Times of Tunbridge Wells October 4 2023

By Grace Corcoran

TAXI

all taxis

complaints from members of the public who were unable to get a taxi late at night”, as drivers couldn’t accept card payments.

Review

left

A report published by TWBC on September 13, 2023 said it had received “a growing number of

Earlier this year, TWBC had written to cab drivers servicing Tunbridge Wells station asking them to take card payments following complaints from many would-be passengers. The policy review would mean taxis servicing Tunbridge Wells station

would have to have a card reader and the ability to take payment.

The Council is set to update its regulatory policy for Hackney Carriages and private hire taxis, and a public consolation involving both residents and drivers is due to take place.

This development comes as welcome news to many of the town’s commuters. On March 8, 2023, the Times reported on the problem of

Continued on page 2

WELCOME: The Princess Royal inspects the Combined Cadet Forces at Benenden, her former school, last Thursday as part of its centenary celebrations. See page 12

Picture: Matthew Walker

Town centre monitoring ‘a success’ This week…

By Sharon Bruce

IN the wake of a recent spate of antisocial behaviour in the town, there has been some good news. Royal Tunbridge Wells Together BID, working in partnership with the TW Safe Town Partnership, have reported that a summer campaign to patrol their town centre has paid dividends – not only for businesses, but for the youths with whom they interacted.

In a campaign dubbed ‘Operation Hamelin’, the partners invested in bringing in additional trained security officers to patrol Tunbridge Wells town centre over the summer holiday period.

Campaign

The campaign ran from August 7, through to September 2 and saw security officers, trained specifically to work with teenagers, patrolling key areas of the town across weekdays and Saturdays. In addition, businesses in the town were briefed about what to do should they witness any antisocial behaviour (ASB). In the event of an incident, businesses that had a Safe Town Partnership Radio were asked to contact the team, and all other BID member businesses were given a mobile phone number to ring.

Sharon Wright, CCTV Partnership Manager for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, said: “The CCTV noticed a big difference with the nuisance youths. A resident from Newton Road confirmed that ASB has been reduced

by 75% in the road”.

Sharon added: “We had experienced problems in the Great Hall car park and in town with youths taking drugs and doing damage, which was noticeably reduced.”

Alex Green, CEO of RTW Together BID, said: “We are delighted that the additional security officers made an impact on reducing the incidents of antisocial behaviour in the town centre. Groups of young people congregating in restaurants, car parks or The Amelia Scott Library, and reported to be a disturbance, were quickly dispersed, often on hearing that the officers were on their way.

“Over the summer there were also several thefts of alcohol, food, and clothing from M&S, Poundland and Fenwick. Youths were apprehended by the officers, and all goods were returned to the correct shops. On a number of these occasions, cannabis was also found on the youths and removed from

their possession.

“Not only were the officers managing to gain control over these youths, but some groups were beginning to show an increased respect for the officers and have been engaging in conversations about home life situations including domestic violence, thoughts about their future and beginning to comprehend the effect they have on the businesses of Tunbridge Wells.”

A key piece of feedback received from staff by the young people is that they felt they had limited options for activities and suitable places for social interaction.

“A key issue therefore, that would be worth pursuing, is how the town and wider society can address this need,” Mr Green added.

If local businesses are interested in the TW Safe Town Partnership team repeating similar programmes over other holiday periods, they are asked to contact BID via email projectofficer@rtwtogether.com

Card payment plan for local taxis

Continued from front page both commuters and tourists being left stranded in the town centre for lack of a card reader.

Shujaullah Baraki, Chairman of the Tunbridge Wells Hackney Drivers Association, thinks the mandatory card payment will also have a negative impact on tips.

getting to a cashpoint may be harder than for able-bodied people, but for others, cash is what works for them, and using a card makes managing a tight budget harder,” she said.

EDITOR

MICHELLE WOOD

michelle.wood@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 240626

DEPUTY EDITOR

EILEEN LEAHY eileen.leahy@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 576037

NEWS REPORTER GRACE CORCORAN | 01892 240626 newsdesk@onemediauk.co.uk

DESIGN/PRODUCTION

JASON STUBBS jason.stubbs@onemediauk.co.uk

ADVERTISING 07557 847841 robin.singer@onemediauk.co.uk

facebook.com/timeslocalnews www.timeslocalnews.co.uk twitter.com/timeslocalnews

While TWBC said the option to pay by card is intended to “improve public safety” and reflect technological advances, many drivers have raised concerns over poor signal for their card readers and an inevitable price hike for passengers.

Taxi Driver Clayton Berry, of Cleggy’s Taxi said that “forcing” drivers to take card payments is wrong:

“Until the mobile networks can guarantee complete coverage so we can take card payments, this is not going to work. If you go out to Mayfield, there's hardly any mobile signal,” he explained.

“I myself have lost money because of this. It's not fair, and it's very wrong to force us to do it.”

Mr Berry is also concerned about drivers losing money on each fare, explaining to the Times that drivers can lose up to three per cent per journey on card processing fees.

“Big companies can absorb that cost [of processing fees] through their products, but a taxi cannot absorb this cost. Our prices are set out by the Council,” he added.

He suggested that this might result in another hike in fares for passengers.

“It's not the taxi driver’s doing, it's the councillors and the Council which have caused this,” he said.

“Before, if a journey was £4.80, they give us £5 and we say: ‘Thank you.’ That 20p is for my tip,” he said.

The Council set the fares charged by Hackney Carriage proprietors within the Borough of Tunbridge Wells. Councillors will decide if taxi fares will increase with the introduction of mandatory card payments.

Punishment

A spokesperson for TWBC told the Times: “We cannot pre-empt what councillors decide, so the taxi trade would need to wait until the conclusion of the meeting in November. Any fare increase is something that the trade would apply for.”

Under the Council’s new proposals, drivers who refuse card payments or do not have a card payment device could get nine points on their Council taxi licence. Any driver who gets 12 points on their licence in two years could face punishment. The changes could come into effect from November 21, 2023.

Anne Musker, Chair of the Tunbridge Wells & Area Access Group thinks having the option to pay by either cash or card will be of advantage to those with disabilities.

“For energy- or distance-limited folk,

Mandatory card payments will make people feel safer, with the certainty that they could use a taxi in the town, especially late at night.

Natalie Waller, 24, who often commutes to London and needs a taxi home from Tunbridge Wells station, said: “I think these changes are very important.”

“As I’m sure it’s the same for many people, I don’t often carry cash, so knowing I can quickly and safely get home in a taxi using a card payment puts my mind at ease”.

In addition to the updated card payment policy, the licensing policy concerning drivers and sexual offences will be updated.

The current policy states that a licence may be suspended or revoked if an existing driver is awaiting trial or has been charged with a crime relating to “any of the more serious sexual offences”.

The new policy would use a broader definition, with the wording changed from “more serious sexual offences” to “any sexual offences”.

The Council is currently inviting comments on the draft revised policy until November 10, 2023.

Visit: talkingpointtunbridgewells.uk. engagementhq.com/hackney-carriageand-private-hire-licensingpolicy-2023-2028

RACE TO VICTORY

Tunbridge Wells Harriers celebrate Tonbridge Half Marathon triumph P6

THE STAGE IS SET

Applause Rural theatre company returns to its roots with shows at Southborough Civic Centre P24

IN STEP Stampede shoe shop named Kidswear Independent of the Year P10

NEWS IN BRIEF

More NHS strikes to continue this week

NHS consultants and junior doctors are currently on strike over pay disputes until tomorrow (October 5). The British Medical Association warned at the start of the strike action, which began on October 2, that there would be ‘Christmas Day’ levels of care, meaning emergency care would be staffed, with only minimal cover elsewhere. Tunbridge Wells Hospital said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) “If you have an appointment that needs to be changed, you will be contacted. Please continue to come forward for the care you need. If you need urgent care visit 111.nhs.uk.”

Fosse Bank school site sold to SEN provider

FORMER independent girls school, Fosse Bank near Tonbridge has been sold. The school, located in Hildenborough also served as a wedding venue at weekends until its closure earlier this year. Savills estate agents announced last week that the building had been sold on behalf of Patramus Limited to special educational needs provider Witherslack Group. As previously reported in the Times (September 6) Witherslack Group will be opening a special educational needs school at the site.

Burger King set to return to town centre

FAST-FOOD chain Burger King is set to return to Tunbridge Wells after closing its original shop in the town 18 years ago. Its new location will be at on Mount Pleasant Road where there is currently a WH Smith store. This will be the second hamburger chain on Mount Pleasant, after Five Guys opened in 2022.

Popular St John’s café and bakery closes

AFTER 13 years of trading, Manuel’s shop and café on St John’s Road has closed. A spokesperson for the popular business said that the family-run bakery will be keeping their shop in Rusthall open, where they look to expand and focus on the catering side of the business. Taking over trading in the now vacant St John’s unit will be new café Leaf and Bean. The opening is scheduled for October 23.

Historic playing cards discovered in attic

A RARE set of 17th-century playing cards used by King Charles II on his way to Tunbridge Wells has been found in an attic in Norfolk. With the cards was an 18th Century note that said: “Cards that King Charles & Queen Catherine played with at my great Grandfather’s, Mr Amherst of Riverhead on their way to Tunbridge Wells.” They will be auctioned October 5 in Salisbury, with an estimate of £2,000-£3,000.

Tunbridge Wells plays host to a major medical conference

AN INTERNATIONAL women’s medical conference was held in Tunbridge Wells last week to a sold-out audience of doctors from across the country.

The WIMIN (Women in Medicine International Network) Late Summer Meeting 2023 took place on September 28 and 29 at The Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, with 125 delegates travelling across the UK to the town for the conference.

The event, which was opened by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust CEO Miles Scott, included talks from renowned speakers including, menopause specialist Dr Louise Newson and Professor Carrie Newlands who co-authored the recent landmark survey on sexual harassment, assault and rape of women in surgery which was published in the British Journal of Surgery (as previously reported in Times September 20).

Trailblazing

Speakers also discussed other pertinent topics in medicine – from the gender pay gap and inequality, trailblazing women in medicine and pension advice. The two-day long event also included wellbeing yoga sessions and spa time.

WIMIN co-founder Dr Kate Stannard, who is a consultant anaesthetist at Tunbridge Wells Hospital told the Times: “Our mission is to modernise medical learning so doctors from all specialties come together to learn from each other with a special emphasis on women as doctors and as patients – as discrimination against each still persists.”

Founded in 2019, WIMIN is a forum for women in medicine to share knowledge and discuss difficult topics affecting their profession, such as sexual discrimination, gender bias and mental health challenges.

“Professor Carrie Newlands presented the findings from her national survey looking at sexual misconduct in surgery and Dame Jane Dacre, who worked with Carrie on some

of the matter, also presented the evidence that women in medicine earn less than their male counterparts and the gender pay gap is still very much alive - another subject that urgently needs addressing.”

Dr Stannard revealed that during the course of the two-day conference other key speakers included Dr Bill Kirkup who presented the Kirkup Review looking into issues at East Kent Maternity Services.

“We discussed what kind of strategies could try and halt this never-ending cycle of failing mothers in labour,” added Dr Stannard.

“Kate Beed presented the Liz Sizer Memorial Award in memory of her sister Dr Liz Sizer who tragically committed suicide. The prize money for research projects undertaken by doctors in training was donated by Kate and Liz’s father Gerry Sizer.

“The prize went to doctors from Addenbrookes Hospital who had a project supplying bone conduction headsets to help deaf children in Malawi continue in education being able to hear. They are now donating the money to the Malawi project to

buy more headsets,” explained Dr Stannard.

She also added that all speakers spoke free of charge and waived their travel expenses in support of WIMIN’s event and that the organisation now includes a new student representative, Yuta Nyemitei-Addo, from the Kent Medway Medical School.

Local businesses donated their time and talents, with artist Elaine Gill illustrating a map of Tunbridge Wells free of charge for attendees to use while in the town.

‘Our mission is to modernise medical learning so doctors from all specialties come together to learn from each other’

“WIMIN also supports ASIGE, a charity in Ghana that supports female empowerment and educational rights,” added Dr Stannard. The next meeting will be held next year at Cambridge University on September 12 and 13 2024.

Trinity clocktower project delayed until next year

By Grace Corcoran

TRINITY Theatre’s latest project ‘Open Trinity’, which will see the clocktower open to the public as a viewing space over Tunbridge Wells has been pushed back to 2024.

The project, which will allow people to view the town from the Grade II listed building’s rooftop, is delayed due to structural works being carried out.

Logistics

Trinity Chief Executive Nick Mowat told the Times: “We do have a further delay due to the need to complete some metalworks before some of the stonework can be attended to.”

This is the latest in a series of setbacks, as the project was meant to open in 2022 and was then pushed back to spring of this year. The logistics are challenging, as the

theatre has been kept open during construction work.

The project, which has been years in the making, will ensure that original elements are retained and restored in the former church, designed by Decimus Burton, to preserve the history of the building.

The charity-run arts venue has received £506,700 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to bring this project to fruition, in addition to a £300,000 grant by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council as well as a previous £26,000 NLHF grant.

Mr Mowat cannot confirm a timescale, but believes it will be 2024 before the clocktower will open to the public.

Once complete, it will see a vertical route constructed up to the rooftop platform, where panoramic views of the town can be enjoyed.

CONFERENCE DELEGATES: (Pictured left to right: Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Yuta Nyemitei-Addo, Prof Carrie Newlands, Dr Nighat Arif, Dr Olamide Dada from Melanin Medics and WIMIN co-founder Dr Kate Stannard

Picture: Kaner Olette

Picture: Instagram

CLOCKWORKS: The project plans

Call to ban vape sales near schools ‘deserves serious consideration’

By Grace Corcoran

SHOPS in Tunbridge Wells selling vapes containing nicotine near schools could be affected if the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations are taken into consideration by the Government.

On September 26, WHO recommended the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and nicotine products near schools. This could affect several shops along St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells and London Road, Southborough, which are both in close proximity to several schools.

The Times previously reported (August 2) parents’ concerns about vape shops targeting children within Tunbridge Wells.

Risk

Headmaster of The Skinners’ School, Mr Edward Wesson, told the Times:

“Vapes are clearly a risk for teenagers. The ‘95 per cent safer than cigarettes’ theory seems to be discredited and the WHO’s stance deserves serious consideration.

“It is clear to me that nicotine products, including vapes, should not be sold near schools or, perhaps better, that shops who do sell to underage people are sanctioned in such a way as to make it not in their interest to break the law,” Mr Wesson said. The WHO’s recommendations follows

Do you want your mum or dad to remain independent in their own home for as long as they can?

Old age comes with many challenges, but there’s something special about being able to age in the comfort of your own home. It’s a place filled with cherished memories, and the people and possessions that mean the most to you.

Why leave your home for an assisted living facility when you can have the convenience and accessibility of having our wonderful Angels at your doorstep, just when you need that extra help.

Our Visiting Angels are local to you and are available to provide excellent and consistent care in your own house, keeping you safe, independent, and fulfilled!

Visiting Angels are skilled to provide : Companionship

West Kent Radio up for award

WEST Kent Radio has been shortlisted for the national 2023 Community Radio Awards. The shortlist was whittled down from entries from stations across every corner of the UK.

The station has picked up a nomination in the News, Journalism & Factual Storytelling category with a report on the Trinity Theatre’s Senior Sessions, which was produced and presented by Alex Hakes.

Shortlist

The

reports that ministers are planning to ban single-use vapes in the UK after concluding they are marketed toward children.

A poll by YouGov revealed that 77 per cent of people in the UK would support a ban on disposable vapes.

Councillor Pamela Wilkinson (Lib Dem) for Pantiles & St. Marks and Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Health would like to see the sale of vapes banned in the UK.

She told the Times: “Although I believe vapes may have their place with adults attempting to give up smoking, I have been horrified by their widespread use by children and the time it has taken our

government to take measures to combat the proliferation of use by children.

“Considering the nicotine and cocktail of chemicals within the vapes, why risk a potential future health crisis involving vaping-related lung and heart damage, asthma or indeed cancers?”

Cllr Wilkinson would support access to vapes on prescription only for those wanting to give up smoking.

She added: “This is not an example of a “nanny state” (as well-resourced tobacco lobbyists will doubtless claim), but rather sound planning to avoid the next possible public health disaster.”

It is the second year that a report by Alex Hakes has made the shortlist. She is a member of the station’s local news team and presents West Kent Today each Friday.

The winners will be revealed in a ceremony in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on November 4.

Chris Manser, Programme Controller said: “We are delighted our presenter has been recognised among many other stations doing great work across the UK.

“Our team of volunteers has worked hard to bring truly local radio back to Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Southborough,” he said.

“We are currently looking to improve our output, with transmitter changes approved by Ofcom, which includes an additional transmitter in Tonbridge, which we hope to have completed in October.”

VAPOUR TRAIL:

World Health Organisation wants vape sales to be restricted

Jackson Managing Director

RTW in Bloom strikes gold at regional competition

By Grace Corcoran

THE TOWN’S green spaces have picked up a number of awards as Royal Tunbridge Wells (RTW) in Bloom takes a slew of top prizes in a recent regional horticultural competition.

RTW in Bloom was crowned the winner of the ‘Small City’ category and achieved the gold standard in a number of categories at the South and South East in Bloom (SSEIB) competition, held on September 29.

The RTW in Bloom team, which is supported by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, beat the likes of Shaftesbury and Upton to win the Community Engagement category, along with winning other multiple gold medal awards.

Grosvenor and Hilbert Park and Calverley Grounds received SSEIB gold awards while Dunorlan Park was the overall winner in the Large Parks Above 25 Acres category.

There were also gold medals for Woodbury Park Cemetery in the Churchyards group and Tunbridge Wells Common in the Commons and Open Spaces category.

RTW in Bloom organiser Katharina Mahler-Bech told the Times: “Since the launch of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom in 2010, the Bloom Team have been annually successful in the South and South East in Bloom competition – and again this year!

“We are now looking forward to the awards ceremony of Britain in Bloom at the end of October.”

RTW in Bloom now has its sights set on

The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom 2023 national competition. There are 44 finalists competing in 10 categories and RTW in Bloom is competing in the Small City category.

Councillor Wendy Fitzsimmons (Lib Dem) said: “To make the national finals is quite an achievement, and just reward for the hard work of the volunteers who work tirelessly around the town and in our parks and open spaces.”

RTW in Bloom has reached the national finals on three previous occasions, in 2012 achieving a silver medal, a further silver medal in 2018 and a gold medal in 2019.

The RHS Britain in Bloom winner will be announced on Monday October 23.

Former Boleyn shop up for sale

By Elena Percy

A shop located in a building once owned by Anne Boleyn’s father is going up for sale.

The Tulip Tree in Chiddingstone, is supposedly the oldest shop in the country, dating back to 1453.

With an asking price of £230,000, the shop’s current owner is Nicoletta FahieWilson who says she is hoping to move on after a decade of running the business.

The shop, which Ms Fahie-Wilson describes as a “community”, was integral for bringing locals together during Covid, where Ms Fahie-Wilson said she was “able to look after” the people popping in.

Thomas Boleyn in the 16th century. In modern times, it has transformed from a grocers and post office into a vast array of offerings, with the option to hire the venue for events and it has a licensed bar.

The shop sells jewellery and toys as well as kitchen cupboard essentials and furniture. It has a colourful corner dedicated to fudge, chocolate and retro sweeties in old-fashioned jars.

You can use your TN Card in The Tulip Tree to receive 10 per cent discount in the shop and receive a complimentary hot drink when purchasing food from the tearoom.

FLORAL TRIBUTE x Katharina Mahler-Bech

Firewalking fundraisers take on hot coals for charity

By Grace Corcoran

BRAVE participants recently walked over hot coals to raise money for a local charity that supports children with life limiting illnesses.

Taylor-Made Dreams (TMD) held their inaugural Firewalk on September 24, where 45 participants from across Kent and Sussex walked across hot embers of almost 500 degrees Celsius to raise funds for the charity.

The fundraisers raised £13,000 in total for TMD which makes dreams happen for children with life-limiting illness.

The TMD Team, with the help of Dianne Harrison-Jarrett, a long-term supporter of the charity, put on an evening of fire walking, music and a barbecue hosted free of charge by Maidstone YMCA. Participants were given an hour of training and advice prior to starting the event – building their confidence and understanding of how to walk over the coals safely.

Dave Richardson, who organised the event for TMD, said: “It was a really enjoyable evening. I couldn’t fault the professionalism of UK Firewalk, who offered a first-class service, ensuring safety and fun was had at all times.

“Our participants were brilliantly supported by friends and family, helping to create an unforgettable night for those taking part, and raising a wonderful sum of

Kent charities celebrate share of £1million fund

TEN charities based in Kent, including the Broadwater Down Primary PTA in Tunbridge Wells, have received donations of £1,000 each as part of the Benefact Movement for Good Awards.

more chance it has of being selected. Further donations totalling £500,000 will also be given in larger amounts later this year.

money for Taylor-Made Dreams”.

The charity operates throughout the Kent, Sussex and Surrey and receive referrals from a wide range of pathways. To date they has provided over 2,000 bucket list items for children in need in the community.

The next fundraiser for Taylor-Made Dreams will see a team of over 60 runners take on the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London this weekend (Sunday 8 October)

To support them you can donate to their team page at: justgiving.com/campaign/ tmdroyalparkshalf

Harriers take flight at Tonbridge Half Marathon

Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, and 150 awards of £1,000 were announced on September 20. Overall, Kent residents submitted more than 9,000 nominations for charities close to their hearts, with over 450 local causes receiving votes. More than 15,000 charitable causes in the UK and Ireland received votes, thanks to over 250,000 nominations in total from supporters.

This year, 420 charities will be awarded £1,000 in donations, while 40 good causes will be awarded £5,000 via special grants throughout the year, which are aimed at helping charities in specific sectors. Winners will be drawn at random. and the more times a charity is nominated, the

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards. Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

To find out how to support the Movement for Good Awards and to nominate a cause you care about, visit: movementforgood.com

The Times of Tunbridge Wells is seeking a talented Chief Reporter to join our dedicated team.

As a talented journalist, you will have previous experience writing news content. You will also know how to generate leads to get the best stories.

The ideal candidate will preferably:

● Live locally and have an understanding of how Tunbridge Wells works.

● Be a newshound with a nose for a story and have great general knowledge.

● Be able to work to tight deadlines while juggling multiple tasks and stories.

By Elena Percy

A LOCAL running club put its best feet forward last weekend at the annual Tonbridge Half Marathon.

Fifteen members of Tunbridge Wells Harriers took part in the 5K, 10K and half marathon distances on Sunday (October 1).

They made up part of the 823 runners in total taking part in the 13.1-mile loop around Tonbridge in support of charity partner Hospice in the Weald.

The club, which is based at The Nevill Ground in Tunbridge Wells, had runners across all age groups donning the Harriers’ distinctive blue-and-yellow striped vests.

Club member Fred Ayre ran in the Senior Men’s category (ages 20-35) and placed 37th

overall. He came top of the Harriers team with a gun time of 01:29:34.

Liz Hawker, a Harriers runner taking part in the Vet 50 Category, said: “Nothing beats the buzz of a big community event like this.

“This year’s half marathon had superb pacers, musical support on the sidelines and a mass warm-up.

“It was fantastic to represent the Tunbridge Wells Harriers in what was my fourth half marathon race – and a pleasure to join colleagues from Hilden Oaks Prep School, too.”

Tunbridge Wells Harriers welcomes new members and has runners of all speeds. Club runs are every Wednesday, with other sessions throughout the week.

For more details visit: twharriers.org.uk

● Have an understanding of newspaper and online media processes.

● Be a team player.

● Have a sense of humour!

If this opportunity interests you, please forward your CV to: newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk, along with examples of your recently published work.

FLYING FINISH: The Tunbridge Wells Harriers competed in the Tonbridge Half Marathon

HOT TO TROT: Firewalkers raised £13,000 for Taylor-Made Dreams

BROADWATER DOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Experience the magic of quality day trips and holidays with Pennywood Tours, where personalized customer service is our top priority. Visit our freshly stocked website or give us a call and you too can enjoy your life to the full.

Kew Christmas Lights on 15th November 2023

Gaining entry early in the evening, we’ll have several hours to soak up the magic of this special place and enjoy some seasonal food, if you’d like.

Bletchley Park on 20th March 2024

Bletchley Park is world-renowned for the code breaking operations of the Second World War, and it’s thought that the vital work done there may have shortened the war by two years, saving many lives.

The Great Champagne Tour on 23rd April 2024

What better way to start 2024 than with a spot of Champagne!

On the first day our specialist guide, Gnina Balchin, will host a Champagne tasting where she’ll explain the differences between different Champagnes, and the how’s and why’s of these differences.

Spring in the Isles of Scilly on 14th May 2024

Renowned for their beautiful, white, sandy beaches, turquoise water, peace and quiet, tame birds and rare plants, as well as plants which won’t normally grow in the UK (flourishing due to Scilly’s lovely temperate climate) the Isles of Scilly are a must-visit destination!

Neil Jackson Managing Director

Local business wins prestigious award

By Grace Corcoran

CHILDREN’S footwear store, Stampede has won a Drapers Independents Award for Kidswear Independent of the Year. The shop, on Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells, beat stiff competition to take top prize in its category. Managing Director Donna Marshall, who learned she had won the award while on holiday in Lisbon, told the Times:

“It was a bittersweet moment as I just had my passport stolen, so I read the email in floods of tears. Tears of joy and sadness flooded down my face”.

The Drapers Independents Awards celebrate the best in independent fashion retailing, marking innovation and recognising those businesses that have become stronger in the face of a difficult few years.

“The rigor needed to write an awardwinning submission was exhausting. It acted as a roadmap for me of how to do things in the future, but most importantly helped me understand how to get through my corporate journey.

“This is not only a pat on the back to me, but hopefully inspires others to believe in themselves and make a success of a business,” Donna said. Working long hours each day over lockdown took a toll on her health, so

for Donna, who has Parkinson’s disease, winning the award is very much a “personal achievement”.

Success

She also recognises her team and loyal customers, who have helped her to make a success of the shop.

“There is no ‘I’ in team and this award is also for the hard work and dedication of my team of staff who are everything to me.

“This award is also attributed to my customers. I have many loyal customers who come from far reaches of the country. Without them, Stampede is nothing and I recognise that. Companies that don’t value their customers risk losing them to competition,” she said.

Visiting Angels opens new offices

By Sharon Bruce

VISITING Angels South West Kent and East Sussex recently opened new premises on the Eridge Estate on Thursday September 21, when Tunbridge Wells Mayor Councillor Hugh Patterson cut the ribbon to the office. Visiting Angels offers a different type of home care. Specialising in holistic consultations around each person’s

individual needs, it offers support so that people can achieve their specific outcomes. This may be as simple as making a homecooked meal, playing a game of cards, doing some light housework, or attending an appointment.

Visiting Angels tries to match clients and caregivers who have similar interests so that they can develop a good, professional relationship.

AWARD: Donna Marshall at Stampede

CUTTING IT: Mayor, Cllr Hugh Patterson with Maxine Maters of Visiting Angels

Digitom seeks to make a difference with video

Each month Thomson Snell & Passmore will be answering frequently asked questions from across the practice. If you have a legal question you would like featured in this monthly Q&A please submit it to info@ts-p.co.uk.

Making a will as part of a blended family

Many couples would like their wills to be simple, which usually means leaving assets to their partner in the first instance with the children benefitting in equal shares following the second death.

This simplicity can result in some very serious and unintended consequences when you are part of a blended family. Given blended families usually come into existence later in life there are often various complicating factors that need to be considered including, for example:

• One party to the relationship owning significantly more assets than the other

• Large age gaps between the parties to the relationship

By Michelle Wood

TUNBRIDGE Wells-based video production company

Digitom firmly believes in the power of giving back to society and making a positive impact on the local community.

As part of its corporate social responsibility commitment, Digitom is offering a local charity the chance to receive a pro bono campaign film and to be its next ‘charity of the year’.

Campaign

Previously, Digitom supported Mental Health Resource and Nourish Community Foodbank, both in Tunbridge Wells, but this year they are offering the public the chance to nominate a charitable organisation that could benefit from a campaign film.

As a Certified B Corp, Digitom is committed to

supporting the local community and is pledging its resources to create a £5,000 film for the chosen charity, essentially providing services they would include for all clients in a paid-for campaign of that size.

Digitom will also provide regular updates on the progress and outcome of the campaign, ensuring transparency and accountability.

It hopes to work with a charity that either supports people, the environment or the community – or even better, that can demonstrate all three values.

To nominate a charity, email hello@digitom.tv, with informatio about the charitable organisation and how a campaign film will help it. Don’t forget to include your name and telephone number, along with the contact details for the charity you are nominating. The charity you nominate must operate within a 30-mile radius of Tunbridge Wells and must be a registered charity or community interest company (CIC). The closing date is Tuesday October 31.

Waste disposal entrepreneur helps with Pembury litter pick

A Tunbridge Wells waste disposal entrepreneur has put his money where his mouth is by sponsoring the Pembury community litter pick which took place on September 30, as part of his own campaign to clean up his industry.

William Egan founded We Waste to provide a more professional, sustainable service to improve the waste sector, he says. For this reason, sponsoring the litter pick aligned with his ambition to improve the environment through better waste management.

“My partner, Amanda, and I feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful area and jumped at the chance to help clean up our village. It fits perfectly with my vision to keep the countryside clean, starting with my local area,” Mr Egan said.

Strength

A former strongman, Mr Egan worked for other waste disposal companies when he was competing for weightlifting titles. When he retired from competitive sport, he turned his strength to building his own business, after identifying endless ways in which he could improve the service for both businesses and households.

‘After 20 years within the waste industry I recognised the bad reputation and low service levels that people have come to accept. With We Waste, the aim is to redefine the waste removal experience for our customers, with a high standard of professionalism, using responsible, sustainable disposal methods wherever possible.”

We Waste, which is situated in Five Oak Green, works across Kent and the surrounding areas, offering services ranging from skip hire and grab bags, to cleaning and rubbish clearance.

• Large age gaps both between the children of the parties to the relationship but also potentially the children of one of the parties to the relationship if they have children from multiple relationships

• Family assets such as farms, businesses, personal belongings that you want to ensure remain in ‘your’ family.

What’s the problem with mirror wills for blended families?

If you have a simple will which leaves your estate to your partner following your death the usual inheritance tax rules will apply (generally full spouse exemption is available if you are married or in a civil partnership at the time of death) but your partner will own those inherited assets outright. They may start out with a mirror will to yours, which ensures your children benefit following your partner’s death, but your partner would be free to amend that will at any time during their surviving lifetime.

As various recent court cases and newspaper reports have shown, it is not unusual for the surviving partner to change their will as their circumstances change, particularly if there is a long period between first and second death. This often sees the children of the first to die either lose out entirely or take much less than they otherwise would have. This can often result in court action, if that is even possible, which can be hugely costly both in terms of time and money spent.

Even if the surviving partner does not alter their will to disinherit their step-children there could be a significant delay in the children of the first partner actually benefitting from the estate of their parent if they have to wait until the death of the surviving partner to receive any inheritance at all.

What can I do to ensure both my spouse and children from a previous relationship inherit when I die?

The simple answer is to take competent professional advice. There are many options open to an individual / couple in these circumstances so bespoke advice is always recommended, however, one option, for example, would be to put in place wills that include trusts to ensure the surviving partner is adequately provided for during their ongoing lifetime but the capital owned by the first to die eventually passes down to their chosen beneficiaries, usually their children, even if the survivor changes their own will. Such wills can also provide ways for your children to benefit even before the death of your surviving partner, if it is possible to achieve this, which can also prove to be very inheritance tax efficient.

Fiona Higgott - Thomson Snell & Passmore’s Wills, Estate & Tax Planning team

VIDEO MESSAGE: Digitom wants to help the local community

The Princess Royal celebrates Benenden centenary

Last Thursday, Benenden School held its Centenary Global Conference. Titled ‘Inspiring Future

Female Leaders’ the event saw HRH The Princess Royal in attendance, along with other highprofile alumnae who all gave key note speeches as experts in their particular field. The Times of Tunbridge Wells was invited along to this very special historic event, which was held as part of the leading independent all girls school’s 100-year anniversary celebrations…

The Princess Royal visited her former alma mater Benenden School last Thursday (September 28), to speak at a special conference. The event formed part of the school’s centenary celebrations and saw students from 120 schools from both the UK and other countries in attendance.

Titled Inspiring Future Female Leaders, other former alumnae of the girls’ independent school present last Thursday included Olympian Georgina Seccombe MBE, Hollywood producer and bestselling author Dame Didi Wong, international businesswoman Dr Amy Jadesimi, Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan and tech entrepreneur and former Made In Chelsea star Amber Atherton.

The Princess Royal’s speech, which was the last of the day, saw her share her own perspective on leadership, discussing life in the public eye and some of the impressive female leaders she has encountered over the years.

Her Royal Highness, who attended the school from 1963 to 1968 as a boarder, also took part in a panel discussion with former MI5 Director-General Baroness Manningham-Buller LG DCB and Benenden

Headmistress Samantha Price.

“They discussed breaking through gender stereotypes and bias,” a Benenden spokesperson told the Times before adding: “They even gave Benenden’s Head Girl Olivia, who chaired the discussion, some advice on successful leadership.”

Last Thursday’s event was hosted in partnership with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools and included students from 60 UK schools present along with students from 60 schools around the world from countries including Australia, India and the United States.

Benenden School is also partnered with the John Wallis Academy in Ashford and The Princess Royal inspected the Combined Cadet Forces of both schools as part of her special visit. She also launched the school’s centenary book, ‘Benenden 100’.

‘We are honoured to have held our global conference, which forms part of our centenary celebrations, in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal’

All pictures: Matthew Walker

The school’s

also spoke at the event, touching on ambition and what it means to be a female leader.

She said: “I very much hope that during my lifetime, as a society we reach the point where the gender of a female PM or CEO is not a news story, that women are so commonplace in Number 10 and boardrooms that her gender is irrelevant. I am confident that we will get there.

“Not everyone will run a country or a major company – and not everyone will want to. But leadership is not solely about being the most senior person in an organisation. Leadership is far more. Leadership is also about hard work – and earning respect. And this is, by no means, always easy.

“At Benenden we are committed to inspiring the next generation of future thinkers and leaders, a vision we have now

been pursuing for 100 years. This conference was a testament to that and an unforgettable occasion, one we are honoured to have held in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal.

“This truly global occasion has facilitated the sharing of knowledge with students all over the world, in the hope that they can pass on what they have learnt with their peers, so that together we can inspire the next generation of future female leaders.”

Headmistress Samantha Price

‘At Benenden we are committed to inspiring the next generation of future thinkers and leaders, a vision we have now been pursuing for 100 years’

BENENDEN SCHOOL

BENENDEN HEAD SAMANTHA PRICE

BARONESS MANNINGHAM-BULLER

DAME DIDI WONG

Sunak tries to keep conference on course amid HS2 rows and Braverman protest

RISHI Sunak struggled to keep his Tory conference on track as rows continued over HS2 and an elected Conservative politician was thrown out for heckling the Home Secretary over gender issues.

The Prime Minister repeatedly ducked questions about the HS2 line from Birmingham to Manchester amid widespread expectation he will cancel it due to spiralling costs.

The Tory mayor for the West Midlands, Andy Street, said scrapping the scheme while holding a conference in Manchester would be “an incredible political gaffe”.

In the run-up to an election expected next year, Mr Street said it would give Labour the opportunity to claim Mr Sunak had decided to “shaft the north”.

Meanwhile, the major speech of the day at conference by Suella Braverman was disrupted as London Assembly Member Andrew Boff was hauled out by security guards.

He told the media: “This Home Secretary was basically vilifying gay people and trans people by this attack on LGBT ideology, or gender ideology. It is fictitious, it is ridiculous.

“It is a signal to people who don’t like people who are LGBT+ people.”

The Prime Minister will deliver his own conference speech on Wednesday, and he could use it to axe the northern leg of the

HS2 line.

The HS2 scheme was given a budget of £55.7 billion in 2015 but costs have ballooned, with an estimate of up to £98 billion – in 2019 prices – in 2020.

Since then, soaring inflation will have pushed costs even higher.

Questions about the project have overshadowed Mr Sunak’s first party conference as Prime Minister, but the PM denied that proceedings in Manchester have been “chaotic”.

In a series of broadcast interviews he refused to say what would happen to the line, but acknowledged the costs of HS2 had gone “far beyond” what had been

predicted and the sums involved were “enormous”.

He told Times Radio: “It’s obviously not my money – it’s taxpayers’ money and we should make the right decisions on these things.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper acknowledged that “some people won’t like” the decision Mr Sunak makes on the scheme.

Mr Street used a conference fringe event to issue a last-ditch plea for Mr Sunak to change course.

“I think they are about to make an incredible political gaffe,” he warned.

“Every Labour MP in the North is lining

up tomorrow to say … the Tories have come to Manchester to shaft the North.

“Is that really what we want to offer to our opponents or is there not a better answer?”

The Times reported that after intense lobbying from within his Cabinet he will say the line will terminate in Euston, in central London, rather than the western suburb of Old Oak Common.

Disruption

An expanded Northern Powerhouse Rail project linking cities, and cash for potholes and bus routes, could be announced to sweeten the pill of curtailing the project feared to have spiralled past £100 billion.

Mr Sunak, whose Richmond constituency is in North Yorkshire, said: “I want people everywhere to feel that this Government is backing them… Just at this conference, we announced a billion pounds for 55 towns across the UK, including many in the North and Midlands, why?

“More people live in towns than in cities, they’re often ignored by Westminster politicians… That’s me backing millions of people across our Midlands and northern towns with the funding and tools they need to change their communities for the better.”

This is likely to be Mr Sunak’s last party conference before a general election, widely expected to be held next year.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 NOTICE UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION

Notice 2

For proposed development at Little Wold, Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells TN3 9NE and land to the south By Earlswood Homes

For planning permission to erect 15no. residential dwellings and demolition of stable, demolition of existing dwelling and ancillary structures for the creation of new access road, internal roads, car parking, landscaping, drainage, public open space, junior sports pitch, ancillary structures, and associated works

Within the boundaries of Wealden District Council (Wealden District Council, Council Offices, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2AX)

Any owner of the land or tenant who wishes to make representations about this application, should write to the council within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Signed:

DHA Planning

28 September 2023

Statement of owners' rights: The grant of planning permission does not affect owners' rights to retain or dispose of their property, unless there is some provision to the contrary in an agreement or lease.

Statement of agricultural tenants' rights: The grant of planning permission for non-agricultural development may affect agricultural tenants' security of tenure.

'Owner' means a person having a freehold interest or a leasehold interest the unexpired term of which is not less than seven years. 'Tenant' means a tenant of an agricultural holding any part of which is comprised in the land.

Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

NEWS IN BRIEF

BBC’s veteran royal correspondent retires

The BBC’s royal correspondent who was famously described by the King as an “awful” man is retiring after nearly five decades with the corporation.

Veteran broadcaster Nicholas Witchell, who has covered the royal family since 1998, will retire next year after joining the broadcaster as a graduate news trainee in 1976.

In 2005, the-then Prince of Wales was caught on a microphone making remarks about Witchell who had asked a question about the royal’s upcoming nuptials to Camilla Parker Bowles.

Boy kills elderly woman

A 13-year-old boy who said “looks like I got my first kill” after he ran over a grandmother in her own car has admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Marcia Grant, 60, suffered catastrophic injuries outside her home in the Greenhill area of Sheffield as she tried to stop the boy taking her vehicle.

The youngster, who was 12 at the time of the incident appeared at Sheffield Crown Court by video link on Tuesday October 3.

Tube strikes called off

Planned strikes on the London Underground have been called off following “significant progress” in talks over jobs and conditions.

Around 3,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union were due to walk out today (October 4) and Friday.

At least two dead after shooting at major shopping centre in Bangkok

AT least two people have been killed after a shooting at a major shopping centre yesterday (October 3) in Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok.

Police said a suspect was apprehended less than an hour after the first reported gunshots at the Siam Paragon shopping centre and has been taken into custody. Video uploaded to social media and broadcast on television showed a teenage boy in the custody of police.

Support

Major Thai media said he was 14 years old, though recently appointed police chief Torsak Sukvimol confirmed only that he is a minor and appeared to be suffering from mental illness.

Mr Torsak said two people had been killed, a visitor from China and a Myanmar national. Earlier, Yutthana Sretthanan, director of Bangkok’s Erawan Emergency Medical Centre, had said three people were killed and six were injured.

Police spokesman Archayon Kraithong told reporters the situation was under control at the shopping centre, which sells high-end clothing and luxury cars and includes a cinema, an aquarium and the attached five-star Siam Kempinski Hotel.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters he was informed by police that one of the dead was a Chinese tourist about

30 years old.

“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased following the shooting inside Siam Paragon,” Mr Srettha, who took office in August, said in an earlier statement. “I would like to give my moral support to the families of all who died and were injured.”

Gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, though mass shootings are rare.

The incident happened days before Thais were planning to mark the anniversary of the country’s biggest mass killing by an individual, a gun and knife attack at a rural daycare centre in a north-eastern province that killed 36 people, most of them young children, on October 6, 2022.

Tuesday’s shooting prompted authorities to temporarily shut access to the nearby Siam Square elevated train stop, preventing commuters from exiting as the evening rush hour began and intense rain fell in the city, according to witnesses at the scene. Emergency services personnel could be seen entering the shopping centre as sirens wailed outside.

Witnesses said crowds of people left the building, one of several shopping centres in the area popular with tourists and Thais alike.

A video believed to be of the assailant after his arrest showed a long-haired boy wearing glasses and an American flag on his cap.

Picture: BBC/Thai Police

SUSPECT: Thai police arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the shooting

Sean Holden

Tunbridge Wells Conservatives

Cllr Seán Holden has been the Conservative councillor for Benenden and Cranbrook since 2008 and the county councillor for Cranbrook Division since 2013. He runs a property business with his wife Corinna and before that he was a television reporter working for TVam, ITV Meridian, and ITN. In 2001, he was the parliamentary candidate for Chatham and Aylesford.

The ‘Dolittle Council Coalition’ is parking its inflatable tanks on the lawns of Town Hall

IN the Second World War, the Allies created an entire pretend army with inflatable tanks and fake signals to look like they were doing something really big. But anyone up close could see the force was nothing but gas bags and phoney radio gabble.

Today, a different set of allies, Tunbridge Wells’ ramshackle Council coalition, is parking its metaphorical inflatable tanks on the political lawns of the Town Hall, complete with important-sounding but meaningless messages.

This ‘Dolittle Coalition’ of Lib Dems, Labour and Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA) rookie councillors has been missing in action since taking over last year. It’s done almost nothing to fulfil inflated promises to ‘Focus on Five’.

The first one: ‘safeguarding finances’ had been overrun by inertia. Nearly two years after the Council agreed a Conservative

initiative to share the Town Hall with businesses to boost finances with rent and shared costs, no lease has been signed. Instead, the coalition took aim at its perceived real enemy – residents driving cars!

Parking charges, successfully frozen by Conservatives for four years, were hiked without first asking anyone, not even Southborough and Paddock Wood town councils who had been promised consultation. After thousands protested, a phoney consultation came. Like the radio white noise of old, it meant nothing. It was a double whammy, hitting both focuses of ‘safeguarding finances’ and ‘transparency and local democracy.’ Coalition contempt for car-driving residents burst again like a whizz-bang on thousands who mistakenly turned into the badly signed new traffic regime by Tunbridge Wells Town Hall and got fined.

Despite there clearly being a problem when 1,200 people each day made the same mistake, the Lib Dem Council Leader, Ben Chapelard was the smiling highwayman who lifted more than £1million from road users’ pockets. The coalition then tried (falsely) to blame Kent County Council for the signage –but kept the money.

Weapons

What of the other weapons the coalition claimed? There’s a promise of ‘vibrant and safer’ communities, but it’s more than a year since there’s been real movement on the local plan, which helps to keep them safe from overdevelopment. The focus on ‘carbon reduction’ is blearily out of focus.

Despite more than £1million of government grants, the greening of the sports centre in Cranbrook has faltered;

very few electric vehicle charging points have been installed for people who can’t do it at home, while rearranging the traffic by the Town Hall is claimed as a carbon reducer, but it simply moves it elsewhere. Residents can expect unpopular and ineffective Low Traffic Neighbourhoods to be foisted on them, blocking their streets, causing displaced congestion and thus more pollution.

The commitment to ‘affordable and social rental housing’ has seen no significant development in the Dolittle Coalition’s lifetime.

Like the man-portable, rubber tanks, TWBC’s coalition is lightweight. Unlike the 1940s gasbags, which fooled German air reconnaissance, the Lib/Lab/TWA equivalent fools fewer and fewer people, because they are on the ground and can see their policies and words are as hollow as those old-time inflatables.

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 you can write to the Editor, Times of Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Campaigners object to anti-boycott bill

vote about taking it away from people who do, but are 80 or more years old?

If she were to examine, even cursorily, the demographics of voting ages she would discover that the cohorts who don’t bother to vote are all young. My father’s comments are unprintable.

Hasn’t she got a town to run, isn’t that a sufficient distraction for her?

Closing Calverley Grounds? That’s just pure la-la land.

Charlotte Steerpike

Tunbridge

Wells

No covid jabs in Tunbridge Wells Can anyone (including my GP) tell me why we over-80s and non-drivers are unable to get a Covid jab in Royal Tunbridge Wells? Like a fine wine, we do not travel well. I send this on behalf of 10 other disgusted of Tunbridge Wellians.

C.J. Tunbridge Wells

WE are residents of Tunbridge Wells, and we object to the Government’s Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, also known as the antiboycott bill. This bill aims to prevent public authorities from making ethical choices about spending or investment. If passed, it will erode local democracy, restrict freedom of expression, and undermine campaigns for social and climate justice. It will shield companies engaged in human rights abuse or environmental destruction by preventing public bodies, like local councils and universities, from cutting financial ties with them over unethical or illegal actions committed in a foreign country. The Government’s main target in this campaign is the supporters of Palestinian rights, but those pushing for action against deforestation, environmental

Armed forces veterans sought THE Tunbridge Wells Branch of the Royal British Legion is trying to reach veterans of the Armed Forces who live in the Borough, but who we have not so far had any contact with.

We wish to get a better understanding of the size of the veteran community so that their past service in the Armed Forces can be better acknowledged by the town, and so they can be invited to participate in Remembrance ceremonies.

Could I please appeal to any Armed Forces veteran, whether regular, reservist or former cadet, to contact me on 07766 313047 or johncohen1946@gmail.com.

I’d also like to mention the date of our

pollution, and the exploitation of children and workers would also be affected.

Nationally, more than 70 civil society organisations, including trade unions, faith groups, NGOs, and campaigns are calling on the Government to scrap this bill. It is opposed by MPs from across parties, the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, and the Trades Union Congress. To find out more visit: righttoboycott.org.uk

We will be holding a demonstration on Saturday October 7 outside Metro Bank in Calverley Road from 10.00am to 1.00pm in support of these concerns. We invite people to join us. Malcolm Segall, Lynne Lane, Steve Lane and Rod Taylor Tunbridge Wells Branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign

next meeting – Saturday October 21 –at Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells, at 3pm, when the award-winning graphic novelist and comic book writer Jason Quinn will talk about ‘The Art of War – a History of War in Comic Books’. It’s free and all are welcome. Just call the above number to reserve a place.

John Cohen OBE

Royal British Legion

Tunbridge Wells Branch

Imaginings of La-la land

IS Ellen Neville of the Alliance Party unthinking, insensitive, looking to cause offence, or just a little dumb, organising a discussion for people who do not have the

Our town is not geared towards the aged I find it difficult to understand why a town with the kind of infrastructure that Tunbridge Wells has can’t even get a location for the Covid jab. It is ridiculous to expect the vulnerable and the aged to travel to neighbouring towns simply to protect themselves against illness.

Lately, it is feeling more and more like the Council does not care for its residents. While more and more old-age homes and

PEPPY SAYS...

communities are being built, no concern is given to our medical needs: doctors’ appointments are practically impossible to get; pavements are blocked by cars and planters, making manoeuvring difficult; buses are becoming fewer and far between Tunbridge Wells is being marketed as a town in which to retire, but in reality, it is simply the product of a selfish, youngfocused Council.

Mary George Tunbridge Wells

Council: stick to the simple stuff

If the coalition that now runs Tunbridge Wells is to foster a discussion about the closure of Calverley Grounds as Ellen Neville wrote last week, why don’t they just take a stake and drive it through the heart of what remains of tourism to the town?

Calverley Grounds closure, parking charges for Dunorlan Park, what next, an entry toll to come into the town?

And why is she even discussing enfranchising 16-year-olds when this is a parliamentary matter. I’ll be 80 next year, still do the Times crossword and finish it most days, and she’s talking about disenfranchising me! Well, bring it on – as they say. Also on her agenda is a sales tax on chewing gum – another matter outside her remit. Can local councils stick to local matters, not high-minded, highfalutin ideas about everything but.

Edward Baker Tunbridge Wells

PROTEST: The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians

Why seeing is believing for local students at school’s Employability Morning event

TUNBRIDGE Wells Grammar School for Boys (TWGSB) recently hosted its annual Employability Morning, and among the many organisations who were present, was a team from the local Specsavers store who went along to give some invaluable insights into a career in optometry and audiology.

As one of the main audiological hubs for Kent and East Sussex, the team from the Mount Pleasant Road Specsavers store provided lots of information about the industry and the many ways of starting a career in the field.

Rewards

The Specsavers team also shared their own personal and professional rewards for this type of career during the event.

Specsavers staff also explained that they make it a priority to employ local people wherever possible, providing career paths on all levels: from weekend jobs all the way to pathway courses to becoming a Specsavers Partner.

The chain’s Retail Director Ian Hyland told the Times: “It was an amazing event at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School For Boys.

I am without the help and support from Specsavers. It’s been eight years since I started as a partner in training and now, I’m the Director of four stores throughout Tunbridge Wells, Swanley, Crayford and Tonbridge. I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.”

Mr Hyland added: “We want to support teenagers and young people across Kent East Sussex who are interested in a career in audiology or optical care. No matter the store or the location, we will be with you every step of the way.”

For more information visit: specsavers. co.uk or call 01892 533 550

“We got to speak with a lot of enthusiastic and engaged young people about a possible future in optical and audiological care and we loved every second of it.” He went on to say: “I couldn’t have got to where

‘We got to speak with a lot of enthusiastic and engaged young people at the TWGSB Employability Morning about a possible future in optical and audiological care’

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys recently discovered what a career in optometry and audiology has to offer courtesy of the Tunbridge Wells Specsavers team

TUNBRIDGE WELLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS

THE SPECSAVERS TEAM

Plan for Inheritance Tax now – it is unlikely to be abolished

ARE WE REALLY ‘CRAZY RICH AGENTS’?

With estate agent ‘reality’ TV shows hitting our screens, it’s tempting to believe that you’re getting a fly-on-the-wall view of the property sales industry. But reality is very different from these small screen portrayals, as Deborah Richards, Managing Partner of award-winning Sales and Lettings agent, Maddisons Residential, explains.

The BBC recently broadcast their new reality show Crazy Rich Agents, in which five newbie real estate brokers walked away from their day jobs to win the chance to make it big in the world of luxury real estate. The producers aimed to showcase a more American way of selling and buying properties – high pressure, high energy and high risk. However, there were fundamental differences to how properties are sold in the UK. Firstly, sales commission in the USA is about 6%, whereas the average in the UK is just under 1.5%.

Secondly, you cannot ‘pressure sell’ property in the UK; you cannot persuade a buyer to say yes and then get them to sign on the dotted line. It is currently taking between 16 and 20 weeks to exchange contracts – giving buyers all the time in the world to change their minds and pull out with no penalty and no loss of deposit.

THE SUNDAY papers have been filled with suggestions that if elected, the Conservatives would reduce and then abolish Inheritance Tax. For many this would be a popular move.

However, this comes at a time when the polls are showing Labour holding a 15-point lead, so the likelihood of this change ever being enacted is unlikely. The Conservatives suggested this opinion back in 1997, just before they lost that election and they did not return to a majority position until 2015.

Labour have suggested they would significantly reduce some of the reliefs for Business and Agricultural which would have a dramatic effect.

In 2020/21, the average Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill was £214,000 – a not inconsiderable amount and this is almost certain to increase. (Gov.UK Inheritance Tax statistics: commentary, July 26, 2023).

The reason the Inheritance Tax net has widened is that allowances (the amount before you pay tax) have been frozen at £325,000 since 2009. This is coupled with a time when properties have increased by 70 per cent over that time. In April 2017 an additional allowance of £175,000 known as the Residential Nil rate band was introduced to potentially reduce liability.

Perhaps when the property market is on fire there is an urgency to get things done quickly. However, in a market that is currently dealing with higher interest rates and costs of living, most savvy buyers know they have the upper hand and the pressure is off. UK estate agency doesn’t work on the will of the agent, but a negotiation and compromise to achieve a mutually agreeable end.

Crazy Rich Agents doesn’t lift the lid on how things are done in the UK. Here, a good agent will have a sensible, agreeable, friendly team with your best interests at heart, born and bred in the area, and understanding that they are dealing with a much-loved home that is far more than just a commodity. The producers and agents of the new series may also have overlooked the single most important attribute of any estate agent – discretion. These are the differences between a reality show and real life.

Unsurprisingly IHT has been called the “most hated tax in Britain”. The prediction is that between now and 2033, an estimated total of 533,220 families will be dragged into the Inheritance Tax net, with the number affected rising by 60 per cent (Daily Mail, August 9, 2023).

However, June 2023 was in fact the highest figure ever received in any one month. In general, IHT accounts for around £7billion per year. The question would be in a time of high-level inflation, rising interest rates and strained public services, there seems like room for manoeuvre.

So, hopes of IHT being axed by a Conservative Government are unlikely.

However, this only benefits those who own or owned a property and are leaving their estates to direct descendants (children or grandchildren). Implications for families are important but may have more impact on unmarried couples. Especially if they jointly own a house. Therefore, Inheritance Tax is likely to be here for the foreseeable future, so it would be worthwhile at least being aware of how it affects you to make informed decisions.

Panoramic Wealth, based in Tunbridge Wells, will be hosting a free seminar at the Hotel du Vin, Calverley Road, on November 9 at 10.00am. Gary Jefferies will be joined by John Woolley, a tax consultant and qualified barrister. John is also the author of the annual textbook, ‘Financial Planning with Trusts’. The main objective is to provide information as to what decisions should be considered and where appropriate, how to protect your estate. The event will be suitable for individuals, couples and families and presented in a case study format.

If you want to register, please email us on journey@ panoramicwealth.co.uk, phone us on 01892 559555

‘Inheritance Tax is likely to be here for the foreseeable future, so it would be worthwhile at least being aware of how it affects you to make informed decisions’

Gary Jefferies of Tunbridge Wells-based financial planners Panoramic Wealth says that despite political promises, Inheritance Tax is here to stay…

GARY JEFFERIES

YOUR BUSINESS, OUR SAFE HANDS

P G Bowring & S Joubert is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). Registered in England. Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. A Member of the Association of British Insurers.

A round of applause for this talented theatre company returning to its creative roots...

This coming Saturday (October 7), a new programme of accessible family theatre kicks

off at the Civic Centre in Southborough.

Julie Oliver from the Applause Rural Touring

troupe, who are curating the bill, tells Eileen Leahy

all about this new initiative in

association that’s happening in association with Southborough Town Council…

Applause Rural Touring is a Tunbridge Wells-based cultural charity and this year it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Its spokesperson Julie Oliver explains a little bit more about what it’s all about…

“We’re dedicated to bringing culture and communities together by collaborating with performers and the local community. We are an Arts Council England-funded cultural charity, working with professional performance companies to bring work to rural and underserved communities,” adds Julie.

“We commission new work and support tours in community spaces across the South East and work with local voluntary venues who host the work and events to promote excellent, accessible arts events on your doorstep.”

It all began here in Tunbridge Wells in 1998, following a rural touring trial initiated by Tunbridge Wells Borough

Council and a wider West Kent Arts Development Consortia.

Since then Applause has toured shows all over the South East and launched an open-air offering – Applause Outdoors –as well as partnering with various local

‘Along with support from the Council, it’s fabulous to form this partnership which will help make some great family theatre super accessible’

authorities in order to perform at prestigious events including the 2012 Olympics and The Turner Prize.

And now the charity is returning to its roots by launching a new season in Southborough – something Julie says she and the Applause team are very excited about.

“We can’t wait to introduce Southborough Presents! It is a new family theatre programme that kicks off this coming Saturday (October 7), in partnership with Southborough Town Council and will be partially funded by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

“Our first show, ‘Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers’ by Get Lost and Found will take place at the Unity Hall in the Southborough Civic Centre, which is the venue for all of the shows running for the rest of this year and into 2024.”

Director of Applause Dawn Badland adds: “Along with support from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, it’s fabulous to form this partnership, which will help make some great family theatre super accessible.

“We are usually working across the region, bringing fantastic touring shows to rural communities and so we are delighted to be developing a sustainable programme for our base here in Southborough for both

residents and the wider community.”

The carefully curated selection of shows exemplifies the finest in children’s touring theatre and there will be a fantastic selection of affordable family shows to follow on a monthly basis.

Dianne Hill, Mayor of Southborough and High Brooms told the Times: “We’re thrilled to be working with Applause to bring family shows to Southborough. The intended use of Unity Hall within the civic centre is to bring events to Southborough that benefit the community on their doorstep.

“Thanks to Applause’s experience in the arts, we can be confident that as well as being affordable, the shows will be of a high quality. We can’t wait to welcome families to these events.”

Julie says that all ages are welcome, but target-age suitability is stated for each show, so it is best to check the Applause website before booking. applause.org.uk

APPLAUSE RURAL TOURING SHOWS AT THE CIVIC CENTRE SOUTHBOROUGH:

Saturday October 7

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers

By Get Lost and Found.

All around the world, Roald Dahl’s words are disappearing not only from books but children’s minds too! Now, only a Secret Organization known as The Ancient Guild of Taletenders can save the stories and they need your help! Suitable for ages 5 to 11 years.

Saturday November 18

Whoopsie by Pointy Finger. Crash. Bang. Whoopsie!

What do the microwave, superglue and crisps all have in common? They were all invented by accident! Two silly scientists are on the edge of a perfect experiment –and the results could seriously change the

world! But what if it’s not all about getting it right? Suitable for ages 3 to 10 years.

Saturday December 2

The Princess and The Winter Dragon by Rust and Stardust.

A tale to enthral, full of song and snowfall… Wintertide is approaching in the Kingdom of Yule, but the weather is warm and balmy with not a single sign of snow! The villagers fear the annual Festival of Ice will be ruined. A charming rhyming tale of adventure and unlikely friendship. Suitable for ages 3 to 10 years.

Saturday January 13

Will Tell and The Big Bad Baron by Theatre

Fideri Fidera

Don’t miss the award-winning Theatre

Fideri Fidera’s latest fun-filled comic creation, which promises audiences capers around castles, a medieval Strictly Come Dancing contest and a nail-biting finale: a joust on life-size horse puppets. Inspired by the tales of Robin Hood and Sir Lancelot. Suitable for ages 3 to 10 years.

Saturday February 3

Breathe by Half a String.

An extraordinary journey through a busy forest. Experience a story told from the perspective of an acorn: the hectic forest floor, dense thrumming underworlds, and dazzling heights of icy branches. Discover bizarre larger-than-life fungi, connecting creaking tree roots, and majestic guardians watching over a delicate cycle. Suitable for ages 5 to 11 years.

Saturday March 9

Mystery and Mayhem in Moominville by

Get Lost and Found.

Be sure to pack your imagination and join us on an unforgettable journey to Moominvalley where everyone is welcome, nature thrives and adventures are plentiful. Magical puppetry, an ingenious pop-up book set, original music and interactive play will delight young audiences. Suitable for ages 3 to 8 years.

Saturday April 13

Thumbelina By Rachel Dean supported by Rural Touring Dance Initiative.

An enchanting tale of a miniature girl finding her place in the big wide world. A gentle and playful performance with the beauty of the natural world at its heart. Brought to life through live music, dance and song, Thumbelina is helped by the audience to escape from a hungry toad and to build a shelter from sticks. Suitable for ages 3 to 8 years.

Sourdough – Handmade – Hand Delivered From Dough to Door

Serving slow proved Neapolitan sourdough pizza with a twist, Napule Pizza also offers and delivers homemade rosemary focaccia sandwiches and Pane Pugliese toasties, generously filled with the best Italian on-site cut meats and cheeses. Napule Pizza offers a range of vegan pizza and a gluten free base any vegan restaurant would be proud of.

Local at heart, making orders by hand and delivering them ourselves through our in-house fast and reliable delivery service, we are 100% in control of your order.

Find us at napulepizza.co.uk for your first order.

Mon - Thu: 11.30am - 3pm, 5pm-10pm

Fri - Sat: 11.30am - 11pm Sun: 11.30 - 10pm

42 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 0AU

info@napulepizza.co.uk 01892 726 773

THUMBELINA

MISCHIEF AND MYSTERY

Times Reporter Grace Corcoran picks three reads for your week

On the bookshelf this week, Rose Tremain explores life and love in London in the fifties and sixties, former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury finds happiness through walking, and Victoria Hislop revisits her beloved Greece in ‘The Figurine’…

Absolutely And Forever by Rose Tremain

Published in hardback Chatto & Windus, priced £16.99

Marianne knows she loves Simon, whatever the rest of the world might think – and she knows, without doubt, that Simon loves her too. This conviction carries Marianne through her tumultuous adolescent years and her early adult life in 1960s London, underpinning her every action and decision – her marriage, her tragedies, her small triumphs and in the end, the discoveries she makes about herself and others.

Frustrating, intriguing and endlessly entertaining, Marianne is a character that invites exasperation and empathy alike. As an endless dreamer, Marianne never stops chasing the love she once knew, even as she lives through heartache and disillusion. Written with piercing clarity and gentle humour, ‘Absolutely And Forever’ is a study of the messiness of human relationships, the significance of secrets unspoken and the impact of the choices we make. In all of its innocent, raw emotion, Marianne’s journey demonstrates how early love shapes the paths that lie ahead of us and reawakens our own hope for a fairytale ending.

Review by Hannah Colby

Walk Yourself Happy by Julia Bradbury

Published in hardback by Piatkus, priced £20

Former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury is well-known for her passion for the great outdoors – even presenting shows like Britain’s Best Walks – and now she’s turned that love into a book. It’s a comprehensive guide, spanning everything you need to know about exercising outside – from how it can positively impact your mental health, to practical tips like what shoes to wear. Bradbury is just as engaging on the page as she is on the TV, and weaves personal experiences – such as her struggles to get pregnant and her cancer diagnosis – with historical information, scientific facts, personal stories from other people and commentary from a psychotherapist, green exercise expert and more. While it might not contain the most groundbreaking information – after all, most of us are well aware that going for an outdoor walk is a good thing – it’s well-researched and readable. Perhaps it’s the reminder we all need to stop looking at our screens and start getting outside.

Review by Prudence

Wade

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop

Published in hardback by Headline Review priced £25

Helena, the heroine of the latest passionate ode to Greek culture and history from Victoria Hislop, is a child caught between two worlds. Visiting Athens, which her mother fled due to the cruelty of her grandfather, a grandee in the military junta that ruled Greece during the 1970s, she falls in love with the country while also enduring the political violence of the era first-hand. In adulthood, she is repeatedly drawn back there, inheriting her late grandparents’ flat while swept up in a university romance that promises summers of archaeological intrigue but inevitably turns sour. Symbolising her internal struggle is the figurine of the title, a smuggled Cycladic artefact that Helena is determined to return to its rightful place. While some key relationships unfurl predictably, Hislop’s love for Greece shines and transports readers through space and time to a brilliantly drawn world.

Review by James Cann

There is no obligation to sell, so call Clive Today to arrange a home visit at no charge and at your convenience. He will advise you personally on your items and absolute discretion is guaranteed.

(Appointment Only) Call Clive on 07860 942726

REMEMBER CLIVE IS ALWAYS READY TO MAKE YOU A GENUINE NO OBLIGATION OFFER

That’s snowbusiness: why these resorts are the best-value ski trip destinations

Take the train, book early and gamble on lower altitude resorts if you want to get a very good deal on the slopes this coming winter, advises Sarah Marshall…

Ski trips have always been considered fiendishly expensive, but over the years some great packages have emerged. However, as demand grows and the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, it’s getting harder to find the right resort at a favourable price. Throw into the mix environmental concerns and the market becomes even trickier to navigate.

Fortunately, it is still possible to get a great deal for this season if you follow some expert advice…

Consider cutting your carbon emissions to reduce costs

When it comes to environmental concerns, the way we travel is a big factor. Nobody wants to give up going on holiday but there are ways to reduce our carbon footprints and the ski industry is taking note.

Family-run company AliKats, based in Morzine, France, is offering a discount of up to 20 per cent for people who take the train, eat a plant-based diet and don’t use the hot tubs in the chalets.

Inghams Ski, meanwhile, has made life easier for eco-conscious travellers by

creating a portfolio of train packages to resorts across Europe’s alpine destinations.

“Flights make up the largest slice of the pie when it comes to our holiday carbon footprint and aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe,” says Krissy Roe, Senior Sustainability Manager at Inghams Ski.

Along with existing train routes, the

company is utilising the new Eurostar Snow Train which launched in August.

Running from Saturday to Sunday, the train connects London St Pancras to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (with one change in Lille) to reach the slopes of Val d’Isère, Tignes and Les Arcs.

Further benefits include shorter check-in times and no weight limits on luggage.

“This is something our ski customers have

been crying out for,” says Lizzy Nelson, ski consultant at Nelson Travel. “Starting at £99, these tickets include two suitcases, one piece of hand luggage, and space for skis or snowboards. In contrast, many pay higher prices for flights and then have to purchase extra luggage space to fit sportswear, snowboards or skis.”

Snap up a Christmas bargain but watch out for Easter

It’s typically the peak season for most resorts and sells out months in advance but – by a strange twist of fate – Christmas ski holidays could be your best bet for a bargain.

“With some resorts seeing late snow last year, many skiers have moved their school-holidays ski trip to half-term and Easter,” says Richard Sinclair, CEO of SNO. “Many families found how much fun T-shirt skiing is in the spring, with long sunny days and an early start to the afternoon après ski.”

But the Christmas bargain won’t be around for long.

“Prices will rebound as soon as the big snowfalls come,” warns Sinclair. “But pick a high resort like Val Thorens or Zermatt,

to be certain of great snow conditions.”

Try lower

resorts for a bargain

If you’re prepared to take a gamble on booking a lower resort, it’s possible to get some good deals.

“Since May 2023, we’ve seen a shift in early bookings, with higher resorts booking up earlier in the year with a 154 per cent increase in booking numbers for winter 23/24 (Val Thorens and La Plagne) in tandem with a 67 per cent decrease in bookings for what are seen as lower resorts (Les Gets and Megève) year on year,” says Cahal Kane, Managing Director of SkiYodl, an online platform where people can book self-catered ski accommodation.

“As a result there is an abundance of availability for high-quality properties in lower resorts that are normally snapped up by now. We can’t guarantee the snow, but booking in February or March should give you the snow security in resorts such as Les Gets and skiers can currently get the pick of the properties at great prices.”

Don’t book too late

Whatever you do, however, don’t leave it too late. “Lots of the cheap or less popular

‘Many families found how much fun T-shirt skiing is in the spring, with long sunny days and an early start to the afternoon après ski’

Picture: Alamy/PA

accommodation has gone, and so waiting for late deals on the unsold properties doesn’t work like it used to,” says Sinclair.

“Bookings overall for next winter are ahead of previous years. There are some new chalets coming onto the market but likely not enough to satisfy increased demand.”

Cathy Rankin, UK & Ireland sales director for Groupe Pierre & Vacances, agrees: “There is an increasing shortage of beds available in the French Alps for holiday rental. This is a result of many ‘leaseback’ owners having reached the end of their mortgage and no longer rent their property for season-long tourism.

“This is combined with a long (pandemic-shaped) delay on new

developments opening resulting in a squeeze on beds. New planning regulations also slow down new development as they need to be eco-rated. Customers need to book now to get the best choices of resorts/accommodation in a more restricted marketplace.”

Give Scandinavia a go Alternatively, ditch the typical resorts and try something new. Skiers searching for snow-sure destinations are increasingly looking to the north.

“April 2023 showed record levels of snowfall in Norway and Sweden with 20 to 30cm falling, while the resorts of the Alps struggled to open fully with lack of snow,” says Laura Greenman, Managing Director of

Magnetic North Travel.

“Many factors make Scandinavia an attractive destination for skiing. Spacious chalets in Norway are often cheaper than their southern European counterparts, coupled with attractive flight prices.” But what makes Scandinavia truly stand out is the offer of winter adventures that go beyond the pistes, she says. Try husky sledding, snowmobiling, icefishing, snow-shoeing and Northern Lights activities coupled with days skiing downhill.

“We’ve even arranged winter kayaking trips in the fjords which can experience a completely different climate to the high altitudes of the ski resorts,” Laura adds.

Picture: SkiYodl/PA

Picture: Alamy/PA

TICKETS

from £40 perchild £15 peradult

*

Step into our enchanted Christmas, where a tale of magic unfolds…

Santa’s Grotto Special gift from Santa Gingerbread decorating in Mrs Claus’ Bakery

Make your own Christmas decoration Festive storytelling performances

Letters to Santa Reindeer food making Magical photo opportunities …and so much more in our enchanted wonderland!

Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent, TN3 8JH

*Tickets start from £40 per child

@bewlwater

REWARD YOUR STAFF WHILE SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

Employer rate £15 + VAT per annual card With 10% donated to West Kent Mind

ABOUT

US WHO WE ARE

" P a s s i o n a t e a b o u t w h e r e I l i v e , I s e t u p t h e T N c a r d a s a p r a c t i c a l w a y o f s u p p o r t i n g o u r H i g h S t r e e t T h r e e y e a r s o n , w e h a v e a t h r i v i n g c o m m u n i t y o f m e m b e r s k e e n t o m a k e a r e a l d i f f e r e n c e a n d e n j o y i n g r e w a r d s f o r d o i n g s o "

J E S S G I B S O N F o u n d e r , t h e T N c a r d

EMPLOYER TESTIMONIAL

" W e w a n t e d t o s h o w o u r t e a m h o w m u c h w e a p p r e c i a t e t h e m a l l a n d g i f t i n g t h e m a T N c a r d w a s t h e p e r f e c t w a y t o d o t h a t , w h i l e g i v i n g o u r i n d e p e n d e n t s a b o o s t T h e f a c t t h a t 1 0 % o f e a c h c a r d s o l d g o e s t o W e s t K e n t M i n d i s a l s o a n i m p o r t a n t r e a s o n t o g e t i n v o l v e d ”

J O S E P H O A T E S P a r t n e r C o o p e r B u r n e t t L L P

MEMBER TESTIMONIAL PARTNER TESTIMONIAL

"

" T h r o u g h m y m e m b e r s h i p I h a v e d i s c o v e r e d s o m a n y n e w p l a c e s t o s h o p a t a n d e a t i n I ' m s a v i n g l o t s o f m o n e y a n d l o v e k n o w i n g I ' m h e l p i n g m y l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s a s w e l l a s a n i m p o r t a n t c h a r i t y I e n j o y a l l t h e m e m b e r e v e n t s t o o - t h e

T N c a r d h a s b u i l t a b r i l l i a n t c o m m u n i t y "

H E L E N , T O N B R I D G E

M e m b e r s i n c e 2 0 2 1

R

E W A R D S

T r e a t y o u r s t a f f t o 7 5 0 l o c a l r e w a r d s f r o m t h e a t r e d e a l s a n d f r e e f i z z t o s h o p p i n g , b e a u t y & h e a l t h d i s c o u n t s

C O M M U N

I T Y

B e p a r t o f t h e T N c o m m u n i t y w h i l s t h e l p i n g o u r l o c a l e c o n o m y a n d p e o p l e , a n d s u p p o r t i n g p l a n e t f r i e n d l y l o c a l s h o p p i n g

A s a n i n d e p e n d e n t o n t h e H i g h S t r e e t I r e l y o n l o c a l c u s t o m e r l o y a l t y T h e T N c a r d h a s b e e n i n c r e d i b l e i n s h a r i n g a b o u t o u r b u s i n e s s a n d i n c e n t i v i s i n g o u r c o m m u n i t y t o v i s i t I t h a s b r o u g h t i n c r e a s e d f o o t f a l l a n d I a m v e r y p r o u d t o b e p a r t o f t h e s c h e m e "

D O N N A M A R S H A L L O w n e r S t a m p e d e !

1 0 % f r o m e v e r y m e m b e r s h i p s o l d i s d o n a t e d t o c h a r i t y

W e s t K e n t M i n d t o s u p p o r t l o c a l m e n t a l h e a l t h s e r v i c e s

t h e t n c a r d . c o m

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t i n f o @ t h e t n c a r d . c o m

@ t h e t n c a r d

C H A R I T Y

Celebrate Christmas

Christmas Day Lunch

A delicious festive spread served at the Brasserie, including a glass of complimentary bubbles.

12:00pm & 2.45pm 25th December 2023

£99 per person and £49.50 for children

Christmas Getaway Package

A 2-night stay, commencing on 24th December including breakfast, festive dining and Christmas lunch.

Prices start from £595 with upgrades available

Festive Jazz Night at The Brasserie

Taste our festive 3 course set menu, before enjoying the sounds of timeless hits.

Thursday 14th December 7pm-11pm

£44 per person (£10 deposit per person required)

Private Celebrations

Whether you’re indulging in The Brasserie or dancing the night away in our beautiful Function Room, our event team promises a tailor made celebration. Bespoke packages available

Christmas Party Nights

Our shared Christmas party nights at One Warwick Park Hotel include festive dining, a Christmas cocktail and a live DJ.

£54 per person

Breakfast with Santa

Join us for a delicious breakfast with Santa Claus at One Warwick Park Hotel.

9:30am – 11:30am on 16th, & 24th December 2023

Tickets £18.50 per adult and £9.25 for children

Bookings can be made via our website onewarwickpark.co.uk

guidegig

In his fortnightly guide, Times Music Editor Paul Dunton selects his must-see concerts which include The Bootleg Beatles, an indie disco and details of the TW Music Festival...

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

Event information and tickets at www.twforum.co.uk

04/10 Word Up!

06/10 Barrioke!

07/10 Back To The 80’s - Autumn edition

10/10 Trampolene

12/10 Ben Poole + Half Moon

Panic

13/10 Back To The Indie Club

- Classic Indie Disco

14/10 Oddyssey

15/10 Philip Seth Campbell

17/10 EYEHATEGOD + Raging

Speedhorn + Hang The Bastard

TN1 BAR & KITCHEN, MONSON ROAD

Open all day, live music usually from 8pm. Booking advised via 01892 513900 or visit www. tn1barkitchen.co.uk

05/10 James mcmaster 7pm

06/10 6 Release the goose

8.30pm

07/10 Owen Donavon 8.30pm

12/10 Steffan James 7pm

13/10 The Management 8.30pm

14/10 Indiana Jukebox 8.30pm

THE GREY LADY, THE PANTILES

All event information and tickets available at www.thegreylady.co.uk

15/10 The Grey Lady Sessions: Sorrel Nation + Chelsea Becker

KING CHARLES THE MARTYR

CHURCH, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

All event information and tickets available at www. tunbridgewellsfestival.co.uk

07/10 Opera Gala:

‘Deception & Delirium’ – arias and ensembles delving into dramatic intrigues, and heightened emotions of operatic plots, with Charlotte Bowden – soprano, Rebecca Leggett – Mezzo Soprano, and Edward Jowle – Baritone.

12/10 Clare Hammond (piano recital)

Clare Hammond presents a fascinating selection of virtuoso piano works including music by Clara Schumann, Ravel and Albéniz.

14/10 On Wenlock Edge: An English evening with Tenor Mark Padmore and Chamber Domaine, directed by Tom Kemp: Vaughan Williams song cycle ‘On Wenlock Edge’ and music by Elgar.

SQUERRYES WINERY RESTAURANT, WESTERHAM

Dining and live jazz music experience. Booking advised via 01959 562345 or www.squerryes. co.uk Live music from 7.30pm

06/10 Harry Whitty & Chelsea Becker

13/10 Gianna Duo

ST EDITH FOLK SESSIONS, OTFORD MEMORIAL HALL, SEVENOAKS

All event information and tickets available at www.stedithfolk.co. uk/what-s-on

06/10 John Wilks + Anna Renea

THE BLACK HORSE PUB, CAMDEN ROAD

Open all day, music events  – free entry (unless stated) music from 8pm. Live music on Friday nights

TYBER’S REGGAE BAR, 9 NEVILL STREET

All event information and tickets available at www.tybersreggaebar. com/events

06/10 Double Barrel Reggae & Ska

October 4th to October 17th

www.twforum.co.uk

13/10 Burner + Allfather + Wolfs Blood + Convulsion + LaVein

THE BEDFORD PUB, HIGHSTREET

Open all day, free entry music from 8.30pm. Regular live music at weekends.

06/10 Flux Capacitor

THE BOTTLE HOUSE INN, PENSHURST

Open all day, free entry music from 6pm booking advised on 01892 870306 or online at www. thebottlehouseinnpenshurst.co.uk

06/10 David Mumford

13/10 Steve Spall of The Violet Jive

If you are a venue local to Tunbridge Wells that hosts regular live music or even if it’s a one-off event, concert or festival, contact Paul at least six weeks in advance of your event date with the following details:

• Name and address of venue

• Date and time of event

• Name of event and name of act(s)

• Ticket link and/or website (please state if free entry)

• 1 x high resolution (300 dpi) landscape jpeg (performer only, no posters)

• Please state photo credit if required paul@paulduntonandguests.com

07/10 DJ - Si Rass Don Mighty Vibes

13/10 Carisoul Vibes

14/10 DJ - Si Rass Don Mighty Vibes

RIDGEMONT PAVILLION, SOUTHBOROUGH

Doors open 7pm all event information and tickets available at www.tunbridgewellsyouth.com

14/10 TWYFC Presents: James Walsh (Starsailor) + The Breretons

KING CHARLES THE MARTYR CHURCH, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

All event information and tickets available at www. tunbridgewellsfestival.co.uk

07/10 Opera Gala:

‘Deception & Delirium’ – arias and ensembles delving into dramatic intrigues, and heightened emotions of operatic plots, with Charlotte Bowden –soprano, Rebecca Leggett – Mezzo Soprano, and Edward Jowle –Baritone.

12/10 Clare Hammond (piano recital)

Clare Hammond presents a fascinating selection of virtuoso piano works including music by Clara Schumann, Ravel and Albéniz.

14/10 On Wenlock Edge: An English evening with Tenor Mark Padmore and Chamber

Domaine, directed by Tom Kemp: Vaughan Williams song cycle ‘On Wenlock Edge’ and music by Elgar.

THE FORUM BASEMENT AT THE SUSSEX ARMS

Event information and tickets at

THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE, CRESCENT ROAD

All event information and tickets available at www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

07/10 Rave On: The Ultimate 1950’s and 1960’s experience

08/10 The Bootleg Beatles

13/10 Gareth Bates: The best of Frankie Valli

THE ROYAL OAK PUB, PROSPECT ROAD

Open all day, free entry live music normally from 8pm unless stated

06/10 First Friday Acoustic

Sessions: The Harveys (7pm)

07/10 Coney Island Maybe

14/10 Higgs & The Bosons

THE GEORGE & DRAGON, LAMBERHURST

Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm

04/10 Open Mic/Jam session all welcome

11/04 Open Mic/Jam session all welcome

GEOGRAPHY WINE BAR

Open all day, free entry music from 3.30pm-6pm

08/10 Harry Whitty

15/10 Ben Hills

CHELSEA BECKER

HARRY WHITTY

OWEN DONOVAN

Say ‘yamas’ to the fine wines of Greece

This week Times Drinks Editor James Viner chooses four delicious drops from a country whose wines are enjoying something of a renaissance…

THIS week, I raise a toast to the brilliant wines of renascent Greece! The country’s winemaking history goes back thousands of years, but its revival only began in the early 1990s, when old vineyards, modern wineries and a new generation of brilliant young winemakers were brought together. This makes Greece a fascinating destination for wine enthusiasts who want to explore the rich history and innovative techniques of its great wine industry. Here are my fab four affordable, easily found, dry still Greek wines.

1. 2022 Filos Estate Greek Chardonnay, PGI Florina, Macedonia (£8.99, Aldi, groceries.aldi.co.uk)

I largely eschew international varieties when it comes to Greek wine but this one delivered at last month’s Aldi press tasting. It’s a rich, stone-fruited, quite buttery Chardonnay from PGI Florina in Macedonia, one of the coolest and most mountainous regions in Greece, with an altitude reaching up to about 700 metres above sea level. Nab it now and serve with white fish in a parsley sauce or roast chicken.

2. 2022 Domaine Papagiannakos

Savatiano Old Vines, PGI Markopoulo, Attica, Central Greece (£15.95, Slurp, slurp.co.uk; The Good Wine Shop, thegoodwineshop.co.uk)

Put drought-resistant, herbal-scented, low-yielding Savatiano, Greece’s most common white grape variety, at the top of your must-try wine shopping list. The grape goes into Retsina but when grown at low yields and crafted by a top winemaker using 50-year-old, unirrigated grapes, as Vassilis Papagiannakos does, it can make haunting citrusy, herbal, dry whites such as this sensational unoaked, medium-bodied, tangy, dizzyingly energetic bargain. Seamless and simultaneously sophisticated and effortless. Lovely drinking.

3. 2019 Nemea Grande Cuvée Agiorgitiko, Domaine Skouras, Peloponnese (£21, The Wine Society, thewinesociety.com)

Delectable and versatile Agiorgitiko/St George is Greece’s most widely planted red wine grape, often producing very impressive, full-bodied, age-worthy wines in Agiorgitiko-only Nemea PDO in the northeast of the Peloponnese. What makes these wines truly special is the altitude of the vineyards, which are situated in this case at over 1000 metres, about as high as Snowdon and higher than most red wine vines in Italy and France. Founded in 1986 by Burgundy-trained winemaker George Skouras, Domaine Skouras is one of Greece’s most distinguished wineries. This oaked Agiorgitiko is soft, supple, earthy and redolent of redcurrants, blackcurrants, plums, black pepper and spice, with a twine of black liquorice.

Delicious stuff from The Wine Society, where Greek wine sales match those of Argentina. Try it with roast lamb.

4. 2022 Assyrtiko, Argyros Estate, Santorini (£27.21, Lay & Wheeler, laywheeler.com)

Yiannis Karakasis MW’s brilliant book, The Wines of Santorini, confidently states that vines, such as the high-priced, high-acid superstar Assyrtiko grape, have been thriving on this windy, volcanic island – a massive blackened crater in the Aegean Sea – for more than three millennia. Despite this, they are currently in a battle with developers trying to uproot them due to the island’s bustling tourism industry and rolling infrastructure expansion.

This textbook, delectable, full-bodied, assertive Assyrtiko from Santorini’s biggest vineyard owner is sourced from 100 to 120-year-old ungrafted, low-yielding vines distinctively trained in round shallow baskets on the ground, and captures the grape’s trademark high acidity and mineral profile.

Think lemon verbena, peach, sea spray and grapefruit, with a saline spurt of zesty acidity pulsing long. The finish tears away, leaving an empty glass. Hello seafood and grilled fish. Don’t miss out on Argyros’ intensely sweet ‘Vinsantos’ made from sun-dried, mostly Assyrtiko, grapes. They cellar well too.

Follow James on Instagram @QuixoticWines

Get in the spirit with festive workshops, Santa visits and more at Kent’s newest Christmas experience

CHRISTMAS in Kent truly is magical. Yes, it’s dark, cold, and heating bills are soaring, but the antidote to all the midwinter gloom is that the county transforms into a wintry wonderland, glittering with Christmas lights and beautifully decorated trees. It’s also brimming with festive workshops, Christmas markets around every corner, the delightful aroma of gingerbread wafting through the air, and the timeless tunes of Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé wherever you go.

One particular venue, Bewl Water in Lamberhurst, is going all-out with a brand-new Christmas experience, welcoming visitors from November 18. Santa Claus is leaving the North Pole and setting up shop at southeast England’s largest reservoir until December 24, where he and his crew will transform the woodlands into an enchanted wonderland. Step into this whimsical world where the

mischievous elves will lead you through various festive workshops, themed lands and play zones, and a magical grotto. Inside, Father Christmas will be waiting with a special gift for all the good boys and girls.

To join the fun, sessions start from £40 per child and £15 per adult, which also covers car parking for the event. They can be bought online at: christmas.bewlwater.co.uk where peak times are already selling fast.

Christmas at Bewl Water promises plenty of photo opportunities along the way, and there will also be a charming Candy Land

sweet shop, where you can refuel with seasonal drinks and festive treats, and purchase souvenirs to take home.

When booking, it’s essential to remember that your session time indicates your family’s arrival for Santa’s Grotto, so be sure to plan ahead and allocate enough time before your slot to fully enjoy all the festive fun on offer.

Bewl Water mentions that the

entire experience will take approximately two hours, and you should arrive within that two-hour window before your designated Grotto visit to complete each activity, grab a bite to eat and explore the enchanted wonderland.

Upon arrival, children will receive a special stamp card which Santa’s Head Elves will mark off as they finish each workshop. The first stop is Santa’s Post Office, where the helpful elves will assist in writing a special letter to Father Christmas. Don’t forget to share all your wishes before dropping the letter into the magical post box for express delivery to the North Pole.

Next, head over to Rudolph’s mixing station, where children can follow a special recipe to ensure Santa’s reindeer are well-fuelled on Christmas Eve. A stop at Mrs Claus’ Bakery follows, before diving into Christmas crafts! There will also be live storytelling performances by Santa’s Head Elves before wrapping up the experience with a private meet-and-greet, which lasts 10 minutes.

Make sure to dress warmly and wear suitable footwear, as all the workshops will be held outdoors under marquees.

‘Step into this whimsical world where the mischievous elves will lead you through various festive workshops, themed lands and play zones, and a magical grotto’

Picture: Shutterstock

Celebrate at Salomons Estate this Christmas!

Christmas Wreath Workshops

Thursday 30th November from 6.30pm – 8:30pm £68 per person

Tickets include a mince pie and mulled wine

Christmas Day Lunch

Monday 25th December

Indulge in the ultimate Christmas Day feast in the stunning surroundings of our picturesque estate.

£97.50 per adult

£45.00 per child (12 and under)

Breakfast with Santa

Sunday 24th December

Enjoy a delicious full English breakfast on Christmas Eve! Experience a magical morning as he makes his way around to each table.

£20.00 per person (adult or child)

Christmas Parties

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and what could be merrier than a tailor-made Christmas party for the ultimate festive do? Whether you’re in charge of making sure the office party is the best one yet or rounding up your nearest and dearest, our beautiful event spaces, delicious feasts and dedicated team promise an unforgettable Christmas celebration!

Friday 1st and Sunday 3rd December

Morning session 10:00am – 12:00pm

£90 per person

Tickets include a glass of Buck’s fizz followed by Festive Afternoon Tea

Join the fabulous Rare Nature Design at their festive workshops at Salomons Estate. Design your very own wreath and tablescapes using provided equipment, foliage, and beautiful decorations.

Dine with Santa

Sunday 10th December

Join us for a delicious 3-course Sunday roast. Enjoy tales from Santa and his elves and a special surprise…

£35.00 per adult

£17.50 per child

Tables available from 12.00pm – 3.00pm (includes an early Christmas gift)

Festive Afternoon Teas

27th November – 16th December

Indulge in the spirit of Christmas with a delicious afternoon tea and savour a selection of seasonal delights.

£25.00 Traditional Tea

£30.00 Prosecco Tea

£17.50 per child

Experience

Thursday 14th December

7.00pm – midnight

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…!

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas and join us for an evening of festive hits made famous by the one and only Michael Bublé! Enjoy an indulgent two course spread and live performance from our tribute singer!

£48 per person, includes drink on arrival and a 2-course menu

Salomons’ Jingle Ball

1st, 15th and 16th December

7.00pm – 1.00am

Our spectacular shared party nights will return this Christmas and we invite you to join us! Dress to impress and get ready to celebrate in style. For £56 per person, Salomons’ Jingle Ball includes:

A welcome drink

3-course festive menu

DJ and dancing

Photobooth and casino table

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday 25th October

Thursday 26th October

11.00am

Children: £21.50

Adults: £27.50 – includes complimentary tea and coffee during the activities For more information, please visit our website salomons-estate.com

An intergalactic array of collectors’ items

The search for this week’s lots turned up everything from fine art in Mumbai to Star Wars Memorabilia in Greater Manchester, says Nick Hall of Bentley’s Fine Auctioneers…

As an auctioneer and valuer, I naturally spend a lot of time on the road covering great distances, assessing and valuing collections and securing consignments of treasures for our auctions, but this month has been particularly busy and widespread, you could say from Mumbai to The Death Star and back to Cranbrook!

From a private collection in Mumbai, India, we have a rare oil painting by the highly sought after Indian artist Narayan Shridhar Bendre (1910-1992). With an interesting provenance, early date, and large size this should spark huge international interest and carries a pre-sale estimate of £10,000-£20,000.

Interest

And from a private collector in Greater Manchester we have a huge, single-owner collection of Star Wars memorabilia. This is currently a hot area for collectors, and we have split it into dozens and dozens of lots, with estimates ranging from several thousand pounds to under a hundred pounds. We are expecting huge interest from eager collectors far and wide, perhaps even from a galaxy far, far away… From a south coast family we have a wonderful collection of rare early oil

paintings that have been in the same family some time, highlights include a delicate landscape by David Teniers (1610-1690) estimated at £5,000-£10,000, and a vibrant and beautifully detailed circular scene of a huntsman in a wooded riverscape by David Vinckboons (15761629) estimated at £2,000-£4,000.

From a coastal retirement bungalow we have a huge collection of Chinese porcelain amassed over decades by an avid enthusiast. This is still one of the

strongest markets at auction and we are expecting strong interest from wealthy Asia-based collectors competing live online against a saleroom full of eager UK

collectors battling it out for the rarest pieces.

Closer to home, over the saleroom counter, came an innocuous looking secondhand gentleman’s wristwatch from a chap who had been clearing all manner of things from his late parents’ house. With no strap and part of the bezel missing, expectations were low, but this is a rather special watch, an Omega Seamaster, of a type known as a ‘big triangle’. These are iconic among aficionados, made for divers and British military, these are highly prized and highly sought after, and as if that isn’t enough to get collectors excited it also has a rather intriguing inscription on the back relating to a US Navy Seal, what will it fetch? Well, it will likely start an AngloAmerican bidding war between UK Omega collectors and US Navy Seal collectors and eclipse the £3,000-£5,000 starting price. These and 800 further lots of antiques, collectables, furniture, silver, jewellery and all manner of interesting and decorative items are going under the hammer at Bentley’s Fine Auctioneers in Cranbrook on Saturday October 7.

Browse through the online catalogue at: bentleysfineartauctioneers.co.uk and come along, or bid from the comfort of home...

‘From a coastal retirement bungalow we have a huge collection of Chinese porcelain amassed over decades by an avid enthusiast’

NICK HALL

Motoring News

Car makers stick to plans as petrol and diesel ban delayed

UK motor manufacturers say they ‘will not change’ their plans for electric vehicles, despite the announcement from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the ban on new petrol and diesel cars will be pushed back from 2030 to 2035.

The Government previously announced that it would ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, allowing certain hybrid cars to remain on sale until 2035. By then, all new cars had to be completely zeroemissions.

Nissan reveals striking Concept 20-23 hatchback

NISSAN has unveiled a concept car to celebrate 20 years of its UK-based European design centre.

Called the Concept 20-23, the car was unveiled by Nissan President and CEO Makoto Uchida on a barge moored on the Grand Union Canal outside Nissan Design Europe (NDE) in Paddington, London.

Concept 20-23 is a city car-based design concept and follows on from other so-called ‘Pike’ Nissan cars, such as the Be-1, Pao, Figaro and S-Cargo. Nissan says the concept car “brings a 21st-century twist to this small-car tradition”.

The ‘23’ in the name reflects the current year and the Japanese carmaker’s traditional numbers – number 2 (ni) and 3 (san).

Nissan says the three-door hot hatchback takes key design themes from its online racing and Formula E activities and features dramatically styled bodywork and wings to aid cooling and cut drag.

The car also features fat, vented arches housing large alloy wheels shod in lowprofile tyres, and a large single-piece spoiler with endplates to generate downforce.

Finally, the car is painted in a textured grey paint colour to give “the impression of being hewn from a single piece of metal”, says Nissan.

Concept 20-23 is an exterior design study only, but the Paddington-based designers also designed a separate interior. It’s here where Concept 20-23 takes many themes from Nissan’s participation in virtual and physical motorsport, as the car features two bucket racing seats, a steering wheel “festooned with multiple controls and adjustments”, and two screens displaying vital driving information.

Speaking at the unveiling in London, Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Global Design, said: “The young team here at NDE was given a simple brief: design a fun, electric city car that you’d like to drive every day in London.

“The 20-23 Concept that they designed is a compact hatchback which is strongly influenced by the online racing world. I love the story it tells about how the worlds of modern city living, online gaming and zero-emissions mobility intersect.”

Commitments

Many car manufacturers have already made firm commitments to dates when they will move to fully zero-emissions cars – many well ahead of the 2035 deadline – and have said they ‘will not change’, despite the Government moving its climate commitments.

Mini, which manufactures its cars in Oxford recently announced it would produce its fully-electric Cooper and Aceman models in the UK from 2026 – has said it “will not change” from its plan of becoming a “purely electric brand from 2030 globally”.

Stellantis, which oversees a broad portfolio of brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen, has two van production facilities in Luton and Ellesmere Port, the latter of which recently moved to producing fully-electric models.

A spokesman for Stellantis said it remained “committed to achieving 100 per cent zero-emission new car and van sales in the UK and Europe by 2030”. It added that it would move to electric sales “ahead of current legislation”.

They added: “Clarity is required from Governments on important legislation, especially environmental issues that impact society as a whole.”

Survey finds drivers willing to walk almost a mile to avoid parallel parking

MANY drivers would rather take a 20-minute walk instead of having to conduct a parallel park in their desired location.

A new survey has found that on average, drivers would prefer to park close to a mile away from their destination as nearly half of motorists say that they are fearful of parallel parking.

A survey of 2,000 motorists by Fiat found that the primary reason why British drivers fear parallel parking was keeping other motorists waiting, followed by getting too close and damaging other cars. The fear of being embarrassed and pressured by people watching was another primary reason for avoiding parallel parking.

Fiat also spoke with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing about ‘paralleophobia’ during a new series showing him how to parallel park and attempt the world record for the tightest parallel park.

He said: “Learning to drive has been like navigating through a maze of frustration,

and parallel parking? Don’t even get me started. It’s my least favourite manoeuvre to do. It makes my palms sweat. I swear whenever I attempt one my car’s magnetically drawn to the kerb. It’s a skill I’ve just never quite mastered and I will avoid it at all costs.”

Fiat’s research also found that drivers spend an average of four-and-a-half hours a year attempting to parallel park, with 45 per cent of motorists feeling stressed out by the manoeuvre.

Some 67 per cent of respondents have actually driven past a potential space rather than attempt to parallel park, with drivers attempting it four times before parking successfully.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is one of the largest car makers in the UK, having three plants – Solihull and Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands, and Halewood in Merseyside. Jaguar has already committed to being a “pure-electric brand” from 2025.

A JLR statement said: “Our plans are on track and we welcome certainty around legislation for the end of the sale of petrol- and diesel-powered cars.”

Ford no longer makes cars in the UK, but it has a diesel engine factory in Dagenham, Essex, and a plant that makes transmissions in Halewood, which will produce electric vehicle components from 2024. Ford also has a significant engineering and development base in Dunton, Essex.

Lisa Brankin, Ford UK Chair, has said that moving the 2030 deadline “undermines” previous commitments.

Brankin said: “This is the biggest industry transformation in over a century and the UK 2030 target is a vital catalyst to accelerate Ford into a cleaner future.

“We need the policy focus trained on bolstering the EV market in the short term and supporting consumers while headwinds are strong.”

The SMMT, which represents the UK automotive industry as a whole said the mixed-messaging “will hold consumers back” in making the switch to electric.

Tunbridge

Tunbridge

Picture: Nissan/PA Wire

Picture: SMMT/PA Wire

Picture: Fiat/PA Wire