Times of Tunbridge Wells 15th February 2023

Town sends relief aid to Ukraine including medical equipment

By Victoria Roberts

A LORRY loaded with £150,000 worth of emergency aid from the people of Tunbridge Wells and beyond was due to arrive in Ukraine yesterday (Tuesday).

More than 50 volunteers turned up on Saturday to help load supplies that had a special emphasis on re-stocking liberated Kherson with medical equipment.

Working through its network of Ukrainians and locals, the Ukraine Relief Group (URG) mustered dozens of adults and several children at the TN2 Centre in Sherwood to form a human chain that moved boxes out of the storeroom and on to a waiting lorry.

The team even loaded hospital beds, crutches and walkers, destined for Kherson on the Dnipro River in the south of the country, which was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in mid-November.

“About 50 per cent is medical supplies. This is going to the main hospital in Kherson, and there’s not a lot they don’t need,” organiser Rich Akehurst told the Times Other supplies are intended for Odesa,

Underlining the difficulties of continuing to send help across borders, the lorry had been due to arrive in Tunbridge Wells two weeks ago, but paperwork delayed its outbound journey from Poland.

“We only work with registered charities in Ukraine so we know where things are going and that they are not going to end up on the black market,” stressed Mr Akehurst.

“The lorry company we work with (also) stipulate that we have to have an end user.

Kyiv and other locations.

In the end, Saturday’s volunteers loaded just under 10 tonnes of supplies, with the truck too full to take everything which had been donated.

“I reckon we’ve got at least another truckload here,” Mr Akehurst said.

“It took us about four hours to do the paperwork as we couldn’t get it all on the trailer and had to edit it, get it translated again, etc.”

After setting off on Saturday, the lorry was due to cross the border as the Times

‘About 50 per cent is medical supplies. This is going to the main hospital in Kherson’

this week…

EARTHQUAKE FUNDRAISER

Restaurant director holds fundraiser (February 20) for those affected by the Turkey Earthquake. P4

Aid lorry heads to Ukraine

Continued from front page

went to press yesterday (February 14), on its way to the western city of Lviv, where the shipment will be broken up to go to half a dozen destinations.

Drivers change at each border, Mr Akehurst explained.

“It’s about four days, with driver breaks, which is why they’ve started to ‘hop-scotch’ it across Europe, changing drivers at the border.

February 20.

“They know it’s important to get there.” Saturday’s load was valued for customs and insurance purposes at about £150,000, thanks to items such as 34 hospital beds, worth about £1,000, even second hand, said Mr Akehurst.

The URG, set up in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last February 24 and, was still going strong, said Mr Akehurst.

Supplies

Working out of the TN2 Centre in Sherwood and its charity shop in Royal Victoria Place, the URG has a dual role, helping those who have arrived in the Borough from Ukraine and also sending supplies out to the country.

The group has now sent a total of about 60 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, he confirmed.

“It’s now nearly a year down the road and a lot of organisations tried to run before they could walk, but we paced ourselves.”

Council tax hike and second homes are hit but no services cut for now

By Victoria Roberts

INFLATION this year has wiped out gains to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s budget, prompting the Cabinet to recommend raising Council tax and calling on reserves, but not cutting services – or at least not yet.

A 2.95 per cent Council tax increase from the start of the new financial year on April 1 would add £5.71 to the bill for a Band D property, the Cabinet confirmed late on Thursday (February 9).

Yet there would be ‘no major changes or cuts to services’ over the next financial year and the capital programme of investment in council assets was rolled over, with an additional £620,000 of gross funding for new schemes.

SEE

Don’t miss Trinity Theatre Club bring Agatha Christie’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ to the stage.

At the same time, Cabinet recommended taking £943,000 from reserves to balance the budget.

Presenting the report, Lee Colyer, the Council’s Director of Finance, Policy and Development, warned of future risks to the Borough’s finances. Reiterating the report’s wording, he said: “The additional income from the in-year-budget review and investment decisions have in effect been wiped out by inflationary pressures on expenditure, leaving a near-identical deficit to the

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current year [2022/23].”

He also warned of a ‘widening’ gap between income – with increases largely capped at around 3 per cent – and rising expenditure.

This projected gap ‘widens considerably’ in the financial year 2027/28 thanks to contracts maturing and services needing to be procured in ‘an uncompetitive market’, he said.

Mr Colyer told Cabinet members: “This could result in needing to buy in an additional £2million for the waste contract, £200,000 for the grounds maintenance contract, and no longer receiving £290,000 worth of income as a management fee from the leisure contract Pointing to ‘near-identical’ deficits in both 2022/23 and 2023/24, Mr Colyer said this indicated a persisting ‘residual structural deficit’ of approximately £1million after the pandemic.

“It [the Council] needs to eliminate this, as income is not sufficient to cover the cost of the current range of local services.”

And he stressed: “There are no capital receipts in progress, with which to help fund the capital programme.”

Capital funding had been taken out of business rate growth, but the reserves were shrinking, meaning the council needed a savings plan and a ‘steady supply of capital receipts’, he said. Underlining the lack of leeway in future

budgets, the financial report showed that the council was forecast to ‘breach’ the minimum level of reserves – set at £4million – between the financial year to March 31, 2026 and March 31, 2027.

But this level looked set to be ‘breached’ – as ‘the capital cost of the civic buildings, the multi-storey car parks, leisure centres and the crematorium will always require significant funding if they are to remain operational.’

Adopting the budget recommendations, Cabinet members issued a Borough Partnership statement revealing that they would seek to reduce the deficit according to principles such as preventative spending, making the user pay and exploring ways for others to provide facilities or services.

Increased Council Tax was the headline policy in last week’s recommended budget for 2023/24, which included a proposed 2.95 per cent increase in Council Tax, as well as boosting tax on second homes and unoccupied properties.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s share of Council Tax income accounts for only a proportion of the total bill, with Kent County Council, the police and parish councils making up the rest of it.

The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill is currently at the committee stage in the House of Lords, but if it receives royal assent, councils would be allowed to charge a 100 per cent premium on second homes from April 1, 2024.

Council records showed there were currently 290 second homes – or ‘dwellings occupied periodically’ – in the Borough, which this double Council Tax bill would apply to.

Meanwhile, councils could charge also charge the same 100 per cent extra Council Tax on properties that have been empty for at least one year – instead of two years.

Council records showed there were currently 390 properties which had been ‘unoccupied’ between one and two years, on which the council could levy the double Council Tax bill.

WHAT RESIDENTS WANT

OVER 1,000 residents filled in the budget consultation this year, nearly four times more than the previous year.

The initiative allowed the public to look at the draft budget figures and fill in what they would prefer to spend – or save.

The survey received 1,160 responses in the six-week period, compared to 310 in the previous year’s consultation.

Although the Borough Partnership coalition decided not to make any ‘major cuts’ to services in 2023/24, the consultation did give a flavour of what might happen to services and facilities in future, if the budget is squeezed as projected.

The most valued statutory services – which must be provided by a local authority – were rubbish and recycling collections, followed by housing and homelessness and street cleaning services.

However, when the consultation asked

residents to rank the amount of money spent on ‘discretionary’ services, the areas where they were most likely to reduce the budget were The Amelia Scott, property and development, and The Assembly Hall.

By contrast, respondents reallocated their hypothetical budget from other services to fund climate change initiatives.

Turning to Council income, responses showed the public suggested not increasing charges for parking and bereavement services, compared to the draft budget.

However, a majority of survey respondents (67 per cent) said they were not in favour of voluntary contributions to fund council services, with the top concern being ‘which services would it be spent on?’

Overall, the preferred option for budget savings was to increase fees and charges, on the ‘user pays’ principle.

Salomons Estate, One Warwick Park Hotel and Bewl Events & Waterpark are owned by the Elite Leisure Collection, which also owns One Media, publisher of the Times

“The council needs to eliminate the deficit, as income is not sufficient to cover the cost of the current range of local services”

BOX CLEVER Supplies were loaded in a human chain

Traffic restrictions to resume in town centre

DAYTIME traffic restrictions are back in front of the Town Hall and Amelia Scott in central Tunbridge Wells, after a review of signage.

From Monday, February 20, traffic on Mount Pleasant Road – between Monson Road and Church Road/ Crescent Road – will be restricted to buses, taxis and authorised vehicles between 9am and 6pm daily.

Other drivers entering this stretch of road will receive a warning notice by post. If they enter the area again, they will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), said Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC).

Drivers living in the restricted area and goods vehicles delivering to the area will be considered ‘authorised vehicles’.

TWBC said it would monitor the arrangements ‘closely’ before ‘moving to full enforcement after a reasonable period has passed’.

Crowborough station reveals upgrades

NEW accessibility improvements at Crowborough train station were revealed this week following a £4.7million grant from the Department for Transport.

Contractors BAM Nuttall installed two new lifts and a new footbridge, as well as ‘tactile paving’ along platform edges to improve accessibility for those with a visual impairment.

The project also installed additional CCTV cameras to boost passenger safety.

The MP for Wealden, Nusrat Ghani, joined the contractors, Network Rail, Southern and local concillors for the opening ceremony.

The Crowborough upgrades follow £1.9m worth of improvements at Eridge train station, completed last year, which saw a lift and a ramp installed, along with a new footbridge and platform refurbishments.

Ms Ghani said: “It is fantastic that Wealden train stations are benefiting from this major investment programme from the Department of Transport, greatly improving the overall passenger experience for many Wealden residents using the line to commute to London, or those visiting the Spa Valley Railway.”

Extra funding for Kent Family hubs

COUNTY Hall will receive at least £183,000 in extra funding for the work it has done on the government’s new Family Hubs.

The Department for Education (DfE) had approved 75 local authorities to work on the project whose hubs are intended to provide support to families and young children.

However, only 14 councils have been awarded ‘trailblazer’ status, which brings a one-off grant of £183,000 towards work on developing plans, plus access to over £10million transformation funding for implementation over two years.

DfE said the new hubs would offer support from conception through to age 19, or to age 25 for children with special education needs and disabilities.

Owl rescued after woodburner accident

AN ANGRY bird was saved from a woodburner in a local home last week, the RSPA said.

The adult tawny owl had flown into a house in Penshurst via an open window, but when the householder tried to encourage him to leave via the flue of the woodburner, he ended up trapped.

Called in to help, RSPCA inspector Rachel Smith said: “When I arrived, I was confronted by a seriously grumpy, and sooty, owl.

“I cautiously opened the woodburner doors, took a firm grip and gently eased him out.”

UK’s biggest country music duo to perform at Pub in the Park event

EXCLUSIVE: By Paul Dunton

THE TIMES can exclusively reveal that The Shires, the UK’s biggest country music duo, will be heading to Tunbridge Wells this summer.

They will be appearing as part of this year's Pub in the Park music line-up. Organisers of the hugely successful food and music event, which takes place over the weekend of July 7-9, broke the news to the Times last week, ahead of today’s official announcement.

The Shires will take to the stage on the final day of the popular food and music festival, which is held in Dunorlan Park on Sunday July 9.

Successful

The Shires are composed of singer-songwriters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, and since launching their first album Brave in 2015 they have gone on to release two more albums and become the UK’s most successful country act. They say their music takes inspiration from some of the greats including Fleetwood Mac, The Dixie Chicks and Bread.

Ben and Crissie join fellow musicians Badly Drawn Boy, McFly, EMF and the legendary Sister Sledge on Pub in the Park’s music bill for this year’s event in Tunbridge Wells.

Pub in the Park is the brainchild of Michelin star chef and TV presenter Tom Kerridge and was founded in 2017. Since then it has become the biggest food and music festival tour in the UK, taking in numerous locations nationwide, including Tunbridge Wells, since 2018.

Tickets for this year’s Pub in the Park are on sale now at www.pubinthepark.com

Football club tackles council claiming the club house is ‘dangerous for kids’

By Lilly Croucher

A TUNBRIDGE Wells football club has criticised the Borough Council for putting youngsters at risk, alleging the club house is ‘not fit for purpose’.

Tunbridge Wells Foresters FC, which is based in Bayham Road, has 49 teams and leases the ground from the council. The club took to social media last week to talk about the ongoing issues regarding mould on the clubhouse ceiling and the club’s broken toilets.

Costs

A post from the Tunbridge Wells Foresters FC Twitter account (February 4) said:

“Whilst @TWellsCouncil continually drag their heels issuing us a lease our club house is

covered in mould. Dangerous for kids with respiratory problems, infections, allergies or asthma affecting the immune system.

“Not fit for purpose.”

The club has also commented on how much it costs to hire the pitch from the Council and how they are still waiting for a new lease from 2021.

“We also get charged £85 to hire this – yep eight-five pounds and @TWellsCouncil still looking at the ‘lease’ two years later.”

“We met @TWellsCouncil in September 2022 (one of five meetings over four years) and last met them with @FootballFoundtn in November 2022 who made excellent suggestions that would be benefit not just the club & but the wider community. Still waiting to view the draft lease from Feb 2021,” they added.

The football club went on to say: “Just been informed by @TWellsCouncil parks dept that

MOULD

The ceiling of Foresters FC is damp ridden

apart from the leaks in the #bayham main building one of the toilet blocks now not working.

“Three toilets now for 250+ kids & parents this Saturday. Really need to get the site redeveloped fit for 2023… ooh wait. #lease.”

Response

This tweet on February 7 was posted alongside a gif (moving image) of a snail.

The Times put the issue to the Borough Council for comment on Wednesday (February 8).

Later that day, the football club’s Twitter account posted: “Thank you to @TWellsCouncil #wendyfitzsimmons for her time today discussing the issues with our club chair @stu_ new64 (Stuart Newman).

“Credit where due as good to see the issues being addressed quickly with a resolution to repair after being reported earlier this week #bayham.”

The following day (February 9) the Times contacted the chairman of the football club. He declined to go on the record.

However, on social media he said: “Appreciate Wendy & @TWellsCouncil quick assistance with the immediate issues #Bayham @twforesters & #TWBC still some distance apart agreeing a lease for the site AFTER guidance from @ FootballFoundtn last year making it financially viable for us & hopefully the local community.”

Councillor Wendy Fitzsimmons, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Wellbeing and Culture said: “The damp issue and leaking toilets are being dealt with by the Council’s Property and Estates team. Stuart Newman, chair of Foresters Football Club was delighted by the swift and effective response.”

THE SHIRES set to take to the stage at Pub in the Park

Family survive earthquake in Turkey although scores of friends are missing

By Lilly Croucher

RESTAURANT director, Onur Sahin, told of his relief when he found out his family was ‘fine’ after the Earthquake in Turkey hit his southeastern hometown of Mersin. However, relief was tempered after Mr Sahin learned that as many as 100 friends had died in the disaster.

The director of Turkish restaurant Zorba, on Upper Grosvenor Road, told the Times: “Thank god my relatives are fine but I lost some friends, my mother and brother lost some friends too.

“I lost as many as 100 friends, but I can’t count them all, there are so many, and some of them are still in the rubble.

“I grew up in Mersin which is only one hour away from centre of the earthquake and it was affected.

“My friend, his wife and four kids are gone, they were all in a flat on the twelfth floor and my friend from primary school and his five-year-old daughter have both died.

“I have a family, my son is 11 months old, and all I think is it could happen to anyone.”

Mr Sahin explained how the disaster had destroyed 10,000 buildings leaving thousands of people homeless and living in poor conditions.

He said: “The earthquake hit 10 big cities and villages in turkey and has affected more than 10,000 buildings. Now lots of people are homeless, I know people who are living in a tent with 10 people in it.

“It is so cold outside they shouldn’t be in tents; they should be in containers. They don’t have toilets, they don’t have a shower, they have food and water, but the other conditions are very bad.”

To help those affected by the earthquake, Mr Sahin will be holding a fundraising dinner on Monday (February 20) at Zorba restaurant, where all the profits taken on the day will be

used to buy container homes. (See breakout for more on the fundraiser)

Help

“Now we need to protect the people who have survived the earthquake, I lost friends and people lost relatives but now our priority is to help these people, save their lives, give them hot food and warm homes, whatever we need to do,” he said.

“We have already sent some help with some clothes, I have personally donated £1000 and we are collecting money via the rotary club in a

collection box.”

Mr Sahin hopes that the money raised will help provide emergency aid and buy shelters, blankets and food for those who have survived.

So far 35,000 people have died following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which hit the central and southern regions of Turkey and the northern border of Syria last week (February 6).

After 10 days, the UN has said the search and rescue phase is ‘coming to a close’.

It has also warned that the final death toll from the earthquakes could be at least double. However, there are some miracles as people are being found alive under the rubble over a week later.

Turkey’s and Syria’s rescue teams as well as charities like the Turkish Red Crescent will be moving towards caring for survivors as more than 80,000 people are injured and thousands more are displaced across the two countries.

TURKEY EARTHQUAKE FUNDRAISER

Zorba restaurant will be holding a fundraiser on Monday February 20 for those impacted by the recent earthquake in Turkey.

The profits from each table booking will be going towards the restaurant’s £25,000 target which will be used to buy 10 shipping container homes.

The simple containers will offer shelter, warmth and showers to families who are now homeless as a result of the earthquake.

EMOTIONAL TOLL Zorba’s Onur Sahin shows us pictures of lost loved ones

‘I lost as many as 100 friends, but I can’t count them all, there are so many, and some of them are still in the rubble’

Rubbish collection service relaunched

By Lilly Croucher

TAXPAYERS in the borough are set to bail out Spanish rubbish firm, Urbaser, to the tune of £446,750 this year.

The unanimous decision by Cabinet was part of the final 2023/24 budget report in which the coalition cabinet, made up of Lib Dem, Labour and Alliance, agreed that payments of almost half a million pounds will be given to the waste collection contractor.

The council money is expected to cover the cost of wages for Urbaser’s HGV drivers £29,350 a month, until the end of March 2023 and will also pay up to £150,000 towards the replacement of an entire fleet of refuse collection vehicles.

These additional payments are on top of another £100,000 bail out from TWBC in March 2022 to hire more drivers, after thousands of collections were not completed and the garden waste collection was suspended.

External contracts represent £6.6million of the 2023/24 revenue expenditure with the waste contract increasing by £798,000 in that financial year.

At the Cabinet meeting, outside speaker Dr Robert Banks voiced his concerns, saying that the increase alone [£798,000] represented nearly ’85 per cent’ of the £943,000 deficit.

Addressing contract costs, TWBC director of

finance, policy, and development, Mr Lee Colyer, pointed to a gap between income and expenditure which he said ‘widens considerably’ in the financial year 2027/28.

With external contracts ending at that point, TWBC risk being trapped in an ‘uncompetitive market’ which ‘could result in needing to buy in an additional £2million for the waste contract, £200,000 for the grounds maintenance contract, and no longer receiving £290,000 worth of income as a management fee from the leisure contract.’

Some savings could be made, though.

Gary Stevenson, Head of Housing, Health, and Environment said the council want to relaunch the food waste and collection service.

“Food waste in the refuse bin costs the Kent taxpayer six times more than if they were to recycle their food waste.

“It costs somewhere in the teens to transport from North Farm transfer station and have it processed up there at Blaze Farm versus the £117 if it is in your green refuse bin and it is incinerated at Allington”, he said.

The new fleet of 44 vehicles will be introduced in June and July 2023 and is expected to improve the collection service by introducing separate vehicles for food waste and both recycling and refuse collection, as currently all household waste is collected in the same vehicle.

The £775,000 cost of terminating the existing lease of vehicles and leasing the brand-new fleet, will be partially financed by TWBC and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) through a one-off payment of £150,000 each, with Urbaser paying the rest.

As the eight-year lease of new vehicles extends

Bin firm Urbaser is being bailed out again

past the end of Urbaser’s contract in April 2027, any new contractor or provider will have to take over the remaining four-year lease until 2031.

Complaints

TWBC has also agreed to continue to cover the cost of Urbaser’s HGV drivers, as it has done since May 2022, after ‘exceptional circumstances’ in the HGV market last year meant salaries were raised from £13 to £18, with the aim to retain staff.

Urbaser initially asked for payments towards

driver salaries to continue until the end of the contract in 2027, but with a 16.3 per cent increase to Urbaser’s overall contract to be introduced in April 2023, TWBC concluded that ‘the council’s view is that this level of indexation [price adjustment] takes into account the increased wage costs.’

In 2018, Urbaser was awarded an eight-year contract worth £3million with TMBC and TWBC and started service in March 2019, but has been hit with a line of complaints about missing collections in both boroughs. Urbaser has been approached for comment.

WASTED TIME

‘External contracts represent £6.6million of the 2023/24 revenue expenditure’

Secrets of Tutankhamun unmasked at talk for the Hospice in the Weald

By Victoria Roberts

A LOCAL descendant of famed Egyptologist Howard Carter is using his family connection to fundraise for the hospice which cared for his father last year.

James Lovegrove, whose father Bruce spent his last days at Hospice in the Weald, is the great-great nephew of the archaeologist, who discovered the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun one hundred years ago.

James Lovegrove, who grew up in Hildenborough, has helped put together a special talk, ‘Tutankhamun: Excavating the Archive’ on March 7, with the help of Hildenborough Village Friends of Hospice in the Weald.

Insight

The guest speaker, Dr Daniela Rosenow, is an Egyptologist at Oxford University’s The Griffith Institute.

The family donated Carter’s maps, personal diaries, archaeological journals, conservation logbooks, personal letters, glass plate negatives and slides, in 1945.

Dr Rosenow said the archive was a ‘truly astonishing corpus of archaeological records, allowing us a unique insight into the archaeological process and the work of the team, as it happened, on an almost day-by-day basis.’

Mr Lovegrove, who will also be speaking at the event, said: “Howard Carter and the story of Tutankhamun is a family story that has been

passed down the generations.

“As children, stories of the excavation of the tomb were constantly told to us and we were surrounded by the history of Howard Carter’s discovery.”

Now his family had a chance to celebrate the centenary year of the Tutankhamun discovery and help the Hospice as well, he said.

“The care that Hospice in the Weald provided during my father’s last days meant the world to us. They gave him dignity and enabled us to enjoy precious moments with him that we will always cherish.

Charity battles economic conditions to keep funds flowing from its shops

“Howard Carter’s legacy was so important to our father and we felt it fitting to organise this on the centenary of the discovery, to thank the staff at the Hospice and raise much-needed funds to enable others to experience the care that he did,” Mr Lovegrove added.

‘Tutankhamun: Excavating the Archive’ is on at the Oast Theatre, Tonbridge, on March 7, with doors opening at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Tickets cost £25 from the ‘Fundraising’ section of hospiceintheweald.org.uk or 01892 820533. Refreshments and a Q&A session with Dr Rosenow are included.

Music and giving at unlimited brunch

HOSPICES of Hope are rolling out the (bottomless) barrel with a live music brunch accompanied by unlimited Prosecco this March.

Favourites

Raising funds for the charity’s partner hospices in Romania, Serbia, Moldova, Albania, Kosovo and Ukraine, the event also promises to raise the roof thanks to pop favourites performed by Debbie Perolls and acoustic classics from local musician Adam Bayford.

The partner hospices provide life-saving

hospice and medical care without charge for terminally ill and seriously ill children and adults in the region.

The charity is seeking sponsors for this or future Bottomless Brunches in Tunbridge Wells. Those interested can get in touch at events@ hospicesofhope.co.uk or 01959 525110.

The Bottomless Brunch is at The Grey Lady in The Pantiles on Saturday March 4 from 11am to 3pm. Tickets at £35 from hospicesofhope.co.uk/ event/tw-brunch, which include the two-course brunch, an hour and a half of unlimited Prosecco and live music.

Lions call out for sponsored walkers

By Sarah Carter

A HUMANITARIAN charity has battled rising energy prices and short-term leases on the high street, but by consolidating stock in Tunbridge Wells, it is managing to continue sending aid to refugees.

RefugEase, which was founded in Rusthall in 2015, has two shops in Tunbridge Wells, on Mount Pleasant Road and Royal Victoria Place (RVP), but has had to be adaptable, said the charity’s managing director Valentina Osborn.

Price hikes

“You may have noticed our shops popping up and down all over town. Whilst this is the nature of our model, unfortunately since the energy price hikes, we were forced to close some of our stores from Monday to Wednesday.”

However, with leases running out at some of its other shops in the South East, RefugEase has

consolidated stock in its Tunbridge Wells shops, and is extending opening days, she told the Times

The charity’s Vintage Emporium on Mount Pleasant will now stock books, bric-a-brac and affordable household items, alongside furniture, and will now be open seven days a week.

“Our clothing shop in Royal Victoria Place also remains open, selling curated clothing – high street, vintage and luxury brands,” added Valentina.

“We need to keep our funds coming in to [support] our frontline evacuations and emergency aid delivery programmes.”

RefugEase helps refugees in locations across Europe and the Middle East.

Valentina said: “We are still delivering emergency humanitarian aid every day on the frontlines in Ukraine, but are also focusing on building hydroponic self-reliant farming systems in Syria.”

RefugEase is on Instagram: @refugease

CHARITIES and community groups are being called to join in with the first Tonbridge Lionsorganised sponsored walk since 2019, to boost fundraising efforts across the community.

The event, which has not run for four years due to Covid, allows all sorts of groups to take part in a single walk – with all marshals and medical cover organised and paid for by Tonbridge Lions – to raise funds for their own causes.

Funds

Lions spokesman Mike Stout explained: “No entrance fee is charged, so the organisations keep all the sponsor money for their funds.

“When it was last held in 2019, 115 walkers took part, raising in excess of £4,500 for their chosen

charities and organisations.”

The route starts and finishes at Shipbourne Village Hall, with a choice of two routes – six or nine miles.

“Detailed point-to-point instructions and maps will be issued on the day, and both routes will be well marshalled,” added Mr Stout.

Lions organisers will officially stamp sponsor forms to confirm completion of the walk and walkers will be presented with a certificate signed by Richard Hill, president of Tonbridge Lions Club.

To register for the walk, please email: michael. stout@blueyonder.co.uk.

The Tonbridge Lions 39th Annual Sponsored Walk for Charity and Community Groups takes place on Sunday May 21.

DR ROSENOW

JAMES LOVEGROVE

FIND OF THE CENTURY

Howard Carter at work in the tomb

Picture: The Griffith Institute

HOMEWARE HELP

The RefugEase store on Mount Pleasant Road

RAMBLE ON Tonbridge Lions on a previous walk

Local women in medicine network seeks charity recognition in awards

AN ORGANISATION aimed at improving women’s medical careers to ensure they can thrive in any field they want, is one of the latest Times Business Awards entrants in the Charity of the Year category.

Co-founded by two consultants at the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), the Women in Medicine International Network (WIMIN) was founded in response to a steep drop-off in women’s representation in medicine after qualification.

They quote research showing that 65 per cent of newly-qualified doctors are female – yet this falls to under 30 per cent within hospital medicine.

“The Women in Medicine International Network (WIMIN) was a long time in the making, born out of lots of frustrations with the status quo,” one of the co-founders, Kate Stannard, told the Times

“We do address a wide range of issues – good and bad – as our objective is to provide a platform and voice for women to address difficult issues and also to celebrate our successes.”

discrimination, race and their own health.

Proceeds from conferences, and sponsorship from the legal firm Leigh Day, are reinvested in conferences, Mmaa Social, a charity helping girls and young women in Ghana, and a new cash prize.

The WIMIN conference in Tunbridge Wells this September will present the first Liz Sizer Memorial Award, aimed at supporting a doctor in training, as well as highlighting how serious burn-out can be for women in medicine.

Dr Stannard said: “Dr Elizabeth Sizer and myself first met at the former Kent and Sussex hospital in 1999. I was a first-year registrar and she was a senior registrar.

Difference

“Liz was an amazing doctor and was very supportive to me during exams and she was also great fun to go out with.

“Yet wind forward to 2016, and after getting a prestigious consultant job in Kings College Hospital Liver ICU and having had two babies, Liz was found dead in a park, having committed suicide. An absolute tragedy.

“I feel Liz would have been very supportive of WIMIN and maybe if such an organisation had been around then it might have prevented her death.

The rum duo who are hoping to win big at the gala ceremony

TUNBRIDGE Wells is a great place to start businesses and change careers, according to a local businessman hoping to prove his case in the Times Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Business 1-25 Employees categories.

From being disillusioned with dentistry to having a portfolio of two businesses in the course of less than three years, Ed Willshire has come a long way, but he offers a lot of the credit to his location and the connections he has made here.

Ed and his wife have lived in Tunbridge Wells for over 10 years, but it was not until the lockdown period of summer 2020 that Ed and his friend Tom Fantom started The Rum Company.

to initiatives already in place such as the TN Card loyalty scheme, Ed told the Times “We are TN Card partners, and as such we reward local shoppers, in addition to having provided free cocktails at a TN Card event at the Zero Waste Co.”

Connections

The events and hospitality sector are also a major factor in helping The Rum Company to get its small rum labels into customers’ hands.

A major focus for the not-for-profit organisation is its conferences, where women can access training across specialisations and levels of care, from primary care professionals in general practice to specialists in tertiary care. “We feel this approach is more effective –rather than single speciality meetings, as that doesn’t reflect the way we work,” said Dr Stannard. “No doctor works in isolation.”

Meanwhile, the conferences also offer non-medical training and advice to improve female doctors’ careers, covering themes from employment law and pensions to

“Who knows, but the feedback we are receiving from ‘burnt out’ women in medicine does indicate that we are already making a difference,” said Dr Stannard.

Charity of the Year is one of the categories in the Times Business Awards. Find the category for your business and apply at: timesbusinessawards.

co.uk

Times

“I was always trying new and different rums from smaller distillers, and Tom is gluten-free (yes, rum is gluten-free) so we would drink rum together on nights out, but we were bored of the same old limited selection of rums in bars and supermarkets,” he explained.

business awards 2023

“There are lots of new distillers across the UK, so we created a platform specifically to sell and showcase these great brands.” The town proved an excellent place to start the business, thanks

“We have done a number of events locally over the last few years – Pantiles Markets, Pantiles Gin Fest, Tonbridge Markets, Tonbridge Gin Festival, Pub in the Park in Tunbridge Wells and so on.”

Meanwhile, a wealth of local connections has driven Ed’s other business, the Tunbridge Wells Driving School.

Local demand for his service has given him the flexibility and support to leave dentistry and build The Rum Company.

“I teach or have taught pupils from every school in the local area, and also have pupils from the Hockey Club – that I teach at a club discount,” he said.

Both businesses have plans for expansion which could mean taking on partners and staff, Ed said.

“Hopefully I can be considered for Entrepreneur of the Year, and The Rum Company will be considered for the small business award. I am proud to say both businesses are thriving, so I must be doing something right, and there are so many more ideas in the bank.”

ENTER THE AWARDS AND RAISE THE BRANDING AND PROFILE OF YOUR BUSINESS FOR FREE

Below are the ten categories in which you can enter your business, whether you’re a start-up or an established company. Winning an award could change your business and your life. Visit timesbusinessawards.co.uk to find entry forms, which can be downloaded and completed at your leisure. The gala night itself is on March 30, but hurry – the deadline for entries is 11.59pm on February 20!

In association with the headline sponsor Berkeley Homes and drinks reception sponsor Brewin Dolphin

Start-Up Business of the Year (Sponsored by Cornerstone) Companies founded since January 2021, which have really been attracting notice.

Creative Business of the Year

(Sponsored by Integra Property Management)

This is a strong sector for Tunbridge Wells, covering the creative, design, marketing and PR sectors which have made our town their home.

Entrepreneur of the Year

(Sponsored by Charles Stanley) An entrepreneur is more than just a business person. Entrepreneurs turn their ideas into business opportunities and may run more than one company.

Charity of the Year (Sponsored by Lexus)

In this new award category, judges will analyse

the charities and not-for-profit organisations which play such a positive role in the life of our area, looking for impact, sustainability and imagination.

Green Business of the Year

(Sponsored by Clarity Homes & Commercial)

This new award category will recognise companies for their commitment to the environment, whether through reducing energy usage, ‘localising’ their supply chains or any other green initiatives.

Best in Food and Drink

(Sponsored by NFU Mutual)

This award is for the local companies producing or serving truly remarkable food and drink. Entries are welcomed from fine dining restaurants, gastropubs, simple cafés and food

and drink producers – any company which can demonstrate how it puts Tunbridge Wells or the local area on the map with its gastronomic excellence.

Best Family Business of the Year (Sponsored by Childrensalon)

The judges will be looking for the business that best demonstrates how running a family business has added significantly to its competitive advantage. The winner will need to show how being a family business has had a positive impact on its achievements.

Best Business 1-25 Employees (Sponsored by TN Recruits) This award category is for the companies with a workforce of up to 25 which has maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance, both meeting its

customers’ expectations and supporting its employee’s welfare and growth.

Best Business 26+ Employees

(Sponsored by The Finance Hub)

Consistent growth, financial performance and an engaged, positive workforce are just some of the criteria that set these companies apart other medium to large businesses in the area.

Outstanding Business of the Year

(Sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore)

This award will reveal which company demonstrates the best combination of growth, ambition and quality of management in the area. The ‘outstanding’ company has delivered on a compelling business strategy, while developing its employees’ skills and looking after staff.

‘Our objective is to provide a platform for women to address a wide range of issues – and also to celebrate our successes’

DR KATE STANNARD

FOUNDERS Ed Willshire (left) and Tom Fantom (right)

It’s been a roller coaster ride for businesses but what lies ahead?

SIOBHAN STIRLING, SHARP MINDS COMMUNICATIONS

As a marketing and PR agency, we’re on the thin end of budget cuts in a downturn, so what we’re experiencing can be a good indicator of what we might expect in the next few months.

One client told us at the end of last year that they may need to scale back, but they are now feeling more optimistic. Alongside this, we have taken on a number of new clients who want to improve their brand presence in 2023. However, all our clients are clear that budgets need to be managed closely this year, as costs are still continuing to rise.

So our experience is that companies who are serious about getting ahead of their competition are continuing to invest, but with a very keen eye on costs.

Research shows that this aligns with best practice among the most successful companies. There are two key strategies for getting through tough markets – to maintain or increase marketing to improve market share, or to cut operational and production costs. The most successful companies do both, so that when things pick up, they have good market share built on lean, efficient operations.

There may be some business casualties this

year, but we’re looking forward to working with companies with clear plans not only to get through 2023, but to emerge stronger and more confident.

ANDY EAMES, GREEN HIPPO PRINT

It’s a strange time at the moment, with the country entering a recession and all indications pointing to a slower 2023 for many companies and sectors.

This is at odds with what we’re experiencing in the marketplace as we start the year. We know that advertisers and businesses that maintain or grow their advertising spend during an economic downturn often increase their sales and market share during and following a recession.

We are certainly finding that businesses are continuing to use us to help market their services, events and promotions, and following a record year for us in 2022, we’ve actually started the year by expanding our production and sales team by 25%.

However, we envisage that many businesses will be more circumspect in their planning, and hold back on committing to long-term goals and projects. This will mean we will see shorter print runs and tighter deadlines as businesses plan a little more on the hoof, using a current and

CEO / BID Director

Full Time - £50,000

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together BID is seeking a dynamic and motivated BID Director, with experience in stakeholder, project, finance and people management, to build on the positive work with businesses in the town, helping in the recovery and continuing to deliver and passionately articulate BID initiatives.

In addition to overseeing and delivering existing initiatives you will work with the board and listen to levy-payers to review what works and continue to develop and refine new strategies to maximise the £500k annual budget and the potential impact we can have for the 672 levy paying businesses.

A copy of the job pack along with details on how to apply can be accessed on our website:

www.rtwtogether.com/about

Application Deadline - 12pm 6th March 2023

Initial questions may be directed to Alex Green, biddirector@rtwtogether.com

short-term snapshot to inform their decision making.

Working with clients across a broad range of sectors makes us mindful that not every business is affected in the same way by market downturns. Some of the material we produce for the NHS, local authority and education sector are vital collateral, rather than non-compulsory ephemeral items.

With many more businesses being aware of their environmental conscience, we are seeing an increasing demand for our sustainable print matter, which we see as a growth area in 2023, irrespective of the current economic mood.

PAM LOCH, LOCH ASSOCIATES

For many businesses, heading into 2023 they may have been feeling perhaps even more uncertain than they felt heading into 2022. As the headlines continue to be focused on financial challenges, with the UK forecasted to be the only G7 economy to shrink this year, you may think our clients are seeking advice on making redundancies or restructuring their businesses to reduce overheads.

However, so far it seems to be quite the opposite.

Many of our clients are seizing the opportunity to invest and expand in their business, with many recognising that by developing their staff with training, not only will they retain staff, but they will also be able to increase their productivity and strengthen their profit to put them in the best position to address what might be a challenging year.

JOE MILNER, LOCH ASSOCIATES

We are increasingly having conversations with clients about their recruitment strategies for 2023, with many turning to a wider recruitment market by looking to recruit outside the UK.

Following Brexit and the removal of free movement rights for workers from the EU, you may have thought that the recruitment of migrant workers would decrease, but it is in fact quite the opposite.

Clients from across all sectors are experiencing difficulties recruiting in the UK market, whether that be because of lack of available candidates, lack of required skills for the role or because regional businesses are being outbid by London employers, so they are looking at recruiting staff from outside the UK.

GILLIAN PALMER, THE FINANCE HUB

Following a very slow last quarter of 2022 due to uncertainty in the UK Government, we have seen a very positive start to 2023 at The Finance Hub.

I think property investment and development is a very hot topic in this area as more and more people move out of London to the suburbs, and I predict that we will see positive growth in this area.

Contrary to the predictions of a major recession, I see businesses are back in growth mode and investing in people and infrastructure.

The businesses who have scaled down and cut costs in the pandemic and survived are now

thriving and growing, so I’m predicting a positive 2023.

EMMA MOSS, TN RECRUITS LAW

My division is as busy as ever. Law firms in and around Tunbridge Wells can’t recruit quickly enough to deal with the enquiries and business they are receiving, predominantly from local customers. Despite the hike in mortgage rates, most of my clients are still looking to recruit conveyancing solicitors and secretaries – a clear indication that the local property market continues to thrive.

JULIAN WEEKES, ACTIONCOACH

One in ten SMEs fear that they may go out of business in 2023 according to recent research from Vodafone. Increasing costs are a major concern for businesses, as is the knock-on effect of the rising cost of living for their clients and prospects. This means that business owners will need really good insights into all aspects of their business as the year unfolds. They will have to focus on things like financials, marketing and sales operations like never before.

Amid the gloom, many will survive and there will be some that seek out opportunities and thrive. It’s going to need improved levels of management and leadership.

AMANDA REDMAN, AMANDA REDMAN FINANCIAL PLANNING

Last year was a very challenging year for investment returns. Coupled with higher mortgage rates and living costs, it caused many people to worry about their finances.

However 2023 has started well for markets, and it’s often the case that a poor year is immediately followed by a strong year (although not guaranteed). We expect inflation figures to come down this year, and interest rates will peak before slowly starting to decrease.

This should increase people’s confidence, and that’s got to be good news for businesses and service providers across Tunbridge Wells.

JAN JOHNSON, 55PLUS EQUITY RELEASE

Interest rates are stabilising and will provide a real return to savers as inflation is reduced – we don’t see rates returning to very low levels for a while yet.

Significantly, equity release is not currently being used for aspirational purchases – such as new cars or holidays – but instead for buying property, maintaining general living standards and providing support to family. This reflects the current pressures on households, but we expect this to shift again as inflation stabilises and businssconfidence returns.

With the new financial year on the horizon in April, the economy has rarely been so turbulent, so we asked local businesses for their take on the next 12 months…

NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS –UNROMANTIC OR JUST GOOD SENSE?

By Gemma Gillespie, Partner at CooperBurnett LLP

Nuptial Agreements are contracts which a couple enters into before (pre) or after (post) marriage, setting out what the couple agrees will happen to their capital, pensions and income if they divorce.

A Nuptial Agreement, like a Will, needs to be reviewed periodically to check it continues to achieve what you both want. Unlike a Will, it is not legally binding but maybe given decisive weight in a divorce, if it meets the needs of the children as well as the needs of the husband and wife.

They are a sensible option if you are anxious to protect assets you built up or obtained before the relationship started or monies you inherited from your family before or during the marriage.

If you have lived together for several years prior to marriage, as soon as you marry, even if the house is in your sole name, it will become a ‘matrimonial asset’ and upon the divorce will either be divided equally or in such a way as to meet both party’s needs. This can come as a surprise, particularly if you put 100% of the deposit down and paid all the mortgage. A Nuptial Agreement in these circumstances can be used to protect, as far as possible, the capital that has been invested in a property.

In my experience, Nuptial Agreements can support marriages as they enable couples to have candid conversations about finances, which can sometimes be the route of problems further down the line. They can also ringfence assets the couple want to protect but only if the children and the couple’s needs are met.

The kinds of cases where it is sensible to consider the making of such agreements include:

• It is your second marriage;

• You have or are likely to receive significant inheritances;

• You invested in the family home in significantly different proportions;

• You have a family business.

If this is your first marriage and you are entering it with little or no wealth, then they are unlikely to be appropriate. Historically the English and Welsh courts felt they undermined the sanctity of marriage but in my opinion the reverse is the case - they make good sense for the right couple.

Please do not hesitate to contact Gemma Gillespie on email: GJG@COOPERBURNETT.COM or tel: 01892 515022

WWW.COOPERBURNETT.COM

This blog is not intended as legal advice that can be relied upon and CooperBurnett LLP does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of its contents.

Survivors still being pulled from rubble after earthquake

AS The Times went to press, rescuers were working to reach people under the rubble in three provinces hit hard by the devastating quakes that hit Turkey and Syria last week.

The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes that struck nine hours apart on February 6 in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria passed 35,000, and was certain to increase as search teams find more bodies.

Turkish television continued broadcasting rescues on Tuesday, as experts said the window to find survivors is closing.

Crossings

In Syria, President Bashar Assad agreed to open two new crossing points from Turkey to the country’s rebel-held northwest to deliver desperately needed aid and equipment to millions of earthquake victims, the United Nations announced Monday.

The crossings at Bab Al-Salam and Al Raee will be opened for an initial period of three months.

Until now, the UN has only been allowed to deliver aid to the Idlib area through a single crossing at Bab Al-Hawa.

The United Nations has been under intense pressure to get more aid and heavy equipment into Syria’s rebel-held northwest.

The first Saudi aid plane, carrying 35 tons of food, landed in government-held Aleppo airport Tuesday morning, according to Syrian state media.

Saudi Arabia has raised some 50 million US dollars in a public campaign to aid Turkey and Syria.

Prior to Tuesday, Saudi planes landed in Turkey, with some of the aid also making its way into impoverished rebel-held northwestern Syria.

Several other Arab countries have sent planes loaded with aid to governmentheld Syria, including Jordan and Egypt,

and the United Arab Emirates. Algeria, Iraq, Oman, Tunisia, Sudan and Libya have also delivered aid to Damascus.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said late Monday rescue work continued in Hatay province, along with Kahramanmaras, the epicentre, and Adiyaman.

Rescue work appears to have ended in the remaining seven provinces.

The quake affected 10 provinces in Turkey that are home to some 13.5 million people, as well as a large area in northwest Syria that is home to millions.

Quake survivors also face difficult conditions amid wrecked cities, with many sleeping outdoors.

Much of the region’s water system is not working, and damage to the system raises risks of contamination.

Covid Enquiry faces delay due to extensive redactions

THE retired judge leading the UK Covid Inquiry said she was ‘sympathetic’ to a request made to delay the first public hearing by a month.

Baroness Hallett had heard how the process of making ‘thousands of manual redactions’ to UK Government papers submitted to the inquiry had slowed down the process of disclosing information to bereaved families and other relevant groups.

After receiving a ‘modest’ delay request by the inquiry’s legal team, which was backed by barristers representing families affected across the UK, the crossbench peer said: “In my view, as seems to be the view of all the participants, far better delay the start by … up to four weeks, than start early and then not be ready and not be effective.

‘Irrelevant’

“So, I am sympathetic to those submissions.”

The chairwoman said she would be make a decision ‘as soon as I can’ on the possibility of pushing back the start of module one, which is looking into the UK’s preparedness and resilience for a pandemic, from May to June.

It came after Hugo Keith KC, counsel for the inquiry, said his team was having to be bolstered to deal with the redaction workload.

They are removing ‘irrelevant information’, including the names of junior officials who were not in decision-making roles during the pandemic, from policy documents and emails submitted by UK Government departments.

Those changes then have to be reviewed by the departments impacted, he said, before being disclosed to the inquiry.

Turkey’s health minister said samples taken from dozens of points of the water system were ‘microbiologically unfit’, highlighting how precarious basic needs continue to be.

More than 41,500 buildings were destroyed or so damaged that they would have to be demolished, the Minister of Environment and Urbanisation.

There are bodies under those buildings and the number of missing remain unclear.

Many in Turkey blame faulty construction for the vast devastation, and authorities continued targeting contractors allegedly linked with buildings that collapsed.

Turkey has introduced construction codes that meet earthquakeengineering standards, but experts say the codes are rarely enforced.

Officers face misconduct cases over Wayne Couzens indecent exposure report

TWO POLICE officers face misconduct cases over the handling of reports of indecent exposure by Wayne Couzens before he went on to abduct, rape and murder Sarah Everard.

A Metropolitan Police constable has a case to answer for gross misconduct and a Kent Police sergeant will face a misconduct meeting over separate reports of flashing by the then Met officer Couzens, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

Couzens pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of indecent exposure in Kent between November 2020 and February 2021.

The Met defended its decision to prosecute after the former officer had already been handed a whole-life order. In March 2021, while a serving Metropolitan Police officer, Couzens snatched marketing executive Ms Everard as she walked home in south London.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Professionalism, Bas Javid, previously said he hopes the decision to prosecute ‘goes some small way’ to show people the Met will be ‘ruthless’ in holding rogue officers to account.

On Tuesday, the IOPC said a Met police constable will face allegations of gross misconduct for breaching professional behaviour standards, as well as standards relating to honesty and integrity, following accounts provided to the watchdog’s investigators.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said: “We have been unable to publish our findings until now due to the risk of prejudicing criminal proceedings against Couzens.

DON’T MISS NORTH KENT COLLEGE OPEN EVENTS IN FEBRUARY 2023!

UK can manage spy balloons despite investment issues

A FORMER British ambassador to the US said people should ‘sleep easy in their beds’ despite the threat of Chinese spy balloons because ‘an awful lot of that goes on everywhere’.

Lord Darroch said the UK had ‘under-invested in defence’ but that there was still capacity to deal with any surveillance inflatables sent to monitor Britain.

The former national security adviser told media: “It’s still, I think, unless we discover something new, it’s still well-known technology.

“It’s still basically surveillance, still basically spying, and the reality is an awful lot of that goes on everywhere.”

The UK is reviewing its own security measures after the US shot down four balloons flying in its airspace this month, with Washington declaring one of them a piece of Chinese spyware.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Government would ‘do whatever it takes to keep the country safe’.

He said: “We have something called the quick reaction alert force which involves Typhoon

planes, which are kept on 24/7 readiness to police our airspace, which is incredibly important.

Reassured

“People should be reassured that we have all the capabilities in place to keep the country safe,” he said.

However, following Mr Sunak’s remarks, Lord Darroch questioned whether the UK had a ‘watertight capability’ to deal with the balloons.

He said the UK had ‘under-invested in defence for the last couple of decades’ and that there were ‘gaps around in the technology our armed forces have’.

“So, we will have some capability; whether we have a watertight capability as the Prime Minister says, I’m not so sure,” the former ambassador continued.

“But we have enough capability, I think, that people can certainly sleep easy in their beds.”

British spy caught on camera during Berlin sting operation

A BRITISH embassy spy was caught on camera engaging with a fake Russian operative during an undercover sting, a court has heard.

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, had been collecting documents from the Berlin embassy where he worked as a security guard some four years before his arrest in August 2021.

He was snared in an undercover operation deploying two fake Russian operatives, after he sent a letter in November 2020 to a member of military staff at the Russian Embassy in Berlin.

Informant

The first undercover role-player purported to be a ‘walk-in’ Russian informant called ‘Dmitry’. Smith was tasked with escorting him into the British Embassy on August 5 2021, copying a document Dmitry brought and disposing of Sim card packaging.

Afterwards, Smith was captured on CCTV in his security kiosk, filming the earlier footage of Dmitry wearing a flat cap and glasses.

The Old Bailey heard he filmed about 45 seconds then said: “This’ll do. I’ll get the rest tomorrow.”

On August 9, Smith was accosted in the street by a second role-player, ‘Irina’, who told him she was a Russian intelligence officer.

On a covert recording played in court, Smith appeared cautious about engaging with her, saying he needed to speak to ‘someone’ first.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said: “Irina was deployed to play the role of the GRU officer and to see whether someone – Dmitry – was providing information to the UK that could be damaging to Russia.

“He (Smith) is someone who has been engaging with the Russian authorities for some time.”

Ms Morgan added: “The defendant will assert he knew from the outset Irina was MI5 and further asserts he said that to her on the recording.”

But she said there were ‘no words’ to that effect on audio played in court.

She said: “The defendant was plainly hedging his bets to see whether or not he could trust her.

“This is a man who was plainly trying to work Irina out.”

Choosing which college to attend is one of the most exciting and important decisions you will make. The course you choose now will help shape your future career and North Kent College is committed to helping you make the right choice.

North Kent College's portfolio consists of five campuses in Dartford, Gravesend, Hadlow includes Greenwich Equestrian centre (rural and land-based) and Tonbridge. All of the campuses serve their local communities, and each individual campus has its own unique identity - but together they all offer a broad range of programmes, enrichment and progression opportunities. Committed to providing students with the best learning experience possible, North Kent College welcomes all students, whether joining from school or college, or returning from a break in their studies.

The college's work with employers and the local community leads to many wide ranging and diverse progression opportunities, something which is evident throughout its website in several testimonies from current and past students who share their journeys and chosen career paths.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Join

Dartford: Tuesday, February 21st– 3:30 – 7:00pm

Gravesend: Thursday, February 23rd – 3:30 – 7:00pm

Tonbridge: Tuesday, February 28th – 3:30 – 7:00pm Pre-register

Matthew Scott Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent

A voice for victims

HELPING victims and bringing offenders to justice are why I wanted to become Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Victims are at the heart of my Police and Crime Plan and will be for as long as I am the PCC. But victims often feel they are not listened to, or that they are not being taken seriously.

The Criminal Justice System has a specific process for victims and there is information out there about it, but it hasn’t generated a great deal of publicity and too few know of their rights under the Victims’ Code.

So I have decided to create a Victim Voice Initiative, to collate the information in one place and raise awareness about victims’ rights.

Support

Did you know, for instance, that you are entitled to access support services even if you haven’t reported a crime to the police? Did you know that you should be provided with information about compensation, as well as information about any investigation or prosecution?

During my inquiry into violence against women and girls, I met with some victims who told me they really did not feel their voice had been heard. They said that re-living the crime by

reporting it, was traumatic and did not lead to a satisfactory outcome in the courts.

The victim satisfaction section in my 2022 Annual Policing Survey showed almost half of respondents, who had experienced a crime and reported it to the police, were dissatisfied with Kent Police and the results achieved.

Information

My Violence Against Women and Girls survey of late 2021 suggested only 37 per cent of women had reported a crime they had experienced.

I want people to come forward to report crimes. I want them to feel confident that when they do, they will access the advice and support they need and are entitled to.

This Victim Voice pamphlet is a one-stop-shop. It tells people how to report different crimes; it explains how you can seek support; what you should expect if your case goes to court; what information you should be given and what follow-up information you should be provided with following the case.

To read the pamphlet, please go to go: www. kent-pcc.gov.uk

Or you can scan the QR code on the right: Although I hope you never need to access the information, if you do – I hope you find it useful.

Matthew Scott was first elected the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent in 2016 and re-elected in 2021. He sets policing priorities, commissions services to support victims, sets the council tax precept, manages the force’s budget, and holds the Chief Constable to account. He serves as the national PCC lead for Mental Health, and is chair of the board for the BlueLight Commercial organisation.

And another thing…

Bus lanes are not cycle lanes

these ‘community’ groups and are they being run for the community or to push a political agenda?

Across the country, one political party is increasingly using Facebook groups to manage the news and information people see online, and to push their own political agenda.

This is breaking Facebook’s terms of service.

In the Borough of Tunbridge Wells there are a number of closed ‘community’ groups on Facebook being managed by a small number of individuals who belong to or are closely aligned to one political party.

If you are a member of a ‘community’ group on Facebook, there are a number of questions you need to ask. Are the admins closely linked to one political party rather than being politically neutral? Does the group have a closed membership? Are people refused entry or banned from the group? Are there regular political posts from the same one or two people?

Do you remember the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which people’s views were unknowingly being manipulated on Facebook? Check the Facebook groups you belong to. Stay safe on social media.

Dear

One: a pledge to scrap reckless plans to rip up the invaluable Human Rights Act, replacing it with a totally inadequate (so-called) Bill of Rights Bill.

Two: a pledge to handle asylum claims fairly, humanely and efficiently, rather than criminalising people and threatening them with deportation to Rwanda.

Three: a pledge to ditch the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill which makes a mockery of the rule of law, denying justice to victims while shielding perpetrators of serious crimes.

Four: a pledge to halt draconian new measures that would further undermine the cherished right to free speech and peaceful protest in our country.

Five: a pledge to ensure our foreign policy becomes more ethical so that, for instance, the UK challenges abuses by countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia as firmly as it challenges abuses by Russia and Iran.

At this time of year, we all have our resolutions and pledges. Feel free to email me – graham.minter@amnesty.org.uk – for more information on the work and human rights pledges of Amnesty International UK, and ideas for how you can campaign with us locally.

IN REPLY to Luke Breabean-Cook’s letter, I totally agree, St John’s Road is unsuitable to have any proper cycle lanes, the lanes that are there at the moment are not real cycle lanes as they share them with motor vehicles accessing properties, turnings, entrances to commercial properties, zebra crossings, bus stops, and light controlled crossings.

Where the road narrows too much in places the cycle lane disappears, and the bus lanes are definitely not cycle lanes.

I am sure there are some routes off St John’s Road that could be used. Trying to make St

Remarkable reward

SHOULD The Amelia Centre’s splendid Steinway piano be locked up, the key made available on request? (Piano Demands Respect, Letters, February 8).

Last November, I attended the centre’s Autumn Recital, which showcased the talents of Alex Metcalfe’s young piano students. The talented performers included a teenager with ADHD. His interest in piano had been sparked from trying The Amelia Scott’s instrument. His playing left us spellbound. Open access may offer some challenges, but the rewards can be remarkable.

Anne Goldstein

Tunbridge Wells

What is woke?

I WAS recently involved in a Twitter debate with Cllr Hugo Pound (Tunbridge Wells Labour Group Leader/Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning) and Cllr Nick Pope (Tunbridge Wells Alliance Chairman/Chairman of Audit and Governance Committee) both leaders of two of the three Parties that make up the

John’s Road accommodate proper cycle lanes is just not possible without major changes and don’t forget it is the A26, London to South Coast.

I would point out as well, in my letter I mentioned ‘motor vehicles’ are indispensable, not cars. Where would you get all the necessary deliveries (list too long) without them, the buses to transport people, ambulances, police vehicles etc.

Richard Bell

Tunbridge Wells

‘Borough Partnership’.

Pope was asking me to define the term ‘woke’. I asked both of the ‘leaders’ if they could define what a woman was. Unfortunately, neither of them could answer this question, furthermore both claim to be strong supporters of women’s safety within Tunbridge Wells; this is clearly an oxymoron as how can they be concerned about this serious issue, if they simply do not know what a woman is? (Around 51.5% of Tunbridge Wells’ population).

I would also put it that if two of the ‘leaders’ of the Council Coalition do not know what a woman is, then clearly their grounding in reality would make one question what else they may not understand, such as finance, and imaginary black holes leading to selling off car parks?

Aaron Brand Tunbridge Wells (Conservative)

Stay safe on Facebook

MANY people get their news from Facebook, both national and local news. Often the local news and information is picked up from community groups on Facebook. But, who runs

Cllr Nicholas Pope Alliance member of Park ward, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Waste contract

I was shocked to read about the financial package being proposed by TWBC’s Lib Dem, Labour and Alliance coalition for our waste contractor, Urbaser.

Since coming to power last May, the new coalition has shown itself to be adept at spending other people’s money. It increased the size of TWBC’s Cabinet (at a cost of nearly £40K pa) and turned down the opportunity to move to cheaper, four-yearly borough elections (another £65K pa).

The payments to Urbaser dwarf those previous costs. The administration is proposing a cash injection of £234,000 on top of an increase in our annual payments of roughly £648,000.

TWBC’s Cabinet spokesman skilfully avoided boring financial matters to focus on how some vehicles may run on vegetable oil.

But even this is of little or no benefit to our borough. Under the terms his own Cabinet is proposing, any switch to biofuel won’t happen until 2027 at the earliest, and may never happen due to prohibitive costs.

While other councils are introducing electric and hydrogen vehicles, TWBC is paying more money to continue its dirty, diesel-based waste collection service. And the Lib Dem, Labour and Alliance coalition is spending money that the Council simply cannot afford.

Cllr Matt Bailey Independent, TWBC

Human rights

READERS will have their own views on Rishi Sunak’s much-discussed five pledges, but here are five commitments on human rights that we didn’t hear from the Prime Minister.

Graham Minter Amnesty International Kent Network

Pizza misfortune

On a recent trip to Tunbridge Wells, I was so disappointed to see the failure of yet another restaurant, with the closure of the Vintry pizzeria on The Pantiles.

It was always busy when I passed, so I can’t understand why it would close. I would have thought The Pantiles was the best place in town to operate a restaurant?

Such a pity that such a seemingly successful business has disappeared.

David Butler

Tonbridge

Calverley is away.

Crowborough school praised by Ofsted for its passionate leadership and high-quality learning

Following Beacon Academy’s recent two-day ungraded Ofsted inspection, the secondary school has published the details of the lead inspector’s report. The Times discovers more…

Students, staff and trustees at Beacon Academy and MARK Education Trust are celebrating after receiving their latest Ofsted report.

As a result of the Academy’s rigorous two-day ‘ungraded’ inspection at the end of last year, the school has just published details of the report that it received two weeks ago. In it the school’s ‘ambitious and challenging’ curriculum for all students, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is praised. This is alongside Ofsted remarking upon the school’s ‘skilled’ and ‘expert’ teachers who are praised for nurturing what the report describes as ‘eager and curious learners’.

“Our leadership was described as being passionate, talented and experienced,” a spokesperson for the co-ed secondary school in Crowborough told the Times The report also states that ‘Beacon Academy continues to be a good school’. It says: “There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded

(section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.”

The Beacon Academy spokesperson also revealed that the ungraded Ofsted report stated that: “Beacon Academy is a welcoming school with a tangible community feel. Leaders encourage high quality learning in this ambitious and successful academy. Pupils achieve very high standards.”

Executive Headteacher, Anna Robinson, commented: “Such positive inspection outcomes and reports are rare and so make the past eight years of hard work, tenacity and high expectations worthwhile.

Exceptional

“During this time our sole intention has been to achieve our vision of providing the best possible education for our students and to be an exceptional school both locally and nationally. Complacency is never an option, so please be assured that we are continually working as a team to drive forward our vision for the ongoing benefit of our school and our current and future students and staff at Beacon Academy and those within our trust.”

Ms Robinson thanked parents, carers and students for their role, stating: “Thank you for your unrelenting support and for affirming to us each day that our profession really is one of the best and most rewarding ones in the world. We are privileged to lead our school, our staff and our students.”

‘Leaders encourage high quality learning in this ambitious and successful academy’

EAGER AND CURIOUS Beacon Academy students

Open the door to your next move

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Your 18-page property guide

All you need to know about the current housing and commercial market in Tunbridge Wells and the wider area

Consider a custom build for your dream home

Experts from Tunbridge Wells-based land consultancy Sited explain the key differences between self-build and custom build construction projects…

AT SITED, we are often asked about the advantages of custom building over self-build projects.

Self-builders take on all the risks themselves once they have purchased a plot. The construction and project management will be the responsibility of the self-builder and is generally undertaken by those in the building trade. With custom build homes, the buyer is purchasing a completed or part-completed

project. For example, the property will be completed and ready for occupation – similar to purchasing a new-build home. In many instances, the build will be complete, but the internal fittings are chosen by the purchaser and the final fittings are completed by the building contractor or by the occupier if they wish. There are many advantages to purchasing a custom build property, including savings on stamp duty and community infrastructure levy. The land is usually purchased outright and the contractor is paid in instalments.

Sited specialise in custom build plots and offer a complete package – land and build – with contractors who provide a high standard of construction.

For more information, visit: sited.land

‘There are many advantages to purchasing a custom build property, including savings on stamp duty and community infrastructure levy.’

A rare opportunity in a sought-after location

The Glade is a luxury collection of four 2/3 bedroom apartments and five 4 bedroom townhouses, located in Royal Tunbridge Wells adjacent to The Spa Hotel. Enjoy the advantages of a Mount Ephraim location, with Tunbridge Wells Common, the train station and The Pantiles all within walking distance.

Buyers will benefit from

• A location within walking distance of all Royal Tunbridge Wells’s amenities

• Luxury kitchens with integrated appliances & quartz worktops

• Secluded development with views onto woodland

• A separate utility room and underfloor heating in the townhouses

• Electric car charging points to all townhouses

• Outdoor space to all homes

Ready to move into – don’t miss out!

Apartments priced from £575,000 Townhouses priced from £950,000

CALL TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TO VIEW

01892 511211

Bishops Down Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 8FS

Modern living in the heart of the Kent countryside

Over the last few months, the cost of energy has been in the forefront of our minds. Although homeowners can decide where to make improvements around the home, tenants often don’t have this freedom. Yet that doesn’t mean improvements and savings can’t be made. James Richards, Partner of award-winning Sales and Lettings Agent, Maddisons Residential, provides some thoughtful tips for tenants.

BERKELEY Homes has just launched Farmstead, its new gated development in Cranbrook. Comprising 28 three- and fourbedroom houses, alongside a five-bedroom farmhouse, the homes are inspired by Kentish architecture and set within beautiful mature landscaping.

The homes at Farmstead have been thoughtfully designed, with high-quality internal specifications. Each home benefits from a spacious garden, as well as allocated parking with provision for electric car-charging points.

Quaint

Boasting a rural setting, residents can enjoy three ponds and a children’s play area, all set within additional planting.

Something of a hidden gem, Cranbrook is a quaint town in the heart of Kent, with an abundance of everyday amenities, including an artisanal farm shop selling local produce, a family-owned butcher and a Post Office – perfect for everyday essentials.

The town offers plenty of places to eat and drink, including the stylish George Hotel & Brasserie, alongside a suite of boutique cafés and cosy pubs.

Thanks to an array of convenient transport connections, residents at Farmstead will be able to stay closely connected to nearby towns, including Staplehurst and Tunbridge Wells, with the bus stop located just 0.1 miles away. From Staplehurst station residents will be able to reach London Bridge in under an hour thanks to frequent and direct rail services.

Prices start at £630,000 for a three-bedroom house. For more on Farmstead visit: farmsteadtannersbrook.co.uk

There are many ways to improve the energy consumption of a rental property. Currently Landlords must ensure properties they let achieve an EPC rating of E or above, changing to a rating of C or above in 2025. So, until then, following these steps could bring you some quick wins.

In the kitchen, keeping the freezer fully stocked helps it operate more efficiently. When cooking in the oven, consider cooking several meals at the same time, or batch cooking on the hob. Save or freeze the extra meals for another day to microwave when you need them. Or invest in an air fryer – they cook food in a fraction of the time.

If you have a dishwasher, only use it when it’s full, which may mean it does not run every day in small households. And when boiling the kettle, only fill to the level you need, to save on wattage.

When washing clothes, fill the washing machine and wash at 30 degrees instead of 40. And when drying clothes, using an airer is better than drying them on a radiator or using a tumble dryer, which are notoriously costly to run.

Reducing your thermostat by a degree and using radiator thermostatic valves to control individual room temperatures will save money. Your landlord may consider having these fitted, so do ask. Also ask to reduce drafts with draft excluder tape, hanging thicker curtains and closing curtains at night.

Lastly, check with your landlord or your letting agent if you can change to LED lightbulbs, as they last so much longer than traditional bulbs, and turn lights off when you leave a room.

It’s good to choose this Tunbridge Wells

AN ESTATE agent in Tunbridge Wells is taking a new and refreshing approach to selling and letting homes.

The Good Estate Agent is part of The Good Estate network of estate and lettings agents – one of the most exciting brands in the industry.

Attention

Suzie Wakeman from The Good Estate Agent said: “With interest rates on the rise and other factors at play, the market is very different from a year ago. It pays to use an agent that gives you

the time and energy you and your property deserve. At The Good Estate Agent we don’t overstretch ourselves so we can truly give you the attention required.

“We work the hours that suit you – not just 9 to 5. Evening valuations and viewings are tailored to suit the vendor and landlord, buyer and tenant. We are always available and

agent

happy to chat out of office hours.” Managing checks and references are key, Ms Wakeman added.

“We work to fully reference any tenant as well as organise all the relevant paperwork.

“We work extremely hard to progress the sale, with regular contact with solicitors and updates to vendors and buyers. This is particularly important in the current market.”

For more details, visit: thegoodestateagenttunbridgewells. co.uk

SUZIE WAKEMAN

First impressions count when buying

IT PAYS to make improvements to outside spaces when selling your home, according to a Tunbridge Wells-based landscape gardener.

Tim Sykes of Gardenproud says that you should at least consider smartening up the front garden and driveway.

“There are also basics, such as repointing a rear terrace and tidying up the beds close to the house,” he says.

“Consider also replanting pots and adding a splash of colour. Don’t forget to cut the grass, if your mower will do lines then so much the better!

Changes

“Clients sometimes tell me that they chose the house because of the garden. Since the Covid lockdown, it’s been an important consideration for us all,” he adds.

“My wife says she won’t let me look at a house unless it’s got a south-facing garden, but we’ve lived in a number of properties with gardens facing north.

“West- or south-facing is good, but don’t worry too much about the orientation. If it feels right and you love the house, then you are on to a winner.”

Tim says there are some important things to consider when making changes to your new garden.

“Landscaping costs increase according to how sloped and uneven a garden is, while terraces and walls can involve planning permission.”

He says it is always wise to set aside some money to invest in improvements.

“Having a plan for the garden is a good starting point, so it’s often worth the investment of hiring a garden designer early in your budgeting and improvement cycle.”

For further information, contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820 or visit: gardenproud.co.uk

selling a house

TIM SYKES

Interest rates could ‘remain flat’ for the rest of

Handelsbanken’s Nick Green assesses the financial landscape

THE BANK of England has had a difficult year, with inflation moving ever further above its 2% target. While we assume energy prices will not increase further, and that core goods inflation drops while inflation falls rapidly over the course of 2023, we also predict that inflation will prove stickier than the Bank of England currently assumes.

Pressures

The battle to lower inflation has meant that interest rates, which are already above their natural level of 2.5%, have risen again by 0.5% to 4%. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to increase rates on the basis that the labour market remains tight, and domestic price and wage pressures have remained stronger than expected, suggesting

domestic-led inflation is proving more persistent. Handelsbanken believes that interest rates will remain flat across 2023, or possibly increase by a further 0.25% at the next MPC meeting in March, but look to return to 4% by year end. The markets are also pricing in that rates will be at 4% by year end.

In the personal mortgage market, fixed rates have continued to fall since the turn of the new year by as much as 0.6% on the shorter-dated deals. Longer-term fixed rates remain more competitive, with a five-year fix currently around 0.35% cheaper than a two-year deal.

In a dynamic market it is important to take advice based on your own personal financial situation.

Contact our team of mortgage advisors on 01892 547702 or tunbridgewells@ handelsbanken.co.uk

Jack Charles make themselves at home in Tunbridge Wells

FOLLOWING the successful opening of the Jack Charles Estate Agents at 6 London Road, the team has told the Times how they are settling in.

Managing Director and Co-founder James Hincks says: “We’re delighted to be in such a visible location in the town and pleased that so many local residents have popped in to say hello. In this increasingly virtual and digital world, it is lovely to feel so welcome and to meet people face to face.”

Co-founder Marisa Kidd adds: “As an independent we have been able to establish more personal values within the business, values that allow our team to invest in relationships and deliver what our clients need, without corporate performance pressures.

“We pride ourselves on offering clients a more

comprehensive and personalised agency service. It’s a competitive estate agency market and we want to stand out from the crowd,” she adds.

Service

When Jack Charles first opened in Tonbridge, they offered a special introductory sales fee of 0.5% plus vat. James hasn’t ruled out out trying the same in Tunbridge Wells.

“Special rates can be fun to run with and it’s something to consider. That said, I would always encourage an open conversation about service and fees with our valuers,” he says.

Jack Charles can be contacted on 01892 320330 or visit: jackcharles.co.uk

NICK GREEN

HOME FROM HOME

The team at Jack Charles Tunbridge Wells

Picture: Shutterstock

Showcase success at Build It Live for SJM

How are parents keeping up with high household bills?

WHEN you have young children, trying to keep household bills down is a difficult task, particularly during the winter months.

Early years education provider Busy Bees found nearly half (44%) of parents have made personal sacrifices to save energy, in order to avoid making changes that could impact their children.

Some were considering eating the same meals they make for their offspring, to avoid having to cook twice, while others prioritised heating their child’s bedroom over the rest of the home.

“We know it’s a worrying time for everyone this winter,” says Sarah Robertson, environmental manager at Busy Bees (busybeeschildcare.co.uk). “Many parents will be searching for ways to reduce consumption wherever they can. They will be trying to keep families warm, with as little impact on children as possible.”

efficient.

The website also features suggestions for anyone thinking about turning their boiler flow temperature down to save costs.

If someone is worried about paying their energy bill, they should contact their supplier as soon as possible. Suppliers must work with customers to agree payment plans they can afford, under regulator Ofgem’s rules.

Benefits

Charities such as Citizens Advice and StepChange may also be able to help.

PROJECT management firm SJM had a successful weekend at Build It Live at the Kent County Show Ground on February 4-5. The company showcased the services they offer across all corners of the business.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “With many people asking questions on a wide range of topics across the residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural world, we used the breadth of our knowledge and experience to help visitors further their projects or businesses. “Contacts were made with potential future clients and other visitors were provided with

much-needed assistance and advice to further develop their proposals. The opportunity to network and increase awareness for SJM was invaluable,” the spokesperson added. SJM welcomes the opportunity to speak to anyone about their projects, answer questions, or provide no obligation quotations for their services.

If you have any questions relating to extensions, conversions, new build plots, outbuildings, land division or development, contact SJM on 01892 882228 or visit: sjmprojects.com

When it came to bedtime routines, one in five (21%) parents had made changes specifically to their child’s routine, to reduce energy consumption, the survey of more than 1,000 parents found.

The Energy Saving Trust website (energysavingtrust.org.uk) has a calculator to help people review the energy set-up in their home, and suggests solutions to make it more

If you’re pregnant or have a baby, you can find out about the benefits available at the government-backed MoneyHelper.org.uk Information about the range of government cost-of-living support available, including the energy price guarantee and many other support schemes, can be found at Help For Households (helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk).

It’s also vital to stay safe when looking to save money around the home – and not turn to heating appliances that could be dangerous. Charity Electrical Safety First (electricalsafetyfirst. org.uk) has tips for saving money safely.

If using second-hand electricals, the charity recommends sticking to brands you know and trust, and buying from reputable retailers, with systems in place to ensure that products being re-sold are safe.

A sought-after address in Royal Tunbridge Wells

FORMERLY part of the Spa Hotel, The Glade is a luxury new development comprised of five, 4-bedroom townhouses and four, 2/3-bedroom apartments. Each home benefits from high-quality kitchens with integrated appliances and quartz worktops, and contemporary bathroom suites. The townhouses also feature separate utility rooms and all properties have outdoor space.

The fantastic Mount Ephraim location means that Tunbridge Wells Common, the train station and The Pantiles, including its excellent boutique shops and awardwinning restaurants, are all within walking distance. Plus, it’s only a stone’s throw from the Spa Hotel and its restaurants, spa and leisure club. This exclusive new development is tucked away and surrounded by open space, and each home has views on to woodland. Yet it is only minutes from the town centre and train station. These properties are ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, while still having London easily accessible.

Prices for the apartments start at £575,000, while the townhouses start at £950,000.

To book an appointment to view, call Wood & Pilcher on 01892 511211.

‘These properties are ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, while still having London easily accessible’

‘Many parents will be searching for ways to reduce consumption. They will be trying to keep families warm with as little impact on children as possible’

SARAH ROBERTSON

Downsizing provides an alternative way to reduce bills as the cost-of-living bites

WITH the cost-of-living on the rise and the current cold snap tempting people to fiddle with their thermostats, recent research by Churchill Retirement Living found that 63% of retired adults in the United Kingdom are choosing to wear an extra layer of clothing instead of heating their home, whilst 57% are turning down their heating in a bid to reduce the cost of their outgoings as the cost-of-living continues to soar. Nationwide, 50% of all over 60s surveyed said that they are cutting down on socialising with friends and 14% believe that they could get by for 6 months before being financially burdened by the cost-of-living crisis, according to the OnePoll data.

Struggling

However, for those who are struggling to keep up with the household bills and are tired of wearing that extra layer of clothing, downsizing to the brand-new energy-efficient apartments at Churchill can mean that retirees no longer need to worry about turning off the lights or turning the heating down as the apartments offer a more manageable and low-maintenance home and could also potentially save the homeowner on average around £2,300* per year.

Churchill’s Chairman and CEO Spencer J McCarthy said: “The cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, and it doesn’t discriminate by age. People in all walks of life are feeling the pinch and as our research has shown, those who have retired may not be as likely to have a mortgage, but they are certainly seeing the price of everyday outgoings rise like everyone else.

“As a result, people are looking at new ways of maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. It’s only natural to weigh up your options when finding yourself in living in the current financial landscape. And downsizing your home is one

Landlords – consider all options before selling

MANY of the attractions of becoming a landlord have been disappearing recently, but a Tunbridge Wells letting agent is urging landlords to think carefully before selling up.

Becky Moran, Managing Director of TN Lettings says: “Landlords can no longer offset their mortgage interest against tax and there are other changes in legislation, including a rumoured removal of Section 21 eviction notices.

Return

option that can make life a little easier financially by reducing maintenance and household bills while maintaining a great quality of life and the opportunity to make new friends.

“It can be difficult to think about moving from somewhere you have lived for years, but actually it can be an extremely positive step to help you maintain your independence for longer.”

Churchill Retirement Living owners are able to benefit from a Guest Suite designed to give a space for friends and family to visit, as well as a communal Owners’ Lounge with a coffee bar leading to a beautiful, landscaped garden allowing retirees the opportunity to never lose their chance to socialise and enjoy their retirement.

To find out more about the benefits of downsizing to reduce your household costs and enjoy a relaxing retirement, visit: churchillretirement.co.uk

“Add to this that properties will have to meet a minimum EPC rating of C from the end of 2025, along with the likelihood of more interest-rate rises and buy-to-let properties may no longer make financial sense for many landlords,” she adds.

“However, it has long been said that the safest place to invest money is in bricks and mortar. If you’re in it for the long haul, there’s a still good chance you’ll make an excellent return.”

TN Lettings has seen a 10% reduction in landlords in the last three months, but the need for rental properties hasn’t reduced.

“There will be a slowdown in the number of buy-to-let properties entering the market, making it harder than ever to find a rental property in the local area,” Ms Moran explains.

“But selling your buy-to-let property isn’t your only option. There are certain things you can do before selling up, so it’s always worth speaking to your letting agent.”

Call TN Lettings on 01892 249070 or visit tnlettings.co.uk to see how you can keep your investment property making money for you.

Life &Times

Murder, she wrote

Agatha Christie classic at Trinity Theatre… Arts P36

‘It truly is one of the best Agatha Christie plays…’

Trinity Theatre Club will perform its production of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution from Wednesday March 1 to March 4. Here the show’s director Sandra Barfield tells Eileen Leahy all about this compelling Whodunnit

Why did you decide to do Witness for the Prosecution as a production?

That is quite a complex question really. A director probably has about five plays that they’d really like to direct and then it is down to what would fit in the theatrical season. Do you need a comedy or tragedy?

Agatha Christie is a well-known author, it is a great play and I just love the plot, it’s one of my favourites!

What’s the play about?

Without giving too much away I can say that it is set mainly in a courtroom, and deals with the arrest and prosecution of one Leonard Vole, who is accused of

murdering Emily French, a rich widow, on October 14, 1953.

What do you think people love most about it?

I think that both the play and the film have a naturalistic feel. You can believe in the characters – especially Leonard Vole. The courtroom setting, the witnesses – it all feels so real and of course [very much] of its time. The ending then is a shock!

Agatha Christie’s original book was also made into a film in the fifties. Can you tell us a bit about this?

The original 1957 film with Charles Laughton as Sir Wilfred Robarts and Marlene Dietrich playing Vole’s wife was nominated for five awards, but actually won nothing. I think this was partly because of the secrecy surrounding the end of the film…

What are the differences between the film and the play?

As always with a film, the dialogue is written by the screenwriters, and they can enhance the story a little. Billy Wilder, the director also helped write the screenplay for Witness. In the film for instance, they introduce a nurse (played by Charles Laughton’s wife Elsa Lancaster). The film made the stuffy Sir Wilfred a little funnier and gave some of the scenes a lighter touch. The play, however has to keep to the printed text that Agatha Christie wrote as you cannot change the words due to copyright laws.

‘Witness for the Prosecution is a true murder mystery that will have you guessing right up until the end of the play’

Photography by Jamie Craig

IN THE CHAIR

Emma Harrison plays Myers and David Adams (seated) is Sir Wilfred

Can you tell us about some of the characters?

There are some really lovely ones in this play! Crown Prosecuter, Myers QC is always trying to win a case over Sir Wilfred. Their rivalry is beautifully written. But Janet MacKenzie, the housekeeper and companion to the late Mrs French, Greta the secretary of Sir Wilfred and Mr Mayhew Vole’s solicitor all have such great characteristics to draw on.

What appeals to you about the play and why do you think it’s still relevant today?

This is a difficult question without giving away the plot! I can’t really say much, but what I will say is the characters each have a really strong place in the story. It is a tale of hope, love and misplaced loyalty that is definitely still relevant today!

What do you think audiences will enjoy most about the play?

It is a Murder Mystery and you will sit there thinking did Vole actually do it or was it so and so? Or could it be…? So all I’ll say is you’ll have to come and see it to find out who the murderer is! But be warned – tickets are selling very fast!

Have you made any key changes to the play’s casting?

I have made one change and that is to cast Myers as a woman. At the time it is set there were very few women at the bar. There were female barristers as early as 1919 but did they have to jump through hoops to get there!

How many actors are in the production and are they local?

There are 17 actors in the production, with some familiar faces and some new ones too. Some are former professional actors while others are home grown. They are all from around the local area, so all community based. Who’d want to travel too far to rehearsals?!

Were there any tricky elements to staging this piece?

There are always going to be tricky elements to staging any piece but in this case, it is because it is set in a courtroom. You cannot just make a character walk across the stage to another area. A courtroom is rather static and I can’t play with the camera angles, so you have to make the best you can of the setting. The emphasis is then on the quality of acting and creating the tense atmosphere needed in a murder case. Keeping the audience guessing right to the end as to whom the killer is in itself very tricky!

What do you like about directing in general?

I think it is down to a love of acting in general. You and the cast work together to make a production work. You take the story and bring it to life. What can be better than that? I liken it to reading a story to a young child and watching their face as the tale unfolds. It’s pure magic.

Do you enjoy directing comedy or drama? Personally speaking I prefer drama but the challenge is comedy. To make people laugh is truly great!

Any final thoughts?

I just hope the audience love Witness for the Prosecution. It truly is one of the best Agatha Christie plays so a great one to see live…

Performances of Trinity Theatre Club’s Witness for the Prosecution run from March 1 to 4 at 7.30pm at Trinity Theatre and tickets cost £17. There is a special opening night offer of two tickets for £28. Use the code TTC2023 when booking at www.trinitytheatre.net

For more information on Trinity Theatre Club visit: www.trinitytheatreclub.co.uk

Free Consultation

Throughout February we are offering a free 1-hour consultation for new clients, at our offices in Tunbridge Wells, London and Guildford or online.

THE ACCUSED

Ashley Munson as Leonard Vole

Half Term fun

LASER TAGSOFT PLAY

Larger than life

EVER since its maiden screening, the film world has been raving about The Whale (2022), and in particular Brendan Fraser’s performance. So in order to find out if it lived up to the hype, I went along to see it.

The synopsis for this movie is a simple one. A morbidly obese, reclusive online teacher seeks to reconnect with his estranged daughter before it is too late.

MATTHEW DANN

The movie tries to add deeper levels – for example, there is a lost lover, and a subplot about the estranged wife and daughter – but all of these really just detract from the central story, rather than adding any real value.

Dominates

However, I can see why so many people are in awe of Brendan Fraser’s performance.

He plays Charlie – the ‘Whale’ of the title – and it is easy to see why there has been so much praise for the actor, better known for his wildly different roles in movies such as The Mummy and George and the Jungle.

Fraser dominates both the screen and the narrative, effortlessly portraying his character to the point that you could be forgiven for thinking that he is not even acting. At times it feels as though you are watching a documentary.

However, I am afraid to say that this is as far as this film went, for me.

I do not really want to linger on the performances and stories of the other

characters, as they really aren’t worth talking about much.

Sadie Sink plays Ellie, Charlie’s estranged daughter. Yet despite the importance of the estrangement to Charlie, I felt she was rather one-dimensional. Ellie is essentially a stroppy teen – in many ways similar to the character Sink plays in Stranger Things.

The character who shares most screen time with Brendan Fraser is his nurse, Liz, played by Hong Chau. And yet I did not feel any connection to her character, who added so little to the film.

The same can be said for Ty Simpkins who plays Thomas, the missionary who wants to save Charlie. He was something of an annoyance. All in all, I would have rather watched two hours of Brendan Fraser’s character alone on screen.

He carries the film so well, and his journey and story are worth investing time in, such that it feels unfortunate we have to suffer the other characters and pointless subplots of the film. If this film wins awards, let us be clear on one thing – it will be because of Brendan Fraser and him alone.

As a final thought, I have always avoided a scoring system, as I feel that each individual has their own likes and dislikes. I feel it worth noting, though, that the scores I have seen for this film are heavily inflated. The Whale is now showing at the Odeon, Tunbridge Wells.

Hosting suits everyone: single people, couples with or without children & retired people. We are seeking friendly and kind people who will provide the students with a warm, clean, safe and welcoming environment.

We welcome schools throughout the year including summer stays.The groups arrive on a Monday and stay 3 or 4 nights. Their busy schedules mean they are out all day from 7.30am – 7.00pm.

Hosting with ISE is a wonderful and enriching way to give young people the opportunity of a lifetime and to create unforgettable memories

Brendan Fraser’s performance fills the screen in The Whale – literally – and it would have been a much better film if that was the long and short of it, says Times reviewer Matthew Dann…

Make the most of the great outdoors this February half term at Bewl Water

By Molly Miller

SCHOOLS out for half term this week and Bewl Water, South East England’s largest reservoir, is leading the charge outdoors, offering something for the whole family. While car parking at the 800-acre site costs £6 for the whole day, most activities at Bewl Water are free to enjoy, helping to lower the cost of memorable days out during this school break.

There’s plenty to keep children entertained, including a brand-new adventure trail, Ranger Bear’s Winter Quest. Free maps can be collected from the dog-friendly Waterfront Café where hot drinks, snacks and ice cream are also served, which will guide families through the woodlands.

Playgrounds

To win the quest, children will need to collect clues, unscramble a hidden word and find Ranger Bear’s missing friends.

Other free activities include the nature reserve, bird hide and self-guided walking routes. They range from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours and have been colour-coded to suit a range of abilities.

Along each trail you’ll spot selfie frames and grazing animals, and pass two outdoor playgrounds which are also free to enjoy.

They are open from 8am to 5pm every day and help small children enhance their balance and agility skills.

The largest of the two, the adventure pirate ship features large slides and sweeping timber structures, while the smaller play

area is packed with climbing frames, a rocking boat, and a basket swing. For older children and adults, bring your bikes along or hire one to explore the cycle paths or head into the military-themed laser tag arena. Sessions can be pre-booked online for £15 per player and last 50 minutes. You’ll be geared up in the industry’s leading equipment and battle it out in three games: Team Death Match, Attack and Defend, and Protect the VIP. However, if the weather isn’t on your side

this half term you can head inside the Waterfront Café where you’ll find colouring sheets and crayons for a competition.

It’s free to enter and all drawings will be displayed on the wall of colouring fame before the winner is announced on social media (@bewlwater) on March 17.

While you’re there, parents can grab a coffee and a cake and book soft play, which is crammed with interactivity.

The multilevel structure is perfect for children under eight years old and has different play features where they can explore tunnels, make their way through the hanging snakes, and attempt the cargo net before running to the main attraction – the classic dual slide.

Soft play sessions last for one hour and cost £5 per child. (Adults and under-ones are free).

Lots to Love

From left to right: Qi Baishi (1864-1957), Bee and chrysanthemums paper scroll painting – £65,000 + fees. Late 19th century Chinese Export silver mug – £2,600 + fees. Lady’s steel and gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual wrist watch – £1,400 + fees. Baccarat millefiori glass paperweight, dated 1847 – £1,000 + fees.

1920’s pierced white gold and diamond cluster set brooch – £850 + fees.

PIRATE SHIP ADVENTURE PLAY

SOFT PLAY AREA

LASER TAG

Times Books Editor Victoria Roberts picks her three top reads for this week

On this week’s bookshelf, a Gothic mystery from Laura Purcell set in the theatreland of Victorian London, a tale of smuggling and swashbuckling in 18th-century Devon by Kim Sherwood, and Hanna Jameson’s New York-set pandemic drama…

The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell

Published in hardback by Raven Books, priced £14.99

A Wild & True Relation by Kim Sherwood

Published in hardback by Virago, priced £18.99

Are You Happy Now by Hanna Jameson

Published in hardback by Viking, priced £14.99

8/10

Set in Victorian London, this Gothic mystery novel sees Jenny Wilcox navigate tragedy, betrayal, dubious moral choices, and whispers of a mysterious mythical muse. The young woman, struggling to support her family, has her life turned upside down after she is hired by the wife of a West End theatre owner, to spy on their lead actress. Life seems to imitate art at The Mercury, a theatre specialising in tragic plays –and she had no idea what she was signing up for. Eerie throughout and surprisingly gory at times, this book is not for the fainthearted. Bursting with vibrant, believable characters and imagery that makes you feel like you’re there, the story will stay with you long after you put the book down.

Review by Abbie Llewelyn

Review by Hannah Colby

7/10

This book initially appears to be a swashbuckling romp through 18th-century Devon, with smugglers and swordfights aplenty – but while the tale of an orphaned girl, Molly, living as a boy on a ship is the main plot, there are plenty of undercurrents swirling beneath the surface. The storyline is engaging and characters are convincing and welldrawn; the author’s research is evident without a heavyhanded touch. However, this isn’t a quick or easy read. Molly’s story would have been enjoyable on its own as a romantic period adventure, but the author has attempted to broaden the scope of the book to deliver a message on the suppression and marginalisation of women’s voices in history. Whilst this is a brave and effective device, the switches between generations can be disconcerting and the pace slows considerably in certain sections; yet the need for resolution in the central tale ensures the reader never quite jumps ship. This is a book that requires investment, but ultimately proves a rewarding read.

HOUSE CALLS FOR FEBRUARY IN YOUR AREA

8/10

This book will make you want to throw it across a room… and then pick it back up again. The plot follows an unlikely group of friends navigating a pandemic in New York. The so-called catatonia becomes the talk of the city, as people begin to sit down and simply never get up. Every member of the group is going through their own troubles, and each chapter allows you to explore the mind of each individual. At times, this is a hard book to read, as the emotions they are going through can hit a little too close to home. But this is a testament to the fantastic writing, making the story so easy to relate to. There is a blend of romance with dystopian future in the plot, making it really different from anything you might have read before. A fantastic read.

Review by Randy Bainbridge

Motoring News

Lamborghini bids farewell to V12 engine with pair of new supercars

End of the road for Lambo V12 n Range Rover Velar gets update n Skoda sets ice drift record n

Range Rover Velar updated for 2023

LAMBORGHINI has called time on its famous naturally-aspirated V12 engine with a pair of one-off supercars.

The Invencible coupe and Autentica roadster both use the Italian firm’s 12-cylinder 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 which has become a calling card in many of Lamborghini’s famous models, but against tightening emissions regulations is being discontinued..

History

In both one-off vehicles, the V12 produces 769bhp, which sends that power to all four wheels via a seven-speed gearbox. Lamborghini hasn’t stated how quickly either model will accelerate, but it’s likely to be similar to the Aventador – upon which the pair are based –zero to 60mph time of 2.6 seconds.

“The V12 engine is one of the pillars of our history and our marque’s success,” said Stephan Winkelmann, chairman and CEO of Lamborghini.

“As we head towards embracing a new era of hybridisation at the heart of our strategy, this is

the Lamborghini way of celebrating the naturally aspirated V12 with two one-off vehicles that perfectly represent our concept of excellence in personalisation.

Both the Invencible and Autentica also pay homage to some of Lamborghini’s stand-out creations from the past, including the Sesto Elemento and the Veneno. It’s the former which gives both cars their large rear wing, while aerodynamic touches help reference the latter.

The duo are centred around the same carbon fibre monocoque used in the Aventador, while Lamborghini’s trademark hexagonal elements are used throughout in areas such as the front and rear light assembly.

Inside, the cabin has been stripped back as much as possible, with no instrumentation featuring on the dashboard whatsoever.

The Invencible features a ‘Rosso Efesto’ bodywork with contrast sills and doorframes finished in carbon, while the Autentica roadster incorporates a ‘Grigio Titans’ exterior shade with matt black details.

Lamborghini is expected to unveil its nextgeneration hybrid supercar ‘in the coming weeks’.

LAND Rover has revealed an updated version of its stylish Range Rover Velar, benefiting from a raft of new technology and a revised plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Slotting in the Range Rover line-up between the Evoque and Sport, the Velar arrived in 2017 and was last updated in 2021 with the addition of a P400e plug-in.

Hybrid

This hybrid model has now been updated further and boasts a larger 19.2kWh battery, up from 13.6kWh, which allows it to travel for up to 40 miles on electricity, placing it in a lower company car tax bracket than before.

The P400e can also now rapid-charge at 50kW, substantially reducing charging times to 30 minutes for an 80% charge.

Skoda takes new world records with Enyaq ice drift

SKODA has set two new ice drifting world records with its Enyaq iV vRS electric SUV.

The records, which Guinness World Records has independently verified, were set with motoring journalist Richard Meaden behind the wheel on a circular track atop a frozen lake in Krokom, Sweden.

The first record was for the longest continuous vehicle drift on ice, which saw the Enyaq iV vRS driven for 4.568 miles while performing one controlled slide. It beat the previous record of 3.872 which was set in China in 2022.

Sliding

To achieve this, the car was sliding for more than 15 minutes in total while it completed the drift circle 39 times during the period, reaching a top speed of 30.25mph in the process. It also travelled at 19.66mph at its slowest point. In breaking the first record, the Enyaq also set a second record for the ‘longest continuous vehicle drift on ice (electric car)’.

Special winter tyres incorporating 600 x 5mm studs on the front and shorter 2mm studs at the rear, helped the car drive more effectively. A total of 18 hours of drifting were put across a five-day period in order to achieve the record-breaking feat.

The Enyaq iV vRS is powered by dual electric motors – one on the front axle and another at the rear – which combine to produce 295bhp and deliver a 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds. It is also able to deliver all 460Nm of torque instantly, helping give it enough power to achieve controllable drifts in the sub-zero temperatures.

There’s also a choice of a D200 or D300 diesel, both featuring mild-hybrid technology, as well as a P250 petrol version.

In terms of design, the Velar gets a small refresh to bring it more in line with the latest Range Rover, including a revised grille and new slim LED headlights, featuring adaptive ‘pixel’ technology offering improved vision without dazzling others on the road. There are darker exterior accents throughout too, along with a revised rear bumper.

The cabin sees the addition of a 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen, which debuts a brand new operating system for Range Rover, along with a more minimalist look.

Elsewhere, there are new seats available in additional colours, with customers still able to choose a vegan, leather-free upholstery.

The updated Range Rover Velar is now available to order, with prices starting from £54,045.

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