Times of Tunbridge Wells 1st March 2023

By Lilly Croucher

THE town centre is on the path to a ‘noticeable recovery’ from the days of the pandemic and is to receive a further boost with the creation of work hubs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

A planning application from Town Square proposes the company leases two-thirds of the Town Hall in Tunbridge Wells to create office space for 40 SMEs and more than 80 sole traders, plus event spaces and a café.

The Director of Finance, Policy, and Development at TWBC, Lee Colyer told the Times this week: “The town centre is

undergoing a noticeable recovery, with previously empty premises being repurposed, new facilities opening and

occupies a prominent site and through this co-working announcement it will make a far greater economic contribution to the town centre through longer hours of operation and a diverse range of businesses using the civic site.

with more people around through changing work habits.”

Mr Colyer explained: “The Town Hall

“This exciting development for the Council provides an opportunity for cost savings and increased income. Additionally, there are benefits for the wider town community with the increased footfall that will come from businesses locating in this important site in the centre of the town.”

PRETENDERS TO HEADLINE BLACK DEER The legendary rock band are joining the stellar line-up at this year’s Eridge Park festival along with Bonnie Raitt– Full story page 3

‘When

support people to start their own enterprises and help them grow, you start to build something special’

CHRISSIE HYNDE

Local teachers and ambulance workers set to strike once more

By Lilly Croucher

THOUSANDS of students will be missing classes again tomorrow (March 2) as teachers walk out if a planned strike goes ahead.

Last month (February 1) an estimated 7,000 school students from secondary schools Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, The Skinner’s’ School, St Gregory’s, Bennett Memorial Diocesan and primaries including Claremont, St Mark’s and St Matthew’s were affected by the strikes.

It is not known if the same schools will be impacted again as teachers are under no obligation to notify their schools if they are striking.

Budget

Local members from the National Education Union (NEU) will be joined by teachers in London and the South West, as they demand a fully-funded pay rise above inflation that does not come from the schools budget.

It comes as teachers were offered a five per cent pay rise from the Government –seven per cent behind inflation – and which the NEU has called a real-terms pay cut.

Three weeks ago, the Times reported on the first teachers’ strike, which saw around 200 members attend a march through the town centre from Calverley Grounds to the Millennium Clock.

Teachers in Tunbridge Wells are planning to walk out again on March 15 and 16.

Meanwhile, 11,000 ambulance workers across England and Wales will be walking out on Monday (March 6) including 3,500 members from South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) in its biggest action yet.

Members of the GMB union will not be turning up for work on Monday and will instead be picketing their stations, including the Paddock Wood Make Ready centre in Eldon Way.

Ambulance workers were offered a four per cent pay rise – an additional £1,400 per worker – but it was rejected by the union who want a figure closer to inflation.

The 14-hour strike from 12pm on March 6 to

2am on March 7, is the fifth strike undertaken by the GMB union in the last month, with their previous day of action being only last Monday (February 20).

Their next day of action will be March 20.

The NHS has seen some of the biggest strike action in its 75-year history and could now be under more scrutiny as junior doctors announce the dates of their 72-hour strike.

On February 21, 98 per cent of members from the British Medical Association (BMA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of action, which is expected to take place on March 13, 14 and 15.

Town hall to host co-working space

Continued from front page

Town Square creates work hubs within existing spaces and supports remote workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs as they grow their businesses. They have work hubs in North Wales, Oxfordshire, West Sussex, Cardiff, Devon, Herefordshire, and London.

Community Director at Town Square Spaces, Jamie McGowan, told the Times: “When people work local, they shop local – and that’s just one way to benefit our economies.

“When you then support people to start their own enterprises and help them grow, you start to build something special.

“That’s what we’ve done across the country, and it’s what we hope to do in this incredible space at the heart of Tunbridge Wells.”

In their plans, Town Square proposes to lease 19,800 sq ft of the building as co-working space, including offices, meeting rooms and even the Council chamber. They aim to provide a range of co-working facilities, including conference, event and studio spaces for freelancers and small businesses. There will also be a café on the ground floor to ‘support the community and Council staff and encourage the general public to come and explore what is on offer’.

The co-working space will also allow access to the outside courtyard.

Mr McGowan continued: “There is already a strong network of local businesses in Tunbridge Wells and with a Council that understands the impact local, flexible workspace that supports grassroots enterprise can make, we knew we would have the opportunity to make a difference.

“Once we were able to take a look at the Town Hall – the potential was obvious – who wouldn’t want to work in such a beautiful building?”

Town Square hopes the work hub will give the Mount Pleasant Road building ‘a new lease of life’ as they provide office space as well as business support through training and workshops.

Hybrid

During the Covid-19 lockdown, many Council staff started working from home and as a result less office space is being used in the Town Hall.

Over the last year the Council has made changes in the building to free up disused offices and transform rooms into collaborative working spaces as workers moved towards hybrid working.

According to Town Square’s plans: “The building will not see an increase in footfall when the building is fully staffed by the Council, but the type of footfall will change. We anticipate when at 85 per cent capacity there will be approximately 40 micro/SMEs and 80 plus pre-start and sole traders using the facility.”

The remaining areas of the Town Hall that will be kept by the Council will be the security rooms, the museum, the vaults, and the first-floor corridor looking onto The Amelia Scott.

They will have shared access to the Council chamber and committee rooms which will be available to be booked for conferences and events as well as council meetings.

The Grade-II listed building will need heritage documentation to approve the changes. Town Square said that consultations with the Council and the heritage team will take place to ‘ensure listed building consent in received before any works are commenced’.

PICKET LINE Staff at TWGGS on strike last month

End of the road for Delaney’s food truck

STREET food van Delaney’s announced its closure last week.

Started as a pancake café on Camden Road in 2018 by Ed Delaney and Rosie Holley, the business later moved on to four wheels, with the vintage Citroën a familiar sight in the area.

The couple announced their decision on Thursday (February 23), in an Instagram post thanking customers for making their business a ‘blast’.

“We are sad to say with a heavy heart that we have had to call it a day on the food truck,” said Ed and Rosie.

“We want to say a huge thank you to all of our customers, your support means the world to us!”

Town’s jazz club set to sound its final note

THE Tunbridge Wells Jazz Club is to welcome Pete Rudeforth’s Jazz Club 4 for one of its final concerts.

This Friday at 7:30pm, the Masonic Hall will see one of the last three concerts.

Publicity manager Ann Best told the Times: “The TWJC has brought some of the finest Jazz musicians to play live and varied jazz for many years.

“It is no longer viable, but lovers of live jazz should come to enjoy the last few concerts that we can put on this year.”

Tickets £16, on door or from ticketsource.co.uk

Full Council to vote on bills, budget and bins

COUNCILLORS will vote this evening (Wednesday March 1) on the recommended budget and financial planning for the short and medium term, including the proposed rise in council tax and waste contract.

As the Times reported on February 15, the Borough’s share of Council Tax could rise by 2.95 per cent from April 1, adding £5.71 to a Band D property’s bill.

Kent County Council has already approved a 4.995 per cent rise in its portion of the Council Tax bill.

Today is secondary school offer day

THOUSANDS of schoolchildren across Kent and beyond will receive their secondary school offers today (March 1).

Parents must accept or refuse the offer directly with the school by Wednesday March 15 – even they decide to appeal against the allocation.

Kent County Council said accepting the place offered ‘will not affect your appeal and will guarantee your child has a school place if your appeal is unsuccessful’.

Cocaine dealer jailed after house searched

A DRUG dealer has been jailed after a quantity of cocaine and thousands of pounds in cash was seized from a house in Tunbridge Wells. Ben Freeman, 37, of Goods Station Road, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property [the cash]. Cocaine and £7,000 in cash were recovered from a property search on April 21, 2022 by the Tunbridge Wells Community Policing Team.

Of the £7,000 cash, Freeman said £350 was for his partner’s cake baking hobby and £475 came from selling cigarettes to work colleagues.

On February 23, Freeman was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to two years and four months in prison.

Pretenders are talk of the town

By Sarah Carter

ROCK & ROLL Hall of Famers the Pretenders are to join an already high-profile line-up at this summer’s Black Deer festival, organisers announced last week.

The Pretenders were formed in the UK in March 1978 by American and English musicians, and are fronted by US singer and guitarist Chrissie Hynde. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and has recorded UK number ones with the single ‘Brass In Pocket’ in 1979 and album ‘Pretenders’ in 1980. Meanwhile, it was also announced that Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones will make his first festival performance with his new band, Far From Saints, which he formed with Patty Lynn of The Wind and The Wave.

His Welsh rock band Stereophonics topped the UK charts with 2005 single ‘Dakota’, have had eight number one albums and are known for the songs ‘Just Looking’, ‘Maybe Tomorrow’, ‘C’est La Vie’ and ‘Have a Nice Day’.

Audience

Last month, Far From Saints released ‘Let’s Turn This Back Around’ and are set to debut their new Americana album at Black Deer Festival.

Jones said: “Really looking forward to getting on stage and performing these brand-new Far From Saints songs in front of a new audience –and we will be in the company of some amazing Americana artists.

“The festival is set to be a fantastic weekend

and we can’t wait.”

The other acts announced last Thursday include Grammy-winner Lukas Nelson, who performs with a band as Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real, country musician Steve Earle, Americana duo Bear’s Den, American singersongwriter Kurt Vile and his indie rock band The Violators, Americana band Midlake and folk-rock band This Is The Kit.

Previously, American blues singer, guitarist and 13-time Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt, Arizona-based indie band Calexico and Canadian singer-songwriter and activist Allison Russell were among those confirmed for the festival.

Black Deer Festival takes place at Eridge Park on June 16-18. Tickets are on sale at: blackdeerfestival.com/tickets

Bewl wins year-long fight on fishing lodge

By Alice Reece

PROPOSALS to convert a derelict fishing lodge at Bewl Water in Lamberhurst into four holiday apartments have been approved.

It follows a 12-month appeal against the decision of the Wealden District Council who rejected the original application over ‘ecological concerns’. However, a government inspector has ruled in favour of the reservoir, concluding that the smallscale development ‘would not adversely impact on the integrity of the protected European site’.

Appeal

The appeal gave the go-ahead to extend and change the use of the fishing lodge to form four, one-bed tourist units. The building, which has been vacant since 2016 had been used to support fishing at the reservoir.

Operations Manager, Kevin Parker said: “The proposed development aims to conserve the fishing lodge through small-scale restorations to encourage greater long-term spending within the surrounding area and contribute to local tourism accommodation, which the Council indicate there is presently an identified shortage.

“We still find ourselves dealing with the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis – travel afar is still very much off the table for many people, especially with rising living costs and the tourist board continues to tell me that there’s not enough quality accommodation in the area.

“Services need to be stepped up to keep pace with rising expectations, and to protect the future of Bewl Water as both a visitor attraction and haven for wildlife.”

Home to hundreds of species, Bewl Water spends over £1.3 million annually running and maintaining the estate, which includes ongoing

biodiversity schemes.

These play a huge role in maintaining the reservoir’s natural ecosystem and include shoaling measures and conservation grazing.

As part of the appeal decision, the planning inspector said: “The appellant [Bewl Water] has carried out all the required ecological assessments that have been subject to the Council’s Biodiversity Officer consideration.”

To address ecology issues during construction, Bewl Water says fencing and dust coverings will be used throughout, protecting the woodland close by and its native wildlife. They have also provided bird counts as part of the appeal.

Head Ranger Daniel Baker said: “We understand that Bewl Water is treasured by the local community as a unique and beautiful landscape.

“Since submitting the planning application, we have increased our ranger team to ensure we are adequately prepared to care for our local wildlife throughout the development, which of course will put a higher demand on our protection efforts.”

The proposals also consider the conservation of the landscape by protecting the buildings unique features and reducing light pollution.

The renovations to the lodge will use the same external materials of metal and timber to enhance its original character, while also limiting light pollution using controlled and directional low lighting.

Bewl Water says it is now working towards ensuring all conditions outlined in the appeal decision are met and will submit a scheme for the enhancement of the site for biodiversity.

BONNIE RAITT

FAR FROM SAINTS

DERELICT The fishing lodge at Bewl Water

DERBY DAY

The Soapbox Stars race

Two headline sponsors sign up to support Soapbox Stars race

THE ANNUAL charity go-kart race in Dunorlan Park has secured two headline sponsors to ensure the race goes ahead with maximum impact.

Insurers NFU Mutual Tunbridge Wells signed on the dotted line to support the race which was launched in 2018 by local PR Nicole Piesse Turner.

NFU Mutual partner Shaun Joubert said: “As a business owner who has participated in the Tunbridge Wells Soapbox Stars over the years, I have seen first-hand the tremendous impact it has on our community.

Excited

“Not only does it support many local charities, but it also brings families and teams together for a day of fun and bonding. That’s why we are excited to take our involvement to the next level and become a headline sponsor of this fantastic event.”

Staff would be entering the circuit with the company’s own ‘Wallace & Gromit’ style go-kart

The Forum receives grant from grassroots music venues scheme

By Victoria Roberts

THE FORUM has received a grant of over £4,000 for ‘futureproofing’ upgrades, thanks to a music charity’s ‘pipeline’ fund for small venues and the grassroots music and artists they support.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) set up the Pipeline Investment Fund in 2022, to ‘secure the longterm future’ of what it called ‘iconic’ grassroots music venues, naming the Tunbridge Wells Forum, among others.

Difference

on the circuit, to raise money for the Hospice in the Weald, as well as The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre and Mental Health Resource.

The second headline sponsor, The Stoner Motor Company, also pointed to a proud tradition of supporting local charities and community initiatives.

Managing Director Dean Stoner said: “As a family-owned business that has been based in Tunbridge Wells since 1974, it was important to us to give back to the local community and this event allows us to do that whilst having fun and bringing people together from all walks of life.”

In addition to its support for the main race, the Stoner Motor Company is also raising funds for Demelza Kent, which offers hospice care for children.

MVT’s CEO Mark Davyd, who is also Co-Owner and Co-Founder of The Forum, said: “The Pipeline Investment Fund proves what we have been saying for some time – small amounts of money, sensibly invested, can make a real difference to grassroots music venues.

“This fund is essential for artists and audiences, improving the places they love and ensuring that they are keeping up to date with the latest equipment, training, access and sustainability opportunities.

“We hope the industry will seize the opportunity to get involved.”

Venues can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for small capital projects or staff development.

The Forum received its grant of £4,324.17 earlier this month, which it confirmed had paid for a new amplifier to run the PA, as well as replacing an ageing system to improve and secure production.

a community space.

“The grant has allowed us to make the necessary upgrades to the venue, futureproofing our sound system for the next few years. We can be very flexible with our offerings to touring shows, theatre, art exhibitions and immersive audio productions with the new amp.

“The purchase of the drum shield not only improves the sound for customers, but also improves monitoring onstage and will help bring the overall level in the venue down.”

The Pipeline Investment Fund was established with the support of members of the Music Venues Alliance, primarily funded by donations from ticket sales of MVT’s recent ‘Revive Live’ programme of gigs around the UK, in partnership with The National Lottery.

Food larders struggling as veg shortage hits shops

By Lilly Croucher

FOOD larders in Tunbridge Wells have been hit hard as they struggle to get basic supplies of vegetables due to shortages that have left supermarkets shelves empty.

There are six food larders across the town, which support hundreds of people each week by providing surplus food from supermarkets in return for a small donation of £2-£3. Unlike food banks, you do not need a referral to attend a food larder.

However, due to extreme weather in Spain and Europe, a reduced supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers has left UK supermarkets such as Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi having to limit their items.

Reduction

The shortages in the shops have affected residents across the Borough, particularly those using food larders, which have seen a significant reduction in donated items.

Jan Anderson, leader of St Matt’s Community Larder, explained how the larder is struggling to get fresh produce and how it is now ‘rationing’ its packages.

She told the Times: “It’s been really difficult. Over the past few weeks, we have definitely seen a lack of salad stuff. I couldn’t buy broccoli, cauliflower, or any vegetables for the larder, even potatoes are quite short.

“Just a month ago we could give away a handful of carrots and however many potatoes people wanted, but now we’re having to tell a family of four they can only have four carrots and three potatoes and if they’re on their own it’s one potato and two carrots.”

Food larders are having to pay more for food to subsidise what they don’t get from supermarkets, with St Matt’s paying 15 times the

amount they did a couple months ago.

“We used to spend around £20 a week on extra supplies [to top up the supermarket surplus], now we’re spending £250-£300 a week buying in stuff because the surplus from supermarkets has diminished so much,” she said.

St Matt’s Community Larder opened in November 2020 in response to the Covid-19 lockdowns to support those who were struggling on furlough.

Jan explained how it began. “We thought this was going to be a lockdown project to help people on furlough, where we saw maybe 50-60 people a week, but now we are seeing over 90 people and hit 107 just a few weeks ago.

“Without these donations and the supermarket surplus, we wouldn’t be able to keep going, we cannot sustain paying hundreds of pounds a

week for food especially with the increase in demand.”

“We are increasingly seeing working people who you would think are quite affluent but are now struggling to pay their mortgages. One lady told me she is having to buy food on her credit cards.

“The soaring cost of energy, mortgages and now food has come as a bit of a triple whammy with people now struggling to cope.

“In the coming weeks I think it will be even more difficult and I wonder if the wholesalers who donate to us are going to start having problems and what that means for us.”

John Payne, Team Leader at Tunbridge Wells Baptist Church Community Larder echoed Jan’s concerns as they also struggle to purchase items.

He told the Times: “The food shortages are becoming a real problem for us, particularly over the last two months where we have seen our supply of donations really diminish.

“We received £2,500 from the council’s Community Support Fund and we are using it to buy most of the food in the larder, but we are struggling to even do that because there is nothing in the supermarkets.”

HELP ON HAND

If you need help or you would like to donate, community larders can be found at:

The Tunbridge Wells Baptist Church: Tuesdays 12.15pm-1.45pm.

St Philip’s Church: Tuesdays 12pm-1pm. St Mark’s and King Charles the Martyr: Wednesday afternoons.

Christ Church Southborough: Thursdays 12pm-1pm.

St Matt’s Church, High Brooms: Fridays 9.30am-10.45am.

St Paul’s Church Centre, Rusthall: Fridays 12.30pm-2.15pm.

Come and help us celebrate 7 happy, successful years of welcoming customers to the Warren Restaurant

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‘The soaring cost of energy, mortgages and now food has come as a bit of a triple whammy with people now struggling to cope’

LOW STOCK Supplies are running short

Auctions on The Pantiles as saleroom opens for business

AN AUCTION house fronted by a ‘celebrity auctioneer’ has opened up in the oldest part of Tunbridge Wells, in the hope of connecting with sellers across the South East while bringing buyers to its saleroom.

Charles Hanson of Hansons Auctioneers is best known for ‘Bargain Hunt’, ‘Flog It!’ and ‘Antiques Road Trip’, but underneath the theatrical persona is a business-like enterprise which now has five locations across England.

“This will be the only auction house in Tunbridge Wells,” said antiques expert and valuer Robin Fletcher, who heads the new office based in the Corn Exchange.

Special

“Charles Hanson had been looking to get a foothold in the South East outside of London, and Tunbridge Wells makes sense from this point of view,” he explained.

“At the end of the day, there’s plenty of room for everyone.”

However, The Pantiles is a very special place for a saleroom, he stressed. “There have been auctioneers based here on The Pantiles for hundreds of years.

“It attracts quite a lot of visitors. There’s a lot of footfall.”

Meanwhile, there is a lot of antiques expertise in the area for an auctioneer to draw on.

Mr Hanson said: “We will be collaborating with specialist consultants and fine art dealers in the South East. We’re also thrilled to be able to draw on the knowledge of resident specialists on The Pantiles including Eric Knowles, Mark Hill and Dr Robert Woodmansey, among others.”

Horologist Richard Price is also based locally, added Mr Fletcher.

Acting together, Mr Fletcher and Mr Hanson

plan to stage auctions with a mixture of in-person and virtual bidding, which has become especially prevalent since the pandemic.

“When people were allowed back into the room after all the restrictions had been lifted, we had 25 per cent of the number from before,” said Mr Fletcher, stressing that this format has thrown open auctions to bidders across the world rather than causing the market to shrink.

“People have found it is so much easier to bid online.

“The global market is everything at the moment, especially the Chinese market and the American market,” he said, noting that the weak pound made it a particularly good time for Americans to buy.

In recognition of the globalised market, he said the auctioneers planned to start auctions a little later than is traditional – at 4pm instead of 10am.

He added: “In reality, we’ve had telephone bids when it turns out the bidder had an alarm set for three o’clock in the morning. If you are

spending thousands of pounds on something, you will do that.” However, for those attending in person, there will be a show, stressed Robert Woodmansey, the founder of scottishantiques. com and The Pantiles Arcade.

Drama

“The Pantiles Arcade could not wish to partner with a more charismatic, engaging and billtopping personality than Charles. His passion for the drama of auctions is also reflected in the original role of the building in which we are based, a theatre dating back more than 200 years.”

Hansons Royal Tunbridge Wells plans to hold quarterly sales here in Tunbridge Wells, but local sellers will benefit from charity events, trading on Charles Hanson’s reputation for charity auctions, according to Mr Fletcher.

Such sales, benefitting good causes, would likely only happen annually, but Mr Fletcher has already been in discussion with local charities other events, such as auctioning off ‘promises’ instead of antiques.

“Something like a meal for two – to make lot of money for the charity. We would get nothing but get good PR.

“We could also do charity valuation days, which can be even more frequent, perhaps by taking a donation for each object valued, for example £5 or £1 for charity, on each item, or an ad hoc amount.

“And if any item goes on to be in an auction, they could donate all or part of that sale to the charity.”

“There’s very little we won’t sell.”

Hansons Royal Tunbridge Wells are at The Pantiles Arcade, 49 The Lower Pantiles. The first auction is scheduled for May 23.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Charles Hanson (left) and Robin Fletcher All pictures: Hansons Auctioneers

TV EXPERT Charles Hanson

Countdown to gala night

Awards judging under way for ceremony at the end of the month

Times

By Victoria Roberts

ENTRIES to the Times Business Awards have now closed, and it is time for the judging to begin.

The shortlist will be announced on March 15, giving 30 finalists time to make plans for the gala dinner on March 30.

Someone else who is making preparations for the evening is Deborah Richards, founder of Maddisons Residential, who will be on stage with celebrity host Nick Ferrari to help announce the winners.

Having won Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016, Deborah is no stranger to the Awards, which she says are part of the ‘community’ culture of Tunbridge Wells.

Special

“I think Tunbridge Wells is a very special location. It has to compete with the capital but it does it very well,” she told the Times

“I moved here 21 years ago, and I’m just passionate about it. It comes in for some criticism, but it is quite special. It has beautiful

architecture and really good amenities.

“It has a lovely sense of community. People want to support each other.”

The Times Business Awards are part of that, she said.

“It’s a really great night. With some events, the thought might be, ‘do I really have to go?’ This is not like that at all. It’s such a celebration.

“You know so many people in the room.

“I will probably know 90 per cent of the people there by name. That is what gives it its lovely party atmosphere. People are celebrating the people and companies that they know well.”

Deborah’s own experience of winning an award came not long after she set up her estate agency in the mid-2010s.

“When I won at the first Awards I entered in 2016, I had such impostor syndrome. I was up against some amazing entrepreneurs in the

THIS YEAR’S AWARD CATEGORIES

Start-Up Business of the Year (Sponsored by Cornerstone)

Creative Business of the Year (Sponsored by Integra Property Management)

Entrepreneur of the Year (Sponsored by Charles Stanley)

Charity of the Year (Sponsored by Lexus)

Green Business of the Year (Sponsored by Clarity Homes & Commercial)

Best in Food and Drink (Sponsored by NFU Mutual)

Best Family Business of the Year (Sponsored by Childrensalon)

Best Business 1-25 Employees (Sponsored by TN Recruits)

Best Business 26+ Employees (Sponsored by The Finance Hub)

Outstanding Business of the Year (Sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore)

town. I couldn’t quite believe I had won it.”

Although heavily pregnant at the time, Deborah overcame her reluctance to go out for an evening and made the most of it.

“When I was up for my own award, I took a table. It was a great way to treat my staff and some contacts.”

This year she will be onstage, helping to present the awards alongside the celebrity host.

“I was supposed to host in 2020 with Eamonn Holmes, but that was delayed because of Covid.”

That event did not take place until March 2022, and now Deborah is getting ready for this year’s event with a new host and a new list of finalists.

“I was excited even before it was delayed. It’s such really nice thing to look forward to,” she said.

business awards 2023

Times

business awards 2023

Times

business awards 2023

The Times Business Awards 2023, sponsored by Berkeley Homes Southern Counties will take place on Thursday March 30, 2023 at Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells. The evening starts at 5.30pm with a drinks reception, followed by the gala dinner.

Drinks reception sponsored by Brewin Dolphin

‘I think Tunbridge Wells is a very special location. It has to compete with the capital but it does it very well’

DEBORAH RICHARDS

HOME FROM HOME

The original Street Children Iringa home was set up in 2016, and as of 2022 has been a long-term home for 15 children and supported another 21 children and young adults for shorter periods of time.

In 2019, Letty opened a second home, the Safe House, to help more street children away from the streets, and as of October it had provided a safe space for over 50 children and young adults, and supported 20 off the streets and into educational or vocational courses, she said.

“The Safe House supports up to 30 current street children and young adults with a safe place, to gain support and guidance in a life away from the streets.

“Where possible, street children are re-homed with relatives and supported from there, via day and night street visits,” she explained.

Street Children Iringa also supports young girls out of early childhood marriage and into education.

Twin girls Eva and Lidia, who ran away from child marriage at the age of 11, are both now in university.

Simoni was at the orphanage in 2013. He is now 18 and studying an electrical course.

Letty found Gosberth on the streets in 2014, aged 10, and him took to primary school. Due to his outstanding results, he is now studying at

the top A-level private school in the country and is hoping to study at a university abroad.

“Pascal, who I took in in 2019, could not read or write, but now he is one of my helpers at the Safe House and carries out street visits to find new children.

Meanwhile, Fred and Eliah are now growing teenagers. Fred is training to be accepted into the best football academy in Tanzania, while Eliah is at secondary school and dreams of becoming a doctor.

“The youngest boys in the house are aged 10 and are studying in their fourth year of primary school. They both lived harsh lives on the streets before we welcomed them into the family home. They are now thriving in school and loving life,” said Letty.

Outside of the home, the charity is supporting another nine children and young adults through their education, with seven in secondary school and two at university.

Letty herself managed to gain her degree in Development Studies and Social Anthropology from SOAS, while regularly travelling back and forth between Tanzania and London.

“I spent most of my time during my degree in Tanzania, doing my uni work online, setting up the house and raising the kids. Then after finishing, I fully moved out to Tanzania,” she told the Times

FUNDRAISER INFO

The Street Children Iringa annual fundraising ball takes place on March 11 at High Rocks, High Rocks Lane.

The evening of dinner and dancing in the Great Hall Barn starts with welcome drinks at 7pm, and includes a silent auction and raffle. Carriages at 1am.

The dress code is formal. Tickets are £55, which includes a donation toward the family home, safe house and other ongoing projects in Tanzania. Email lettymcmaster94@gmail.com with ticket requests.

Details of the charity account for payment will be sent by return of post.

THE GRADUATES Fred and Eliah finish primary school

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Think about Inheritance Tax (IHT)

IHT is impacting more and more families, but there are ways to help reduce your exposure to it.

Irish premier eager for DUP engagement over new deal

IRISH premier Leo Varadkar has said it is ‘reasonable’ for the DUP to be given time to consider the agreement struck between the EU and the UK.

He was responding after Sinn Fein said there is now ‘no justification’ for the DUP to continue its ‘reckless and damaging boycott of democracy’.

Since Northern Ireland’s elections last May, the DUP has refused to engage with the Stormont Assembly and Executive in protest over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Functioning

During Leaders’ Questions, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said it appears the ‘vital protections’ provided by the protocol has been preserved in the Windsor Framework and they have reached ‘a turning point’.

“There is no justification for the DUP to keep the Executive down while workers, families and businesses struggle with an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis and as they suffer from chronic treatment waiting lists,” she said.

“The onus is now very much on the DUP to join with everyone else in making politics work.”

She said Sinn Fein will seek clarifications on certain aspects of the agreement, which the Taoiseach agreed to facilitate.

Ms McDonald added: “So there is now –Taoiseach, I’m sure you’ll agree – no logic for the DUP to continue its blockade. The negotiations are over, the deed has been struck.

“Yes, we need to pore over the fine detail of that. But, Taoiseach, I’m sure you will agree that

we can do that work with a functioning Assembly and an Executive in place.

“There is now no room for further delay (or) prevarication.”

The Taoiseach said he has read the DUP’s statement issued on Monday night and heard an interview with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

“I think he’s asked for a little bit of time to consider the agreement, to pore over the text, to ask some questions,” he said.

“I think that is reasonable and I think we should allow a little bit of time and space for that to happen and for him to consult with his party. I think that is not unreasonable.

“Certainly, the European Union and British government are happy for that to happen.

“But I do think that we can see that there is strong cross-party support, not just in Northern Ireland but here and also in Britain for this.”

Missing baby couple arrested

Put Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPAs) in place

We all hope to go on running our lives for as long as we can, but there may come a time when we need help in making decisions and it is sensible to put LPAs in place before this happens.

Consider the impact of Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

If you plan on divesting of an asset soon, consider CGT implications, especially this year as the CGT annual tax-free allowance is due to be reduced on 6 April from £12,300 per person to £6,000 per person.

2 3 4 5

THE new parents who went missing with their baby on January 5 have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. As the Times went to press yesterday, the baby had still not been found.

The infant was born in early January and has had no medical attention since then, with its parents sleeping rough in freezing temperatures much of the time.

Detection

had handed themselves in earlier.

Mr Napier added: “It is an immense relief to know my beloved daughter Constance has been found, tempered by the very alarming news her baby has yet to be found.

“For whatever reasons she and her partner went on the run, the consequences of their actions have increased many fold. It would have been far better if they had handed themselves in earlier.”

Make use of tax allowances

Ensure you are up to date with the various tax allowances and reliefs which may be open to you, before the end of the tax year in April.

If you have any questions about this topic, or anything related to wills, estates and tax planning, please get in touch info@ts-p.co.uk.

Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon were arrested in Brighton on Monday (February 27), initially on suspicion of child neglect after several weeks avoiding the police. They were later further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

The couple were detained after a 999 call by a member of the public who had seen media reports about the pair.

Since Marten and Gordon were arrested, more than 200 police officers have been engaged in the search for the two-month-old baby.

The pair were were arrested by officers six minutes after the 999 call was made.

Marten’s father said it is a huge relief that his daughter has been found, but it is ‘very alarming’ that her baby remains missing.

Napier Marten said he loves his daughter but it would have been ‘far better’ if she and Gordon

The police search for Marten, 35, and Gordon, 48, began on January 5 when their car was found on fire abandoned next to the M61 in Bolton. They used taxis to first travel to Liverpool, then Harwich in Essex, and on to east London, before arriving in Sussex on January 8.

The couple avoided detection by only making payments in cash, hiding their faces on CCTV and often moving around at night or in the early hours of the morning.

They were finally arrested at about 9.30pm on Monday.

Marten, who is from a wealthy aristocratic family, was a promising drama student when she met Gordon in 2016.

Since then the couple have led an isolated life, and in September, as Marten’s pregnancy progressed, began moving around rental flats. Gordon served 20 years in prison in the US for rape and battery committed when he was 14.

It is unknown if their baby was full-term or has any health issues.

SEARCH - Over 200 police officers have joined the search for the missing two-month old (inset) Constance Marten

LEO VARADKAR

Italian migrant boat deaths on Sunday

ITALIAN prosecutors have identified smugglers who allegedly charged 8,000 euros (£7,000) each for a ‘voyage of death’ which saw a wooden boat break apart just a few hundred metres off Italy’s Calabrian coast early on Sunday.

Local prosecutor Giuseppe Capoccia confirmed investigators had identified three suspected smugglers, a Turk and two Pakistani nationals. A second Turk is believed to have escaped or died in the wreck of the boat, which set off from Turkey.

Italy’s customs police said that crossing organisers charged 8,000 euros each for the trip.

Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi pushed back strongly at suggestions that the rescue was delayed or affected by government policy discouraging aid groups from staying at sea to rescue migrants.

The EU border agency Frontex has said its aircraft spotted the boat off Crotone, Calabria, late on Saturday and alerted Italian authorities. Italy sent out two patrol vessels but they had to turn back because of the poor weather. The rescue operation then went out early on Sunday after the boat had splintered.

“There was no delay,” Mr Piantedosi said. “Everything possible was done in absolutely prohibitive sea conditions.”

As the Times went to press yesterday (February 28), rescue teams had pulled more bodies from the sea, bringing the death toll to 65.

Eighty people survived but dozens more are feared dead since survivors indicated the boat had carried about 170 people when it set off last week from Izmir.

Post-election tensions rise in Nigeria

NIGERIA’S opposition has demanded a revote for the country’s presidential election, where the partial results show an early lead for the ruling party.

At a press conference in the capital Abuja, the three main opposition parties said the election was an insult to democracy and called for Nigeria’s election chief to resign.

Results from Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections in Africa’s most populous nation have been trickling in.

The ruling party – the All Progressives Congress – candidate Bola Tinubu is in the lead, winning six states, with the main opposition candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, trailing closely with five.

Peter Obi of the Labour Party, a surprise leading candidate in what is usually a two-horse race, has not won any states despite a strong showing in polls before the election.

In order to win, the candidate who leads the popular vote must also win at least a quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the states and Abuja.

Parties have three weeks to appeal against results, but an election cannot be invalidated unless it proves that the national electoral body largely did not follow the law and conducted actions which could change the final result.

Journalists’ union calls strike at BBC England

BBC journalists have voted ‘overwhelmingly’ in favour of strike action in a dispute over planned changes to local radio programming.

In October, the BBC proposed local radio stations share more content and broadcast less programming unique to their areas which would see local programming restricted before 2pm and afternoon programmes across England shared between its 39 local radio stations.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) previously warned the propositions would lead to a loss of posts and journalists having to re-apply for their own jobs.

General Medical Council criticised for allowing bogus psychiatrist to practice

A JUDGE has criticised the General Medical Council (GMC) for an “abject failure of scrutiny” after a bogus psychiatrist who submitted “clearly false documents” was able to practise for more than 20 years.

Zholia Alemi was jailed for seven years at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday for 20 fraud offences.

Scrutiny

She claimed to have qualified at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, but earlier this month a jury found her guilty of forging the degree certificate and letter of verification she used to register with the GMC in 1995.

Sentencing her on Tuesday, Judge Hilary Manley said the offences “strike so very deeply at the heart of healthcare provisions in this country”.

She added: “That the degree certificate and supporting letter were accepted by the GMC represents an abject failure of scrutiny.

“You benefited from that failure and of course

from your own deliberate and calculated dishonesty.”

The judge raised concerns about evidence from a GMC representative during the trial in which the court was told there was a high level of scrutiny of documents.

She said the court was “troubled” by the apparent contradiction over a statement from the GMC which said documents in the 1990s were not subject to the “rigorous scrutiny” now in place.

The judge called for the GMC to conduct a “thorough, open, transparent” inquiry into how the defendant was able to submit “such clearly false documents” and why it took a journalist rather than a professional governing body to

uncover the truth.

Judge Manley said Alemi, who was able to detain patients against their will and prescribe powerful drugs, moved around the country to different posts to ensure “the finger of suspicion” did not point at her.

Christopher Stables KC, prosecuting, said Alemi was born in Iran but in the early 1990s was in Auckland, where she failed to complete the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree required to practise as a doctor and was refused permission to resit.

In 1995, she was in the UK where she forged a degree certificate and letter of verification, he said.

Mr Stables said: “Those forged documents were used by the defendant and sent to the GMC in the UK in support of her application for registration as a doctor.”

The court heard she was registered and worked “more or less continuously” for both NHS trusts and private providers across the UK in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, earning an estimated £1.3 million.

Transgender rapist Isla Bryson jailed for eight years

A TRANSGENDER rapist who raped two women while living as a man has been jailed for eight years.

Isla Bryson, from Clydebank, was sentenced to eight years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh, with a further three years on licence.

The 31-year-old was convicted last month of raping two women – one in Clydebank in 2016 and one in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019 –while known as Adam Graham.

During sentencing on Tuesday, judge Lord Scott noted Bryson continues to ‘vehemently deny’ the offences, claiming the victims ‘colluded’ to press charges.

The court heard the rapist, who appeared in court wearing a blond wig and dressed in black leggings and a fluorescent pink jacket, is still pursuing full gender reassignment and is currently on ‘the maximum recommended doses of hormone prescription’ from the Sandyford clinic.

Review

The case sparked uproar after the convicted rapist was initially housed in an all-female prison before being moved to the male estate.

Scottish Justice Secretary Keith Brown ordered

an urgent review of the case and the Scottish Prison Service took the decision to halt the movement of all transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women into the female estate.

Bryson first appeared in court as Adam Graham in 2019 and was later named in court papers the following year – around the time of the decision to transition – as Isla Annie Bryson, formerly known as Adam Graham.

As well as the sentence, which was backdated to January 24, and extended supervision, Bryson has also been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

ZHOLIA ALEMI

READING KICKLioness Beth Mead participates in a special World Book Day-themed 'Fun Football' event hosted by McDonald's at the Powerleague football pitch in Mill Hill.

Luke Everitt Labour Party

Residents care about green agenda and we are making progress

THE new Council’s first budget consultation received over three times the response rate for last year, a positive sign of its commitment to public engagement and transparency. Part of that response demonstrates that our residents care about the climate and want our Council to provide a dedicated budget for carbon reduction. In 2019 the Borough Council recognised that we are living through a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, a step that most local authorities have now taken. However, we differ to many other authorities in that our ambitious target is to be carbon neutral in the work the Borough Council does by 2030. This target was proposed by Labour councillors, wanting to achieve our environmental goals even faster.

Goals

The new Council administration of Labour, LibDem and Alliance members has inherited a situation from the Conservatives that has not helped us achieve these goals. They left the Council in deficit, did not take the necessary steps to reach the 2030 target, wasted an eye watering £10.8million of council reserves on the defunct Calverley Square project, and failed to develop strategies to increase local biodiversity. One of the Council’s five focuses now is carbon reduction. Since taking on Cabinet responsibility for this policy area, I have been working with

officers to deliver a project to significantly reduce the emissions of one of the Council’s largest carbon emitters, the Weald Leisure Centre. We are doing this through a combination of making building efficiencies and installing heat pumps.

Since the election last year, I have been working with my team to produce a Borough wide ‘Carbon Reduction Strategy’ to provide a framework for us to reduce the whole local authority area’s greenhouse emissions, not just the Council’s own. This will further increase our ambition and responsibility to reduce carbon emissions.

Equally, I want local biodiversity back on the

Council’s agenda. We can do this by reducing our use of harmful chemicals in our green spaces by producing a Pesticide and Herbicide policy. This would be a first for our authority, and a significant step to renew our ‘Local Biodiversity Action Plan’.

Like anyone working to act on climate change I have experienced both hope and frustration. Most of the answers to the climate crisis exist. We have amazing new technologies and our understanding of sustainable living improves by the day but we are obstructed by lack of resources to deliver the job.

Local government should be at the forefront of our country’s transition to a sustainable UK.

Truth matters in politics

IT IS no wonder that many people have become disillusioned with politics. Polarised parties, constant arguing, cynical attempts to mislead voters on social media. This is happening nationally and unfortunately some of the same traits can be seen in our local Borough politics. So should we just give in to cynicism and think politicians are all the same and that our vote won’t make any difference? Definitely not, but it

Tunbridge Wells Town Hall was the idea of the Borough Partnership. It clearly wasn’t as it was a joint project between KCC and TWBC back in 2018 when the council was under Conservative control. So why attempt to mislead residents in this way?

Then we have the case of the disappearing deficit of £944,000 in TWBC’s budget for this financial year. Constant denials that there is any deficit from a variety of Conservative past and present councillors. Which is very strange as they appear to have forgotten that they drew up the budget complete with deficit (to be funded from TWBC reserves) and approved it back in February 2022. Indeed the auditors only gave a clean bill of health on the understanding that action would be taken to balance the budget in future years.

is time for a better type of politics. Locally, The Alliance is completely free of national party influence and our councillors and candidates are there purely to represent the interests of residents. And we happen to believe that our local representatives should always be truthful. We owe that to residents.

Unfortunately, not all parties appear to share this ethos. Sometimes outright lies are told, such as the recent claim by an ex-councillor that the imperfect ‘Public Realm’ scheme outside

Consultation

Misleading stories have popped up on social media regarding the sale of TWBC assets. All councillors are well aware of the true situation regarding our car parks in Tunbridge Wells, i.e. that there is going to be a parking strategy to assess need and then consultation with residents before any decisions are made. That has not stopped some from cynically

misrepresenting the situation and causing unnecessary alarm to residents – all in a desperate attempt to get votes. Even more disturbingly, some have resorted to creating a fake Tunbridge Wells ‘Community’ Group on Facebook which does not make its political allegiance clear and bars any dissenting voices. So much for debate and free speech.

The Alliance pledges that we will never make false claims in our election literature or on social

Sustainable economic growth, environmentally friendly development, decarbonised transport and cleaner air should all should be delivered locally. But the reality is that it will be near impossible to deliver this vital agenda without proper funding.

Austerity

A decade of Cameron/Clegg imposed austerity has resulted in slashed local government budgets, swingeing public service cuts, and failure to deliver sustainable economic growth both nationally or locally. We have had a ‘lost decade’ and we can expect to lose more years as the brutal impacts of austerity continue.

Local authorities are having to make even harder choices. It is not by wish or design that Conservative Kent County Council is having to cut public services like Children’s Centres and vital bus services, and failing to repair our potholed roads. It is quite literally because they are broke. The Conservative Government is failing to deliver green policies nationally. By starving local government of funding, it is also hampering local efforts to deliver the green agenda demanded by residents. This situation will continue until we have a change in government – to one truly committed to dealing with the existential threat that is the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency we are now facing.

media. We won’t promise to deliver things outside the scope of the Borough Council; we will support good ideas wherever they originate; we will work collaboratively with any parties that put the interests of residents first; we won’t claim credit for other people’s work.

Time for a better type of local politics that puts the people who matter first – our residents. Please get in touch if you feel the same way. david@twalliance.com

David Hayward The Alliance

David Hayward is leader of The Alliance and cabinet member responsible for Governance and Transparency.

Luke Everitt is a Labour Councillor for Southborough and High Brooms Ward and is the Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. He is a graduate of Sussex University and works for UNISON, the public service union.

‘We happen to believe that our local representatives should always be truthful. We owe that to residents.’

Picture: Shutterstock STRATEGY

Car parks continue to cause concern

And another thing…

This is the page where you, the reader, have your chance to express your views or comments on what’s going on in our part of the world. We like to hear from you. You can email us at newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or you can write to the Editor, Times of Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Frankie & Benny’s apology

Joy of murmuration

Local champions

FROM our flat we overlook the tower of Crescent Road multi-storey car park.

Over several years we have watched ivy creep up the tower, reaching the top last summer. Equally over this time we have had the extreme pleasure of watch a murmuration of starlings at sunset. The birds swoop and soar in the sky above Calverley Road and the precinct, then suddenly as one they roost – into the ivy!

We were therefore horrified when on Tuesday morning we heard a hedge-cutter and saw a person in a cherry-picker rapidly removing the ivy from the tower.

I dashed to the site to try to halt further

destruction of the home of hundreds of birds. The perfectly polite worker told me that he was only carrying out the orders of the Council and no matter how regrettable the action may be, the roots had been severed comprehensively.

If the Council was concerned about the fabric of the tower the ivy should have been controlled a decade ago. It is hugely disappointing to think that the joy of the murmuration may have been lost permanently.

Marilyn Daines Tunbridge Wells

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Each week the Times will run a series of social media polls that ask our readers for their opinions on the Borough’s biggest stories.

To participate in the polls, simply follow the Times on Instagram or Twitter using the handle @timeslocalnews

This week we asked our readers:

WOULD YOU BE HAPPY WITH A FOUR-DAY WEEK?

HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD ‘CASH ONLY’ BY A CABBIE?

I read with interest your reporter’s article regarding a new multi-million pound venture to create six cafés, restaurants and bars where the Hop House and Frankie & Benny’s have been.

I was however taken aback by the references to Frankie & Benny’s being shut since 2020. I like Frankie & Benny’s and always have a meal there following a trip to the cinema. I have visited a number of times since the end of the pandemic. It was certainly not one of 120 restaurants permanently closed by TRG. I like the Times newspaper and find the reporting to be usually very good but on this occasion I am afraid you failed to get your facts correct.

John Roberts

Editor’s note: Last week, as part of a wider story, we said Frankie & Benny’s in Tunbridge Wells is closed. We jumped the gun.It is very much open and will only close once the site is redeveloped after getting planning permission. We work hard to get facts right, but this time round we fell short. Our apologies.

Troublesome turning

Making a three-point turn in Monson Way is nonsense, as is doing one in Monson Road; I’m surprised this is the advice Edward Baker was given by TWBC – last week’s Letters.

So to avoid the possibility of exiting left onto Mount Pleasant, private vehicle drivers needing to do business in the road for quick pickups or drop offs will have to come into it from Mount Pleasant itself by making a round trip to London Road and use Dudley and York Roads or, from the Simmonds end, and turn right into Newton Road. This latter is no more than a quiet service and residential one-way street, now set to become a main route into the town. As Mr Baker rightly states: a right bugger’s muddle.

John Ward Moorhouse

I was enjoying my Sunday run around the local area and found a veritable army of friendly volunteers picking up all of the litter and detritus discarded by our less caring citizens in the Langton Green and Rusthall area.

There were many of them and they were well organised and equipped for their task. No one asked them to do it – they volunteered because they actually care about the area they live in.

They had lots of unpleasant things to dispose of, including urine in bottles, but they went cheerfully about their task.

It’s easy to spot the negative things around us such as graffiti and litter, but where strong community action is a force for positive good, it should be championed, and this seems like a good place to do it.

Bryan Johnston Royal Tunbridge Wells

Honoured to be involved

I have been helping free of charge with conceptual designs for the landscape around the Decimus Burton Museums site. Why?

The site and wide range of topics could lead to it being one of the most valuable public attractions in Britain.

I feel honoured to be involved.

We have only had one International Garden Festival in Liverpool and I won Premiere Prize with The Beatles Maze.

For years I promoted Christian Aid on various campaigns. First one I did at Hampton Court Palace Flower show was seen by one billion people on TV worldwide.

The potential is gi-normous.

Graham Burgess Fellow, Royal Society of Arts

A successful six-month trial sees companies adopt the new working week…

YOU SAID…

YES (89%) I love the idea

NO (11%) I like my work pattern

Residents paying by card are being refused taxis by cabbies in Tunbridge Wells…

YOU SAID…

YES (84%) It happens often

NO (16%) Never had a problem

Wasted funds

I read Cllr Everitt’s somewhat hysterical response to my letter that had dared to criticise his administration’s huge financial bail-out of Urbaser.

supplying the vehicles – it says so in the contract that both parties signed.

Perhaps Cllr Everitt should calm down and explain why his Lib Dem, Labour and Alliance administration is making these voluntary payments. Taxpayers seem to be paying more and more for a service that has steadily slipped during his time in charge.

Cllr Matt Bailey, Independent, TWBC Ramadan 2023

Diabetes UK are offering advice and support to anybody living with diabetes who is preparing to fast during Ramadan, to help them manage their condition safely.

We advise people that if they are unwell or have any symptoms of Covid-19 they should not fast and call 111 for further advice.

For more information on diabetes and Ramadan visit: diabetes.org.uk/ramadan

Jill Steaton

South East Coast and London Head, Diabetes UK

Flag-rant mistake

IT’S good to see the Union Jack flying at the War Memorial. However, it seems that this Tunbridge Wells Council can’t get anything right, as it is upside down.

Cllr Everitt concentrated on personal attacks and on blaming others. But he did not answer the serious questions that residents have about his administration’s use of taxpayer funds. People accept that we live in inflationary times and that the Council may have a legal requirement to raise payments on its contracts. But what is confusing people is why the Council is making extra payments on top.

TWBC has agreed to make a voluntary payment of £84,000 to Urbaser towards the cost of drivers. But Urbaser is responsible for supplying staff, and the shortage of HGV drivers as the economy came out of lockdown is now a distant memory.

TWBC is making a further voluntary payment of £150,000 to Urbaser towards the cost of vehicles. Once again, Urbaser is responsible for

Choosing whether to fast is a personal choice and getting information ahead of Ramadan is very important – particularly for people living with diabetes as they are at increased risk of complications. So, ahead of the holy month, which is due to begin on or around March 22 this year, Diabetes UK are encouraging anyone living with diabetes who is preparing for Ramadan to speak to their diabetes team and their Imam, to help them to decide what is best for them.

If you decide to fast during Ramadan, it’s a good idea to include more slowly absorbed foods, such as basmati rice and dhal, along with fruit and vegetables in your meal before starting each day’s fast. It is also important to check your blood sugar levels more often than usual and if they drop too low, you should break your fast.

Anyone knows that flying the Union Jack upside down is a sign of distress. Is this why our council is telling us that it is in trouble?

For goodness sake, Tunbridge Wells Council, get things right for a change.

Lionel Hanmore Sherborne Close

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

MENTAL HEALTH For the record, Calverley is, for personal reasons, very much aware of mental health issues; the traumas, the challenges and the possible outcomes. Today, though, people are much more open about their problems. Which is great. However, Calverley has also noticed a troubling trend particularly with younger people in the workplace. When asked to take on more responsibilities, for example, they often offer reasons why it might prove difficult and end up with the comment along the lines of: “And, of course, it would be bad for my mental health”. Words that close down any further conversation. Maybe the claim is true; then again maybe not.

LESSONS TO LEARN? There was a bit of a mini-riot last week at a college just down the road from Calverley. A large group of girls invaded the premises, forcing the whole school into lockdown. They were carrying placards, shouting and screaming, turning over bins and allegedly breaking the odd window. Students inside were ‘terrified; many were sitting mock exams. The protest was about the school ban on short skirts with the claim it cared more about a dress code than climate change. Go figure that one. But if schools want students to dress appropriately then maybe teachers should also adhere to a dress code that bans scruffy casual wear, tight-fitting low tops, skin-tight jeans, whacky hair styles and piercings. All on view at the school gates. Just a thought.

A YEAR has already passed since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the hostilities are still ongoing. My husband continues to serve in the armed forces of Ukraine, and today I want to talk about how and why I left Ukraine to save my children.

I carried the children, our things, our memories, pain and fear of the unknown. I changed to survive, and I became different to save myself and my children.

I am now and I am before February 23, 2022. These are two different people. Apparently, I am fearless. Because I was going into the unknown, I didn’t know where we would be tomorrow and what would happen to us, but I went – to save us. My life from before became the past, shattered into pieces, and I took it and started all over again.

I had to learn to build routes in minutes, master new skills, understand and learn a new

language, make vital decisions, orient myself in a situation where everything new and unfamiliar.

I was alone. It was me and the children. I was responsible for every decision I made and worked hard for them. But every time I decided –again and again – understanding the risks and going forward. There were new countries, new cities, new roads, new people, but I went and am going forward, because I have children with me and it is not time to be afraid of changes. I accepted them and accept them with an open heart.

But I have felt something that is difficult to describe in words. I solved problems and issues in the way that was best for my children.

My baggage of experience can now be measured in tonnes. I have done

so much in this damned year. I carried everything on me: children, my psychological and physical condition. I survived and lived. I walked the path that women of war walk for the first time. Who else but me can figure out how to make money in a foreign country without knowing the language, customs or laws? I managed to find a part-time job, cook food without fire, rent an apartment in a city full of refugees, feed myself and strangers without a penny and find time to be with my children, even when working 24/7.

I’ve been living in another country for almost a year now. I’m learning the language, I’m taking care of my children and myself, and everyone around me. I look 100 per cent because no war will take away my love for beauty. I do everything right, even if I’m told it’s wrong. I am going my own way, changing reality for my children, and I don’t know where I get the strength for this.

I just don’t have a sparkle in my eyes.

HIGH PROFILE Labour Leader Keir Starmer hit the media circuit over the week telling all who would listen how he is going to save the country. Newspapers and TV pundits used various words to describe him, depending where they stood on politics. Calverley believes Keir Starmer can be best described in five words: He is not Jeremy Corbyn. Job done. Election won.

WORKING FROM HOME

As people turn their back on commuting and city centres, so the impact of WFH is being felt across many different levels, including the loss of jobs. Take the case of Paperchase, the gift and stationery chain that fell into administration and saw branch closures such as the one in Tunbridge Wells. The major stores in transport hubs were hard hit with the pandemic and then rail strikes driving away those much-needed commuters who now prefer to stay at home. Good for them. Bad for those who are impacted by the ripple effect.

FINAL THOUGHT As the debate about the gender of Him above rumbles on, surely the Church of England realises that when God created Man, she was only joking. (Letters only please to the Editor.)

Chin, chin dear reader…

Copyright PA Wire/PA Images

Tetiana Ivzhenko left her hometown of Sumy on the first day of the war with her two sons, fleeing first into central Ukraine, then to the west. The Times interviewed her in May, and now she reflects on a year of war…

TUNBRIDGE WELLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL for BOYS

OUR PHILOSOPHY at Tunbridge Wells

Grammar School for Boys is that education should be about giving young people every opportunity to explore and learn about the world around them. The rich, broad and ambitious curriculum at our selective grammar school set across two campuses, one in Tunbridge Wells and one in Sevenoaks, ensures that teachers use their expert subject knowledge to spark students’ curiosity and deepen their understanding.

Learning is our core business and we are proud of our academic record and are committed to achieving the highest standards. However, we measure our success on more than just examination results and feel that academic attainment in isolation is not enough to give our students the tools they need to succeed in the world. Our approach to education is holistic: excellent teaching is underpinned by the positive care and relationships that every student receives.

Our students can explore and develop their social, sporting and cultural interests through our wide range of co-curricular activities. These activities encourage self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline above and beyond the academic environment.

Great emphasis is placed upon pastoral care. We provide a safe and supportive environment where all students are encouraged to achieve their best personally, socially and academically. Our school values of respect, excellence and determination underpin all that we do, fostering responsibility, independence, awareness and tolerance. We are proud of our strong sense of community that encourages caring and kindness towards all. Having been awarded the Optimus Wellbeing Award for Schools, our commitment to the mental wellbeing of students and staff has been recognised and remains a priority.

We believe that anyone who walks into our school will be struck by the vibrant atmosphere as well as the high levels of student engagement and enthusiasm. The community spirit and sense of pride in the school is tangible and there is a strong mutual respect between students and staff. This extends to the close relationships established with parents and carers from the moment students

arrive and we always endeavour to communicate with openness and honesty.

In November 2021 Ofsted highlighted that our students ‘love coming to school and achieve well’ and that there is ‘a strong culture of learning and achievement’. We are proud that Ofsted too could feel that ‘students are proud to be part of a harmonious community, they feel safe and well cared for and that students approach all aspects of school life with maturity’.

The co-educational Sixth Form, known as ‘TWGSB6’, offers a broad range of subjects as well as a co-curricular programme to support personal growth, and nurturing pastoral support that will equip the students with the skills and understanding required to achieve their aspirational pathways whatever that may be: higher education, an apprenticeship or employment.

The school is passionate about raising the personal and academic aspirations of all of the students, enabling them to make informed choices about their future and encouraging them to become resilient life-long learners. This is the case at all stages of our students’ educational journeys, whether it is the move from Key Stage 3 into key stage 4 or the transition from Key Stage 4 into key stage 5. We aim for students to be happy and confident in the choices they have made and to be equipped for the next stages of their education and lives. The wider opportunities available allow our students to grow and develop into wellrounded, articulate young adults, able to make a positive contribution to society.

The school site has undergone considerable transformation in recent years with an injection of over £27 million of investment leading to some outstanding facilities, including a five-court sports centre, state-of-the art Maths & Computer Science block, a stunning new Sixth Form Centre and a new campus in Sevenoaks which also provides the neighbouring town with a selective education. Headteacher, Amanda Simpson says, ‘Our vision is to be the best selective boys’ school in West Kent and our aim of All Round Excellence continues to drive us forward’.

TWGSB Open Events dates can be found here: www.twgsb.org.uk/2093/open-events

‘ Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys focuses on the whole child, producing students who are ready to enter the real world as well-rounded, confident individuals and who grow into adults embodying our vision of All Round Excellence’

Can you tell us when you started at St Gregory’s School?

I started in September 2022, after spending seven years at a high performing Catholic School in West Sussex as a Deputy Headteacher.

What attracted you to the role of Head there?

I feel I have been called to St Gregory’s. I was incredibly impressed by the students and by the fantastic teachers who all work so hard and have great relationships with the students. I see amazing lessons by teachers who genuinely care.

Which school had you been at before?

I was at St Paul’s Catholic College where my main role was Head of Sixth Form and I was proud of taking the Sixth Form into the top 1% of Sixth Form Colleges in the UK.

Can you tell us a little about the school’s involvement in the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership?

We are part of a Catholic family of schools, which benefits students and staff. For example, I am currently working with two local primary schools in the Trust and this will benefit students with SEND provision. We are also in a cluster of schools with St Simon Stock in Maidstone, which means we have additional support and resources available to us.

What key changes are you planning on making at the school?

All schools are faced with challenges, and St Gregory’s is in a similar position to many schools. My main drive is on standards. I firmly believe that successful schools are built on high expectations, supporting students, and

challenging students and families when things go wrong. We need to ensure our families are well supported, and this is done by great pastoral care and amazing teaching and learning. I need to guarantee parents that when they send their child to us, that our students behave impeccably and make us all proud.

What are the key things you would like to keep the same or improve?

Our ethos, built on the Gospel Values, means

HOST FAMILIES REQUIRED

PHIL BYRNE

that our pastoral care is outstanding. I want to develop this even further, so our students leave St Gregory’s achieving their God-given potential and making a positive difference in a changing world. Recently, we have been working on our expectations and standards in a number of areas. We are also looking to increase the wider opportunities for our students. We have an excellent reputation for sport and are always looking to develop this further.

Make your spare room work for you & earn an income from hosting European pupils on their school trips.

Are your GCSE and A-Level results improving year on year?

We had a great set of results last year thanks to the hard work from staff, students and their families and we are looking to build on this in the future.

What is the spirit at St Gregory’s like?

There is a great connection between the staff and students. Our teachers are very passionate about education and providing the best for those in their care.

In an ever increasingly secular world why is it so important to have faith at the heart of the school?

Faith builds communities. In our society today, we see many divisions between communities and countries. Faith is a way to bring people together, and to serve one another. With faith at the heart of the school, our students are growing up as well-rounded, caring people.

How important are the extra-curricular activities at St Gregory’s?

It is so important for children to explore different activities and find out what they are interested in. The extracurricular offer we provide enables students to have a more balanced life and improved wellbeing.

In what ways do you ensure that every student’s needs are addressed and looked after at the school?

We have a dedicated pastoral and SEND provision. I live by the words from St John Bosco, which are ‘students should be known and loved’. Our staff work incredibly hard to support our children, by getting to know them and finding out how they learn best.

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.

‘Our teachers are passionate about education’ The Times meets Phil Byrne, the new Academy Principal St Gregory’s Catholic School…

‘ We had a great set of results last year thanks to the hard work from staff, students and their families’

New fundraising challenge launched to mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week

BEAT (formerly the Eating Disorders Association) believe that ‘no one should face an eating disorder alone’ and, in this spirit, this year they are launching a new fundraising challenge with their annual Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 28 to March 6).

One in 50 people (1.25 million) in the UK is affected by eating disorders, often in secret. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve disordered eating behaviour including bulimia, binge eating, avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) and anorexia, which has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. While 95 per cent of people who suffer from them are between the ages of 12 and 25, teenagers between 13 and 17 are most at risk. More common in females, they are not determined by sex and can affect all genders, races and ethnic groups.

While many relate eating disorders to teenage girls who can be hyper-focused on their weight and body shape, men now represent roughly 10 per cent of those treated for eating disorders. With social media portraying the ideal male body as muscular and toned, and 90 per cent of teenage boys exercising with the purpose of bulking up, body image pressure is one of the strongest predictors of an eating disorder in men. Some of the feelings an individual with an eating disorder may experience are an intense fear of

gaining weight, a distorted self-image, a compulsion to check out perceived flaws in the mirror, low self-worth and self-esteem, a preoccupation with food and self-consciousness around eating in public, social withdrawal and

secrecy around food, eating small or restrictive portions or ranges of food, binge eating, unusual food rituals and experimentation with fad diets, repeated weighing of their body, mood swings and compulsive or excessive exercising.

Young people’s problems with food can begin as a coping strategy for times when they are bored, anxious, angry, lonely, ashamed or sad. Since the pandemic, an increasing number of children have experienced difficulty communicating negative emotions and an inability to resolve conflict as the result of emotional pain which might have been unexpressed, repressed or suppressed. Food insecurity among adults and children nearly doubled to almost 30 per cent by the summer of

2020, due to rising levels of unemployment, poverty and limited access to school nutrition as the result of school closures.

If a child is having a problem with their nutritional habits and showing signs of disease, there are a number of useful strategies that parents and guardians can employ to help the sufferer feel they are not alone.

Communication

Ideally, parents need to act as role models of healthy eating behaviour without using food as a reward or punishment. In terms of verbal communication, a good starting point is to create a safe place where the young person with the eating disorder can speak, be listened to and not be judged by an adult who inflicts the idea that they have all the answers. It can be useful to chat about whether social media or peer pressure causes them insecurity about their appearance.

On a practical level, parents and family members can get involved with children in planning and preparing meals, setting up a regular snack and meal schedule and encouraging the family to eat together. If the problem persists, they need to help the sufferer seek professional intervention, in the form of specialist treatment and support to assist them on their road to recovery.

Leonora Langley will be doing a presentation and book signing for Let the Souls of Our Children Sing at Daily Bread, Rusthall High Street, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday March 21 from 10.45am to 12.45pm.

Every child is known and loved Enhanced learning with world class opportunities

Enrichment strengthens personal development Students recognise and realise their potential

Providing a world class Catholic education through our outstanding and inclusive Christian approach. We welcome students of all faiths and none.

“ I believe this is the school where my child will achieve academic excellence, as well as develop the skills and confidence to allow them to excel in the world.” PARENT

“ Achievement is outstanding because students make excellent progress and attain consistently above average GCSE results. ” OFSTED 2013

‘Young people’s problems with food can begin as a coping strategy for times when they are bored, anxious, angry, lonely, ashamed or sad’

This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week, so here Leonora Langley, author of the book, Let the Souls of Our Children Sing, suggests ways that parents and guardians can support children suffering with an eating disorder…

LEONORA LANGLEY

Picture: Shutterstock

Currently on display at the Amelia Scott exhibition space, which is located in the town’s new cultural hub, is Leviathan, a large-scale triple-screen immersive video installation by the Canadian artist Kelly Richardson.

The show has been able to go ahead thanks to a unique collaboration with the Arts Council Collection, through the ‘Borrow Big!’ scheme. The presentation of Leviathan at The Amelia will be the first time the work

consideration of the present. Her work is influenced by 19th-century landscape painting, 20th-century cinema, and 21st-century planetary research.

According to a spokesperson at The Amelia the video work ‘draws on the artist’s distinct art practice which pulls together ideas around conservation and a careful observation of the effects of humanity on the planet’.

Richardson films the bald cypress trees, indigenous to Caddo Lake in Uncertain, Texas and manipulates the footage, creating a series of twisting, snake-like tendrils of yellowish light in the water with an eerie soundtrack replacing the sounds of nature.

Environment

has been exhibited since being acquired by the Arts Council Collection in 2015. Leviathan was originally commissioned by Artpace in San Antonio, Texas.

Kelly Richardson crafts video installations and digital prints that offer imaginative glimpses of the future and prompt a careful

The artist explains: “I’m trying to create contemplative places which are both beautiful and mesmeric but at the same time unsettling.”

Presented as a triptych, the landscape is viewed from a single vantage point, like a painting set in motion. The immersive environment of Leviathan is entirely devoid of people and invites viewers to ‘insert themselves into the work’ and become its sole protagonist. Richardson’s

‘I’m trying to create contemplative places which are beautiful and mesmeric but also unsettling’

The Amelia Scott exhibition space is currently hosting Kelly Richardson’s work, Leviathan. On until May 15, Eileen Leahy discovers more about this striking, immersive video installation from the renowned Canadian digital artist…

Presented as a triptych, the landscape is viewed from a single vantage point, like a painting set in motion

KELLY RICHARDSON Photo: TJ Watt

manipulation of the video suggests several foreboding plot lines: the birth of primordial life, the emergence of a malign aquatic creature or a post-apocalyptic Earth.

The setting of Richardson’s work is that of Caddo Lake which is thought to be the first site in the world for underwater oil drilling and so it plays a significant role in the shaping of current fossil-fuel debates concerning the global climate crisis.

“Tunbridge Wells has strong links to conservation, having enshrined the protection of wild plants, animals, and natural habitats in The Tunbridge Wells Improvement Act of 1889,” explains The Amelia’s spokesperson.

Richardson films Caddo Lake’s bald cypress trees and manipulates the footage, creating a series of twisting, snake-like tendrils of yellowish light in the water

“This ground-breaking legislation ensured the protection and stewardship of the extensive commons found locally and the plants and wildlife that dwell and flourish on it. The staging

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of Leviathan at The Amelia Scott comes at a significant time historically, in reflection of growing global climate concerns and places Tunbridge Wells once again at the centre of environmental and conservation debates.” According to the cultural space’s spokesperson, the exhibition of Leviathan at The Amelia Scott allows fruitful conversations with themes in the collection. “Visitors are able to experience contemporary and historic ways of conserving the natural world. Richardson’s explorations, research and collection of video footage in Uncertain, Texas, have parallels with the ambitions of those who collected specimens and data during the Victorian period, and were

WHAT IS THE ARTS COUNCIL COLLECTION’S BORROW BIG! SCHEME?

The loan of Leviathan has been made possible by the generous support of the Arts Council Collection’s Borrow Big! scheme. Borrow Big! is a pilot aimed at collaborating with venues to loan large-scale artworks from the Arts Council Collection to share with audiences across the UK and to create opportunities for new audiences to enjoy a range of immersive works of art.

The Arts Council Collection was founded in 1946 and is the most widely circulated national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art, spanning paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, performance and moving image.

It supports and promotes artists by acquiring art at an early stage in their careers and includes a diverse range of work from artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Lubaina Himid and Grayson Perry.

With more than 8,000 works and over 1,000 loans made to venues a year, the Arts Council Collection is seen by millions of people in public spaces from galleries and museums to hospitals, libraries, and universities.

The Arts Council Collection is managed by the Southbank Centre on behalf of the Arts Council England.

originally part of the Tunbridge Wells Natural History Society, and now in the collections at The Amelia Scott.”

They add that the themes of Leviathan provide vital and prescient reflection on the effects of humans on the natural world, building upon the work of those who came before her. Leviathan continues a tradition of presenting the natural world to audiences, to educate, enthral and generate discussion around the conservation of the natural world.

Kelly Richardson’s Leviathan video installation is open daily at the Amelia until May 15. Entrance is free. For more information visit: theamelia.co.uk

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

The Leviathan installation

Photo: Ruth Clark

Ant Man movie lacks bite

The Marvel hero is eclipsed by his team, says Times film reviewer Matthew Dann …

I MUST start this review with an admission. I am, generally speaking, not the biggest fan of Marvel films, which I find often tell the same story, with only a change of characters. However, they are big movies with an equally large following, which means these films are widely watched and discussed, and it is well worth reviewing them to engage with the cultural phenomenon.

Is Ant Man the same as all the other Marvel films? Not exactly.

Original

In a nice twist on the classic superhero tale, this film does an excellent job in taking the limelight away from the title character. Quite fittingly for a social insect, Ant Man ends up in an almost supporting role, and the story has been crafted to centre on the other characters. Even as the film draws to its conclusion, when normally you would expect the hero to step up (which, in fairness, he does), it still feels as though other characters within the film are in the main role.

As superhero films go, this is fresh and original.

It is in terms of storyline that the film sticks to the tried and tested superhero script. This works, but paradoxically that is the biggest problem.

You see, with most films, you don't know where the film is heading until the final third. Even then, sometimes it is not clear until the final scene.

This makes for great viewing, as you are in suspense almost until the credits roll.

However, unfortunately, this is not usually the case with Marvel films.

Overall, the actors work well. However, it seems to me that Paul Rudd has started to become something of a parody of himself, without much character development.

All in all, I will say this. If you like superhero movies, Marvel, DC or otherwise then you are probably going to enjoy Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

Also showing

What’s Love Got to Do with It? (12A)

How do you find lasting love in today’s world?

For documentary filmmaker Zoe (Lily James), swiping right to find Mr Right has only delivered bad dates and funny anecdotes, much to her opinionated mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For her childhood friend and neighbour Kazim (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an assisted marriage with a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan. As Zoe films his hopeful journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a different approach to finding love.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (PG)

This year, everyone’s favourite swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll.

Antonio Banderas is back as the voice of the notorious Puss as he embarks on an epic journey to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Salma Hayek). In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided by relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh).

The story is still a Marvel story. The good guys still battle the bad guys. There is conflict and resolution, and the CGI is the focal point, not the acting.

However, if you like films that stretch actors, that keep you in suspense, or that have a complex and engaging story, steer clear.

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is showing at multiple times at the Odeon Tunbridge Wells. Certificate 12A.

Lloyds Bank predicts ‘mild recession’ for UK this year and tumbling house prices

LLOYDS Banking Group has said it expects the UK to dip into a mild recession this year, as it braces for a fall in house prices and as mortgage lending continues to recover following September’s mini-budget.

The UK’s largest lender flagged an uncertain economic outlook and stressed it was focused on supporting its customers who will be ‘struggling to make ends meet’.

Charlie Nunn, the group chief executive of Lloyds, said: “We are predicting what we call a mild recession – nothing like the financial crisis, more like some of the earlier recessions we had in the early parts of the century.

“For our customers, especially those at the lower income bracket in the UK who we know will struggle to make ends meet, we are focused on supporting them.”

The bank laid out its forecast for the UK economy this year, which includes the Bank of England’s base rate peaking at 4%, and gross domestic product

Lloyds said.

Mortgage lending has been gradually returning to normal levels since the former chancellor’s controversial mini-budget, which led average twoand five-year fixed-rate mortgages to temporarily surpass 6%.

Mini crisis

After what Lloyds described as the ‘mini crisis’, hopeful new homebuyers retreated from the housing market, causing the value of total mortgage lending across the country to drop from about £1.5 billion a day to just £600,000 a day.

These levels have since begun to normalise, but still remain around 30% lower than pre-mini-budget levels, Lloyds said.

(GDP) declining by around 1.2% before returning to growth in 2024.

It also expects house prices to fall by about 7% this year, which would mean the value of average properties returning to levels seen in the third quarter of 2021.

But most of its homeowner customers would still have ‘very positive equity’,

And the higher interest rate environment is expected to impact homeowners who are coming to the end of a fixed-rate mortgage this year, and having to remortgage onto a higher rate.

Mr Nunn explained: “If you look at the average mortgage customer in the UK, their average salary is about £75,000, and the average loan-to-value on our mortgage book is about 41% – so there is really significant equity.

“This tends to be a customer base that

is not struggling to make ends meet in terms of the cost of living.

“We are laser-focused on mortgage customers that we know aren’t in that higher income range and are going to experience an increase in interest income that will be difficult for them.

“But we also recognise that about 20% of our mortgage customers are going to be repricing this year, as most have a fixed-term that goes through 2023.”

A significant proportion of customers have had to adapt their spending habits, including switching to supermarket value brands or cancelling subscriptions to deal with higher food and fuel costs, Mr Nunn added.

But less than 1% of Lloyds’ customers are in serious financial difficulty and struggling to make ends meet, he stressed.

The bank said that it had observed a small increase in borrowers defaulting on loans towards the end of last year, but that credit performance was generally strong despite the cost-ofliving crisis.

Nevertheless, the group said it had put aside £1.5 billion in credit provisions over the year to guard it against bad debts, and stressed it was remaining ‘vigilant’ and ready to help borrowers that face difficulties.

Leading charity says changes are needed to make housing system fairer in longer term

RESTRICTIONS on property purchases

made by investors in certain locations should be considered among a package of measures to tackle problems within the housing system, a charity has urged.

Scenic rural locations where there is high demand for holiday homes or rundown neighbourhoods where there are high concentrations of buy-to-let properties could be among the places considered for legal restrictions on who can buy housing stock, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) suggested. Tighter mortgage conditions risk the creation of a cash buyers’ market, whereby those with existing capital are

able to swoop in and buy properties to let, the JRF argued.

Meanwhile, renters have been coping with worsening affordability and face rapidly rising rents and other costs, alongside restricted social security support, it added.

Its report said: “Property ownership in some places – especially very high demand and very low demand markets –is now so dominated by investor interests that local people looking for a home to live in have effectively been frozen out of the local market.”

The document said that in the longer term the Government should give ‘local

councils the powers they need to impose legal restrictions on who can buy stock in defined areas of particular pressure’. Rules could be tailored to local circumstances, the report suggested.

Darren Baxter, Principal Policy Adviser at JRF, said: “We are facing a housing downturn that will put vulnerable families and our country’s economic prospects into serious difficulty. The Government must confront this and recognise that past approaches will not work this time.”

Supply

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said: “Renters are struggling because there are not enough homes to rent.

“Increasing stamp duty on the provision of the very homes we need would only deepen this supply crisis. It would add further pressure to rents and make saving for a deposit even harder for renters who want to become homeowners.

“It is time the Government accepted calls by the NRLA, the cross-party Housing Select Committee and others for tax measures to encourage the supply of homes to rent.”

Oscar Wilde famously said that a cynic ‘knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing’. When selling your home and selecting an agent, making savings on their fees can be one of the key priorities, yet is this wise? Deborah Richards, Managing Partner of award-winning Sales and Lettings agent, Maddisons Residential, shares her thoughts.

I love the finding from a past Rightmove survey that 78% of people believe their house is the best on the road. This is statistically impossible. There is only ever one best house on a road, but the reality is that we all love our home, and when we decide to sell, assume that someone else will feel the same and it will go in a heartbeat. The reality is that selling a property in England is a highly complicated and fraught process: you are selling a highly illiquid asset in which a multitude of things can, and do, go wrong.

We often sell properties privately, and in such cases, sellers can expect a greatly discounted fee, believing that their sale has been achieved with minimum effort. However, the reality is that finding your buyer is just the first step in a very long process, and the art of getting them to exchange is a constant process of negotiation and communication. If your sellers have in turn found their next home, a good agent is also acutely aware that they hold their clients dreams in their hands.

When Purple Bricks launched just over 10 years ago, they were a definite disrupter to the estate agency industry. However, now up for sale and with their share price sitting at just 8p thanks to running up huge losses every year (this year forecast to be between £15 and £25 million), their big vision for creating an agency based on low, up-front costs, has failed. They simply have not sold enough properties to cover their costs, and so indirectly have shone a light on the fact that traditional, high street estate agents are very much worth the fee they charge. Most sellers, when selling their most valuable asset, want a professional on their side, and I believe that a good agent is worth their weight in gold.

After what Lloyds described as the ‘mini crisis’, hopeful new homebuyers retreated from the housing market, causing the value of total mortgage lending across the country to drop

Picture: Shutterstock

Gym is a tonic for health devotees

Jaime Cooke, founder of Camden Road fitness studio SPN speaks to the Times…

With its pumping party tunes and Cali-chic vibes, SPN is the popular and very trendy boutique fitness studio on Camden Road, which prides itself on its unique holistic approach to health and wellbeing.

SPN, standing for Soul Power Nutrition, was founded by fitness entrepreneur, Jaime Cooke whose own wellness journey inspired her to start her own business.

Jaime moved to London from Calgary, Canada in 1999 and got into the wonderful world of fashion selling the indigenous Mukluk boots to high-end department stores and celebrities like Kate Moss.

After taking a break from fashion in order to decide what to do next, Jaime took a family holiday to Ibiza. Sadly she was involved in a car accident that saw her herniate three discs in her lower spine.

Through rehab and physiotherapy, Jaime found Pilates which she attributed to her remarkable recovery.

“I was seeing osteopaths and physios and constantly doing Pilates two to three times a week.

“After six months I went back to my neurosurgeon who was astonished by my recovery. I one hundred per cent believe it was the Pilates.”

Following her recovery, Jaime studied Pilates for two years in London and started teaching clients one to one to help other people who have suffered from lower back and spine problems.

“I always knew the benefits of Pilates but seeing it and experiencing it after going through my injuries makes me believe it was the right path for me, for sure.”

To further support her clients, Jaime became a Back4Good practitioner, specialising in using Pilates for those with back problems like disc pain and sciatica.

“As my clients were getting stronger, I was getting stronger so I was able to do the sports and activities I couldn’t do for a long time

because of the accident.”

This strength is what led her to discover spin and house music which led her to create a spin studio with just four bikes with a large sound system in the cellar of her home.

With only a few clients at the start, word of mouth travelled fast, and the spin sessions grew from a just couple of classes a week to multiple a day.

Eventually, after two years, Jaime had over 400 clients coming to her home for spin classes and she knew the next step was to start her own studio.

In May 2018, Jaime opened SPN, on Camden Road. The boutique fitness studio boasts an

indoor cycling studio with DJ lighting and a sound system, a floor studio, and a smoothie bar. It’s popular with men too who love the TRX and Spin classes.

“From the moment you walk in, to the moment you leave we try to create this beautiful community where everybody is welcome all ages, all demographics to this open space.”

The studio’s success has attracted celebrities like Davina McCall and Dame Kelly Holmes. It expanded to a second site in Sevenoaks in 2021.

Benefits

SPN runs over 50 classes a week offering everything from spin, yoga, boxing, bar, TRX and, its newest edition, house hot yoga. “This is a 60-minute class that uses infrared panels to heat the room to 38 degrees whilst you stretch, and hold poses.

“We use salt lamps, aromatherapy and house music so clients get all the benefits from the class,” says Jaime.

SPN prides itself on being different from your standard gym. For a start, the studio has a flexible payment method which allows its users to purchase ‘credits’ applicable to all classes on a pay-as-you-go system, plus there is no joining fee.

The boutique studio’s main USP is its focus on

the client’s experience with front-of-house services, highly trained instructors, aromatherapy, refreshments, and, most prominently, its music.

Jaime is a trained house DJ, having played at Ministry of Sound, EGG and three clubs in Ibiza.

She now incorporates her DJing into her live spin and yoga classes, as well as specially curated house music playlists for all her classes.

“I believe we can get more out of our clients when they’re inspired through the movement and the music.

“The music creates energy and a really beautiful positive space.”

This year SPN’s annual summer retreat is in Ibiza in partnership with the London Sound Academy.

Participants will learn to DJ during a five-day beginners’ course along with yoga classes, beaches, and parties.

New clients can try SPN with the Weekly Unlimited Introductory offer for just £25 for seven classes over seven days.

For more information and to book a class, visit: spn.fit

‘I always knew the benefits of Pilates but seeing it and experiencing it after going through my injuries makes me believe it was the right path for me, for sure.’

SPINNING TUNES

Fitness entrepreneuer and DJ, Jaime Cooke

Breakfast brasserie set to open for lunch and dinner

Tunbridge Wells foodies will be feeling the excitement as the regular menu at The Brasserie, One Warwick Park Hotels breakfast and brunch restaurant will receive a shake-up today (Wednesday March 1).

The popular spot for fresh coffee and morning favourites will extend its opening hours into the evening, offering new dishes for lunch and dinner inspired by local produce and Mediterranean flavours.

The new menu which launches next week takes its culinary inspiration from the summery European Med and caters towards all occasions including casual lunches and celebratory dinners.

It will be available to enjoy every day from 12 pm, after breakfast and brunch which will remain on the morning menu as normal.

Tables can be booked by calling 01892 520587

or visiting OpenTable.co.uk.

Ollie Funnell, Head Chef at The Brasserie, promises a menu featuring ‘flavourful dishes that appeal to everyone’ as options include seafood and grilled meats along with vegetarian and vegan plates. Diners will also enjoy two new dishes each month, promising something new with every visit.

Dishes feature favourites from Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France such as bouillabaisse – a classic French soup of tiger prawns, mussels, and cod, The Brasserie’s signature handmade burger, spiced chicken thigh, goats’ cheese, and orzo skillet, and ricotta and lobster ravioli. Classic sides will also be on offer, alongside eight new desserts.

Thriving

Sat in the heart of Kent’s thriving business community, the new menu commits to sourcing seasonal and local ingredients, showcasing the very best produce our county has to offer. Suppliers include Southborough Butchers, David Catt & Sons, Penshurst Fine Foods and MCB Seafoods.

“Sourcing locally has always been important to us. There are so many independent businesses in our community, so it makes sense to spend our money with them – it’s all about supporting each other,” Ollie explained.

“Local produce undoubtedly tastes better too because of less time between farm to table. Food

will always be fresh from our local suppliers promising more flavourful dishes” he continued. Found in the heart of The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells’ bustling hospitality parade, The Brasserie offers a luxurious setting, combining dark wood, a striking glass atrium, and a solid marble bar. Racing green walls provide the backdrop to smoked mirrors, chic artwork, and statement lighting, creating a relaxing atmosphere for diners.

Standing proud in the heart of Tunbridge Wells and serving everything from breakfast favourites to evening bites, The Brasserie inspires and delights locals, commuters, and tourists alike with its unique approach to scratch-cooked dishes. Promising something new each visit, The Brasserie’s menu of seasonal plates showcases flavours inspired by the Mediterranean and offers a fine dining experience for every occasion. For more information and to view the new evening menu, visit Brasserie-OWP.co.uk

FOR MARCH IN YOUR AREA

‘Food will always be fresh from our local suppliers promising more flavourful dishes’

On the trail for fine campaign furniture

Nick Hall from Bentleys Fine Art Auctioneers talks about the current interest for pieces of furniture with fascinating connections to

We often read and hear in the media about the decline of the market for antique furniture, the so called ‘brown furniture’, but there are some aspects of the antique furniture market that is as hot now as ever, and getting hotter for the right pieces.

One hot area currently is the interest in 18th and 19th century Campaign Furniture!

Campaign furniture was any furniture specifically made to break down or fold down for ease of travel, predominantly during military campaigns across lands overseas, bringing a touch of home-from-home comfort and practicality to long arduous periods of tent life and battle.

These pieces were designed to be packed up and carried on the march by travelling armies, commonly associated with British Army Officers of the Georgian and Victorian periods (17141901). The most common item of campaign furniture is the chest of drawers, sometimes referred to as a military chest, made of attractive hardwoods such as teak, camphor, mahogany or walnut, strengthened with brass strapwork and brass corners, made to break down into two sections for ease of transport. Most items of

campaign furniture are instantly recognisable as made to dismantle or fold, with hinges where you wouldn’t normally expect to see them, folding legs, etc. These are all handy indicators of furniture built with travel in mind. There were a surprisingly large number of differing items of campaign furniture produced, including collapsible candlesticks (known as Brighton Buns), portable beds that fold up like a concertina, fourposter beds, dining tables and chairs, cooking equipment, wash stands, writing desks, even day beds and table-top bars! Many other ingenious furnishings eased the life of a soldier or explorer, and for high-ranking military officers, the better one’s tent was kitted out, the better the social standing.

The early 20th century saw changes in the way war was conducted. Mobile units needed to be on the move ever quicker, and the development of transport and motor vehicles meant that soldiers on the whole

didn’t need to equip themselves so thoroughly for a long journey, and naturally this meant a decrease in the demand for campaign furniture.

We see continued and growing interest in campaign furniture today for various reasons, the clean lines often found in campaign furniture make them fit in well with contemporary interiors, the ingenuity of design is an appealing aspect to owning examples, and of course the history and social history attached to them is a big factor.

Superb

Here at Bentley’s Fine Art Auctioneers, we are very lucky to have a superb example of British campaign furniture in our forthcoming Antiques, Fine Art and Collector’s auction in Cranbrook on Saturday March 4. This brass mounted walnut two-section secretaire desk by Gregory Kane of Dublin, c.1860, is probably the best example I’ve discovered or seen in many many years.

Most chests of this period can be bought for just a few hundred pounds, but this example will start at £1,000 and then I can see a bidding war starting, with duelling collectors firing shots of ever higher bids until the opposition surrender, in their campaign for victory to win the spoils of war and add this fabulous piece to their collections!

I wouldn’t be surprised if bidding doubles the starting price, but you’ll have to come along and see for yourself this rarity and a thousand other fab pieces on offer. See you at the sale! bentleysfineartauctioneers.co.uk

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.

‘The most common item of campaign furniture is the chest of drawers, sometimes referred to as a military chest, made of attractive hardwoods’

WAR CHEST Nick with the secretaire desk

Audi marks end of TT with Final Edition

AUDI is calling time on its TT sports car after 25 years of sale with a Final Edition that aims to celebrate the model’s success.

fitted too.

Inside, the Final Edition benefits from an extended leather pack on the armrests, door pull handles and trim on the centre console, while an Alcantara steering wheel with red stitching is also fitted. Alcantara is also used for the seats, with decorative red stitching and piping used as well.

‘Customers can choose between Tango Red, Glacier White and

The TT has been on sale since 1998 when it arrived as a new Audi sports car, becoming an iconic model for the German brand. Now in its third generation, the TT is now drawing to a close as Audi looks to focus its efforts on more electrified models instead, with no replacement planned.

This Final Edition is designed to sit at the top of the TT line-up and is marked out by its black styling pack, including black Audi logos and badging and darkened door mirrors. A fixed black rear spoiler is fitted too, while Roadster models get rollover hoops and a wind deflector finished in the colour.

Customers can choose between Tango Red, Glacier White and Chronos Grey as paint colours, while large 20-inch alloy wheels are

Mini’s first electric convertible comes in limited run of 999

MINI’S first electric Convertible model has been revealed – though just 150 are destined for the UK.

Priced at £52,500, the electric Mini Convertible is part of a ‘small series’ run which will see just 999 units created for Europe. It’ll also be offered in a ‘fixed specification’, with one of just two exterior colours to choose from – Enigmatic Black or White Silver. The door handles and light surrounds will be finished in bronze, while the Mini lettering and model logo will come in black only.

Exclusive

As on the regular hardtop Mini Electric, the ‘E’ logo is located on the front and rear, while the car’s specific number showing its place within the 999-unit run will be applied on the door sill trims.

Stefanie Wurst, head of the Mini brand, said: “Three years ago, we launched the MINI Electric, and today one in five MINI models sold in Europe

is an all-electric MINI. This success has spurred us to implement the small series of the MINI Electric Convertible within only a few months. I’m delighted that we can offer 999 MINI customers an extraordinary and exclusive open-air go-kart feeling.”

The Mini Electric Convertible also features model-specific 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels made from 100 per cent secondary aluminium. This material, which is combined with green electricity during construction, significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared with conventionally made wheels.

Inside, there’s a leather-clad cabin with a Nappa leather steering wheel. Interior surfaces are finished in Piano Black, contrasted by yellow accents throughout the cabin. Mini claims a total range of up to 124 miles for the Mini Electric Convertible – slightly less than the 145 miles you’d get from the hard top – yet boot space is unaffected and remains 160 litres.

The TT Final Edition is available in three guises – 40 TFSI and 45 TFSI and TTS. The 40 and 45 TFSI use a 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 194bhp and 242bhp respectively, with the latter also coming with quattro all-wheel-drive as standard. The TTS also uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine, but takes its power up to 316bhp, and allows for a 4.3-second 0-60mph time.

In the TT’s final year Audi has also cut back on the number of TT versions available, reducing it to S line, Black Edition and Final Edition on the standard model, and just the Final Edition on the TTS. The sportier TT RS also remains available, using a powerful 395bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine.

Prices for the Audi TT Final Edition start from £41,910 on the coupe and £43,660 on the roadster. The models will go on sale in March, with first deliveries expected in April.

Drivers could save up to £65 per year on car insurance by paying upfront

MOTORISTS who pay for their insurance upfront rather than in monthly instalments could save up to £65 per year, new research has found.

Paying upfront for a whole year’s insurance costs an average of £623, compared with the combined sum of 12 monthly payments which reaches £688, as of December 2022.

Premiums

Research by comparison site

Comparethemarket also found that the cost difference between a monthly and annual payment has increased by £12 year-on-year.

Car insurance premiums have risen ‘across the board’ over the last 12 months, with the average cost of paying annually hiking by £71 year-onyear and the average premium for paying monthly rising by £83. Comparethemarket says that the cost of car insurance claims has risen due to the increased price of second-hand cars

and higher vehicle repair costs.

Julie Daniels, motor insurance expert at Comparethemarket.com, said: “As living costs continue to rise, many motorists are feeling financially squeezed. Saving on your car insurance is always attractive, considering that the average cost of car insurance is more than £600.

“Although making smaller monthly payments might seem easier, if you’re in a financial position to be able to pay your car insurance policy annually, it could lead to savings of up to £65.”

Drivers can save up to £374 on their car insurance by switching, says Comparethemarket, while a recent survey conducted by the comparison site found that one in three motorists have struggled to afford the cost of driving recently and four-in-ten believe that they would no longer be able to keep on the road if costs continue to rise.

Chronos Grey’