the quarter-final firstleg tie, where the hosts take on Arsenal’s last-16 conquerors.

Monaco caused arguably the surprise of the last 16 with their victory against the Gunners, which included a win in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

How British Airways keeps its 28 flights a day to New York running smoothly, even as the worst winter on record causes cancellations. Meanwhile, the airline opens a new route to Chengdu and has to learn how to contend with the challenges of operating in mainland China.

Sky Sports 1, 7.40pm

BBC3, 10pm

Wednesday 8th April 2015

62 � MOTORS

‘If you want some fun behind the wheel of a compact SUV, this turbo petrol NX offers a brisk and entertaining experience’

BY IAIN DOOLEY

A car with an emphasis very much on space, comfort and refinement ‘This compact SUV possesses more straight lines than a ruler factory, which certainly helps it stand out from the less adventurous crowd outside the school gates’ Wednesday 8th April 2015

WHAT’S NEW? Lexus, the premium arm of Japanese car maker Toyota, slowly continues to grow its line-up with the addition of a compact crossover model rivalling the likes of Range Rover’s Evoque and Audi’s Q5. And in a change in direction from its conservative offerings from the recent past, visually this new NX could never be described as conservative; its edgy appearance easily sets it apart from its less edgy rivals and the rest of the Lexus range.

And it’s not just the car’s looks that are a departure from the norm. Lexus might be well known for its hybrid models, but this particular NX boasts a new 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine.

Lexus is pitching this 200t model as a mildly sporting variant, and is reinforcing this decision by selling the car in visually arresting F Sport trim.

LOOKS AND IMAGE Lexus isn’t exactly famous for producing radical-looking cars. To date, its offerings have presented a more conservative face to the world than its main rivals. This has ensured success in its main markets, but the ‘edgy’ NX is tasked with appealing to a younger audience. And good luck finding a curve; this compact SUV possesses more straight lines than a ruler factory, which certainly helps it stand out from the less adventurous crowd in the supermarket car park or outside the school gates. Yes it’s an SUV and yes, in 200t guise, it comes with all-wheel drive but don’t expect any Land Rover-like heroics.

SPACE AND PRACTICALITY Despite its being labelled a ‘compact’ SUV, the NX is a pleasingly spacious and versatile

machine. For a five-door, five-seat car, its cabin offers adult occupants ample space in a suitably plush environment. Oddment storage space is good and, if you’ve got the right kit, there’s even provision wirelessly to charge a mobile phone. At the back, the car’s raised ride height pays off in the form of a usefully high boot load lip, making it ideal for when you’re shifting bulky or heavy items.

BEHIND THE WHEEL Lexus is pitching this particular NX as a sporty model, which explains the presence of a 235 horsepower 2.0-litre turbo petrol motor in lieu of the usual petrol-electric hybrid setup. The F Sport trim level should be another clue, which adds subtle design add-ons that help to boost the car’s visual appeal further.

MOTORS �

63

As if to reinforce Lexus’ desire to position this NX as driver-centric, the car comes with allwheel drive as standard.

The end result is a wiling companion that proves more agile than its SUV underpinnings suggest. The emphasis is still very much on comfort and refinement but the car’s turbo motor doesn’t disappoint when you want to have some fun. Direct steering, predictable gear changes from the auto ‘box and a firm but measured ride all work well together.

VALUE FOR MONEY Lexus has been generous with the amount of kit that’s available for this NX. True to form, there’s electric everything plus keyless entry and ignition, parking sensors, a premium audio unit and a plush interior trimmed in quality materials. You’ll need to dig a little deeper if you want one of the two sat-nav options but that’s about it. On paper, then, this NX 200t shames its immediate rivals in the creature comfort department.

Being petrol only it can’t quite match its hybrid stablemate or diesel rivals for outright economy and CO2, although low mileage private buyers are unlikely to view this as a major issue.

WHO WOULD BUY ONE? Not a fan of hybrid or diesel engines and prefer straight lines to curves? If so, this rather adventurously styled NX in ‘petrol only’ guise might suit your needs. On the whole it’s well-equipped, while its sporty look mostly translates into a sporty driving experience.

If you want some fun behind the wheel of a compact SUV, this turbo petrol NX offers a brisk and entertaining experience. Plus there’s no shame in wanting to stand out from the crowd, which is something you’ll struggle to achieve in the car’s many European rivals.

THIS CAR SUMMED UP IN A SINGLE WORD Edgy.

IF THIS CAR WAS A...

Knife, it would be sharp enough to cut itself.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

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Wednesday 8th April 2015

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66 � TRAVEL

Reaching for the stars in Mexico

• By Emily Boynton STANDING in a field with my hands raised in the air, I have to admit I feel quite silly. The idea that I might catch the sun’s rays with my fingertips seems even more ludicrous, but encouraging bystanders are telling me to imagine my body being filled with a powerful energy.

We are gathered outside one of the world’s greatest monuments, the Kukulkan Temple at Chichen Itza. A Mayan archaeological site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it’s is an awe-inspiring network of temples in the Yucatan Peninsula, dating back to AD 600.

The reason for my flailing hand gestures is the spring equinox celebration, which is held in midto-late March every year. Along with the autumn equinox in September, it’s a big celebration for the Mayan people.

The Mayans were pioneers in astrology and each of the four sides of the Kukulkan temple has 91 steps – one for each day of the year – with the top platform making the 365th. It’s a remarkable

Above: ALIGNED The Chichen Itza Pyramid Left: STUNNING Playa del Carmen

structure and during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun aligns at an angle to create the shadow of a serpent creeping down the steps of the pyramid, connecting the sun to the earth.

I’m so caught up in the celebrations, I quickly forget about any embarrassment. In reality, my energising holiday started two-and-a-half hours away at Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, on the Riviera Maya. Situated on a white sand beach amid lush greenery, the former private residence is made up of 63 low-rise whitewashed rooms and suites.

Days can be spent lazing by one of the three swimming pools, playing tennis, or wandering along the delightfully deserted beach. Unlike the busy beaches at nearby Playa del Carmen, here, it is possible to walk for miles without seeing another person.

A short boat ride from the hotel is the world’s second largest coral reef, known as the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef or the Great Mayan Reef. It covers an area of 1,000km, from Isla Contoy on the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, all the way to Honduras.

I overcome my fear of the choppy water to go snorkelling, and spot an array of marine life, including parrotfish, angelfish, barracudas and butterfly fish.

Although I feel revived after the spring equinox celebrations, I decide a trip to the hotel’s Kinan

‘The Mayans were pioneers in astrology and each of the four sides of the Kukulkan temple has 91 steps – one for each day of the year – with the top platform making the 365th’ Wednesday 8th April 2015

TRAVEL �

Spa will really leave me feeling like a new person. Treatments here are based on healing Mayan rituals, using products made with locally sourced ingredients.

Every part of the spa has been aligned with the stars to create a positive energy flow; treatment rooms point east to west, representing day and night, and the massage beds face east, symbolising new beginnings.

I decide to try the Maya temazcal, which

turns out to be one of the most unusual and memorable spa treatments I have ever experienced. I join a small group on the beach at dusk, and as the sun disappears, a Mayan shaman leads us into a triangular structure submerged in the sand.

In the dark, seated in a circle around heated rocks, we are taken through the different stages of the temazcal, each one dedicated to the elements of air, water, fire and earth.

Chanting, singing and drumming takes place, as the rocks are doused with herb-infused water, raising the temperature and creating an aromatic healing steam to drive out the impurities from our skin.

As the treatment ends, we run full speed into the refreshing sea. Again, I have my hands held high in the air, only this time I’m not reaching for anything - I just seem to have found a new spring in my step.

67

TRAVEL FACTS � Cox & Kings (020 7873 5000; coxandkings.co.uk) offers a fivenight stay at Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, priced from £1,595 per person, including British Airways flights, private transfers and a Deluxe Garden Room with breakfast daily.

DIFFERENT Temazcal at the Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa

Competition now closed!

An evening with Simon Reeve

Someone will win a beautiful 7 night holiday for two at Rendezvous, Saint Lucia 4.5 Look out for the winner’s name to be revealed soon…

Listen to Simon Reeve talk about his new BBC series

It’s all about romance at Rendezvous!

Wed. 29th April - 7pm Salomons Estate Tunbridge Wells

‘Caribbean’

Set on an unspoilt two-mile stretch of sand, this all-inclusive hideaway is just for couples. Wake up in your king-sized four-poster bed and try complimentary sailing and waterskiing, or archery, the golf clinic, professional tennis lessons and a free dive. You can soothe tired muscles with a heavenly massage at the spa; float down the lazy river; or simply chill out on the beach, holding hands across a double lounger.

You can also arrange unforgettable private dining experiences.

Spend evenings listening to music and dancing in one of the three bars, and get in touch if you’d like to get married at Rendezvous – we have a free package for Kuoni guests.

Tickets are £15pp* inc. Welcome Drink Book online www.ticketsource.co.uk/btg or contact your local branch of www.baldwinstravel.co.uk Simon Reeve travels around the edge of the Caribbean Sea for a stunning new three - part series!

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Wednesday 8th April 2015

68 � ARTS & CULTURE

Bringing the big society together to celebrate the best in music In addition to a thriving rock and indie scene, there’s another musical revolution going on in our town. The Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society brings amateur and professional singers and musicians together in celebration of quality classical music. To find out more about our culture, we sat down with publicity manager Melissa Richards and chairman Alan Spencer…

Wednesday 8th April 2015

• By Fred Latty Tell us about how you got involved with the society Melissa: I’ve enjoyed singing with choirs since I was little, so when I moved to Tunbridge Wells just over two years ago, it was a good way to get involved in the local community and get to know people. I used to sing with choirs when I lived in London, as well as throughout university and school, it’s always been something I’ve really enjoyed. I joined at a time when the previous publicity officer had stepped down; I had a background in marketing and publicity, so got more heavily involved than I’d ever intended, but have very happily done so!

Alan: I joined in 1973 or 1974. I sang in London with the Alexandre Choir and sang in a choir at university and school. For some reason I got elected as chairman a few months ago – I’m not quite sure whether I did the right thing or not!

There’s a lot of work involved because it’s quite a big society.

How many members do you have?

Melissa: About 100 – it varies but we’ve normally got anything from 80 to 100 people onstage at a concert, so it’s a big society. It could be a full-time job for all of us! All of us on the choir committee are volunteers, so it’s all our spare time, which some of us have more or less of than others!

Are you largely professional or amateur?

Melissa: It’s all amateur; you don’t have to audition to join. I’d like to think we have a good standard and we want to make it as accessible as possible to anybody who wants to give it a go.

Alan: We occasionally hire one or two semiprofessional people if we feel we need it.

Melissa: Our music director Rebecca Miller is professional and we have a wonderful professional accompanist, so we’re very fortunate to have the core and professionals. We hire our own orchestra, most of whom are semi-professional musicians as well. We want to put on good quality concerts, which means we have to be good enough and there’s a cost that goes with it.

Which venues do you perform in?

Melissa: We tend to have three to four concerts a year, one or two at the Assembly Hall, then a Christmas concert, which, for the last two years, we’ve done at St Mary’s Church in Goudhurst.

We’ve also done concerts in Holmewood House School – we tend to do one slightly smaller one, purely because of the cost of putting them on, otherwise it’s just too much.

Where do you get your funding?

Alan: We used to get grants and even had an Arts Council grant at one time, but that has all disappeared. We don’t get anything from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Melissa: We get a community rate at the Assembly Hall, it’s slightly less to hire it and advertise with

ARTS & CULTURE �

UPCOMING CONCERTS � 2015 THE SAINT MATTHEW PASSION: Sunday, April 26, 3pm, Assembly Hall Theatre MOZART – REQUIEM: Sunday, November 15, 3pm, Assembly Hall Theatre CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Sunday, December 13, 6.30pm, Goudhurst parish church � 2016 SPRING CONCERT: Sunday April 23, 3pm, Assembly Hall Theatre REMEMBRANCE DAY CONCERT: Sunday November 13, 3pm, Assembly Hall Theatre House Wealth Management in Goudhurst, who we’re working closely with to evolve our partnership, see how we can work with them and see what we can do a bit differently. We’re looking to approach more local businesses and philanthropists, appreciating that people want to get more out of this kind of partnership. There are things we can do for them and they can do for us.

It’s challenging, but we’re doing all right – we’re still here 100-plus years later!

What kind of challenges do you face?

Alan: In the past, we were incredibly traditional, playing all the big classical, choral works, but as we look forward, we’re looking at branching out and widening our repertoire. We try and attract listeners who aren’t necessarily classical, choral people, so one challenge is to try and widen the attractiveness of what we’re doing.

Melissa: We’re very lucky to have a very loyal audience, but it’s challenging trying to get people to try something new. We’ve been trying to branch out into social media and we’re broadening our repertoire, while still trying to remain true to who we are and what we do, without treading on anybody else’s toes. There are many other musical organisations in the area who we’re happy to work with to see how we can attract different audiences.

QUALITY CLASSICAL MUSIC The Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society them, but we don’t get any grants direct from the borough council. We fund ourselves through membership fees, ticket sales and fundraising and have some very generous and well appreciated friends and patrons of the society. We’ve also been kindly remembered with legacies and recently have been fortunate enough to build a relationship with various sponsors, so we have advertising through our programmes as well.

Who are some of your sponsors?

Melissa: Our main one at the moment is Burfields

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHORAL SOCIETY FOUNDED 1904 WEB www.rtwcs.org.uk FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ RTWChoralSoc TWITTER @RTWChoralSoc ANNUAL NUMBER OF CONCERTS 3-4 MUSIC DIRECTOR Rebecca Miller TICKET PRICES FROM £10 ANNUAL FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP £60 ANNUAL SILVER PATRON MEMBERSHIP £100-200 ANNUAL GOLD PATRON MEMBERSHIP £200+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION £125 (£25 for under 25s) SPONSORSHIP Burfields House Wealth MANAGEMENT www.burfieldshouse.co.uk REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 273310

In what ways do you go about that?

Alan: Partnering with schools and colleges is very important. Personally, as chairman, I want to encourage that and do more with that if we can – attracting younger people to take part will broaden our attraction for the younger generations.

Is it a struggle to fill seats?

Alan: The biggest obstacle is maximising ticket sales. We try and get as many sold through the choir members themselves as we can. Tickets are sold by the Assembly Hall when we put a concert on there but they charge commission, so we don’t get the same return. That’s always a challenge – we set a target of four tickets per member. If we achieve that, we’ve automatically got 400 people in the audience. Not everyone’s able to do that unfortunately, but that’s the message.

Melissa: We know we can sell tickets, it’s just how many times a year you can ask people to do that.

It’s a personal taste, so it’s a struggle trying to find the right repertoire to challenge members as well. We do liaise with the choral societies from neighbouring towns and villages and in this area there’s a nice support for that kind of thing, which is great.

Alan: On one or two occasions, we actually filled the whole Assembly Hall. It’s an incredible feeling when it’s absolutely packed, but to try and get 800 or 900 people for every concert is a real challenge.

How do you find managing unpaid volunteers?

Melissa: We’re incredibly lucky that we have a very dedicated committee. Even those that aren’t on it care a lot about the choir and we have some people who do a lot of work behind the scenes anyway. We’ve got people who are willing to put those hours in, but it’s a challenge and it’s not easy finding people willing to give up their time and energy.

Alan: In the past, we had people who had grown old in their jobs. We didn’t get much of a turnover of people on the committee, which I don’t think is a particularly good thing, as it can get a bit distant from the rest of the membership.

What I love at the moment is the fact a lot of young people are involved and there’s a great connection between the committee and the rest of the choir.

What are your thoughts on Tunbridge Wells culture in general?

Alan: I would say we’re flourishing. I think there’s far more going on in Tunbridge Wells on the culture side and a bigger variety of things than there has been. Culturally, it’s pretty alive.

Melissa: One of the reasons I wanted to move here was the fact that there’s lots going on. It’s a great place for music, art and theatre.

Has the recession had an impact on the society at all?

Alan: Something we have to be very mindful of when we set the ticket prices is to make sure we don’t price people out. Prices have had to go up over the years, but you’re always mindful that you mustn’t set them too high or you’ll frighten people off when they haven’t got the money.

Melissa: We were as sensitive as we could be with ticket pricing, we did freeze them for several years. It’s only been in the last year or two we’ve put them up a tiny bit. At the end of the day, costs do increase and you do have to tread that fine line to see where it is. We always want to try and get people in to experience live music because it’s completely different to listening to a recording.

It’s just trying to encourage people to come along and try it.

Alan: Tunbridge Wells clearly hasn’t been hit by the recession as badly as some other places. It’s a horrendously prosperous town, so unless you’re charging outrageous ticket prices, the people who are really interested will come. But you’ve got to be realistic; even if we sold 900 tickets, the cost is so high and the Assembly Hall is a very expensive place to put things on, so it’s always a challenge to actually meet those costs. That’s why we need the other bits of funding, so the bottom line is that you end up OK.

69

RTWCS’ musical director Rebecca Miller talks about the upcoming performance of St Matthew Passion BACH’S St Matthew Passion is one of the great works of art of all time. Bach’s music in general is timeless, continually reminding us of the fragility of the human existence and the incredible achievements possible through hard work and perseverance. I have waited many years for an opportunity to do the piece, and am relishing being a part of recreating this incredible piece of music.

You are performing with the London Handel Orchestra, which uses period instruments – why?

My job as a conductor is to try to get inside the head of the composer to attempt to convey his/her intentions with my gestures, through the musicians and to the audience.

Music doesn’t exist until we recreate it, and we are continually attempting to reproduce the art in its purest form. Realising that the piece of music will inevitably be unique each time because the circumstances of any one performance can never be completely replicated, I feel it is our duty to get as close to the composer’s intentions as possible. We now have the knowledge, access to instruments, and incredibly skilled players to perform the piece on original instruments, so why not try?

What can the audience expect from this concert?

To get ‘up close’ to Bach and the St Matthew Passion. In a groundbreaking change to our concert format, we will dispense with the stage, and the choir and orchestra will be in close proximity to each other and the audience. It is my aim for people to experience this emotionally-charged and highly human piece of music not at a distance, behind glass, but up close – so the impact can be felt by everyone in the room.

What else do you do when you aren’t with the RTWCS? Well, I wish I could say I sit and stare at the wall.... A few days a week you’ll find me at work at Royal Holloway University as director of orchestral activities, on Saturdays I teach and conduct at the Royal Academy of Music’s junior department, other times I guest conduct orchestras around the UK, or work with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. If I’m not at any of those places, I’m generally at home, hard at work with my favourite, most difficult, but most important job of all - playing with and raising my two young children!

Where do you see it all going in the future?

Melissa: It’s very important that we remain true to who we are, but we do want to make sure we are attracting those new audiences and new members. One of the things we’re very proud of is being part of Tunbridge Wells; that’s something very important to us and it’s at our core. We just want to make sure that getting involved and really being a part of the community, lifeblood and cultural richness that is Tunbridge Wells is part of our DNA. Alan: I would very much like to see the age profile of the membership continue to go down and to get more and more young people in to sing with us in the choir. I definitely want to strengthen our links with schools and we must always strive for the best standard that we can produce – being disciplined in the way we rehearse and present ourselves onstage. We must always strive to be as good as we possibly can be and produce a quality product at the end of the day.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

70 � COUNTRY MATTERS

The preposterous priority of pink aggregate paths

• By Kent Barker WALKING with my dog along a local bridleway, we got rather a shock. Where, before, there had been a rutted muddy track, now was a smooth raised path constructed from laid and rolled aggregate. The trouble is, it was pink. Heaven knows where they found pink aggregate or why they decided to use it in this green field in the middle of the countryside.

Wednesday 8th April 2015

Or indeed why they had decided to ‘repair’ the muddy track in the first place.

Actually I can guess the answer to that last one: probably because the end of the financial year approaches and they had some money left in their budget! The same thing happened this time last year on another local byway.

Now, I’m not against bridleways or byways. Nor am I against my county council maintaining them. I’d much rather they didn’t use pink stones, but that’s my personal colour preference. Others might like pink. What does concern me, though, is the cost. Tens of thousands of pounds must have gone into this ‘repair’. The bank, on one side, had been reinforced with wire cages full of rocks. Diggers and bulldozers and rollers must have been employed. Hundreds of tonnes of this ugly pink stuff had been trucked in. And for what?

So horses could keep their hoofs dry? Okay, not just for that. Walkers would be able to keep their boots clean and cyclists their tyres pristine. It simply wasn’t necessary.

If they’d asked me what was needed, I’d have said more maintenance of our public

footpaths. On our walks we find collapsed and dangerous stiles, paths overgrown with brambles and that cattle have trampled the land to an impassable quagmire. A few more reminders to landowners of their responsibilities, and a programme to replace stiles with gates would be of far greater benefit to far more people.

But even that’s not really the point. Kent County Council currently needs to save a whopping £81 million. Year on year central government grants to local authorities have been slashed. Jobs have been lost and services cut. Children’s services are next in line. Adult provision has already been denuded.

Out here in the country, the elderly really rely on home visits. It was the only thing that enabled my mother to remain in her house for the last years of her life. This was vital for her, but also saved huge sums of money on residential care, which she would have hated.

At our last parish council meeting, our local Kent county councillor reported on the cuts. “We’re looking to make savings by outsourcing further services,” he said.

This is council-speak for privatisation.

And privatisation is a euphemism for taking services away from public providers like councils and giving them to private companies. And paying less for them.

I don’t necessarily dispute that competition can be beneficial, nor do I think that public services HAVE to be provided by public providers.

But I just cannot see how giving public service contracts to private ‘for profit’ companies will result in genuine value for money. You have a pot of cash available to provide a service – say home visits for the elderly. Then you reduce that pot. Competitive tendering might, just possibly, achieve sufficient savings without services suffering – always assuming that the previous public provider was inefficient.

But then you’ve also got to take the private company’s profit out of that pot. And what you then get is wages forced down – or people paid less than the minimum wage as travel is not properly included in their contract. And you get them having to ‘clip’ the time they spend with clients.

And anyway, why should shareholders in private companies profit from provision of public services paid for by my taxes? Victorian capitalists wanting money to build railways or canals would seek investors who were taking a genuine risk – for which dividends and profits were the incentive. But there’s next to no risk in a fixed-price contract with a public provider such as a council, and the private company seldom, if ever, requires venture capital.

There is a way through this. Only offer contracts for public services to ‘not for profit’ companies. There are dozens of charities and trusts who can compete with each other and the public provider if they so wish. But at least all the public money is going into service provision.

There’s another way to save money too.

And that’s to ensure that all council services are genuinely required. Resurfacing several kilometres of bridleway in pink aggregate is not, in my view, much of a priority. Not nearly as important as care for the elderly. Oh, but that’s a different budget. And it’s capital not revenue. And it’s a statutory duty. All of which may be true, but surely there must be a better way.

Read more at KentCountryMatters.Blogspot.com

FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

• By Eleanor Jones FOR this week’s Times, we spoke to Ian Thirkell, the creator of the ArcEquine microcurrent unit.

Ian’s invention was picked to appear at this year’s Gadget Show Live, as one of the 20 most innovative products in the country.

I became aware of the ArcEquine when my vet first suspected that Squirrel had torn her deep flexor tendon last September. I knew the prognosis of her returning to full work was slim so I was desperately researching anything that could help.

What drew my attention to the Arc was that every review, every comment I read about it was positive. I think it’s fair to say that horsey people in general are a cynical bunch, suspicious of anything which promises to be a quick-fix or miracle solution, yet no one had anything bad to say about the Arc. The case study which sticks in my mind is that of a horse which injured its tendon in the Grand National, to such an extent that its fetlock joint was almost touching the ground. The course vet advised it be put down immediately but the trainer took the horse home, used the Arc – and the horse was sound enough to race in the following year’s Grand National. This was amazing stuff.

I was persuaded by these tales to part with my cash and a few days into Squirrel’s box rest, started using the unit. As instructed, she wore it every day until her repeat MRI scan three months later.

It was hard to be optimistic, as my vet had recommended she have surgery but I’d opted to try without as the risk of horses dying under anaesthetic is so much higher than in humans and I’d rather have her and not ride her than lose her. I’d also been told her chances of full recovery were smaller without the operation, although not much greater with it; it wasn’t looking good.

After a few weeks of Squirrel looking uncomfortable on her daily walks, I noticed she seemed happier, to be striding out more.

But with no other signs of healing, and with my vet having warned that about the best I could hope for was that it hadn’t got any worse, I wasn’t hopeful when I took her to horsepital for her second MRI. I didn’t understand much of the report interpreting the scan images but I understand ‘significant improvement’ – and I definitely understand ‘the tendon appears to have healed’.

My vet declared it ‘astonishing’ and ‘remarkable’, and gave me the nod to start riding again, and I don’t think this would have happened without the Arc. My mum also used the unit, and within a few weeks the pain of the sciatica which had kept her awake every night was massively improved. This is something truly amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.

INDOORS & OUTDOORS �

Rising star Sam plays down talk of England team call-up

71

RISING STAR Sam Billings

Kent wicket-keeper wants to focus on his day job for county KENT wicket-keeper Sam Billings is playing down talk of being selected for England this summer and wants to focus on the job in hand.

The 23-year-old from Pembury has made a real name for himself in the past 12 months, attracting the attention of the England selectors for his no-nonsense approach to batting.

Having taken over wicketkeeping duties from Ashes winner Geraint Jones at Kent, Billings is now one of the first names on Rob Key’s teamsheet and is nailed down to start in all formats of the game.

His innovative style has earned him England recognition already, going on tour to South Africa with the England Lions

in the winter and he is being tipped to break into the England one-day and Twenty20 sides this coming summer.

Despite all the interest from the media, Billings insists he hasn’t given much thought to playing for his country and wants to focus on doing well for Kent.

He said: “It’s been a brilliant winter playing against top quality opposition and alongside top quality players, that has given me an insight in what it’s like to be an international cricketer.

“It’s nice to be in the mix and people mentioning your name, but at the end of the day, I just have to stick to my process that got me there in the first place.”

In recent weeks Billings has been playing in Abu Dhabi for

Landlubbers urged to Push the Boat Out this spring

ON THE WATER Local clubs are offering taster sessions and open days ahead

the MCC alongside Test captain Alastair Cook.

He said: “Playing alongside someone who’s got 25 Test centuries can only help my game.

He has a phenomenal record and is a top bloke.

“I’ve been told I need to go out and walk the walk, score the runs to get my name in the frame.”

With the season almost upon us, Billings hopes it will bring success to Kent and with the likes of Joe Denly and Matt Coles back at the club, it could well be a season in which some of the younger players come good.

Billings said: “Ultimately, I want to win some silverware for Kent, because if you’ve got a successful team, people will take notice.

TUNBRIDGE Wells landlubbers are urged to Push The Boat Out and have a go at sailing this spring.

Sailing clubs in Edenbridge and Tonbridge are two of 16 centres across Kent offering free and cheap.

Chances to get out on the water and try a new sport between May 9 and 17 as part of the Royal Yachting Association’s national Push The Boat Out 2015.

The scheme is a nationwide festival aimed at introducing beginners of all ages to sailing and windsurfing.

Last year, 260 clubs and centres in Britain hosted Push the Boat Out events with 17,000 people trying sailing or windsurfing for the first time over one weekend.

Each open day and taster session will be different

“We’ve got a lot of youth here, but it’s now time to start turning that potential into results. There’s no substitute for runs and I’ve just got to start the season well for Kent and go from there.”

Kent begin their season with a three-day match against Loughborough MCCU at Canterbury from Sunday, with their County Championship opener away to Essex beginning on Sunday, April 19.

County cricket comes to the Nevill Ground in Tunbridge Wells on Friday, July 17, when Kent face Glamorgan in the Natwest T20 Blast. At the end of Tunbridge Wells week, the Kent Spitfires take on the Essex Eagles in the Royal London One Day Cup on Sunday, July 26.

depending on what activities each club or centre offers, but all Push The Boat Out events are geared to appeal to a wide range of people, showcasing what the sports are about and highlighting how accessible sailing is.

Already signed up locally are Tonbridge Town Sailing Club and Bough Beech, Edenbridge, while Weir Wood in East Sussex is also involved and Bewl Valley Sailing Club is holding its annual open day on May 4.

Potential sailors will need warm clothes, soft-soled shoes and waterproofs, the clubs will provide all other equipment. Booking is essential for some activities and refreshments will be available.

For more information, www. rya.org.uk/go/ptbo

‘Playing alongside someone who’s got 25 Test centuries can only help my game.

He has a phenomenal record and is a top bloke’

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Wednesday 8th April 2015

ONE MAN, ONE MACHINE. G.P.M.H. GRAND PRIX DE MONACO HISTORIQUE CHRONO