Times of Tonbridge 14th November 2018

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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Sex offender is sentenced to 18 years for ‘appalling’ acts

Depraved Hutson was sentenced at the same court on Friday [November 9].

The judge also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and he will serve a minimum of 14 years in prison.

Detective Inspector Matthew Basford, a senior investigating officer on the case, said: “Hutson is a depraved individual who has not shown any remorse for his appalling actions over a number of years.

“The court has noted the level of his offending and it is only right that he is to serve a substantial prison sentence.

DI Basford added: “I would like to commend the bravery of the victim, who showed great courage in coming forward to report the abuse and help us bring this man to justice.”

Roadworks almost complete around railway station Page 4 PHOTO: Kerry Barton/Studio 23 Photography

A MAN from the town who pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offences in the Tonbridge area has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Christopher Hutson was convicted of crimes committed from 2014-18, which included filming himself raping a child.

Hutson, of Lodge Oak Lane, was arrested on July 10. He was charged and remanded in custody pending his court appearance.

The 58-year-old pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to two counts of rape of a child under 13 years of age, six counts of sexual activity with a child, four counts of taking indecent images of a child and two counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child.

END OF THE TUNNEL

THE BIGGER PICTURE Artspring’s exhibition helps fund African school Page 16

PEACE BREAKS OUT: Veterans of the Armed Forces release white doves at the Castle on Remembrance Sunday. Turn to page 8

Sub-standard High Street bridge due for ‘close inspection’ in 2019

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk THREE bridges in the town – one of them on the High Street – have been deemed ‘sub-standard’ and require regular monitoring, according to Kent County Council [KCC].

Little Bridge across Botany Stream is one of those affected, along with Mill Cottage, a footbridge linking the High Street to Cannon Lane and the new Aldi.

The former was built towards the end of the 19th century, at the same time as the Big Bridge, and was opened in 1888.

They were forged at a local foundry which was more well known for cutlery, and the two cast iron bridges were mischievously nicknamed ‘knife and fork’.

The faults are caused by ‘increased design and loading requirements since construction’ with Mill Cottage having also suffered from ‘deterioration’.

Both structures, which are classified ‘main bridge greater than three metres’. require monitoring every six months.

A KCC spokesman said: “Little Bridge was the subject of a principal inspection in 2012 and is currently programmed for a further principal inspection in 2019.

‘It is necessary to restrict use to cars to ensure continued safety until the bridge is replaced’ A principal inspection is a ‘close examination within touching distance of all inspectable parts’.

He added: “The bridge was completely re-waterproofed and resurfaced in spring 2014 and was subsequently repainted in autumn 2014 to address problems with water ingress and limit corrosion to the structural elements.”

Mill Cottage was also the subject of a principal inspection in 2015. KCC added: “This confirmed ongoing deterioration which, due to the age and construction of the bridge, was unrepairable without major reconstruction works which are programmed for 2019/20.

“However, following review of all the latest available information it is necessary to restrict use to cars accessing the adjacent property to ensure continued safety until such time as the bridge is replaced.”

A total of 39 structures across the county have been classified as substandard – five of them in Tonbridge & Malling – with 36 of them exceeding 1.5 metres out of a total of 945.

The term ‘sub-standard’ refers to any structure that ‘does not meet current design standards for loading’ – or coping with modern transport demands.

Continued on page 4

I’M BROAD-MINDED

New Tonbridge head hopes to be more inclusive Page 23

COUNTRY PURSUITS

Women’s relay team storms to victory in nationals Page 70

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BRIDGE INSPECTIONS: Continued from page 1

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Public meeting about Green Belt Changes around

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

SPANNING THE YEARS Little Bridge The RAC Foundation submits a Freedom of Information request every year seeking data on sub-standard structures over 1.5 metres in span.

If a structure is found to be ‘sub-standard’, interim measures must be used pending strengthening or replacement. Last year the cost of works carried out in Kent was £21.6million.

Andrew Loosemore, KCC’s Head of Highways Asset Management, told its Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee that the measures ensured safety for road users.

He said there was a need for further funding but that the ‘approach to managing structures was based on risk’. Those identified as an immediate risk would be completed as a priority.

He confirmed that bridges submerged in water received specialist underwater inspections.

The bridge that links the swimming pool to the Racecourse sportsground is currently closed having been deemed to have ‘reached the end of its usable life’, according to the borough council’s Engineering Manager Andrew Young, who is ‘looking at the options available’.

In addition, there is still a 50mph speed restriction on a flyover on the the A21 bypass between Tonbridge and North Farm.

Highways England said “This section has a weak structure [subway] beneath not posing an immediate and unacceptable safety risk.”

SUB-STANDARD BRIDGES

A PUBLIC meeting will be held at Sussex Road Community Primary School tomorrow [November 15] to discuss the loss of Green Belt on the edge of Haysden Country Park in the Local Plan.

It has been called after the council extended the period when the public can make comments on the draft document by a week.

There will be advice about how to make an objection online and plans for when the plan is submitted to the Secretary of State in January.

The document calls for 480 homes to be built between Hayesbrook School on Brook Street and the dual carriageway in south Tonbridge – a large part of which is designated as Green Belt.

Controls The planning term calls for separation between towns and surrounding countryside, acting as a buffer zone with tight controls over development.

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council has extended the plan’s public consultation period by a week until Monday [November 17].

It has done so ‘to ensure that everyone we had contacted had at least six weeks to respond’.

It added: “The feedback from the briefing sessions with Parish Councils was that they would appreciate a short extension as some did not have scheduled meetings to discuss their responses within the initial six-week period.”

Mr Tugendhat commented: “Government policy on the Green Belt does state that it can only be developed in exceptional circumstances.

“It is evident that Tonbridge & Malling Borough

GREAT DEBATE 480 homes are planned for Haysden

Council feels this applies with the plan as passed.

“The key issue now is for those opposed to development to make the case that exceptional circumstances ought not to apply here.

“I hope that residents living nearby will be able to respond in volume with technical planning arguments to make this case.

“This will be the most effective way for residents to have their views heard.”

The Conservative MP added: “Following the consultation, the plan will be assessed by a Government Inspector, which provides a further opportunity for representations.

“Please be assured I will make representations to the Inspector and would like to hear from as many residents as possible to ensure I can represent them as accurately as possible.”

The Local Plan can be viewed on the council’s website at tmbc.gov.uk/localplan Comments can be submitted online at tmbc. gov.uk/localplanreg19, by emailing localplan@ tmbc.gov.uk or in writing to Gibson Building, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling ME19 4LZ.

‘I was impressed by how much energy the children put into mastering new skills’

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR RICHARD MOORE richard@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 779615 DEPUTY EDITOR EILEEN LEAHY eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk | 01892 576037 REPORTER ANDY TONG andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

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

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THE ‘majority’ of the work being carried out around the railway station is set to be completed by the end of this month.

There will be five nights of disruption from November 28 to resurface the carriageways.

A Kent County Council [KCC] spokesperson admitted that there had been teething problems with the upgrade, which began on July 25, to improve the approach to the transport hub.

“Despite a number of issues cropping up it is anticipated the majority of the construction will be complete by the end of November,” he said.

The changes include widening pavements outside the station’s main entrance and at the bus stops in front of Lidl.

This will mean the loss of the bus stop outside the station and the creation of a new drop-off bay – along with protective bollards that the Counter Terrorism Police has recommended.

There will now be room for three buses on Quarry Hill Road, with a narrowing of the carriageway to accommodate stationery buses.

The county council said: “Tonbridge is the busiest train station in Kent and we need to improve access so that residents can continue to access the station safely. KCC appreciates these works are disruptive to residents and visitors to the town and we can only apologise for this.

“Contractors have now started works at the front of the station with the kerb line going in.

“Work will progress to fitting the new pavement and some remedial work on street lighting is required.”

a wide range of sporting activities including basketball, trampolining, judo, non-contact boxing, athletics, yoga and Boxfit – many of which were delivered by local clubs and coaches – as well as arts and crafts.

The event was sponsored by Fidelity, the Hildenborough-based investment management services company, and members of staff were on hand to help run the day.

CONTACTS

SALES ENQUIRIES GHak@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 779650

station to finish at end of month

Discovery Day inspires children to try sports

Little Bridge, Tonbridge High Street – main bridge, greater than 3 metres Stair, Old Hadlow Road, Tonbridge – minor bridge, 1.5 to 3m Mill Cottage, Tonbridge – main bridge, greater than 3m Hampton, Hampton Park Road, West Peckham – main bridge, greater than 3m Arnolds Lodge, Seven Mile Lane, East Peckham – minor bridge, 1.5m to 3m

DESIGN/PRODUCTION LEE SMITH lsmith8@markerstudy.com

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

GOOD SPORTS: Fidelity International’s volunteers help out at the Angel Centre SIXTY students with special needs from four schools joined the Mayor of Tonbridge & Malling Pam Bates and a host of volunteers from Fidelity International to take part in this year’s

Discovery Day at the Angel Centre.

Organised by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council in conjunction with their Leisure Trust tmactive, the children had the chance to try out

Tonbridge Lions Club also supported the event and their President Tom Simmons joined the Mayor to welcome the children.

Cllr Bates said: “It was wonderful to see the children having such a great time at this year’s Discovery Day. “I would like to thank everyone who helped to make the event such a success.”

She added: “There was such a great variety of activities and I was impressed at how much energy the children put into learning and mastering new skills.”

Free group exercise taster sessions at Angel Centre THE Angel Centre is offering a free group exercise taster day tomorrow [November 15] while raising funds for Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex.

The public are invited to come along from 9.30am to 9pm and try a wide range of instructorled classes including: Spin, Pilates, HIIT, Zumba, Yoga Flow, PowerWave, Aeroblitz, Body Conditioning and Les Mills favourite, Bodypump.

The programme is organised by the council’s Leisure Trust tmactive, which chose Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex as its charity of the year.

There is no charge, but participants are requested to make a small donation to the charity, which is entirely funded by donations.

Each mission costs £3,700 – and the air ambulance requires £11.4million a year to fulfil its lifesaving mission.

All those attending the event will be entered into our free prize draw to win a month’s membership of the gym.

They will also be able to sign up to a free Tanita Body Scan to assess their health and fitness.

There are more than 60 classes available each week at the centre on a pay-as-you-go basis.

To book a place, call 01732 772690 and confirm the classes you would like to attend. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, visit angelcentre.co.uk

THE PROGRAMME 9.40-10.10am: Spin 10.15-10.45am: HIIT (high-intensity intervals) 10.50-11.20am: Body Conditioning 11.30am-12pm: Aeroblitz (aerobics and Zumba) 12-1pm: Yoga Flow 5.15-5.45pm: PowerWave (full body workout) 5.55-6.25pm: Aeroblitz 6.30-7pm: Bodypump (weights) 7.10-7.40pm: HIIT 7.50-8.20pm: Zumba 8.25-8.55pm: Pilates

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

NEWS IN BRIEF

Meeting to discuss flooding protection THE Environment Agency is inviting residents, landowners and stakeholders to discuss plans for its scheme to enhance protection for more than 1,400 properties in Tonbridge and Hildenborough from flooding.

Working in partnership with Kent County Council and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, the developments will increase the capacity of the Leigh Flood Storage Area and create a new flood embankment in Hildenborough.

The three drop-in sessions are being held on Monday [November 19] from 12.307.45pm at Hildenborough Village Hall; and on Friday November 23 from 11am to 8pm and Saturday November 24 from 10am to 2pm at the Council Chamber Room in Tonbridge Castle.

Singer has no regrets X FACTOR hopeful Bella Penfold has told reporters she has ‘no regrets’ about her decision not to hide her sexuality on the show.

The 19-year-old, who was first given the chance to perform at One Warwick Park Hotel in Tunbridge Wells, has also revealed she has a girlfriend.

This weekend she will perform in the competition’s final eight after advancing last week, singing A Million Dreams from the film The Greatest Showman.

Spending on fertility PROPOSED cuts to spending on fertility in West Kent will be showcased in two meetings later this month.

The local NHS is considering reducing the number of cycles of IVF that would be funded to enable more investment on other care.

To find out details of how to attend a meeting in Maidstone on November 22 or in Sevenoaks on November 29, which will outline options, send an email to: nelcsu.engagement@nhs.net

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Online retailer credits growth after winning Queen’s Award

By William Mata THE managers of junior fashion retailer Childrensalon have been presented the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

Staff at the Tunbridge Wells business, which has become a major online enterprise, were visited on Monday [November 12] by the Viscount De L’Isle, the Lord Lieutenant of Kent for the presentation.

Outstanding The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is a programme for British businesses and other organisations who excel at international trade, innovation or sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses.

Michele and George Harriman-Smith were

1952. Since moving online in 1999, the business presented with the certification after has become an ecommerce pioneer. ‘outstanding continuous growth in overseas Last year they recorded a £80million turnover. sales over six years’.

The North Farm-based company has averaged 47 per cent growth every year during this period.

Ms Harriman-Smith, the Chief Executive, thanked her 319 staff for their role in the award.

“This award is very much for each and every member of the team at Childrensalon,” she said.

“Without your help, we could have never achieved this and I WELL EARNED just want to thank all of the staff George and Michele for their hard work.”

Harriman-Smith with Ms Harriman-Smith’s mother the Lord Lieutenant Sybil founded Childrensalon in

Hard work ‘starts now’ as business ballot backs BID MORE than £2million will be invested in making Tunbridge Wells a ‘great place to work’ with a Business Improvement District [BID].

A majority [73 per cent] of the firms who voted, were in favour of a plan to enhance parking, marketing and promotion, and events in the town over a five year period from April 1.

Businesses in the town centre will fund the BID by paying an annual levy of 1.25 per cent, although firms with a rateable value of £15,000 or less will be exempt and no premise will pay more than £5,000.

The result of the ballot [held from October 11 to November 8] was announced last Friday.

Railway child is born A NEW arrival onboard a Southeastern train gave a new meaning to the phrase ‘delayed birth’ last week.

The 8.55pm service from Ramsgate to London St Pancras on Thursday [November 8] was held at Stratford for 45 minutes while an ambulance was called.

The mother and baby are reportedly healthy.

Local News

THE LINE-UP: Nicky Blanchard [left] and Karen Pengelly [right] helped secure the BID result

Nicky Blanchard, Chair of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, said: “This is good news for Tunbridge Wells, we need to be ready on April 1 to deliver.

“The hard work starts now. We will be spending the next few months making sure that everything outlined in the business plan is in place and ready. The BID will be fully accountable to its member businesses and we look forward to working with them all.”

Consulted Royal Tunbridge Wells Together will now become the ‘BID company’ and will head a board comprised of members from town businesses and also Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

The BID is, however, led by businesses rather than the council and services will be in addition to those provided by the local authority.

In Tunbridge Wells this will see: • £635,000 spent on events • £303,000 supporting businesses • £495,000 boosting town promotion • £200,000 improving accessibility, including parking After the five years, businesses are consulted again to ask if they would like it to continue for another five years.

More than 300 towns and areas in the UK have a BID, including Maidstone and Canterbury – although these places have voted to spend the levy money on other initiatives.

Karen Pengelly, Manager of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, said no minimum turnout was required for the BID to be secured and that 38 per cent of the 670-or-so eligible took part.

“We would have liked it to have been higher, but I don’t think we could have done more in terms of consulting,” she told the Times yesterday [Tuesday]. “There are huge businesses that do not vote on principal so the turnout is nothing to be ashamed of.”

She added that five of the ballot papers were spoilt.

Ms Pengelly said the BID team would now work through their business plan to decipher the kind of events and services that should be provided.

She hinted that training for businesses could be boosted and existing events in the town, such as the puppetry festival, could benefit.

Business owners have previously expressed concern that smaller firms would be proportionally hit harder by the levy, with big brands having their payment capped at £5,000.

Mrs Pengelly continued: “Trading environments are tough for many and we need to make sure they see we are getting a good deal.

“BIDs up and down the country have been voted back in with an increased majority.”

Cllr Tracy Moore of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: “I hope now that we’ll see what’s happening successfully in the other 300 BIDs across the country replicated here.”

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Luxury hotel wins an award that honours design and development categories, with nine awards being presented on the night – the extra prize being awarded to the overall Project of the Year. This was presented to University of Kent’s Sibson Building.

All entries were judged on factors such as size, complexity, fitness for purpose and environmental factors.

County council Leader Paul Carter said: “The design and construction of these buildings featured at the Kent Design & Development Awards are truly stunning and it shows how far we’ve come in design and build in the last 20 years.”

The biennial awards are also sponsored by DHAS and Maxim.

One Warwick Park Hotel is styled to be ‘characteristic’ and features a glass atrium, a transformed former schoolhouse and The Gallery – an underground passage between its two buildings.

It has previously been voted Kent’s ‘Boutique Venue of the Year’ and Kent Wedding Awards Winner 2017/18.

THE ‘innovative’ style of One Warwick Park Hotel helped the Tunbridge Wells venue win a Kent Design & Development Award.

A team of development, architecture and design experts judged the four star hotel, which is owned by Markerstudy Group, to be worthy of The Conservation Award.

More than 100 industry experts attended the ceremony at Maidstone’s Town Hall last week, which was held in association with Kent County Council.

One Warwick Park Hotel was the only Tunbridge Wells project to be on the shortlist across the eight categories. Architects HazleMcCormackYoung [HMY] were presented with the award.

Harry Spencer, the hotel’s Operations Director, said: “We are delighted the judges deemed us the winners. We were up against some great

competition, so it really is an honour.

“Huge credit must go to HMY Architects, who designed and developed the project, as well as BJ BABB building contractors, who it has been a pleasure to work with.”

‘We are delighted the judges deemed us the winners. We were up against some great competition’ Belinda Tonelli, of HMY, added: “One Warwick Park Hotel is a demonstration of how innovative three dimensional design can respond to challenging client briefs while resulting in inspiring, delightful spaces.”

Thirty projects were shortlisted in eight

GRAND DESIGNS: One Warwick Park Hotel was named a winner and Harry Spencer, the Operations Director [third from left], was on hand to collect the award at Maidstone Town Hall last week

Trinity Theatre reveals towering ambition with heritage project

By William Mata will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk TRINITY Theatre is considering opening up its clocktower as a public viewing platform as part of efforts to boost its heritage offering.

As well as providing expansive views, the Church Road venue could also be used to hold exhibitions of storytelling to bring to life the history of the building and of Tunbridge Wells.

Alex Green, Executive Director of Trinity Theatre, wants the 188-year-old former Decimus Burtondesigned church, to be more than the theatre, cinema, music venue and art gallery it currently operates as.

He said: “We have also amended the theatre constitution, adding heritage engagement to the core objectives of Trinity Theatre’s role in the community.

“This project has great potential to complement the exciting developments elsewhere in the town [such as the Amelia Scott cultural hub], making Tunbridge Wells a strong heritage destination,” said Mr Green.

“To deliver this we really need people to submit their views to help guide us with exploring this new opportunity.”

He added: “We want to make Trinity Theatre an integral part of our Town and public support is vital to us.

“Therefore, we will host a two hour drop-in informal session, where we aim to deliver our ideas, listen to feedback and garner input.

“This will then be used to help us take our next steps on this journey.”

The meeting will be held inside Trinity Gallery from 5pm to 7pm on Wednesday, November 21.

“We feel that in doing so, we bring together the artistic vision, programme and community outreach with a developing desire to protect and promote the heritage of a glorious local landmark.”

Complement Trinity currently welcomes 90,000 a year and stages a popular annual pantomime. Managers want to expand their offering as plans for the nearby 1,200 seat Calverley Square theatre and the Amelia Scott cultural hub move forward.

Mr Green is leading proposals to create a ‘strong heritage destination’ and will present plans at a public meeting on November 21.

Members of the community are invited to see a presentation from Trinity’s Project Team and appointed architect Michael Kaner from local firm Kaner Olette.

VIEWPOINT: The former church is now a theatre

For more information, visit: trinitytheatre.net

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Record crowds pay their respects on centenary Remembrance Day

By William Mata will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk THOUSANDS paid their respects to the fallen in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge, 100 years after the end of the First World War. Remembrance Sunday [November 11] saw events held around both towns in tribute to the

servicemen and women all of wars, as well as their families.

David Wakefield, President of the Royal Tunbridge Wells branch of the Royal British Legion, said: “The town has responded marvellously to the centenary of the end of the First World War.” He described the Remembrance Parade and service outside the War Memorial in Mount

Pleasant as ‘fantastic’ and thought around 2,000 to 3,000 people had attended.

“It is the one event a year that brings all of our population together, across all of the boundaries,” he said. “It is something that is well worth having at such a difficult time, when we are so divided.”

“It is too early to say for sure, but from the feel of it the Poppy Appeal will be larger than the £50,000 raised last year,” he added of the Legion’s annual fundraiser.

Mr Wakefield, who served in the Royal Sussex Regiment: Canal Zone in the 1950s, was one of a number of dignitaries to place a wreath by the War Memorial.

He was joined by Mayor Len Horwood but

not, this year, by Greg Clark. The Tunbridge Wells MP was instead at the Cenotaph in Westminster – where he was pictured near to former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Gordon Brown.

Instead, the Business Secretary was represented by Lieutenant Commander Jon Vanns in Tunbridge Wells.

John Cohen, Legion branch Chairman, said: “I think a lot more people attended it than in previous years. More people were aware of the significance, perhaps, on the centenary of the end of the First World War.” A new addition to the programme was the reading of the wartime poem

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

In Flanders’ Fields by John McCrae.

With a reading from Iman Yasser Balesaria, from the Tunbridge Wells Islamic and Cultural Centre, it was thought to be the first time an Islamic group member had spoken at the event.

Jennifer Watts, Legion Secretary, added: “It was an amazing performance and there seemed to be 3,000 people there, from what I could tell.”

Following on, many also attended a smaller service at Hawkenbury Cemetery, were wreaths were laid at the two Crosses of Sacrifice.

Christopher Everett, the Legion’s former President, then gave a talk.

Mr Cohen continued: “The Hawkenbury service was very moving and well attended.

“We were fortunate with the weather throughout the day.”

PHOTOS: Craig Matthews

‘More people are aware of the significance as we mark 100 years since the end of the First World War’

TRIBUTE Mayor Len Horwood lays a wreath

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FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk “The High Street was full as well. It was a remembrance of the past but also a look to the future, with the youth groups and the children of Hilden Oaks school, who prepared a wreath.”

He added: “The number of people was greater than previous years. It might have been the significance of the date. I think that will prompt people to come again next year.

“It is nice when the town comes out for any event, and the community in Tonbridge is second to none.”

There were also events in Pembury, Rusthall, Paddock Wood and other local towns and villages over Remembrance weekend.

He said there are 73 soldiers buried next to the Chapel. A book titled Remembrance has been produced this year in their honour.

There were also larger crowds in Tonbridge for Remembrance Sunday than in any previous year, according to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal organiser Carl Lewis.

The War Memorial in Bradford Street was packed out at 10.30am for a service led by the Reverend Canon Mark Brown of St Peter and St Paul’s Church. And thousands lined Tonbridge High Street as scout, guide, cadet and military groups marched through.

Mayor Pam Bates was joined on the occasion

by Halil Öztas, Mayor of Heusenstamm, a German town twinned with Tonbridge since 1984. They were not joined by Tonbridge MP Tom Tugendhat, who was at a Remembrance event in India’s capital New Delhi.

In a later service at Tonbridge Castle, doves were released and the beacon was lit.

Mr Lewis said: “It was very nice to see so many people turn out from all parts of the area, especially veterans from many conflicts from the Second World War to the modern day.

“It was good to have the Mayor of Heusenstamm and also the doves and beacon lighting – which have both been done before in Tonbridge, but not for Remembrance.

“The Memorial Gardens were full of people, who had to be asked to move back.

PHOTOS: Kerry Barton/Studio 23 Photography

Tonbridge

FLOWER OF YOUTH Hilden Oaks pupils with their special wreath

COMMUNITY UNITED The Remembrance Service at the Memorial Gardens in Tonbridge

PHOTO: Emma Stokes

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

ON PARADE Tonbridge turns out for the High Street procession

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IMAGE: BBC South East

Statue unveiled for captain who led Great War’s famous football charge

Village flag bearer marks anniversary

PHOTO: Joseph Gould

By Jonathan Banks

HAWKHURST Remembrance Day service was a special occasion for Vince Gould, of the village’s Royal British Legion group.

This was because it marked 25 years since he took the position for the first time – and he has been doing it every year since.

He said: “Over the years, I have carried at each of the village parades as well as many others around the country. I have been honoured to have carried twice at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as having been introduced to Her Majesty the Queen at a parade in Southsea.

“Each year I lead the parade I feel proud to have been given the opportunity.”

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

AMONG many tributes paid on Remembrance Sunday there was a particularly poignant moment for Times journalist Sarah Bond.

She was invited to lay a wreath at the unveiling of a statue of her great uncle, the First World War hero who rose to fame when he led a football charge on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Captain Wilfred ‘Billie’ Nevill knew his men in the 8th Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment – many of whom had never faced battle before – would be full of fear when the order came to go over the top.

Thinking of a way to both distract and motivate them, he took footballs to the trenches and told his men there would be a prize for the first platoon to kick one through the German front line as they sought to take Montauban Ridge.

He wrote on one of the balls ‘East Surrey v Bavaria’ and on another ‘No Referee’.

At ‘Zero hour’ on July 1, 1916 – led by Captain Nevill – the men astounded both their own side and the enemy by kicking the balls over the top and dribbling them across No Man’s Land under a hail BILLIE’S of machine FOOTBALL gun fire.

With Sarah The operation

TRIBUTE Captain Nevill holding his Webley gun, and (left) the football at his feet

was a success and the footballs made it.

Tragically thousands of men didn’t, including Captain Nevill, who was shot dead as he reached the Germans’ barbed wire. He was 21.

In a letter from Second Lieutenant CW Alcock to one of Billie’s sisters, he said: “Five minutes before ‘zero’ hour your brother strolled up in his

‘He took footballs to the trenches and told his men there would be a prize for the first platoon to kick one through the German front line as they sought to take Montauban Ridge’ usual calm way and we shared a last joke before going over. The Company went over the top very well, with Soames [another officer] and your brother kicking off with the Company footballs.”

A total of 57,500 soldiers were killed or wounded on one of the worst days in the history of war.

Sarah Bond said: “He was said to be a popular

character, eccentric, full of humour, much loved by all who knew him, and revered by his men, who would have followed him anywhere – which they did on that awful day.”

The unveiling of the statue took place at Billie’s former school, Dover College. It will stand not only in honour of Billie, but all 177 former pupils who died in the Great War. The college’s motto is ‘Think Differently’.

Captain Billie Nevill certainly did.

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Houses are homes again

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

“Thanks to the Times, we are now in situ inside the shopping centre.

“Today [at the launch] we have been handing out leaflets and it has been another success.

Businesses have got involved and we received a cash donation.

“I think next year we are going to put posters and leaflets around the town.”

Mayor Horwood thanked Mrs Collins for her work and echoed her call for residents to be generous in giving: “Please help by donating gifts to the children and teenagers in the area who are in need,” he said.

Gifts should not be either used, or soft toys, weapon-type toys or candles.

MORE than 500 homes were brought back into use by Kent County Council [KCC] last year, the highest number of all UK authorities.

Data released last week show the council’s ‘No Use Empty’ initiative has now resulted in more than 9,000 properties being available again.

With a total of 506 homes, KCC saw a net decrease of 221 empty residences, while 18 UK authorities saw an increase.

Cllr Mark Dance, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “With affordable housing demand being so high, our success story really takes on a whole new importance.

“We are happy to support other local authorities who want to adopt ‘No Use Empty’ as a means of delivering much-needed new housing.”

For gift ideas and an Amazon wishlist, visit: twmta.co.uk TOY STORY: Mayor Len Horwood joins Karen Collins [far right] with other Toy Appeal volunteers outside their new home in Royal Victoria Place, after they outgrew their last main base for sorting donations

’Tis the season for giving with launch of Mayor’s Toy Appeal

By William Mata will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk CHRISTMAS shoppers have been urged to embrace the season of giving and help the Mayor’s Toy Appeal, which launched on Thursday [November 8].

Now with a new home inside Royal Victoria Place, and with more volunteers on board, organisers are left with the sizeable challenge of appealing for gifts.

Last year, 1,500 presents were distributed across the borough, helping around 500 disadvantaged youngsters aged 0-17 who may not otherwise have received a gift.

Mayor Len Horwood is backing the scheme, which has been operating since 1989, and invites

residents to donate presents at nominated dropoff points for collection.

Toy Appeal coordinator Karen Collins said: “We are now up and running, so we are asking the public to donate toys. I am happy to be getting started.”

Children are given three major presents inside a sack, which is topped up with smaller stocking fillers. Gifts can be dropped off until December 12 at various points around town [see panel].

For the first time, Royal Victoria Place will be the base for the appeal after the Times publicised the need for a larger venue than the previous base inside The Big Yellow Self Storage Company.

“The appeal for help has been a huge success as new volunteers have joined and a site inside Royal Victoria Place has been secured,” Mrs Collins continued.

DROP-OFF POINTS IN THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS AREA The locations are in Tunbridge Wells, unless otherwise stated n Big Yellow Self Storage Company Longfield Road n Baldwins Travel Group Grosvenor Road n Sainsbury’s Local Mount Pleasant n The Camden Centre Market Square n The Town Hall Civic Way n Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery Civic Way n Trinity Theatre Church Road n The Sports Centre St John’s Road n Whirligig Toys Mount Pleasant Road n Pembury Library Henwood Green Road, Pembury (closed Mondays) n Southborough Library Yew Tree Road, Southborough (closed Thursdays) n Weald Information Centre Cranbrook n Barsley’s Department Store Paddock Wood

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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‘Loophole’ allowing developers to bypass building affordable homes

By William Mata DEVELOPERS are using a loophole to avoid building affordable homes in Tunbridge Wells, a councillor has claimed.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council [TWBC] has, for the past two years, missed its target for providing cheaper housing to those eligible.

For 2016/17, a total of 89 ‘affordable’ properties were built in the borough; the target was 90.

During 2017/18 the number slipped to 60 from a target of 72.

As part of their Local Plan, TWBC has a duty to provide 692 homes every year up to 2033, and

housebuilders are required to ensure 35 per cent of those properties [242] are ‘affordable’.

This could mean they are socially rented, taken under shared ownership or are available to rent or buy at a cheaper rate.

Cllr Lynne Weatherly, portfolio holder for Communities and Wellbeing, said: “The government’s planning policy has a loophole.

“This has allowed developers to provide less than 35 per cent affordable housing if they can demonstrate that it would not be viable to develop a site with this amount.

“There have been several previously developed sites with planning permission where this has been the case.”

TARGET: Cllr Lynne Weatherly is pleased Housing Minister Kit Malthouse is revising the planning rules on developers building projects without affordable homes, such as The Belvedere in Tunbridge Wells

One recent high profile example is The Belvedere project, which will see at least 99 homes built on the old cinema site in Tunbridge Wells – not one will be affordable.

Developer Altitude will, however, pay more than half a million pounds to the council as part of a Section 106 agreement, in lieu in of providing affordable homes. None of this money has been allocated to affordable homes.

Masterplan In 2014/15 there were 238 affordable housing units built in Tunbridge Wells borough, and in 2015/16 there were 114.

There are approximately 550 affordable housing units that have been, or are about to be, granted planning permission which will be delivered over the next five years.

The 309-home Mascalls Farm project in Paddock Wood will, for example, have 108 homes [35 per cent] as affordable.

The TWBC Local Plan is a masterplan of how the authority seeks to create a ‘joined-up’ programme for housing, shops, leisure and business opportunities in the borough. It is likely to be presented in January.

Sherwood representative Cllr Weatherly said there has been a change to national planning policy which is seeking to close the loophole.

“The borough council’s policy in the new Local Plan will reflect this,” added Cllr Weatherly.

“The council does not have its own social housing stock and so we need housing associations to acquire the affordable housing.

“These negotiations can be complex, and delivery of the affordable units is dependent on when the housing developments come forward, hence why targets have not been met.

“The future is looking much better given the number of affordable units with planning permission in the pipeline.”

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “Our new planning rulebook, introduced this year, gave local authorities the ability to take a tougher stance on developers.”

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Get your skates on for return of ice rink

AROUND 40,000 people are expected to skate this season on the Calverley Grounds Ice Rink, which opens on Friday [November 16].

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council organises the facility alongside The Assembly Hall Theatre, and last year it generated £56,000.

Skating sessions last for one hour, with numerous slots available for booking during the day from 9.45am to 8pm. There are also three dedicated parent and toddler sessions a day.

Tickets are £14.50 for adults and £9.75 for children. Parent and toddler sessions are £9.50.

To book, or find out more, visit: assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

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Vineyard seeks to profit on back of summer sunshine WARM weather has produced ‘perfect wine growing conditions’ and a bumper harvest for Biddenden Vineyards.

While the hot summer proved troublesome for some industries, the Kent producer is looking to profit now grape picking has finished.

Their success is in line with a projected global bumper wine harvest, set to be the world’s highest since 2000.

Managing Director Julian Barnes said Biddenden’s 11 varieties are now pressed and in the tank.

“It has been the perfect year for growing grapes, and this comes at an exciting time for the English wine industry,” he told the Times.

“The wines are developing well in tank, especially here in Kent, which is fast becoming recognised as the Wine Garden of England, with Biddenden right at the heart.”

Picking began for Biddenden’s signature variety Ortega on August 28, one month earlier than usual. It was also the first time picking has ever taken place in August. Each variety of grape is picked at optimum ripeness, with the final batch completed on October 29.

Biddenden is Kent’s first commercial vineyard and was established by the Barnes family in 1969.

It is now run by the second and third generation.

All of the wines are made exclusively using grapes from the estate, which are hand-picked, before being pressed and bottled.

And as the firm will be celebrating 50 years in business in 2019, the family is looking to celebrate in typical style.

Mr Barnes continued: “Next year is an exciting year for us as it will be our 50th year.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to celebrate with some special wines on the back of this year’s harvest.”

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Gym gets an énergie boost in revamp

By William Mata HIGH BROOMS gym Fit4Less will reopen as énergie Fitness on December 1, following an upgrade to facilities.

More than £10,000 has been spent on improving the centre in North Farm with a refurbishment and new equipment.

Charlie Foulkes, the owner of énergie Fitness, said: “The focus is on ensuring members get the fitness results they want in a fresh, smart environment, supported by a friendly and knowledgeable team, and all at a very affordable price.

“When we opened Fit4Less three years ago, we were blown away by the positive response to our combination of top equipment, great classes and low prices.

“As we have matured as a club, we’ve decided to keep improving by upgrading to énergie Fitness. With the new name comes a five-figure investment in new equipment and a smarter place to exercise.”

There are also plans for a second phase of investment next summer.

Mr Foulkes added: “Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge are well served for gyms, but énergie Fitness is different because it offers the benefits of an expensive health club at the price of a budget facility.

“We can afford to give great service at a budget price simply because this formula is so popular.

“The prices include a wide range of classes, too, all given by the best instructors available.

“In the same vein, the personal trainers are knowledgeable and passionate about helping people get the most from their gym time.”

As part of a launch offer, the first 100 joiners in November will get a free month’s membership.

To find out more, visit: energiefitness.com/tunbridgewells

Popular The énergie Group is said to be the fastest growing fitness franchise in the UK, with other gyms in East Grinstead and Bromley and several more having opened in London.

MOTIVATOR Gym owner Charlie Foulkes

Fast times for supercar brand A LAMBORGHINI showroom has opened in Tunbridge Wells to consolidate a dealer’s South East presence.

The dealership in Dowding Way is operated by Grange, sellers of several luxury car brands.

It is the Italian supercar manufacturer’s second showroom

to open in the UK this year, and becomes its ninth overall.

Lamborghini, which is owned

by Volkswagen Group, currently produces three models: Aventador, Huracan and Urus.

More than 500 models have already been sold in Britian in 2018, exceeding the 2017 total of 350.

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Law firm’s ‘astute’ appointment for family department ONE of Tunbridge Wells’ leading law firms, Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, has expanded its operation with a key appointment.

The Mount Pleasant Road-based practice has hired Alice Scambler as Senior Associate Solicitor in its family law department.

She has previously worked for Warners Solicitors, a firm with a presence in Tonbridge.

Neill Thomas, Partner at Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, said: “She has significant knowledge of family law having had considerable experience in a well-known local firm.”

Ms Scambler was described in the 2018 Legal 500 list as ‘astute and sensible’.

Award The family law department opened in Mount Pleasant Road earlier this year under the leadership of Susi Gillespie.

LEGAL EAGLES HAVE LANDED Thomas Mansfield’s growing team With the recruitment of Ms Scambler, Thomas Mansfield has also expanded its administrative team by recruiting Francesca Colclough as legal secretary, who joins Anastasiya Day. The firm is also looking to recruit an additional family law solicitor in January 2019.

Mr Thomas said: “I am delighted with the expansion of the family law department. They are a very competent and experienced team, dedicated to

providing the best possible client service.

“The family law department provides advice on divorce and civil partnership dissolutions, the splitting of finances, arrangements for children, and disputes about cohabitation, including the drafting of agreements.”

The firm won a Times Business Award in 2017 for Service Excellence, and recently renewed its Lexecel Accreditation [V6].

New home for firm ahead of birthday

By William Mata HISTORIC law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore will move to a new Tunbridge Wells office ahead of its 450th anniversary.

The business, employment and family legal specialist is set to leave its current Lonsdale Gardens base for Heathervale House in Vale Avenue next summer.

This new location boasts five floors with more than 28,000 sq ft of office space.

Thomson Snell & Passmore, which also has offices in Dartford, will celebrate the birthday in July 2020.

A statement released last week said: “This significant event in the firm’s history will enable us to bring all our people currently working in Tunbridge Wells together in one modern, openplan office space, with room for further growth.

“It is important to the firm that we maintain our presence in the heart of the local Tunbridge Wells community, and are easily accessible to

MOVING, BUT NOT TOO FAR Thomson Snell & Passmore’s current offices in Lonsdale Gardens

our clients and contacts. Heathervale House achieves this and enables us to remain close to the station and the town centre.”

Council Kate Jardine, a Senior Associate at Thomson Snell & Passmore, has also taken the opportunity to encourage participation in the Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council Local Plan consultation.

This is a document which sets out how the authority intends to build homes and the infrastructure to support this.

Ms Jardine said: “These are the policies that will shape the future of your town. If you want to have a say, you need to speak up now.

“It is extremely difficult to challenge the Local Plan once it has been adopted.

“Each plan goes through two consultation stages, after which it is submitted to the Secretary of State to be examined, and then, if found to be sound, adopted by the council.

“Once adopted, the plan is the starting point for all planning decisions.

“Whilst it’s very important that it represents local needs, there is obviously a strong pull from central government, especially in this area, to build more homes.”

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is set to hold consultations from March 2019.

The Tonbridge & Malling consultation ends on November 19. For full details, visit: tmbc.gov.uk

RAIL commuters should be noticing the difference and feeling the benefit of riding on trains which have undergone a deep clean.

Southeastern is now halfway through giving its fleet of 338 trains a makeover.

It has cleaned six miles of carpets, replaced 3,500 seat covers, cleaned 313 toilets and refilmed 6,500 windows to stop graffiti.

The final train is set to be finished in April.

Engineering Director Mark Johnson said: “Our trains are cleaned daily, but the difference with this project is that it has brought together

exterior hand cleaning, polishing, deep interior clean and enhanced the interiors.

“So far we have used 20,000 hours of resource and we do hope that our passengers are starting to notice a difference.”

The firm has also lengthened some of its peak-time trains, including the 16:39 from Charing Cross to Ramsgate – which calls at Tonbridge – from eight to 11 carriages.

Guy Horstmann, the Head of Train Planning for Southeastern, said: “We’re always trying to do more to provide better journeys for our passengers.”

PHOTO: David Bartholomew

Train deep clean scheme reaches halfway point

GOOGLE IT: Business Secretary Greg Clark (left) hailed small firms as the ‘backbone of our economy’ on a visit to a Google Digital Workshop at the Hotel Du Vin. The Tunbridge Wells MP said at the training skills course: “It’s important small firms are given the opportunity to develop skills necessary to thrive. It’s a helping hand.”

BUSINESS

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Windows of opportunity as Wonder Lights returns THE neighbourhood art event Wonder Lights is returning to Tunbridge Wells on Sunday November 25.

The community window-dressing initiative was launched across the St John’s area last year with more than 50 houses taking part.

Organiser Mat Waugh hopes that even more households across Tunbridge Wells will take the opportunity to light up their front windows with creative displays.

“I was blown away last year by the effort that people had made – we had underwater scenes, a Love Hearts tribute, animated cityscapes and more,” he said.

“But sometimes the simplest displays were the most effective, like a beautifully lit painting or a row of candles.”

Mat added: “There’s a domino effect, so when one house in a road joins in, others follow. All you need is a front window and a little imagination.”

Participation is free and simple to announce: Households add themselves to the online Wonder Lights map to help others discover their display.

Dozens of houses are already signed up to illuminate their window between 5pm and 8pm.

For more information and to see the Wonder Lights map, visit wonderlights.info

HEART OF GLASS Two creations from the first Wonder Lights event

Art in Yalding’s church to help African schools ARTSPRING GALLERY in Tonbridge is sponsoring an exhibition in the historic setting of St Peter & St Paul Church in Yalding this weekend, which will raise money for the educational charity School Gambia.

There will be a wide variety of artwork on show and for sale from 36 artists, including several from Artspring.

The free exhibition runs this coming Saturday, November 17, from 10am-5pm, and Sunday November 18 from 11am-3pm.

PICTURE PERFECT St Peter & St Paul Church, Yalding

Can you help shoebox appeal for Operation Christmas Child?

By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

SHOW TIME Night Grasses by Carole Robson is among the works on display There will also be a Meet the Artists event this Friday [November 16] from 7pm-9.30pm. Entry costs £5 and includes a glass of wine and canapes.

Karen and Tony Di Marco from Yalding visited Gambia more than 20 years ago and were moved by the sight of children learning outdoors.

Tony said: “We visited the village of Farato and under a mango tree saw a group of children chanting the alphabet back to their teacher.

“We knew we could do something to help. In 1999 we decided to help build two classrooms.

“We now have ten classrooms and have increased enrolment from 100 to 575 pupils between the ages of three to 16.

“We are very proud that our first graduate year passed their external exams, achieving the second highest results in The Gambia.”

To benefit the wider community, they built a 25-metre deep solar-powered well that provides the whole village with water.

They also introduced a successful teacher training sponsorship programme, and have been asked to roll out their reading programme across the country. For more information, visit schoolgambia.org.uk Artspring Gallery at 167 High Street, Tonbridge is offering a prize draw this month to win a £50 voucher to spend in the gallery.

WHERE TO DROP YOUR BOXES Local collection points include Tonbridge Baptist Church in Darenth Avenue, Shoe Zone in Tonbridge High Street, St John’s Church in Hildenborough, Christ Church In Prospect Road, Southborough, Christ Church in Tunbridge Wells High Street and Tunbridge Wells Baptist Church in Upper Grosvenor Road

THE West Kent team behind the popular shoebox appeal Operation Christmas Child has located a base to collect all the packages to be sent out to children around the world this Christmas, and is looking for volunteers to help.

Locally-based property management company Tyler Holdings has kindly lent Operation Christmas Child the use of Unit 5 at Cannon Bridge Unit 5, which will be open from 10am-4pm MonIndustrial Estate in Tonbridge. day to Friday until Friday, then 10am-9pm MonLast year, local residents sent in more than day to Thursday, 10am-4pm on Fridays and 10am40,000 shoeboxes full of gifts for children liv- 2pm on Saturdays until December 8. The closing ing in difficult circumstances in Africa, Eastern date for donations is this Sunday [November 18].

Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

You can find decorative pre-printed boxes, The venue will allow the charity to check the free resources, and the nearest location tens of thousands of shoeboxes that it is expect- where you can drop off your shoebox, at ing to be donated to the project. operationchristmaschild.org.uk Helen Taylor, of Anglefix ironmongers in TonFor more information, email: bridge, will be coordinating volunteers in the contact@occwestkent.onmicrosoft.com warehouse this Christmas.

She said: “Last year 600 fantastic local people helped sort shoeboxes from all over Kent and Sussex and load them on to lorries.

“Do come and join us.”

The checking is carried out by trained volunteers who make sure that shoeboxes are compliant for safety and customs before packing and loading them for shipping.

Arriva Southern Counties has also provided car parking spaces close by, and Gilbert & Stamper Electricians is generously checking the electricity in the warehouse.

You can receive training PACK LEADERS: (L-R) Organiser Madeleine McClintock and Warehouse to volunteer as a checker at Manager Sarah Smith with volunteers Emma, Simon and Paddy Parmiter

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Youngsters crowned winners of royal themed jewellery contest

By Jonathan Banks THREE talented young artists have been named winners of the Jewellery Fit for a Prince or Princess competition.

Family-run jewellers G Collins & Sons and the Times co-organised the competition, that invited youngsters aged four to 18 to get creative.

They were all given a brief to send in a drawing or artwork of a piece of jewellery they thought would suit a king or queen-to-be.

After hundreds of entries were submitted from ten Tunbridge Wells schools, the designs were whittled down to a longlist of 300. And last week the Times named the runners-up.

Now competition judges Simon Webster and Jonathan Gray, of Gray-Webster Gallery, have made their decision as to the winner in each of the three age categories.

These are: n Aged four to eight category: Lydia Edler, eight, from Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School.

supplies, as he was the only pupil to enter from Claremont Primary School.

When the competition was first announced it was stated only the winner’s school would receive the funding.

Richard Moore, Editorial Director of the Times, said: “Well done to all those who took part and gave the judges such a tough time in deciding the eventual, individual winners.

Delight

FRAMED: Hannah Pearson, Gap Student at Saint Ronan’s School, was the 14 to 18 competition winner The three will receive a voucher for afternoon tea at One Warwick Park Hotel and will tour the workshops of G Collins & Sons, who are based on Tunbridge Wells High Street.

The jewellers has also agreed to donate £500 to the art departments of the ten schools who took part. These are: Brenchley and Matfield CEP School, Goudhurst & Kilndown CEP School, Kent College Pembury, Kent College Prep School, Rusthall St Paul’s CofE VA Primary School, Saint

Ronan’s School, Skinners’ Kent Academy, St. Mark’s CEP School, The Mead School and The Wells Free School.

Maxim Gray will receive a £50 voucher from G Collins & Sons towards his own art

n Aged nine to 13 category: Ethan Gee, 12, of Skinners’ Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells.

n Aged 14 to 18 category: Hannah Pearson, 18, Gap Student at Saint Ronan’s School

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

SPARKLER Lydia Edler, eight, was a winner

POPPY LOVE Ethan Gee, 12, of Skinners’ Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells, won the age nine to 13 contest

“It has been an absolute delight helping to organise this competition and we have been most impressed with the enthusiasm and talent, across all levels, of those who entered.

“Thanks must go to the staff at the schools who helped the youngsters get their thoughts and entries together.

“And it is great to know that thanks to G Collins & Sons every art department at the primary and secondary schools that took part will receive a £500 donation - not just the three individual winners as originally announced.”

To see images of all the entries, visit: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Woman harassed by peer speaks out A WOMEN’S rights campaigner who says she was promised a peerage in return for sleeping with a senior member of the House of Lords has urged other victims of harassment to speak out.

Jasvinder Sanghera disclosed that she lodged a complaint against the former Liberal Democrat frontbencher Lord Lester of Herne Hill.

The 82-year-old peer is facing the longest suspension in modern Parliamentary history.

Lord Lester, a prominent QC, has strongly denied the allegations, saying they are ‘completely untrue’.

Ms Sanghera, who waived her anonymity in an interview with The Times, said: “There needs to be a system in place that will give other victims the confidence to complain and to feel supported in doing so.”

Police make arrest in ‘Schwimmer’ case POLICE looking for a suspected thief with a resemblance to Friends actor David Schwimmer have made an arrest in London.

Social media users pointed out the likeness to Schwimmer’s character Ross Geller in the sitcom when police in Blackpool posted an image of a man leaving a restaurant with a carton of cans.

Schwimmer himself posted a video to his Twitter account that showed him scurrying through a shop with a crate of beer.

Lancashire Police tweeted: “Thanks to our colleagues @MetPoliceUK, a 36-year-old man was arrested in Southall last night on suspicion of theft. Thank you for the support, especially @ DavidSchwimmer!”

The Met Police retweeted the post, saying: “Happy to help @LancsPolice #IllBeThereForYou”, referring to the Friends theme tune.

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Cabinet meet to debate terms as draft Brexit deal is reached A BREXIT deal has been reached by negotiators in Brussels and will be the focus of a crunch Cabinet meeting today [Wednesday].

Cabinet ministers were invited to read the papers relating to the draft deal ahead of the special meeting of Theresa May’s senior team ‘to decide on next steps’.

A No 10 spokesman said: “Cabinet will meet at 2pm tomorrow to consider the draft agreement the negotiating teams have reached in Brussels and to decide on next steps.

“Cabinet ministers have been invited to read documentation ahead of that meeting.”

Ministers have been seen entering and leaving Downing Street throughout the day after the Cabinet meeting.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was the first to arrive following confirmation that a deal had been reached, followed by Chief Whip Julian Smith and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

Stable Confirmation that a deal had been reached by officials follows months of protracted talks, with measures to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland the main stumbling block.

Irish broadcaster RTE reported that a ‘stable’ text had been agreed on the thorny issue of the Northern Irish border.

The broadcaster said the deal involved one overall ‘backstop’ in the form of a UK-wide customs arrangement – as sought by Mrs May – but with deeper provisions for Northern Ireland on customs and regulations.

A review mechanism is understood to be part of the text, but it is unclear whether that would meet the demands of Tory Brexiteers – including some in the Cabinet – who want the UK to be able to unilaterally walk away from the deal to

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Atkinson and Lumley return for radio shows ROWAN ATKINSON will play three different vicars in a new BBC Radio 4 comedy.

He will voice the role of the vicars, whose churches are based in the North East of England, in #GODSWORK. It was announced as part of a line-up of new comedy commissions.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam will play a couple who have been married for over 40 years in the first full series of Conversations From A Long Marriage.

Bluebird back in Lakes WE’RE LEAVING Brexit Minister Dominic Raab exits No 10 prevent it becoming a permanent settlement.

In a sign that Dublin may not be happy with the situation, a spokesman for Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Coveney said: “Negotiations between the EU and UK on a withdrawal agreement are ongoing and have not concluded.”

The developments came after the Prime Minister told Cabinet on Tuesday morning that a ‘small number’ of issues remained to be resolved and her de facto deputy David Lidington said a deal was ‘almost within touching distance’.

Earlier Mr Lidington had said that ministers will lay out the Government’s political and legal position on the proposed withdrawal agreement when Brexit negotiations have concluded.

The Cabinet Office Minister said the position statement would be made available to all MPs ahead of the meaningful vote on a deal.

RECORD-breaking hydroplane Bluebird K7 is set to return to its spiritual home in the Lake District next summer.

The jet-powered boat will provisionally undergo trials on Coniston Water in Cumbria between July 19-28.

Donald Campbell died on January 4 1967 when Bluebird flipped into the air as he attempted a new water speed record.

In 2001 Campbell’s body and the wreck of Bluebird were recovered from the depths of the lake. The craft has been restored by engineer Bill Smith and volunteers.

F1 suit in charity shop A FORMULA ONE racing suit donated to a charity shop is set to be auctioned off with a guide price of up to £3,000.

The overalls, believed to have been worn

by Ralf Schumacher at the French Grand Prix in 1999, were handed in to Scope’s store in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Derbyshire-based Hansons Auctioneers hopes it will raise between £2,000 and £3,000 at a sale on November 23.

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National News

Output falls again with weak growth PRODUCTIVITY has fallen for the second time this year, says the Office for National Statistics [ONS].

Output per hour decreased by 0.4 per cent in the three months to September, following a 0.5 per cent increase in the previous quarter.

It was the second quarterly fall in productivity in 2018, while over a longer period, growth has been ‘relatively weak’.

Katherine Kent of the ONS said: “Compared with a year ago productivity has grown only slightly. However, despite positive GDP [Gross Domestic Product] growth in the last quarter, the continued strong growth in hours worked by UK workers means that productivity fell for the second time in three quarters.

“This stuttering pattern suggests the fundamental challenge of weak productivity growth as seen over the last decade, persists.”

Buy-to-let mortgages fall by almost one fifth MORTGAGE lending for buy-to-let house purchases fell by around a fifth annually in September as the market remains subdued, a trade association has reported.

Lending to first-time buyers and home movers was also down compared with a year earlier while re-mortgaging plateaued, UK Finance said.

Some 5,200 new buy-to-let home purchase mortgages were handed out in September, marking an 18.8 per cent decrease on the same month a year earlier.

There were 29,400 new first-time buyer mortgages completed in September, 4.5 per cent fewer than in the same month a year earlier.

A further 29,400 new home mover mortgages were completed - 8.4 per cent down compared with September 2017.

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Rise in inflation fuelled by energy companies’ tariffs INFLATION is forecast to have inched up in October as energy companies increase their prices ahead of next year’s default tariff cap.

Consensus estimates predict Office for National Statistics figures will reveal today [Wednesday] that Consumer Prices Index [CPI] inflation rose to 2.5 per cent last month, compared with 2.4 per cent in September.

The rise is expected to be driven by energy following price increases last month from utilities firms British Gas and Scottish Power in the latest round of tariff hikes.

by around a quarter point a year to bring inflation back to its 2 per cent target.

Food inflation, which cooled in September, is expected to hold steady in October.

On Tuesday the latest data from Kantar Worldpanel showed grocery inflation was at 1.8 per cent for the 12 weeks to November 4, edging down from 2 per cent.

This follows a year of high food price inflation after a weaker pound put pressure on farmers and manufacturers.

Safeguard The Government also increased its safeguard tariff by 4.3 per cent at the start of the period.

Economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics estimate that electricity and natural gas CPIs were up by 1.7 per cent and 1.8 per cent month on month respectively.

Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the boost to inflation would only be temporary and predicted CPI inflation will fall sharply in the coming months.

“Energy’s contribution to inflation will fall by 0.20 percentage points in January, when Ofgem introduces its cap on Standard Variable Tariffs, and by a further 0.34 percentage points over the next 12 months, if motor fuel prices hold steady,” he said.

He added the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee’s prediction for inflation to average at 2.2 per cent next year looks too high, given likely declines in import prices and energy costs.

The Bank has signalled it is likely that interest rates - currently at 0.75 per cent - will need to rise

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

NEWS IN BRIEF

Amazon chooses two US venues for new HQ AMAZON has said it will split its muchanticipated second headquarters between New York and northern Virginia.

Each base will create 25,000 jobs, and the decision ends intense competition between North American cities.

In addition, the Seattle-based online retailer said it will open an operations hub in Nashville, Tennessee, creating another 5,000 jobs.

Its New York location will be in the Long Island City neighbourhood of Queens, while its Virginia offices will be in Arlington.

Increase in jobseekers UNEMPLOYMENT has increased by 21,000 even though record numbers are working.

The jobless total rose to 1.38million in the three months to September after a big rise in the number of men out of work.

Employment continued to increase, up by 23,000 to a record high of 32.4million.

There was a record fall in the number of non-EU nationals working in the UK, down by 132,000 to 2.25million in the latest quarter compared with a year ago.

Food sales slow down

GOING UP Natural gas prices have increased

SUPERMARKETS are hoping for strong Christmas sales after growth slowed in the most recent trading period.

Spending at the UK’s grocers grew by 1.5 per cent in October, easing down from 1.9 per cent in the previous period, according to latest Nielsen figures.

This contrasted with strong growth of 3.1 per cent in the same time period last year.

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Malaysian leader criticises Suu Kyi over ‘mass killing’ MALAYSIA’S prime minister Mahathir Mohamed has sharply criticised Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi for her handling of the crisis that forced 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to leave her country.

Mr Mahathir said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ms Suu Kyi was ‘trying to defend the indefensible’ in justifying violence by Burmese security forces against the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 2017.

Mr Mahathir said: “They are actually oppressing these people to the point of, well, killing them, mass killing, and burial in graves dug by the victims and that kind of thing.

“That may be relevant in ancient times, but in modern days, we don’t do that kind of thing.”

The 93-year-old political veteran’s own past treatment of dissidents has also been criticised.

At a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in Singapore, Mr Mahathir said that as a former political prisoner, Ms Suu Kyi should understand suffering.

It is highly unusual for leaders in the 10-nation group to publicly criticise each other.

POLITICAL PRISONER Aung San Suu Kyi

World News

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk CLINGING ON: Chris and Nancy Brown search through the remains of their home in Paradise, California after it was destroyed by wildfire. Mrs Brown escaped with her two-year-old child and three dogs. At least 42 people have died in the blaze since it started last Thursday.

Truce respected in Yemen amid hopes of end to war AN INFORMAL agreement to reduce hostilities between Saudi-led coalition forces and rebels in and around Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeida has taken hold, military officials said.

The move could be a prelude to peace talks that could end the war. Officials said hostilities have ceased for the second consecutive day, with both sides respecting the truce.

Only three coalition air strikes were carried out in the last 24 hours, targeting rebel positions outside the city.

The accord followed advances by the coalition in trying to retake the city from Shia rebels, known as Houthis. Its forces are now three miles from the port, Yemen’s traditional lifeline.

The officials said efforts are being made to persuade the Houthis to abandon the city and

hand over control to an independent Yemeni party that would run it under UN supervision.

The UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, welcomed the reduction of hostilities and said it was a ‘crucial step’ to prevent further humanitarian suffering.

He said: “I call upon all parties to the conflict to show continued restraint. The people of Yemen have suffered enough.

“I am confident that the parties are ready to work on a political solution and am encouraged by the constructive engagement received from all sides.”

Mr Griffiths reassured the warring sides that the UN remains ready to re-engage the parties on a negotiated agreement for Hodeida, which would preserve the humanitarian pipeline.

NEWS

21

CNN sues Trump to get press pass back BROADCASTER CNN is suing Donald Trump’s administration, demanding the return of correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credentials to cover the White House.

Mr Acosta’s access was revoked last week following President Trump’s controversial post-election news conference.

Mr Acosta refused to give up a microphone when the president said he did not want to hear anything more from him.

The lawsuit was filed yesterday [Tuesday] in Washington DC district court.

CNN claims the revocation of Mr Acosta’s press pass violates the constitutional rights to freedom on the press and due process.

The network is asking for an immediate restraining order to return Mr Acosta to the White House.

Dig unearths ancient city of Trojan POWs ARCHAEOLOGISTS have located the first tangible remains of a lost city believed to have been settled by prisoners of war after the fall of Troy.

The Greek culture ministry said excavations in the southern region of the Peleponnese turned up ‘proof of the existence of the ancient city’ of Tenea, which was only known up to now from ancient texts.

Lead archaeologist Elena Korka, who has been excavating in the area since 2013, said the team unearthed walls, door openings, the floors of buildings including houses and household pottery, dating from the fourth century BC to late Roman times.

Excavation work is continuing on the cemeteries surrounding the ancient city.

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NEWS

Letters

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

And another thing…

This is the page where you, the reader, have your chance to express your views or comments on what’s going on in our part of the world. We like to hear from you. You can email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk or write to the Editor at Runcie Court, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG Let’s not just celebrate grammars – don’t forget our other great schools

Royal Mail site off Vale Road) which could be used for housing.

We want the council to build the right houses in the right place.

Fran Long Tonbridge & Malling Green Party

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

Make friends instead of shouting

SMILES BETTER Pupils at Hillview enjoy their GCSE results Hillview is not technically a comprehensive – i.e. all-ability – school, as you state in your article of October 31, because 25 per cent of the allegedly most able students are creamed off to the grammar schools.

In spite of this, Hillview has managed to achieve exam results that are above the national average.

It is also worth noting that nearly half of their students did better than 22 per cent of Tonbridge Grammar candidates and 36 per cent of the Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys pupils, who failed to reach Attainment 8.

This might lead one to suppose that either

£4.5million and no spade in ground While Robert Chris used an extreme measure in objecting to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s accounts [October 31], it was a response to a perceived lack of transparency. ‘Frivolous or vexatious’ objections can be rejected off-hand, so clearly Grant Thornton, the council’s auditors, felt it at least merited further examination.

In the spirit of transparency, perhaps your article should have pointed out that the £6,500 of taxpayers’ money this cost represents precisely 0.14 per cent of the £4.5million of taxpayers’ money that has been spent to date on the scheme – before a spade has entered the ground.

The fact that so many taxpayers are unaware of this fact – or of the development completely – is the real reason for concern.

Peter Lidstone Liberal Democrat Councillor for St John’s

What are true motives of protesters?

Councillor Nick Pope complains that he had been described as a NIMBY concerning the Civic Centre project. As reported by your paper, Cllr Pope’s wife owns a flat in Grove Hill House, the white building at the bottom of Grove Hill Road immediately next to Hoopers. Dr Robert Chris, the founder of Cllr Pope’s party, also owns a property in the building, and the two flats have a combined value of around £1million.

During the planning enquiry, Grove Hill House’s

the standard of teaching at Hillview is better, or that the 11-plus test is a pretty poor indicator of future attainment.

But, either way, isn’t it about time we stopped extolling the virtues of the grammar schools, which, by the nature of the system, start with a massive advantage, and instead acknowledge the excellent achievement of the local secondary moderns?

Or better still, we could scrap this outdated and divisive system so that all schools can start from a level playing field.

Alison Hallum, Tonbridge management company complained that the new Civic Centre will reduce property values in their block. They asked the council to either purchase the flats or pay compensation to the owners.

So, while I believe it is right to have a robust debate about the Calverley Square development, it is also fair to question the motives of those leading the protests.

Matthew Bailey Tunbridge Wells

The right houses in the right place The Green Party has always been against building on the green belt while brownfield sites stand empty.

In his letter [October 31], Councillor David Cure made some good points about why houses should not be built along Brook Street and Lower Haysden Lane in Tonbridge.

But he did not mention that in 2007 he and his colleagues failed to prevent the site from being designated as ‘safeguarded land for development’ in the Local Plan.

The Green Party are also concerned about building on green belt land, worsening traffic congestion and pollution. However, we recognise that more homes are needed, especially reasonably priced homes for rent.

This is why, unlike Cllr Cure, we are not simply saying we do not want these new houses in Tonbridge; we are instead suggesting alternative brownfield sites (such as the land beside the

I find it strange that pro-EU people warn that leaving will hurt us, we know that it is common ground.

The UKIP campaign before the referendum repeated we should do it even if it does hurt.

The opponents to the EU have been campaigning since the referendum in 1975, although many of us changed our minds 30 years ago.

The EU was becoming very good, getting on with forming unity and mutual support; in 1988 it was not pie-in-the sky, wishful thinking that it sounded like in 1975.

I find the way the clowns shout about and do nothing dreadful – this also harms us all.

Nigel Farage’s office send me a reply to an issue, which was a video of him shouting at other MEPs but doing or saying nothing helpful.

It is harmful to the Labour Party and the Conservative government that the leaderless New Labour mob, and what John Major called ‘b*******’, are doing harm to politics.

After the First World War, King George V tried to persuade the winners to look after the ordinary people at home and the German people. This did not happen and people suffered badly, leading to the rise of Hitler.

The difference with the Second World War was that the lesson was learned and we came out with friendships. So why we see conflict in Palestine and the USSR is largely to do with wanting oil and to profit from conflict. Those should have been genuine friendships as well.

Brexit is a lesson forgotten by choice of some with bad motives and bloody-mindedness.

Andrew H Lohmann Tunbridge Wells

These are just surface improvements Lansdowne Road’s been done, I see, ‘Done at, more like’, as my mother would have said.

The surface is veined and granular and will open up as soon as the wet and frost gets into it, and the many inspection covers lie below the road’s level, so expect the edges to break up quite quickly.

And could anyone really make this up? A week after opening, a utility moves in and digs it up again. Words fail – well they don’t, because I could go on.

Ralph Steerpike Tunbridge Wells

Waste not, want not: Let’s share bins Garden waste? Well if, like me, you compost a lot of the waste and only use the brown bin a couple of times a year, like I do when I cut hedges, why not team up with some like-minded neighbours and have one bin between you?

R Solomons Pembury

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

HOW much would you pay for fish and chips? Try £34.50! That’s what Calverley discovered on joining friends at the Trafalgar Square eatery in London of celebrity chef Tom Kerridge. He’s the one behind the Pub in the Park foodie festival in TW this summer.

Millions attended, well thousands.

Back to London, though, and the menu that showed brill, chips and peas pudding offered at that £34.50. It did have nice sauces, but even so…

Being a veggie, Calverley ordered mushroom risotto with ‘crispy egg’ for just £20.50.

Just in case you’re not tempted to London, there’s apparently a great chippy on our doorstep called St John’s Fish Bar: Cod and chips £7.20 WHILE on the subject of food, Calverley popped into Domino’s to order a large veggie pizza at £9.99. When it arrived at the counter he handed over a ten pound note and waited for the penny change. It was not forthcoming.

When pressed on the matter, the staff person explained that they were not given any coppers so were unable to hand over any small change like a penny.

Now, this tale is not about a penny, it’s about a principle. Don’t price everything – and at Domino’s it is everything – at £4.99 or £18.99 if you have no intention of giving change. Domino’s sells globally 1.5 million pizzas a day. If they make a penny on each one, that’s more than £3million a year extra going into the tills.

AMAZING the lengths some people will go to in an effort to disguise their spending on clothes. One such example is the wife who has a great arrangement with her kindly neighbour. She has all her Amazon buys delivered next door. She then goes round, unwraps them, puts the packaging in her neighbour’s bin and then, when hubby is out, ferries the clothes to hang up in her wardrobe. When she gets them out later and her chappie says: “Oh, not seen them before, are they new?” She replies: “Don’t be silly, I’ve had them ages, just not worn them.”

[Disclaimer: It could equally have been a husband who ordered from Amazon.]

Chin Chin, readers

Education

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

NEWS

23

EDUCATION Times ‘We want to make it possible for more boys to benefit from a Tonbridge education’ After 13 years, Tonbridge School has a new Headmaster. Eileen Leahy met James Priory (below) to find out how he plans to shape the future of this historic public school…

TAKING on the Headship at Tonbridge – one of the country’s most prestigious and oldest all-boys public schools – is something that James Priory, its new Headmaster, is extremely enthusiastic about.

When we meet to discuss what his key aims are since replacing former Head Tim Haynes, he is clearly keen to get on with things at the world famous school, which was founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde and today boasts 788 pupils.

Mr Priory says his first task is to ensure the solid guardianship of the 150-acre historic seat of learning – which counts the likes of authors EM Forster and Vikram Seth as well as Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens and former England cricket captain Colin Cowdrey among its alumni.

“We want to maintain the high levels of success Tonbridge School is known for, but to also drive it further forward,” he states.

Mr Priory, who joined the school at the beginning of this academic year, had previously been at Portsmouth Grammar School, an independent, since 2000.

He was the school’s Head of English before becoming Headmaster ten years ago.

Now that it’s almost the end of the year and first academic term, has Mr Priory drawn up a To Do list?

“There is some really great teaching and learning going on here with a very talented and specialist staff,” he says. “So we’d love to build further on that, ensuring the boys are not only achieving great results and enjoying their experience of education, but also developing all

those skills that are going to be important for their future lives.”

Mr Priory adds that although there are lots of things going on that are ‘pretty inspirational’, he wants to make certain that is happening right across the curriculum.

“I’m very interested in teaching and learning and how we provide super-curricular opportunities,” he explains.

“This means not only achieving outstanding GCSE and A level results, but also having the ability to make creative connections between your subjects and to explore beyond what the exam specifications require.”

An impressive 91 per cent of Tonbridge School students gained an A* or A grading at GCSE this year [2018].

Another important item on Mr Priory’s list is giving talented young boys who may not have

Legendary “My previous school has a very similar ethos to that of Tonbridge, both academically and with its commitment to all-round experience, but Portsmouth is very different as it’s a co-educational day school for children aged from two and a half to 18.”

He says he’d always known of Tonbridge School by repute, and that his appointment felt almost serendipitous as one of his favourite books, The Learning Game, was penned by the school’s former ‘legendary’ Head of English, Jonathan Smith.

“He wrote this very influential book for teachers which also draws on the poetry of a writer I love called Edward Thomas.

“It reflects on life as an English teacher; on what you’re actually doing in the classroom with young people, and examines what the art of teaching actually is.

“And because I knew Jonathan had taught at Tonbridge, which has a great tradition of teaching and learning, this book is what really put the school on the map for me.”

Mr Priory reveals that his time so far at Tonbridge, which has seven boarding houses and five for day boys, has been ‘amazing’, and he’s been busy immersing himself into school life.

“A bit like the Novi [Year 9 pupils, the youngest at the school], I’ve also been discovering Tonbridge this term and what its strengths are.

“I’ve been shadowing the Novi, doing some of their work, sitting in on lunch at their houses and reflecting on their experiences.

“It’s been very exciting to share that journey of discovery with them, and to see what a busy but happy place Tonbridge is.”

‘Exploring how young people can become pupils at Tonbridge regardless of their financial status is our very real challenge’

the financial means to attend Tonbridge – termly boarding fees are just over £13,000 – the ability to do so through the school’s ‘Excellence For All’ campaign.

“This is something that is very much in my thoughts, and I’m finding it’s something that is also shared by my colleagues and the school’s governors. So we will be looking at how we can further develop our programme of widening access,” he continues.

The school, which attracts students from all around the globe, currently has a scholarship programme which offers means-tested support, but Mr Priory wishes to do more.

“We want to make it possible for more boys to benefit from a Tonbridge education and thus enrich the place by their presence, regardless of their financial circumstances.”

This all-encompassing approach and inclusive vision extends to that of the wider community, too.

“I think it’s good to ask ourselves how far does the school mirror the community we serve? A big attraction about coming to Tonbridge was the strong relationship that already exists between the school and the wider local community, and I’m keen to consider how we develop it further.”

Mr Priory cites events such as the school’s Pink Day, which raised £3,500 for cancer charities last month, as well its community action group, where boys and staff engage through weekly placements in schools and care homes.

“We don’t see Tonbridge School as an island,” states Mr Priory. “So exploring how young people from a diversity of backgrounds can experience what we have to offer, and even become pupils at Tonbridge regardless of their financial status, is our very real challenge.”

Far from this being idealist rhetoric, Mr Priory says that Tonbridge School has a ‘responsibility’ to reach out.

The school is part of the educational charity The Skinners’ Company, which also has The Judd and Skinners’ grammars and The Skinners’ Kent Academy under its umbrella.

In the last ten years, however, an independent Board of Governors has taken on responsibility for Tonbridge’s governance.

“There’s no doubt it’s part of our moral purpose that we offer the chance to study here.

There’s still a lot of work to do, but it’s exciting to feel that others share that ambition.”

However, he insists this doesn’t mean the educational establishment’s outstanding reputation and results will be compromised: “We’re used to being a school where teachers, pupils and their parents aspire to high standards of academic achievement and personal development – and there is no desire to compromise on that aspiration.”

Telling the story of what goes on at Tonbridge, such as the school’s voluntary work with the Join The Pipe and Porchlight charities, is another vital thing to do, as Mr Priory says there are some ‘extraordinary things’ happening that aren’t known about or appreciated.

“That’s partly because the school has a surprising modesty,” he concludes.

“I’ve learnt to really respect that in the boys whom I’ve met during my time here so far.

“There is a humility. The boys are proud of what they do and ambitious in what they want to achieve but they are also surprisingly modest and humble, and I don’t want to lose that quality because I realise that it is really rather precious.”

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NEWS

Weekly Comment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Greg Clark

MP for Tunbridge Wells

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Greg Clark was first elected to Parliament as a representative of Tunbridge Wells in 2005. The Conservative MP has since held a number of positions in Government and currently sits as a member of the Cabinet in his capacity as Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Why we all joined together for Remembrance LAST Sunday the whole country was united in its heartfelt honour to the men and women who gave their lives for us in the First World War. In every part of the United Kingdom, across Europe and around the world – as my colleague Tom Tugendhat wrote from India last week – commemorations were held that ranged from the intimate to the extensive, reflecting the impact of the war on families, communities and nations.

I was on duty, along with my Cabinet colleagues, at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, with the Queen, the Royal Family and all our living Prime Ministers in a service of national remembrance supported by vast crowds on a golden autumn morning under Big Ben, chiming for the occasion.

Reminiscing All across central London, thousands of current and ex-servicemen and women, some in uniform, others in civilian clothes, were gathered in informal groups reminiscing and remembering their service together, and those who were no longer with them.

And it is not just former military personnel. On a previous Remembrance Sunday, I had the honour of inspecting the Civilian Services – the firefighters, policemen and women, ambulance service and others whose contribution to supporting and defending our country – then and now – is essential, and who are part of the parade at the Cenotaph.

Particularly poignant was the presence on Whitehall of the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who wearing a Royal British Legion poppy laid a wreath at the Cenotaph

MAKING A STAND: Greg Clark stands behind David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May at the Cenotaph in Whitehall for Remembrance

April Clark Campaigner for Tonbridge and Malling Green Party

alongside Prince Charles – a moving embodiment of the reconciliation and friendship that characterises our relationship today.

For all the grandeur of the national events, it is the local and personal commemorations that bring home the true impact of that terrible war.

The Southborough War Memorial has inscribed on it the names of 24 of the 129 men of the 1st/3rd Kent Field Company, Royal Engineers, from our local area who drowned when the troopship HMS Hythe was sunk near the Dardanelles in 1915. Many of the names are very familiar including Captain David Salomons, the son of Sir David Salomons of Broomhill, who commissioned the beautiful memorial that is housed in St Matthew’s Church, High Brooms.

In Rusthall on Sunday Mike Bassett arranged a powerful and poignant event. As darkness fell, flaming torches set off from roads around the village where 129 servicemen had lived, with the names of the soldier carried along with the torches, by today’s residents. The torches converged at the Common, where all the names were read out. Each flame was extinguished to symbolise the life lost, and the Last Post was sounded.

It may be a century since the First World War ended, but the sacrifices made by those who fought in the most appalling conditions, and who lost their lives, are not forgotten. Their memory blazed strongly all over Britain last weekend.

April Clark was a Green Parliamentary candidate for Tonbridge in 2017.

She joined the party in January 2015, having lived in Tonbridge since May 2008. She is also a founder of a Women’s Institute group in south Tonbridge and is a campaigner for diversity.

Fighting for air LAST month, the UN published a report saying that we have just 12 years left to act on climate change, or the risk of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people will become much worse.

Frankly, I find this terrifying – we have to do something, urgently, but the scale of the challenge is so overwhelming. How can you and I, as individuals, possibly make a difference?

Let’s start in our town. In Tonbridge, our high street has been declared an Air Quality Management Area [AQMA] since 2005 because air pollution, mainly caused by cars and buses, exceeds acceptable levels.

Nitrogen dioxide, produced by diesel vehicles, forms toxic particles which can damage the lungs and enter the bloodstream. It is also harmful when breathed as a gas.

Idling traffic has recently increased dramatically since buses can no longer pull in to stop. The decision to develop green spaces and remove trees from the town centre, such as at River Lawn, will certainly not help.

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council is currently consulting on a Local Plan – this document, once finalised, will set out policies and identify how land is used, determining what will be built where.

It will guide council decision-making until 2031.

The council’s own AQMA, published in June, concludes that pollution levels on the high street are predicted to continue to exceed acceptable levels throughout this period.

The draft Local Plan identifies areas for development, which will lead to more traffic, creating even more air pollution.

Assessment of many of the proposed sites mentions the fact that they will have a negative impact on the High Street AQMA. The cumulative effect of all the new developments is a time bomb for respiratory problems.

Emissions And the plan fails woefully to outline any meaningful action to reduce air pollution – in fact, it lazily (and somewhat optimistically) passes the buck by relying on general technological advances to reduce car emissions.

Electric and autonomous vehicles may help in the long term, but nothing is being done to tackle the problems of today, and over the medium term. In fact, some decisions are making the situation worse – the 16+ Freedom Pass for bus travel is now £400 a year, and the

TOUGH GOING The Green Party want environmental measures included in the local plan standard one for schoolchildren is £290, an increase from £50 when it was first introduced.

KCC is forcing parents back into cars.

Public consultation on the Local Plan closes at 4pm on November 19, then it goes before a Government-appointed planning inspector.

This is your last chance to express your view –

by commenting we can all play a role in helping determine how our community develops.

For anyone interested in learning more about registering comments and concerns on the draft Local Plan, a public meeting is being held at Sussex Road School tomorrow [Thursday, November 15] at 7pm.

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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Best property buys for...

We all love to see homes with the ‘wow’ factor – which could apply to the kitchen, reception room, garden or something else. Here we home in on specific aspects that make these particular properties well worth a look The GARDEN…

Dry Hill Park Crescent Tonbridge

£995,000 CONTACT • Barnes Kingsnorth, Tonbridge • 01732 771616 • bkestateagents.com

Handsome, halls adjoining 7-bedroom Edwardian property in the town’s sought-after conservation area. Built in 1906, it enjoys the attractions of high ceilings and traditional period features.

family room with Aga in chimney breast and opening to conservatory

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Additional top floor kitchenette

n Drawing room with large bay window and marble fireplace

n Driveway with parking

n Dining room with door to garden

n Beautiful mature garden with feature pond and stunning acer

n Spacious kitchen/breakfast/

n Edwardian-style conservatory n One bedroom with en-suite shower room

n Detached garage & workshop

Warren House The KITCHEN…

Manor Park, Tunbridge Wells

Asking price

£1,195,000 CONTACT • Hamptons, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 516611 • hamptons.co.uk A detached 4-bedroom house lying in a superb tucked away position in a prestigious, private no-through road close to Tunbridge Wells Common and golf course.

Well propotioned and well presented, it has been extended and improved to provide excellent family accommodation.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Inviting entrance hall with parquet flooring and cloakroom n Bespoke Harvey Jones kitchen/ breakfast room with a central island unit, double doors to dining room and bifold doors to garden n Triple-aspect sitting room with feature open fireplace and French doors to garden n Principal bedroom with en-suite shower room. n Driveway providing parking n Garden with summerhouse and shed

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Meadow Wood Lodge Penshurst Road Penshurst

Guide price

£2,350,000 CONTACT • Knight Frank, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 515035 • knightfrank.com

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bathroom includes a double-ended, free-standing natural stone bath and walk in shower

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The PRICE…

n 4 further bedrooms (2 with en suite shower rooms) n Gardens with woodland n Wrap-around paved terrace surrounding property with BBQ area n Private gated entrance and parking

Napier Road

n In all about 5.3 acres

Tunbridge Wells

The BEDROOM…

Price range

Newly completed, this is a highly unusual and stylish 5-bedroom contemporary home on the edge of a popular village. Architect designed and built to a high standard, it boasts decked balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, Fired Earth natural stone floors, underfloor heating, solar panels and vast grounds, including woodland

£350,000-£375,000 CONTACT

• Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk Coming to the market priced for modernisation is this Victorian 2-bedroom semi-detached home in the popular Hawkenbury area.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Kitchen/ dining room with Gaggenau appliances and walk-in larder

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Front reception room with chimney breast

n Sitting room with double-sided log burner

n Rear dining room with chimney breast

n Basement gym, media centre and music room

n Kitchen with door to garden

n Master bedroom with oak panelling, en-suite dressing room, en-suite bathroom and balcony. The

n Spacious upstairs bathroom

The DINING HALL…

n 2 bedrooms with built-in wardrobes n Garden with good-sized patio and large timber shed with power

Coursehorn Barn Course Horn Lane Cranbrook

Guide price

£550,000 CONTACT • Savills, Cranbrook • 01580 720161 • savills.co.uk Coming to the market for the first time in over 30 years, an attractive, attached, 3-bedroom Grade II-listed barn.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Cranbrook School catchment area n Light and airy dining hall n Drawing room with wood-burner n Open-plan kitchen/breakfast room n Garden with countryside views n Timber-framed open garage

Mount Sion

Tunbridge Wells

Guide price

£775,000 CONTACT

• Jackson-Stops, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 521700 • jackson-stops.co.uk A charming 4-bedroom house with high ceilings, feature fireplaces and sash windows lying close to Grove Park in the desirable ‘village’ area of town.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n Sitting room with stripped wooden floor, bay window with plantation shutters n A ground floor bedroom/family room with en-suite shower n Kitchen/breakfast room boasting an open fireplace with stone surround, and a door to the garden n Garden with decked al fresco dining area and artificial lawn

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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Park Road

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AT A GLANCE LINDEN PARK ROAD TUNBRIDGE WELLS n Substantial ground floor apartment with character features n Spacious entrance hall n Double-aspect sitting room with fireplace and double doors to garden n Open-plan kitchen/dining room with useful island including one of two Siemens single ovens under n Study/bedroom with double doors to garden n Guest bedroom with ornamental fireplace n Ground floor shower room and WC n Spacious master bedroom with bay window and ornamental fireplace n Large bathroom n Lower ground floor with 2 storerooms n Attached garage (currently being used as an office/studio) n Ample parking n Beautiful rear garden with generous flagstone terrace n Summerhouse and shed

A well-located apartment close to The Pantiles that includes the benefit of a glorious garden

n Share of freehold n Full ownership of drive and large rear garden, totalling around 0.35 of an acre

ASKING PRICE

£895,000

CONTACT • Jackson-Stops, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 521700 • jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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AT A GLANCE

BIDBOROUGH COURT PENSHURST ROAD BIDBOROUGH n Refurbished 2-bedroom apartment n Grade II-listed former country house on the edge of the village n Entrance hall n Drawing room with fireplace n Dining hall fitted with a custom-made solid granite topped dining table and bench seating to either side n Kitchen/breakfast room with long granite work surfaces n Cloakroom

An impressive apartment in a former Victorian mansion with lovely views

n Curved staircase, part of the south-facing turret, with a fine arched mullioned window and circular stained glass window n Landing with seating area n Principal bedroom n Adjoining bathroom, featuring a roll-top slipper bath with ball and claw feet and shower cubicle n Bedroom 2 with a feature Victorian fireplace and en-suite shower room n Gas-fired central heating n Sweeping driveway n Garage and allocated parking space n Extensive communal gardens and grounds of about 3 acres n Superb views to the south

£565,000 CONTACT • Hamptons International, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 516611 • hamptons.co.uk

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

3 ways to turn your home technicolour Are you colour-phobic and clinging to neutrals like a comfort blanket?

Gabrielle Fagan discovers how to fight fear and brave bold decoration at home

C

OLOUR is officially cool, according to the decor experts, but it takes guts to plunge into the palette and experiment in your rooms.

Banish the fear and do it anyway, declares Emily Henson, interiors stylist and author of the aptly named ‘Be Bold: Interiors For The Brave Of Heart’, which is a celebration of homes with ‘joyful patterns, gutsy colour choices and exhilarating paint treatments’.

Their owners, she says, enjoy homes which contain daring explosions of colour, pattern, humour and originality, where ‘boldness is a way of life’.

Some make a statement ‘with vivid paint on every surface and neon signs on the walls’, while others have ‘leopard print and folksy

embroidered cushions clashing on a pink sofa, or window frames painted yellow in an otherwise white wall’.

Whatever, she notes, bold really is beautiful.

It’s certainly a world away from the bland, and Emily gleefully sums up the philosophy as ‘decorate like nobody’s watching’.

Still nervous? “Think of the colours you like and want in your life, and test the waters by spray-painting something small,” she says.

For the more confident, she urges: “Dive in at the deep end, just go for it! What’s the worst thing that can happen? You won’t like it and you’ll have to repaint.

“That’s not the end of the world.”

Be inspired by three homes where owners truly dance to their own decor tune…

EMILY’S DECOR TIP: Choose one shade and

paint everything – walls, ceilings, doors, woodwork, radiators – for an intoxicating, enveloping effect.

If that’s too much, choose a main colour for the walls and ceiling and one or two accents for doors, shelves or features. If you feel bold, paint part-way up the walls and leave the top half white, or use two different colours for a wall – in either complementary or contrasting shades

COOK UP A COLOUR STORM Set designer Amy Exton indulges her love of colour and kitsch with a no-holds-barred scheme for her kitchen, and has created a home that packs a stylish punch.

“Amy hand-painted this eye-popping mural herself, painstakingly taping off each area and

alternating between stripes, leopard and solid painted sections,” Emily says.

“She continues the mouthwatering colour scheme with apple green on the walls and brightly-coloured metal stools. It’s a total transformation from its previous look of magnolia paint and wall-to-wall brown carpet.”

WAKE UP A WALL...

A vibrant blue shade on a wall brilliantly brings shop owner Zoe Anderson’s dining area to life, with simple, modern furniture – including a gleaming Tom Dixon copper pendant light to provide balance.

“Kitchens are often painted in neutral colours as a safe option, but Zoe went all-out bold with an electric blue paint,” explains Emily.

“The walls are a vibrant backdrop for the family’s art collection, including children’s drawings and keepsakes collected on travels.”

EMILY’S DECOR TIP: Make a statement with EMILY’S DECOR TIP: Stylists often create ‘fake walls’ – large pieces of plywood covered

in wallpaper – for photographic shoots. These can be used as a flexible, movable expanse of pattern which can be leaned against a wall for a playful focal point, or used as a great way to test out your enthusiasm for a particular pattern or colour before committing to it

MIX A COCKTAIL OF SHADES Anything goes in the apartment of Spanish designer Patricia Bustos, who ignores outdated rules and injects a fresh quirkiness into all of her schemes.

She has created an entertainment ‘zone’ with a bamboo tiki bar, 80s Terje Ekstrom chairs upholstered in mustard wool, and – for the perfect finishing touch – has designed her own ‘Oh La La’ neon sign.

“For Patricia, being bold means combining different eras, ignoring outdated rules about pattern and colour matching, and injecting humour and quirkiness into everything she designs,” says Emily.

“Her home is a joyful expression of what’s in her head, and it’s fabulous.

“It’s all fabulously OTT. “What makes it work? A limited colour palette and the guts to own the look.”

a sofa or a chair in a daring or unusual shade, to show off your ‘adventurous’ colour spirit.

Bold doesn’t always have to mean bright, as paler shades can be just as effective. Think pink, sage green, or aquamarine – anything but the obvious

Be Bold: Interiors For The Brave Of Heart

by Emily Henson, photography by Catherine Gratwicke, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £19.99.

It is available to readers for the special price of £14 (inc p&p) by using the code: BOLDPA at the checkout at rylandpeters.com Offer valid until December 31, 2018.

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Property Focus

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Doric Avenue

N EW HO MES Silverdale Road Tunbridge Wells

£585,000

Willow Lodge

Willow Lodge Tonbridge Road Hadlow GUIDE PRICE

£1,000,000£1,100,000 CONTACT

road with a sweeping driveway providing plenty of parking.

Three of the 5 bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, and the house enjoys a delightful open aspect over the surrounding land.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

• Bracketts, Tonbridge • 01732 350503 • bracketts.co.uk

n Living room with open fireplace, including bressumer beam, and patio doors to terrace

A substantial new detached property set back from the

n Stunning open-plan kitchen/dining room with

bifold doors to the outside and a utility room n A spacious landing giving access to a large loft space

A new build family home in a small development built by a local developer renowned for his quality workmanship in the Tunbridge Wells area.

These houses have been finished to the highest of standards and are within a

n Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and a walk-in dressing room n 4 further bedrooms (2 en suite) n Gardens of approximately 0.54 of an acre, which are predominantly laid to lawn n Driveway with electric gates n Garage

ARTIST’S IMPRESSION What Silverdale Road may look like

short stroll of a mainline train station. Available in early spring 2019.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Living room with log burner

Doric Avenue Southborough

£550,000

n 4 double bedrooms

A new 3-bedroom detached home in Southborough’s village area.

n 2 bathrooms and a downstairs cloakroom

CONTACT

n High quality fitted kitchen

n Large rear garden n 2 parking spaces n Electric car charging points

•LeGrys Land And New Homes, Southborough • 0800 320 2019 • legrys.com

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

WELLINGTON GATE

Church Road Tunbridge Wells TN1 1HT

On offer at

10 UPPER GROSVENOR ROAD

Tunbridge Wells TN1 2EP

To let at

£48,000 pax AVAILABLE EARLY 2019 A self-contained office building offering approximately 1,955sq ft of offices on the ground and first floors, with some basement storage.

Located close to Royal Victoria Place shopping centre and around half a mile from the mainline station, it features a mixture of individual and open-plan offices and is in good decorative order.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n A new full repairing and insuring lease is available – please contact agent for terms n Fully carpeted n CAT 2 lighting n Male & female WC facilities n Kitchen facilities n Gas-fired central heating n 14 on-site car parking spaces

£27.50 psf pax

OXFORD HOUSE 15-17 Mount Ephraim Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1EN

AVAILABLE FROM FEBRUARY 2019 Wellington Gate is a landmark office building featuring outstanding accommodation with air conditioning.

Offering approximately 3,500 and 4,000 sq ft of space, it is prominently located in Church Road, within the centre of Tunbridge Wells. Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre and Tunbridge Wells mainline station are within walking distance.

£37,000 pax AVAILABLE NOW A lower ground floor office suite in the heart of the town totalling 1,840 sq ft. It offers a good, mainly open-plan space with some partitioned offices plus convenient on-site parking.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST n High quality offices n Impressive marble-floored reception

n Town centre location n New lease available n Passenger lift to all floors n Good decorative order

n 2 passenger lifts carrying 10 persons each

n Carpeting

n Fully accessible carpeted metal raised floors

n WC Facilities

n 4-pipe fan coil air conditioning n Male and female WCs on each floor n On-site car parking n 1st Floor 3,500 sq ft n 5th Floor 4,000 sq ft n 13 car parking spaces

n 1 car parking space

FOR ALL THREE PROPERTIES, PLEASE CONTACT • Shane Raggett at Broadlands Commercial Property Agents, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 512422 • shane.raggett@broadlands.co.uk • broadlands.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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ARTS & CULTURE LIFE & STYLE FOOD & DRINK MOTORING SPORT and MORE...

IN PRINT AND ONLINE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK timeslocalnews.co.uk

Well hello there . . .

TWODS bring Dolly and her mixture of friends to the Assembly Hall Page 50

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SEIZE THE CATCH OF THE DAY

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SAMPLE SOME ROYAL TREATMENT

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ESCAPE TO A TROPICAL PARADISE

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TONBRIDGE TRIO’S SUCCESS

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Dolly’s mixture of love and laughter Tunbridge Wells Operatic & Dramatic Society [TWODS] puts on its production of one of Broadway’s most popular musicals – Hello, Dolly – next week at the Assembly Hall. Here, female lead Lelia Di Domenico tells Eileen Leahy why this show still has such enduring appeal…

So Lelia, please tell us a little bit about the story of Hello, Dolly It’s a lighthearted, sometimes farcical musical based on Thornton Wilder’s The

Merchant of Yonkers. It’s set in New York City (Yonkers) at the turn of the century, and centres around Dolly Levi, a self-titled meddler.

Dolly Levi

She sounds intriguing…

She is a well-loved and wellknown character whose talent lies mainly in matchmaking, but it can branch off into a number of other ridiculous sidelines which magically make themselves

known at precisely the right moment.

Ultimately, though, it focuses on a theme of love and finding a special someone for everyone – including Dolly.

You’re playing Dolly, are you enjoying it?

I have to confess that playing such a famous role – Carol Channing, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler have all played her – is a daunting task, especially following in the footsteps of so many powerhouses!

As a result, it can be quite difficult to find your own take on the character while there are so many preconceived notions about who Dolly should be.

But have I enjoyed it? Wow, it’s been tough, but yes, absolutely!

What appeals to you about it as a musical, and do you think it’s still relevant today?

I love Hello, Dolly because it’s the kind of show that brings light to its audiences – and that is something I think everybody could do with a bit

more of at the moment. Shows like this remind us that joy exists and touches on a universal theme that will never age: Love and renewal… finding joy after pain. It’s a reminder that there’s always room for reinvention and hope.

It lifts its audiences and transports them to a simpler time.

How about the cast you’re working with?

Are you all getting on?

They are an amazing group of people.

The performers I am working most closely with are friends I have known and respected for years.

Dolly’s main interest, Horace Vandergelder, is played by James Klech, a well-known face among the local societies and a pleasure to work alongside. David Hynes and Matthew Westrope, who play Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, are splendid comedians and character actors, as well as being wonderful singers. The beauties of the piece – Cheryl Storer and Allya Khammari, playing Irene Molloy

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

and Minnie Fay – are a joy to watch and deserve the highest praise for their rich vocals.

How long have you been part of TWODS, and why do you enjoy performing with them?

I have been performing with TWODS for ten years, and in that time I’ve been in 11 shows.

We put on two shows a year, and our society is made up of a rich mix of people from the local area who enjoy musical theatre as a hobby, but many of whom are, or have been, professionals.

There is a false stigma with amateur dramatics that because a show isn’t a ‘professional’ production that it will not have professional results. Time and again we have shown that it is possible to put on shows of a professional standard while raising money for local charities.

Our audiences come back because – for them and for us as performers – this is the closest you will get to West End quality in your own town.

What do you like about acting and singing in general?

Performing has always been in my blood.

My mother was a professional opera singer and I spent a great deal of my childhood running around the hallways of the Sydney Opera House; getting under the feet of the singers and wardrobe department,

Horace Vandergelder

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Lots of strings attached…

The ukulele made the national news recently as more musicians are taking it up. A good time, then, for George Hinchilffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain to be playing the Assembly Hall on Friday

T FULL OF FUN Minnie and Barnaby until eventually I joined them on stage as one of the children’s chorus of Opera Australia.

I don’t think there was ever a doubt that it would be something I would eventually do. There is a freedom to be anybody – to sing, act and dance with a group of like-minded people – that holds a special kind of magic for me. There is nothing like the sound of applause – nothing.

What do you think audiences will enjoy most about seeing Hello, Dolly?

I think the brilliant, lively music (headed up by our amazing Musical Director, Robin Hare) and the

comedy of the show will always bring a smile to the audiences.

The toe-tapping, feelgood numbers and dance routines (choreographed by Karen Heaslewood) are a sure-fire hit and, for so many, the nostalgia is the reason people return again and again to see different productions of ‘tried and tested’ shows like this.

Having said that, I can definitely say that our Director, Helen Thorpe, has ensured that TWODS will breathe some new life into Hello, Dolly!

And knowing that our audiences have enjoyed themselves is the ultimate reward for our hard work.

TWODS will perform Hello, Dolly every day from Tuesday, November 20 to Saturday, November 24. Tickets cost from £19.

To book, visit assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

he Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain was founded back in 1985

by George Hinchcliffe, who is still the band’s Musical Director, and Kitty Lux. It started originally as a bit of fun, using instruments bought with loose change. But despite such humble beginnings, their first gig was an instant sellout, and by 1988 they had released an LP, appeared on BBC TV, played at Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festival and recorded a BBC Radio 1 session. They’ve been performing ever since.

The orchestra, which now comprises eight musicians, several of whom have been with the band since the early days, has toured everywhere from the North Pole to the Sydney Opera House.

Their now legendary live shows plunder all genres of music from Wagner and Nirvana to Ennio Morricone – with wit, sheer brilliance and plenty of pluck.

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has also collaborated with the likes of Robbie Williams, Madness and the Kaiser Chiefs, and even played for The Queen on her 90th birthday.

Widely regarded as something of a national institution, the Ukes (as they are known to their many fans) are the original ukulele orchestra, spawning hundreds of imitators. You can now find ukulele groups in nearly every major city, and indeed the orchestra are often blamed for the ukulele revival currently sweeping the globe.

Now they’re on another one of their epic journeys, this time a 35-date tour which includes a performance at the Assembly Hall this Friday.

In addition to their trademark reinterpretations of pop, classics and cult film scores, they will be inviting audiences and budding ukulele enthusiasts to join them in a little midwinter mischief, offering the chance to play or sing along with them in the odd well-worn Christmas classic.

The group believes that all genres of music are available for reinterpretation, as long as they are played on the ukulele.

It’s fair to say that a concert by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a funny, virtuosic, foot-stomping obituary of rock ’n’ roll and melodious light entertainment, featuring only the ‘bonsai guitar’ and a menagerie of voices in a collision of post-punk performance and toe-tapping oldies.

But don’t take our word for it, why not go along and see for yourself?

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain appear at the Assembly Hall, Tunbridge wells on November 16. Box Office: 01892 530613 or assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

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Where to…

Watch the best pantomime It’s time to start thinking about ways to keep the whole family entertained throughout the festive period. With that in mind, we’ve spoken to four of the biggest and best pantomimes in the area to find out what they’re offering…

Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells – The Wind in the Willows The musical, written this year by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, runs from Thursday December 13th and everyone is invited!

A show for all the family, swap your magic carpet rides and poisoned pantomime apples for a heart-warming story of true friendship as you venture through the Wild Woods with toad and his band of rambunctious friends. The Trinity Theatre even have children’s lunch hampers and character biscuits to enjoy.

With a live orchestra, spectacular stagecraft and a company of professionals as well as an ensemble of young local performers, this is set to be Trinity’s wildest adventure.

Although Toad is obviously the most boisterous character, it’s the developing friendship between Ratty and Mole that is really touching – the best song “A friend is just a

friend” amplifies this.

Tickets are on sale now, with early bird performances from December 13-20. Adult tickets cost £20, concessions £19, Friends £17 and children £16. They are available from The box office on 01892 678 678 or from www.trinitytheatre.net/events/the-wind-in-the-willows

The White Rock Theatre, Hastings – Jack and the Beanstalk Running from the December 14th, Jack and the Beanstalk at The White Rock Theatre promises to be a traditional family pantomime filled with jokes, songs and dance numbers set to encourage lots of audience participation (young and old!)

Chico, from X Factor and Dancing on Ice, will be Jack and ex-EastEnders star Michelle Collins will feature as the fairy. The giant is one to look out for and the way the cast come together on stage is pure magic! This really will be the pantomime to bring Hastings into the festive season this year.

Tickets can be purchased from the venue box office, call 01424 462288 or online Whiterocktheatre.org.uk. Standard tickets from £20 with a family package from £62.

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EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge – Jack and the Beanstalk Jack & The Beanstalk will be running at EM Forster Theatre from Saturday 15th December to Sunday 6th January. There really is something for everyone, and the theatre have said they can’t wait to see generations of families enjoying the show together. Michael Fenton Stevens is back again this year as Dame Trott and local favourite Tom Swift will be leading the cast as Jack himself.

Look out for a big show-stopping finale planned

The Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells – Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty, this year’s official Tunbridge Wells Pantomime at the Assembly Hall Theatre, is perfect for all the family this Christmas.

Once upon a time in a land far away, a beautiful princess was born. Cursed by a wicked fairy, she was destined to spend her life as the Sleeping Beauty, until awakened by true love’s kiss...

Starring TV and musical theatre star Claire Sweeney as Carabosse, Derek Moran (Channel 5’s Milkshake) as Silly Billy and hilarious returning dame Quinn Patrick (Aladdin), this is

set to be the Assembly Hall Theatre’s biggest pantomime to date. The cast also includes Caitlin Mcnerney as Sleeping Beauty, Michael Vinsen as The Prince and Laura Mullowney as The Good Fairy.

This enchanting pantomime promises to be jam-packed with smash-hit songs, stunning sets, spectacular costumes, and magical special effects. Tickets can be purchased from the venue box office, call 01424 462288 or online whiterocktheatre.org.uk.

with the Giant’s appearance – sure to have the audiences’ jaws drop! The show’s going to be packed with the stunning scenery, music, choreography, magic and fun audiences have come to expect from Wicked Productions.

Tickets from the EM Forster Box Office www. emftheatre.com 01732 304241. There are a range of different ticket prices and we have some Family Special shows where all tickets are £13.

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Going Out

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goingout 7 days of activities

By Eileen Leahy

PRETTY AS A PICTURE The RTWAS exhibition

with one of their experts to find the perfect colour to suit you and your lifestyle?

Tonbridge’s pop-up arts hub, Tonbridge Creates, is back for the lead-up to Christmas.

The hub showcases the creative talents of local artists and encourages the community to get involved, too. Why not pop along and enjoy some of the workshops it’s hosting and buy from some of the local artists? On daily until December 19.

Star of the West End magic spectacular ‘Impossible’, Penn & Teller’s Ali Cook brings his impressive show entitled Principles of Deception to Trinity Theatre tonight. The clever illusionist, who has also starred in Channel 4’s Dirty Tricks and Monkey Magic on Channel Five, effortlessly blends magic with comedy and is truly inspiring to see. Tickets cost £16 from trinitytheatre.net

FRIDAY

WEDNESDAY Every day this week until Friday, the RNLI will have a stall at the entrance to Tunbridge Wells Railway Station selling RNLI Christmas cards, gifts and souvenirs from 8am until 6pm.

The Oast Theatre in Tonbridge continues its run of the play Regeneration until Saturday. Directed

by Valerie Galbraith and based on the Pat Barker novel of the same name, it’s set at Craiglockhart

War Hospital, where war poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen meet and form an enriching and strong bond. Tickets cost £10 from oasttheatre.cloudvenue.co.uk

THURSDAY Headmasters in Monson Road are running a 50% off colour sale until Saturday. Every colour there is bespoke, so why not book a free consultation

Every Friday, The Angel Flea Market is at the Angel Centre in Tonbridge from 8am until 1pm, with around 25 stallholders selling a huge variety of bargains. Entrance is free.

The wait is finally over! From today Tunbridge Wells’ ice rink is open for Christmas business once again. Running until January 2, this is one of the town’s most popular attractions, and tonight the launch will include some very special appearances from professional skaters. See tunbridgewellsatchristmas.com There will be another open evening at The Observatory Science Centre in Herstmonceux tonight, this time to witness the Leonids meteor shower. Visitors can view the night sky through the centre’s historic telescopes to spot the descending meteors. On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 crew orbiting the moon, this seems like the right time to go along and enjoy the marvels of the night sky. For further Ali information see the-observatory.org Cook

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

SATURDAY

There will be another RNLI coffee morning and sale happening this morning, this time at St Augustine’s Church, Crescent Road, from 10.30am to 12noon. As well as being able to buy RNLI Christmas cards, there will also be bric-abrac, cakes, preserves, books, toys, collectables and much more. Entrance is free.

Bewl Water is not only a beautiful country park, it’s also an established fishery with a history of large trout and pike as well as good sized perch, and currently it is offering Predator Fishing every day until January 31 from boats only. For more information on prices and timings, go to bewlwater.co.uk The Royal Tunbridge Wells Art Society Winter Exhibition starts today and will showcase some of the group’s talented local artists.

Admission is free to this event, which is open from 10am to 4pm daily until December 2. Pop along to the RTWAS building at 61 Lower Walk, The Pantiles.

The Bacchus Wind Orchestra – a community group based in Tonbridge – is celebrating 30 years of musicmaking with an anniversary concert at Tonbridge Parish Church this evening at 7.30pm.

Another concert happening locally is one by The Oriana Singers entitled ‘Armistice – 1918 – Remembering and Rejoicing’. It takes place at St Paul’s Church, Langton Road, Rusthall at 7.30 pm, and will include a performance of Howard Goodall’s ‘Eternal Light’ requiem and works

by Parry, Chilcott, Brewer and Whitbourn. Programmes available on the door cost £10, and all proceeds will go to The Poppy Appeal. For more details, visit orianasingers.org.uk There will be a 90s Night happening from 6.30pm at St

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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Going Out

Wealden Times Midwinter Fair

The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood Thursday-Saturday (November 15-17)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to the annual Wealden Times Midwinter Fair. So

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the good news is you can do plenty of your seasonal shopping this week.

With over 220 exhibitors selling all manner of gorgeous goodies, plus pop-up food and drink eateries, it really does make for the perfect day out.

Tickets start from £9, and can be booked via wealdentimes.co.uk

THE SNOW QUEEN At Trinity Theatre Philip’s Church, Salisbury Road, Tonbridge. As well as a live band, there will be a 90s trivia quiz, food, and a thought for the day from Mark Brown. Tickets cost £2 each, but as places are limited please book in advance by emailing: parishoffice@tonbridgeparishchurch.org.uk

SUNDAY Today, Penshurst Place launches Roasts and Rambles, which offers visitors on selected Sundays the opportunity to have a sneak peek behind the scenes of this stunning stately home, as well as hear a specialist talk on a particular theme. Today it’s about Penshurst in Film, led by General Manager Ben Thomas, who will reveal GONE FISHING At Bewl Water

the canon of celluloid films and TV programmes it has featured in. The event runs from 12.30pm to 3pm with a delicious roast lunch served before the talk. Tickets cost £21.50 for adults and £6.50 for children aged 5-12. Under-5s eat free. Book tickets at penshurstplace.com Quantum Theatre presents their version of the classic fairy tale The Snow Queen at 2.30pm at Trinity Theatre today. Tickets cost £8 each.

One Warwick Park Hotel hosts another Support Local pop-up today from 10am until 4pm. This time it’s a special Christmas Shopping Fair, so expect to see lots of independents showing off unique creations that will make a perfect gift for someone special. For further information, go to onewarwickpark.co.uk Over at Royal Victoria Place, there’s a special family and friends festive fun day happening to coincide with its official Christmas launch.

On a more serious note, the Flying Fish Theatre Company presents the play Punch the Judy at The Forum from 7pm. Meet the Master of Manipulation in an interactive show that highlights the problems of learnt behaviour and domestic abuse, with a puppet twist. It begins amongst the Victorian Freak Shows with a Punch and Judy show and there’s a Q&A afterwards. Open to ages 16+, tickets cost £10, with a raffle to support DAVSS [Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services].

Book at twforum.co.uk

Over at The Sussex Arms, there’s another Comedy Tapas night of talented stand-ups taking to the stage from 8pm. Tickets cost £8 on the door or £6 in advance from twforum.co.uk

MONDAY At the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge at 7.30pm, renowned TV and film military historian Taff Gillingham will be giving a talk about Tonbridge’s First World War. Tickets cost £4. You can pay on the door, or they are available from Mr Books bookshop in Tonbridge High Street, or you can

email: tonbridgetalks@gmail.com Royal Victoria Place welcomes Santa Claus to town today with the unveiling of its amazing grotto for 2018. Positioned opposite Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall, it’s a must visit for little ones in the lead-up to Christmas.

TUESDAY TWODS begins its run of the classical musical Hello Dolly tonight at the Assembly Hall. Tickets cost £19 pp from assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk See our exclusive interview on pages 50 & 51.

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Going Out

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Steve Hewitt, The Breaks, Chris Pope and Jack Leon Mackey Friday Soul Kitchen Saturday Dave Ital & Friends Sunday Duch Jo, Kate Virgoe, Leanie Kaleido and Danny Bridle

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

live music With Paul Dunton

T

ONIGHT [Wednesday] sees local acts Steve Hewitt, The Breaks, Chris Pope and Jack Leon Mackey all performing at The Grey Lady Music Lounge.

On both Thursday and Friday night, The Forum hosts the popular Noble Jacks, who are renowned for their foot stomping alt-folk sound.

Elsewhere on Friday evening, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are at The Assembly Hall Theatre, while Coldplay tribute band ‘Coldplace’ are at Trinity Theatre.

You can also catch Energy Vampyres at The Bedford Pub and Shvpes, Cove and Wars at The Sussex Arms.

On Saturday night, Gez Gold is at The Beau Nash Tavern, and many local acts will be performing at a

The must-read guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead… paulduntonandguests.com

fundraiser in aid of West Kent Mind & The Jay Harmer Foundation at The Bedford. See the likes of Move Over Dali, Second Helping, Amber Anderton, Arthur O’Hara, Frankie Jo Swaine, Freedom Leveller, Can’t Be Committed, Just Desserts and Alcatraz Blues.

Meanwhile, Dave Ital & Friends are at The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Riff Raff return to The Royal Oak, while Cuecliche and Sink or Swim will be live at The Sussex Arms, and The Forum hosts Sarah Tonin, Pre Med and Wild Horse.

On Monday night, The John Ward Trio will be at The Tonbridge Folk Club, and on Tuesday, six-piece skiffle band Lone Ed will be at The Punch & Judy pub in Tonbridge.

Event information at twforum.co.uk Thursday Noble Jacks and The Paul Dunton Orchestra Friday Noble Jacks and Mike Wilton Saturday Sarah Tonin, Pre Med and Wild Horse Tuesday The Stable: Biddle, James Lloyd Smith, Katie Kittermaster and Sophie Harmsworth

THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE Crescent Road All show details and tickets available at assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Thursday Rick Wakeman Amber Anderton

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

The John Ward Trio

Friday The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Saturday Be Bop A Lula

TRINITY THEATRE Church Road All show details and tickets available at trinitytheatre.net Friday Coldplace (Coldplay tribute)

THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Friday Energy Vampyres Saturday Fundraiser in aid of West Kent Mind & The Jay Harmer Foundation

THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Sussex Mews Event information at twforum.co.uk Friday Shvpes, Cove and Wars Saturday Cuecliche and Sink or Swim

CASSIDY’S BAR Castle Street Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Friday Open Jam Session

THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Gez Gold Sunday Open Mic Night

THE ROYAL OAK Prospect Road Open all day, free entry Music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Riff Raff

THE GEORGE PUB Mount Ephraim Open all day, free entry Music from 8pm till late Monday TWUNT Jam Session

TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB The Flying Dutchman, Hildenborough Hat collection – with a suggested contribution of £7 (£5 concessions) Music from 8pm, all welcome, more information at tonbridgefolkclub.org Monday John Ward Trio

THE PUNCH & JUDY 11 St Stephen’s Street, Tonbridge Open all day, free entry Music from 8pm Tuesday Lone Ed (on again)

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food

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Food & Drink FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Enjoy a taste of the

Royal treatment Once frequented by Queen Victoria, The Royal Wells Hotel has undergone an ambitious refurbishment project and a change in management. Charlie Bond discovers whether it still has a majestic allure for discerning diners…

I

T’S a chilly autumn evening when I pay a visit to The Royal Wells Hotel’s Brasserie restaurant, and the cosy, yet contemporary, setting is instantly welcoming.

Candles flicker in the windows, soft lighting highlights the muted tones of the furniture and the space in the orangery,

although large, feels homely.

We’re shown to our table by Manager Steve, who took over back in July after holding previous positions at other Shepherd Neame establishments in the county. As he presents us with the menu, he explains that since starting he’s revamped it, including introducing a daily

grill option which has proved popular.

We set about perusing said menu, and discover there’s plenty to choose from; there’s an impressive mix of seafood and meat dishes for main courses, including some delicious sounding burgers.

But first, starters and drinks. We each order a glass of the Chilean Merlot (£4.90) and then select some starters to share, opting for the red pepper houmous (£3.95) from the ‘for the table’ list, and the sticky lime and chilli prawns (£7.95).

There’s not long to wait before we’re presented with our choices; the wine, warming and peppery, and the starters both absolutely delicious.

The houmous is served with homemade tortilla chips which are perfectly crunchy and spicy, while the prawns are huge and juicy, presented in a divine sticky sauce. A garlic and herb bread served with the prawns makes an excellent addition to the dish, the flavours pairing well with the zesty lime and fresh coriander in the sauce.

So far, better than good (in fact, I couldn’t stop thinking about the houmous and

tortilla chips even days later, wondering how could I get my hands on the recipe!)

Selecting our first courses was easy, but the mains prove more difficult, and my guest and I each to and fro multiple times. Do we want fish?

Burgers? Salad? But, in the end, on our waiter’s recommendation, I settle on today’s steak offering – a fillet served with chips, a thyme roast tomato and mushroom (price varies), while my guest selects the pork loin chop (£10.95), which comes served with a lemon and thyme butter, caramelised shallot and fennel sauce and crunchy parmentier potatoes.

When they arrive, we’re not disappointed. Both are stylishly presented with a generous amount of food, and we eagerly tuck in.

My steak, which I’ve ordered medium rare (the menu sports a handy guide explaining he different levels of steak rareness for those in doubt), is delicious. It’s perfectly chargrilled, juicy and full of flavour, and teamed with crisp

‘Both are stylishly presented with a generous amount of food, and we eagerly tuck in’

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

and fluffy chips. So I have no regrets in trusting the waiter’s suggestion.

My guest’s pork is equally tender, and the accompanying sauces give it an interesting flavour profile, while its pickled tomato chutney topping brings a light freshness to the dish. The potatoes are crisp, salty and light inside – and she enthuses about them so much I have to pinch one to see for myself (they’re pretty good.)

Eventually, the generous portions get the better of us and we have to admit defeat, but after ordering coffees to finish, we then decide we could probably try a dessert, and call on our waiter again to make a suggestion.

On his recommendation, we choose the apple and blackberry crumble (£5.50), and it turns out to be the ideal sweet finish for an autumnal meal. The custard is light, yet creamy, the topping

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk crunchy and the filling is the perfect mix of tartness mingled with a sugary sweetness. One portion proves enough for us both so we share it, savouring every mouthful until we’re definitely full – and the plate decidedly less so.

During our time in the restaurant there were several other tables of diners, all happily chatting and enjoying the relaxed ambience.

This feels like the kind of place you can’t outstay your welcome. Long after our plates have been cleared, we’re still seated, making the most of the Brasserie’s cosy setting.

In a town with such a strong foodie scene it can be hard to get on the map, but I’m certain that won’t be a problem for the Royal Wells thanks to its gorgeous ambience, excellent service, a strong menu – and that houmous. I for one will be suggesting it as a place to head for a royally good experience… royalwells.co.uk

Food & Drink

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Time for a seasonal change The clocks have gone back, the first frost has arrived, and as menus change with the season so should your vinous repertoire… Here is Times Drinks Editor James Viner’s pick of the best winter warmers 1) MUST-TRY SUPERMARKET RED

2017 Les Hauts de Saint Martin Saint-Chinian, Languedoc, France (13.5%, £7.50, The Co-op) Made by Alain Rogier, 2015 winner of the IWC Red Winemaker of the Year, this is a richly flavoured bottle for colder nights.

A blend of grenache, syrah, carignan and mourvèdre, it smells of lavender, juniper, wild bay and bilberries. Its deep, dark forest fruit and herbal flavours really hit the spot for late autumn. Ideal for venison and juniper casserole, slowcooked beef with thyme and anchovies or well-hung feathered game.

2) FRESH 100% TEMPRANILLO RIOJA FROM HIGH-ALTITUDE VINEYARDS

2015 Ramón Bilbao ‘Edición Limitada’ Rioja, Spain (14%, £14.50, Great Western Wine) Make room for this exceptional, newlyreleased American and French oakaged, black/red cherry, dried tobacco leaf, plum and spice-stashed Rioja.

Made for herb-crusted lamb shoulder, shanks, slow roasted pork, and cracking with a tray of roasted root vegetables or chicken and chorizo casserole. An exciting discovery at a great price. Salud!

3) A RED BURGUNDY STEAL FOR NEW-SEASON GAME

2015 Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Couvent des Jacobins, France (13%, £11.69-15.40, Drinks Basket/Drink

Shop/Fareham Wine Cellar/Bon Coeur Fine Wines) This red burgundy from the dynamic Beaune merchant is a fragrant, red fruit and undergrowth-perfumed pinot that’s appealingly light and ethereal on the nose and palate. It shows a savoury bite,

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filigreed tannin and earthy, plum flavours. Feels assured from start to finish. Sip it with rare grouse, roast pheasant, wild duck, partridge, a fillet of beef, coq au vin, mushroom risotto or boeuf bourguignon. Affordable elegance.

Follow James on Twitter @QuixoticWine

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travel

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Travel

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

A secret gem…

Bintan is the new idyllic Indonesian island escape

A short ferry ride from Singapore, Bintan is the tropical playground we should all get to know, says Katie Wright

E SEAFRONT SPLENDOUR A pool villa at Banyan Tree Bintan

VERYONE’S reaction was the same when I told them the name of the Indonesian island I was about to visit.

“Like the beer?” they asked.

“No, that’s Bintang”, I pointed out.

“I’m off to Bintan.”

Evidently this Indonesian outcrop isn’t as famous as its soundalike lager, but by rights it should be, because the high-end holiday destination has a lot going for it, with some residents touting it as a rival to the country’s best-known tourist destination, Bali.

Part of the Riau archipelago, the 450-square-kilometre island haven is only accessible by sea (unless you happen to have a helicopter), with

most visitors sailing there via Malaysia or Singapore.

The latter is where I fly into, jumping on the speedy 45-minute ferry from the Tanah Merah terminal after spending a couple of days sightseeing in the city. And, honestly, I couldn’t have timed my arrival at Banyan Tree Bintan any better.

The picturesque resort is situated on the northern side of the island, its 67 Thai-style villas spread over two lush hillsides.

It’s just gone 6pm when I step through the carved dark wood door of my villa, and the sky is beginning to turn from hazy blue to marshmallow pink.

As the fiery orange sun slips behind

BEACHCOMBING The intriguingly named Treasure Bay is the biggest salt water pool in Asia

HIGH LIVING An aerial view of the Bintan island coast the horizon, the stunning sunset is perfectly framed in the window as I watch it from my four-poster bed.

After a blissful night’s sleep, I’m up at sunrise for outdoor yoga at the highest point of the property, doing sun salutations while gazing out over the calm azure sea.

It feels wonderful to stretch and loosen up, but, truth be told, that’s about as energetic as life gets for me here.

Days are spent at an extremely leisurely pace, relaxing by the two hotel pools or paddling in the warm waters that lap at the wide white sand beach.

Just when I think I can’t get any more relaxed, I spend two glorious hours in the Banyan Tree spa, having the last remnants of city-induced stress kneaded out of my knotty back and shoulders by a Thai massage expert.

If too much lounging around leaves you

restless on holiday, there is actually plenty to do on Bintan besides sunbathing.

Golfers have four pristine courses to choose from, and you can find every kind of water sport – from laid-back kayaking through shady mangroves to high-speed jet-skiing on the ocean.

If it’s culture you’re after, head south to the area around the capital city, Tanjung Pinang. Reflecting the diverse heritage of the Riau region, here you’ll find Buddhist temples, Muslim mosques and a beautifully restored Malay palace.

Personally, I got my fill of history – not to mention modernity – during my 48-hour stopover in Singapore, which began with a fascinating walking tour around the Joo Chiat area to marvel at the traditional, ornately-painted ‘shop houses’, and to get a taste of the melting pot local cuisine.

With bustling hawker centres (street food

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

OCEAN-FRESH DINING The Cove restaurant at Banyan Tree

SATISFYING STRETCH: Outdoor yoga

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk markets where some vendors have Michelin stars) right through to posh rooftop bars, the incredibly clean and green metropolis is perfect for a city break.

But after a bustling blast of concrete jungle, the serenity of Bintan was even more welcome.

As with so many tourism hotspots, sustainability is a big buzzword in Indonesia at the moment – and that’s no different at Banyan Tree Bintan, which has a marine conservation centre on site, dedicated to helping to boost the local turtle population.

Here, conservation officer Adlan Fadhlan Bakti collects eggs laid in nests on the beach by Hawksbill turtles, who then leave their offspring to fend for themselves (or risk being stolen by poachers). The hatchlings are looked after until they’re strong enough to head out into the wild.

“Then we let nature do the rest,” Bakti explains on my last afternoon at the resort, when I get to help release one of the adorable green creatures into the sea.

A few metres from the shore, I watch my tiny

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PRETTY IN PINK One of the island mosques little turtle slowly waddle into the waves and eventually swim off, and I hope that he thrives and lives to be 80 years old (as some turtles do).

Then it’s time for my final dinner, a spectacular send-off at one of the eight private dining destinations that are dotted around the resort, in addition to the three restaurants.

This one requires a boat to reach it, but it’s a very short voyage (a matter of minutes) to the ‘kelong’, an open-air floating restaurant based on the traditional South East Asian fishing platforms of the same name.

We’re treated to a feast of Indonesian delicacies from sea snails (surprisingly tasty) and otak otak (seafood wrapped in coconut leaves) to spicy crab and nasi goreng fried rice, all while bobbing gently under the star-filled sky.

For those in search of the ultimate secluded escape, the kelong concept is being extended to a beautiful floating villa, due to open at the resort in 2019.

The island as a whole is set for major expansion in the next few years, too, with an international airport expected to open in 2020.

Right now, it’s popular with affluent Singaporeans and expats, not to mention celebrities who appreciate the privacy that the island affords.

But it will be a while before the Riau islands hit the mainstream – and that’s a good thing.

If Bali is the crown jewel of Indonesia, Bintan is a hidden gem, but a precious one that’s just waiting for discerning travellers to discover it.

HOW TO GET THERE: A Rainforest Seaview Villa at Banyan Tree Bintan starts from £305 a night, with breakfast. Visit banyantree.com/en/indonesia/bintan British Airways offers twice daily flights from Heathrow to Singapore.

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Motoring

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Motoring News Citroën C5 Aircross is set for take off…

CITROËN has revealed full pricing and specification details for its new C5 Aircross SUV – a rival for the likes of the Seat Ateca, Kia Sportage and Peugeot 3008.

The new C5 starts from £23,225 for a 1.2-litre PureTech petrol model in entry-level ‘Feel’ trim – one of three trims and three engines available.

Kicking off proceedings on the engine front is the aforementioned 1.2.

It offers 128bhp and comes paired with a six-speed manual gearbox –

a familiar combination already used across the PSA Group’s Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall brands. There’s also a 177bhp 1.6-litre petrol on offer, mated exclusively to an eightspeed automatic gearbox.

Diesel fans can choose from a 1.6-litre BlueHDi unit in two states of tune – 128bhp or 177bhp.

The lower-powered unit is available with the same manual or automatic gearboxes as the petrol, while the top diesel is automatic only.

Of particular note is Citroën’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension system – standard on all models and a homage to hydraulically suspended Citroëns of old.

They are available across three trim levels, named Feel, Flair, and Flair Plus.

As standard, all cars get an eightinch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto phone connectivity as well as a reversing camera. Satellite

navigation is standard on Flair and Flair Plus.

Also on offer is a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and Citroën’s ConnectedCam – a built-in dashcam that sits behind the rear view mirror.

There’s plenty of safety equipment on offer, too – all models feature autonomous emergency braking, active lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring, while a semi-autonomous ‘Highway Driver Assist’ system can be specified.

Top-end kit on higher models includes a panoramic opening glass roof and wireless smartphone charging, as well as the Grip Control off-road system, which shuffles power between the two front wheels to aid traction.

Befitting the car’s funky looks, there are lots of personalisation choices. Seven hues for the main body are available, with an optional black roof and three ‘colour packs’.

There are also three varieties of interior ambience.

Orders for the C5 Aircross can be taken from December 3, with first deliveries starting early in 2019.

As mentioned, pricing starts from £23,225 for a 1.2-litre PureTech Feel model, rising to £25,325 and £27,725 for the same powertrain in Flair and Flair Plus trims.

The range tops out at £32,725 for a 177bhp diesel automatic variant in Flair Plus trim.

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Switching on to EV lamp post charge points A NEW idea for lamp post-mounted electric vehicle charging points has been initiated in London, making EV ownership more accessible.

Southwark Council has fitted 50 points in Borough and Bankside, as well as Dulwich.

The points have been provided by supplier Char.gy, which offers rolling contracts and pay-and-go services for their use.

The council says putting charging points on lamp posts ‘is a great option’ as they use existing infrastructure, and can be moved should demand fluctuate.

It plans to fit more points in the near future, but hasn’t specified which areas will be next.

Cllr Richard Livingstone said: “These electric vehicle charge points are being installed in residential streets, outside people’s homes, in response to feedback from our residents.

“We want to help people to make decisions that improve air quality… be that by walking, cycling and taking public transport, or by using clean fuel. These new charge points are making it easier than ever for people to make the switch to electric vehicles.”

The installation of the charging points follows the council’s successful bid to join the Go Ultra Low project, which prepares cities for a switch to electric vehicles, and saw it awarded £300,000 as a result.

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Recruitment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

WITH THE

FIND YOUR PERFECT JOB TODAY – A MUST-READ FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR WORK LOCALLY

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

CODEWORD 4

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Numbers are substituted for letters in the crossword grid. Above the grid is the key with two letters solved. Try to complete the first few words to give you more letters, or look for a frequent number that might reveal a common letter. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

4

6 5 1 8

6

5

9 5 7

6 7 9 5 3

4 5 3 7

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Codeword:

6 9 2 8 1

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To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

4 2

15

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© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

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DIFFICULTY RATING:★★✩✩

2

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2 3 1

1 3

2 1

6 5 7 9

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6 5 © 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★✩

CLASSIFIEDS

Life&Times

Puzzles

In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply.

Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.

Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue

C R E A K I N G G A Z A

O P T R E L B W D U C A T E M M E B A B Q O A E E O T T X A J A S P E R M O L I B I P N N A P E R T U R

V AM P E D M E A U R G E S S A H U E A S Y U F E R S K I U F G R U N T G T I R E L U D E D R T E I N C H

Sudoku:

8 7 3 5 9 6 1 4 2

1 9 4 3 8 2 6 7 5

2 5 6 7 1 4 8 9 3

6 3 5 2 4 1 7 8 9

7 4 1 8 5 9 3 2 6

9 2 8 6 3 7 5 1 4

3 1 2 9 6 8 4 5 7

3 8 4 1 5 2 7 6 9

9 4 6 5 1 8 2 3 7

8 9 7 3 4 6 1 2 5

4 6 7 1 2 5 9 3 8

5 8 9 4 7 3 2 6 1

Jigsaw Sudoku:

1 2 9 4 7 5 3 8 6

5 1 2 6 8 9 4 7 3

7 6 1 2 9 3 5 4 8

6 5 3 8 2 7 9 1 4

2 7 8 9 3 4 6 5 1

4 3 5 7 6 1 8 9 2

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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Wednesday November 14 | 2018

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Sport

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk Please send sports stories to: newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

Tonbridge women take cross-country relay by storm

By Mark Hookway ATHLETICS: THE women’s cross-country team of Tonbridge Athletic Club produced the most sensational team performance in the club’s history when they stormed to victory at the National Cross Country Relay Championships at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield.

Racing over three legs, each 3km, Nicole Taylor, Lucy Reid and Ashley Gibson pulled away from Aldershot in the second half of the race to win by 34 seconds.

Conditions were unseasonably dry, which helped produce fast times. Taylor came home in second place out of 139 starting teams, with a 9min 34sec split, on the slightly shorter first leg.

She trailed Team GB international Emily Hosker-Thornhill of Aldershot but had managed to set Tonbridge up to make a real impact.

Reid took off on the second leg and made immediate inroads into Aldershot’s lead, going on to put Tonbridge more than 20 seconds ahead.

It was down to Gibson to keep her composure and bring the team home. She did this in fine style, clocking 10.01 to take the win ahead of Aldershot, with Rotherham in third place.

The Under-13 girls’ team snatched victory at the very end of their race, over three legs of 2km. Lily Slack ran 7.14 on the opening leg, which put the team eight seconds behind the leaders St Albans.

LEAD THE FIELD: (L-R) Ashley Gibson, Nicole Taylor and Lucy Reid came from behind for a fine victory Sophie Slack (7.39) kept the team in second place but dropped a further ten seconds behind.

Olivia Breed clawed her way back towards the leader on the last leg, however, finally catching her up the final hill with 200 metres to go.

Breed ran her leg in 7.17, the fastest time of the longer second and third lap runners, to win by just one second in 22.11.

The Under-20 men came close to victory, too, after they took the lead on the final leg of three in

Six-year-old prodigy heads for US after winning Euros at Disneyland

By Andy Tong GOLF: YOUNG golfing sensation Alexander Dunmall has qualified for the US Kids World Championships next year after winning the Under-7s group at the US Kids Paris Junior Cup at Disneyland in France.

The six-year-old from Five Oak Green was one shot of the lead after the opening nine-hole round of the two-day competition, scoring an eight-over-par 44.

The second day dawned cold and windy but Alexander went round in five-over 41 to record the best score over the two rounds, winning by six shots.

His father Paul said: “The Disneyland Paris course was an extremely challenging one, with lots of bunkers and water everywhere.

Alexander seems to thrive on pressure. It appears to bring the best out in him.

“As parents we are delighted with his success

DRIVING AMBITION Alexander can hit the ball 170 yards

and so very proud,” he added. “It’s taken us a bit by surprise and it’s a shock, so we are still taking the enormity of it in. We now have to work out the logistics of getting him to the World Championships.”

Comfort zone The prestigious event is being held at Pinehurst in North Carolina, where more than 1,500 young golfers will assemble from over 50 different countries on August 1-3.

“We weren’t quite expecting this and now feel like we’ve walked into a world completely out of our comfort zone,” said Paul.

“This is all a million away from just taking him down the driving range for something to do, which is how this all started.”

Alexander, who attends Capel Primary School, took up the sport when his mother Claire returned to work after maternity leave.

“Whilst he was in daddy day care I didn’t know what to do with him, and I didn’t fancy being the only dad at mum-and-baby groups,” said Paul. “So I used to take him with me to the driving range.”

Dunmall Snr was a member at Lamberhurst Golf Club but has now given up playing to be a caddie for Alexander. “He first started hitting a club when he was two, and began lessons at four years old.

“I try to give him advice but, being his dad, he doesn’t always listen to me.”

Alexander has recently joined Kings Hill as junior member and spends his time at Tonbridge Driving Range, where he is coached by Zachary Marsh of the Mark Janes Golf Academy.

He stands out from his peers because of

their race but lost out to Morpeth by ten seconds.

Jamie Goodge ran 8.57 on the opening leg, and in-form Alasdair Kinloch then set about making gains, his 8.48 putting the team in fifth place.

A few seconds separated several teams and James Puxty chasied hard, eventually taking the lead at around halfway.

However, Morpeth’s Rory Leonard eventually took Puxty with about a kilometre to go. Puxty ran 8.55 to win the silver medal for Tonbridge.

The men’s team event was run over four legs of 5km and Tonbridge put up a respectable display in trying to defend the title they won last year.

This time they just missed out on the medals and finished fourth behind Leeds, Aldershot and Birchfield in a field of almost 200 teams; Dom Brown ran 15.14, Corey De’Ath 15.19, George Duggan 15.30 and Ryan Driscoll 15.32.

The Under-13 boys’ team of Albert Kreuzberg (6.47), Tim McLain (7.26) and George Hopkins (7.02) finished fourth, 12 seconds away from the bronze medal time.

The Under-17 men finished an excellent fifth from 96 teams over three laps of 3km, thanks to James Kingston (8.59), Toby Emm (9.30) and Fraser Gordon (9.17).

The Under-15 boys Matthew Dubery (6.47), Matthew Taylor (6.25) and Henry Taylor (6.47) came eighth over 2km, the Under-17 women finished 32nd and the Under-20 women 21st. his strength, which allows him to drive the ball a long way – his personal best is 170 yards.

“He is very strong, and very broad in his build,” said Paul. “He therefore has an awful lot of power for his age compared to the other children on the circuit.

“It’s not uncommon for him to be able to get the ball from the tee to the green in one, depending on the yardage.

“He is also very driven and competitive,” he added.

“He loves all sports but he has a talent for hand-eye coordination and he also plays tennis and cricket.”

The Dunmalls would like to obtain sponsorship to help FAIRYTALE Alexander’s progress.

ENDING For more information Alexander please contact wins at clairepauldunmall@ Disneyland gmail.com

Wednesday November 14 | 2018

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Angels lose top billing as Haringey ruin away record

By Jim Rowe FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE ANGELS lost their unbeaten away league record on their first visit to Coles Park as they succumbed to their heaviest defeat in all competitions this season.

They also missed out on a chance to return to the top of the Bostik League Premier after losing their leadershipn status at Kingstonian last week.

The Angels had more of the possession early on and in the 20th minute Joe Turner fired in a shot that crashed against the crossbar.

But the hosts went ahead in the 22nd minute when a Haringey free kick was only partially cleared and a shot by Rakim Richards from just outside the area found its way into the net.

This stung the Angels into more concerted action. Jared Small forced a smart save from keeper Douglas Pajetat, who also denied Tom Beere on the half-hour.

Just before half-time the Cameroonian stopper made an even better save, tipping over a Sonny Miles bullet header from a corner.

After the interval Tom Parkinson’s header was also saved by Patjetat and the visiting fans thought the breakthrough could not be far away.

But Joel Nouble had an effort deflected for a corner, and the home side doubled their lead from the set-piece with a downward header at the far post from Toby Rowe.

Haringey went further ahead with a fine shot from Rowe that was out of Jonny Henly’s reach in the visitors’ goal.

With Tonbridge desperately pushing forward, Georgios Aresti went on a raid down the right to score Boro’s fourth goal.

Hurting Angels manager Steve McKimm said: “I’m hurting, the players are hurting and I know the supporters will be hurting who once again, bearing in mind it’s a midweek match, have turned out in numbers.

“Despite playing good football tonight we have to be more clinical on front of goal and that’s not just the forwards but the entire outfield team.”

Tonbridge bowed out of the FA Trophy at Meadowbank two days before as Dorking Wanderers scored the only goal of the tie.

Life&Times

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HEAD TURNER Joe Turner tries to convert a chance at the fast post against Dorking

PHOTO: David Couldridge

Haringey Borough 4 Tonbridge Angels 0

Sport

The Surrey side had already replaced them at the top of the league table on goal difference.

Their strike in the cup match came in the 38th minute from top scorer Jason Prior after an uncharacteristic mistake from Angels central defender Arthur Lee. The introduction of Tommy Whitnell in midfield started to swing the game Tonbridge’s way.

But home keeper Slavomir Huk produced three

excellent saves in the final 10 minutes.

In midweek the Angels did manage to find that late goal at in-form Kingstonian.

The home side took the lead through Louis Theophanous in the 32nd minute.

But James Folkes delivered a pinpoint cross that was converted by Liam King with a fine header.

The Angels now travel to Harlow Town on Saturday [November 17, kick-off 3pm].

Joint manager Cramp stands down on a humiliating night for Rusthall Rusthall 1 Cray Valley 9

were well below their best and that combination produced a very one-sided match.

Cray were two goals up after a quarter of an hour and soon followed up with a third.

Rusthall thought they had an opportunity to get back into the contest when John Phillips scored their only goal.

However, Cray replied with three further goals in the first half, making it 6-1 at half-time.

Rusthall came out after the interval with renewed determination and matched Cray for the first 30 minutes of the half.

But then Cray showed their class again by

By Joe Croker

MOVING ON Mike Cramp resigned after the match

FOOTBALL: THERE is no disguising the fact that this was one of the worst weeks in Rusthall’s very long history, and after the match one of the joint managers, Mike Cramp, resigned.

Cray Valley are an exceptional team for this level of football, featuring several ex-professionals including Kevin Lisbie, the former Charlton striker.

Whilst they were superb on the night, Rusthall

Beck saves the day in closely fought division London Edwardians started to get into the game.

The home side’s assistant coach Keir Starley, making his debut in goal, was forced to make several important saves.

The increased pressure saw lapses in concentration from Wells, resulting in a series of short corners in the run up to half-time.

Wells looked comfortable with their defensive routine until just before the break when Edwardians equalised with a deflection.

LOOKING FORWARD Aaron Leadbeater launches a Wells attack

Tunbridge Wells Men 2 London Edwardians 2 HOCKEY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS Men extended their unbeaten run but missed out on a chance to climb into third place in the South Premier League Division One after a draw at Tonbridge School.

Both sides came into the game with solid starts to the season, and just two points separate eight teams in a tightly contested section.

Wells capitalised on their fast start when Sam George opened the scoring with a powerful strike into the top left corner of the goal.

But the home side could not extend their lead despite creating a number of chances, and

PHOTO: Francis Bridgeman

Smart After the break, Wells produced some great link-up play through Aaron Leadbeater and George down the left-hand side but they could not convert their short corners.

Then a smart attack on that flank saw Roberts neatly play Ben Allberry through into a one-onone with the Edwardians keeper.

He saved the first two efforts but Allberry fired in Wells’ second goal to restore their lead midway through the second half.

Edwardians kept fighting, however, and with 10 minutes remaining they broke away and a shot from the top of the circle took a couple of deflections before finding the back of the net to level the scores for a second time.

With less than a minute on the clock, Edwardians won a long corner and managed to unleash a lofted shot over Starley which looked as though it might snatch victory.

scoring three more in the last 15 minutes.

Rusthall never gave up even though they were outclassed on the night. Andrew McKechnie will now take sole charge of the team.

Alan Murray will continue as head coach, but the club is looking for a new assistant manager.

The club, who are sitting second from bottom of the Southern Counties East League above pointless Croydon, feel like they have bottomed out and there is some renewed optimism that the only way is up.

Rusthall now play host to Fisher at Jockey Farm stadium on Saturday [November 17, kick-off 3pm].

But James Beck, racing back, somehow managed to deflect the ball onto the crossbar and then over the top to safety, allowing his side to hang on for a point.

Wells now face a stern test away to the league leaders Spencer on Saturday [November 17, 12pm start].