Times of Tunbridge Wells March 22 2023

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Working alongside our clients on a full range of business and individual legal matters to help them achieve the results they seek.

Traffic banning LTN plan for Tunbridge Wells

By Lilly Croucher

for good schools pushes more Tunbridge Wells homes over £1m mark

PLANS for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) in Tunbridge Wells have been submitted by the Borough Partnership as part of a bid for funding from Kent County Council (KCC).

By Victoria Roberts and Lilly Croucher

THE NUMBER of homes in Tunbridge Wells worth over £1million has increased by more than 43 per cent over the past three years, estate agent Savills has reported.

In Tunbridge Wells, the restricted routes are likely to be enforced by physical barriers like one-way systems, changes to road layouts and bollards (such as plant pots) to prevent vehicle access to certain roads.

Wells said: “Tunbridge Wells has a lot to offer, with an extensive choice of schools and local amenities, a direct commute to London and beautiful surrounding countryside in all directions.” Other local

The LTNs are one of three Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPS) submitted to KCC for funding through Active Travel England’s Capability Fund.

“The closer you are to the school, the more you will pay. That works on supply and demand. The schools create demand.

KCC secured £565,439 from the Capability Fund earlier this month, which gives money to local authorities to draw up plans for cycling and walking routes.

‘We

‘You

Tunbridge Wells saw 539 sales over the £1million mark in 2021 and 2022, compared to 378 sales in the previous two years. The absolute number of homes in this price bracket in Britain has increased over 40 per cent since 2019.

An ‘LTN pilot’ proposed by the coalition between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Alliance, would be trialled along the ‘rat-runs’ around St John’s Road and St James’ Road in an effort to curb congestion and traffic in residential areas. LTNs are schemes aimed at reducing traffic in certain neighbourhoods by restricting various types of vehicles, introducing one-way systems as well as other traffic calming measures.

This three per cent increase above the national average is mainly attributed to the good schools on offer in the town, local agents say.

Natasha Selbie of Savills Tunbridge

In London, LTNs were introduced at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and have proved controversial, with claims that the schemes can increase congestion, traffic and pollution in surrounding areas.

INSIDE:

agents, however, were more categorical in linking soaring prices to highly desirable school catchment areas. Steve Bovis of Wood & Pilcher said:

But the coalition has said they may consider other ‘options’ such as number plate recognition cameras but would need to seek resident and Council approval beforehand.

If the pilot is successful, the Borough Partnership said it could expand LTNs across the town centre.

“You could expect to pay around 10-20 per cent extra for a property just because it is in the catchment area of good schools. St John’s and St James both have high demand with the three grammar schools close by.”

Further cash would then be forthcoming to help deliver individual projects.

Cllr Peter Lidstone (Lib Dem), the Council’s Walking and Cycling Champion represents St John’s ward, told the Times: “We would need to do a thorough consultation with residents before any changes take place.

Mr Bovis said school-driven demand was coming from both the local area and abroad. He told the Times: “For a young family, proximity to schools is one of their top priorities, with many families moving from Sussex, Crowborough, North Kent and South London.

“Hopefully our schemes will be put forward and selected for funding, but there are no guarantees here of course,” Cllr Lidstone added.

Continued on page 2

We’re right you berryandlamberts.co.uk

We’re right by you berryandlamberts.co.uk

Wells Football Club has been left ‘devastated’ after fire gutted its clubhouse on

was announced of one of its supporters who was hit by a van. Full

INFERNO The clubhouse [below] before it was hit by the blaze

Photography: Nigel Martin

More £1million homes in Tunbridge Wells

“We have also seen a high influx of people moving into the area to rent from outside the UK, mainly Hong Kong, who have come here on the new British National (Overseas)) visa looking for good schools.”

Deborah Richards, founder of Maddisons Residential, also stressed that education was a ‘huge draw’ for the area, with grammar schools providing a means to avoid private school fees.

“If a grammar school place means your child does not need to go to a private school, the savings are massive,” she stressed.

“There are three highly coveted grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells, and a further three in neighbouring Tonbridge.

Investment

“Most are now what are called ‘catchment grammars’, which means that in order for a child to secure a place, they have to both pass the Kent Test and live close by.” Meanwhile, parents would be scrutinising the town’s primary schools for the number of pupils who pass the Kent Test.

“Having a home that falls within catchment for both the primary and secondary element has never been more important, and values of houses that sit in such coveted areas

have soared,” Ms Richards concluded. However, it is not just the sale price pushing up the stock of £1million houses, but homeowners’ investment in their property, said estate agents.

Extensions will certainly change the price bracket of a property, confirmed Jane Matthews of Bracketts.

“For example, in Farmcombe Road, they might buy these properties because they are near Claremont (Primary School), and then hugely expand. They will buy within their budget, then they will extend within their budget.”

Shaun Kidd, co-founder of Jack Charles Estate Agents agreed that schools are an important, even quantifiable, factor in a house price.

He told the Times: “You could expect to pay 10 per cent more for a house in the catchment area of these schools – which for a £1million house could be an extra £100,000.

“Ofsted reports that go from ‘Outstanding’ to suddenly needing special measures could, over a sustained period, impact the value of a property, but small adjustments won’t hurt. The most people might feel is annoyed.

“Many people have also added value to their house with major refurbishments in 2021/22, pushing a house into the million-pound bracket.”

He also pointed to the stamp duty holiday,

Most local renters pay nearly half their income

which, he said, had been ‘the icing on the cake’ for those already thinking of buying.

“That financial incentive is what may have encouraged them to do it. Some people were saving £12-15,000, which for them is a new kitchen or bathroom, then adding extra value to their homes.”

Despite these record prices for homes, agents seem to think that the rush may be over, although this not mean that prices will fall.

Jane Matthews of Bracketts said: “There are all sorts of factors [at play]. We did have times last year when the market was completely insane. If we had a family property in Tunbridge Wells, there might be 10 bidders.

“But you can’t really sustain that for very long.”

However, Shaun Kidd of Jack Charles Estate Agents believed the share of £1million homes could grow. “I think in the next 5-7 years we could see upwards of 60% of properties over £1million, but that is dependent on market growth and inflation.

“For parents, buying in the area gives them access to grammar schools –equivalent to private schooling – and they are willing to pay above the odds for these properties, with many people coming from London and overseas.

“They see this as an investment in thei children which anchors them into the Kent schooling system.”

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.

By Sharon

Bruce NEW research has found that those who rent property in Tunbridge Wells spend as much as 43% of their monthly income on rent. This is higher than the Kent average of 40.4% − the second highest only to the ceremonial county of London at 53.6%.

Alan Boswell Landlord Building Insurance experts used official government statistics to investigate which UK regions were spending the least on rent by calculating the proportion (%) of income spent on rent across regions. These were then recorded as percentages.

Factors

Deborah Richards, founder of Maddisons Residential, believes there are a number of factors affecting the demand for rentals in the town.

“Life after the pandemic has now settled for most, and many people who were previously living in London have confirmed working patterns with their employers, which gives certainty that they are not needed in the office every day. Some will ‘try before they buy’ and secure a rental. Others may not be in a position to buy anyway.

“The pandemic also saw many sellers attracting excellent prices. Sadly for renters, many landlords are facing rising mortgage costs with their rental properties, and there was always a prediction that this would be passed on to tenants. This is certainly happening in many areas.”

According to home.co.uk, as at March 21, 2023, there were a total of 105 properties for rent in Tunbridge Wells, at an average cost of £1,722 per month. Twenty-four of those properties cost between £2,000 to £5,000 per month.

Source: alanboswell.com

Are you holding an event over the school holidays? Email your details: When, where and what, as well as any photos you may have, to newsdesk@onemediauk.co.uk

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

With the working world ever evolving, this week the Times of Tunbridge Wells asks its readers…

WHAT DOES YOUR WORKING LIFE LOOK LIKE?

HYBRID 53% WHOLLY REMOTE 17% WHOLLY OFFICE-BASED 24% OTHER (RETIRED, STUDYING, ETC) 6%

TUNBRIDGE HOSPITAL HAS SAID IT WILL ALLOCATE MORE PATIENT AND VISITOR PARKING SPACES… DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PARK AT TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL? (See p4 for more)

YES (87%) – I often struggle to find a space

NO (13%) – I don't have a problem parking!

Citizens Advice set to expand its service

Local & Live safe for another year

By Victoria Roberts

THE FUTURE of Local & Live, the town’s biggest annual event, has been secured for another year. Last year, the future of the four-day music festival was left in doubt owing to a deficit of £20,000. That’s when Maxipay Accounting Services stepped in as the headline sponsor. Now the local accountancy firm has reaffirmed its support for the festival as this year’s sponsor, too.

The annual music festival, which this year is expected to showcase around 60 local artists on the main stage in Calverley Grounds, as well as at The Forum and The Sussex Arms, costs almost £60,000 to stage.

IN RESPONSE to the cost-of-living crisis and a desire to support the local community, a bigger office of the Tunbridge Wells Citizens Advice opened in Royal Victoria Place on Tuesday March 21.

The new, larger and fully accessible office will enable Citizens Advice to extend their support to the local community.

Angela Newey, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice in North & West Kent (CANWK), said: “The number of people in Tunbridge Wells asking for support is sharply on the rise. We are an independent charity who rely heavily on volunteers to enable us to deliver our advice services, so we are using this moment to appeal to the local community to step up to support us in providing free, impartial, and confidential support on matters such as debt, housing, employment, and immigration to those most in need.”

Citizens Advice in North & West Kent has offices in Dartford, Gravesend, Swanley, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, with additional drop-in locations in Snodland, Cranbrook, East Malling, Southborough and Tonbridge South.

The new Tunbridge Wells Citizens Advice office is located on the 8th floor of the Royal Victoria Centre. For more information, see: citizensadvicenwk.org.uk/about-us/ourlocations/tunbridge-wells-office/

Sign up for a pub quiz with a difference

‘I HEART Quizzing’ at The Bedford takes place on Sunday March 26, from 7 to 10pm. Expect TV and film favourites in ‘Sing-Along-an-Intro’, music in ‘Britpop Bingo’, plus cake and prizes. Entrance costs £3 per person, for tables of four or five. To book: contact@thebedfordtw.co.uk

Register interest for Soapbox Race now

Invaluable

“We are very pleased to welcome Maxipay Accounting Services back as headline sponsors for a second year,” said festival founder and organiser Paul Dunton.

“Their involvement last year was greatly appreciated, and the relationship has been an invaluable contribution to the festival.”

Local music impresario Mr Dunton founded Local & Live in 2006, as part of the town’s 400th anniversary celebrations. It was first held in the bandstand on The Pantiles, then relocated to Calverley Grounds in 2014 when it outgrew The Pantiles as a venue.

The festival platforms local artists performing their own music, giving audiences a chance to experience local talent, while the performers have the opportunity to play in front of substantial crowds.

Despite the emphasis on ‘local’, the festival has attracted its share of high-profile praise and support. The Who’s Roger Daltrey said: “Local & Live is dedicated to showcasing and developing genuine music talent of all ages and styles. Long may that continue!”

Singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading has also shown her support for the festival: “Paul Dunton has done so much for independent artists. Local & Live is just brilliant.”

“It’s been so rewarding to see Local & Live become an established fixture on the annual calendar. Every year we see more and more people returning to the event and more artists wanting to appear on the bill.”

In addition to its importance for music, the event also offers a business boost to the town,

Beware door-to-door rogue traders

RESIDENTS are reminded to be vigilant against rogue traders operating in parts of west Kent after an elderly woman was targeted for a large sum of cash.

On Saturday March 11, 2023, an 81-year-old woman in Edenbridge was approached by three men who jet-washed her driveway against her wishes before demanding a payment of £300. When a relative arrived at her home and challenged them, the men left. No payment was made to the suspects, who were travelling in a white Ford Transit van bearing an Irish number plate.

Suspicious

communities by charging exorbitant amounts of money for work that is often completely unnecessary, or at best, substandard. We would urge residents not to deal with cold callers who knock on doors offering work to clean driveways, repair roofs or to maintain garden shrubs, hedges and trees.

“We are also asking neighbours to keep an eye out for vulnerable people, including the elderly. If you see anything suspicious don’t hesitate to call the police.”

The police have also offered the following advice:

• If someone knocks at your door, always refuse on-the-spot repairs or maintenance.

with festival-goers arriving from a much wider area.

The festival’s ‘food village’ is made up of exclusively local traders.

Local & Live will be held on August 25-28 at Calverley Grounds, The Forum and The Sussex Arms.

THE time for warnings is over. As from March 20 2023, vehicles that contravene the bus gate/lane restriction on Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, will receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) in the post.

Monitoring of the area in front of the war memorial in the town centre began again on February 20. Since then, about 6,000 warning letters have been sent to the owners of vehicles that ignore the restrictions. The letters advised that full enforcement would follow a period of warning notices only, and that subsequent contraventions would result in a PCN being issued.

Restriction

In the month since CCTV cameras resumed monitoring the area, the Council’s Parking team, who enforce the restriction, has seen the number of vehicles steadily decrease. However, many drivers who have been warned continue to flout the rules, and some vehicles have been detected up to 40 times over the month that warning notices have been issued.

Council Parking Manager John Strachan said: “Our thanks go to motorists who are observing the restriction. We have noticed fewer cars now pass through this area. I hope it is becoming more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists.”

ENTRIES are open for this year’s Tunbridge Wells Soapbox Race, which takes place in Dunorlan Park on Saturday June 24. This annual race is for amateur teams made up from a range of businesses, organisations and individuals. Basic karts are provided for the main race and each team is allowed to individualise their karts in any way they choose to make them stand out from the crowd. The whackier the better! To register your interest in raising money for charity, having fun and the chance to race against your rivals, visit: twsoapboxrace.com

Similar reports of suspicious activity were made to Kent Police on Monday March 13, when at least two men were seen persistently knocking on doors and offering to clean driveways in the Broomfield Road area of Sevenoaks. They were seen in a silver Toyota Hilux. The incidents are considered to be linked. More incidents of a similar nature in the Tunbridge Wells area have been reported on the Nextdoor app.

Inspector Matt Atkinson, of the Sevenoaks Local Policing Team, said: “Some criminals will look to exploit the more vulnerable members of our

• Don't allow anyone to pressure you into agreeing to have work carried out. If you ask them to leave and they don't, contact the police on 999.

• Don't ever go to a bank or cashpoint with a trader. Legitimate traders would never require this.

• Use reputable traders who are members of the KCC Trading Standards Checked scheme: tschecked.kent.gov.uk

• Ask for quotes in writing and check that the tradesperson is from the company they say they are from.

The PR2 bus gate/lane restriction, which applies daily between 9am and 6pm, is a joint initiative between Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent County Council. The restriction aims to support sustainable transport and reduce air and noise pollution in the town centre. It also makes the town centre safer for pedestrians and more attractive to shoppers and other visitors.

Anyone who thinks a PCN has been incorrectly issued may appeal it. Details of how to do this are at: tunbridgewells.gov.uk Authorised vehicles are permitted to enter the restricted area.

More information on the bus gate and exemptions to the restriction can be found at: tunbridgewells.gov.uk/parking/bus-gatelane

PAUL DUNTON

Photography: Nigel Martin

No more warnings: bus zone fines to be enforced from now

Photo: Shutterstock

New children’s hospice lightens load on families

By Sharon Bruce

WITH the opening of the Hospice in the Weald for Children, more help is now at hand for the families and child-sufferers of life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses.

Known within the community for providing outstanding care for terminally ill adults and their loved ones, Hospice in the Weald has now extended its services to include care for children in Kent and East Sussex.

Offering a range of services, from nursing care to practical and emotional support such as counselling and bereavement therapy, the hospice’s specialist Children’s team is now on hand to ease the strain for the entire family, including siblings − all free of charge.

Nick Farthing, Hospice in the Weald’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted Hospice in the Weald for Children is now up and running. With advances in technology and care, children and young people are living longer than previously. This puts strain on the limited

resources available and on families. We are here to offer greater choice and availability for families in the area, and want to work collaboratively with other providers to make a difference to the lives of those who need us most.”

More hospital public parking but less allocated to the staff

Tracy Smith, who heads the Hospice’s Children’s Service, has been a paediatric nurse for more than 20 years. She said: “We are delighted to now have home visits underway and are enjoying getting to know some of the amazing children and their families in our community.

“We are here to offer respite care to families, so children can stay in the comfort of their own home. To ensure children can be children, we have an array of specialist and sensory toys and activities to help each child have fun and make memories,” Ms Smith said.

Respite

Caring for a terminally ill child takes a massive toll on the family, Ms Smith explained. “Families need respite so that parents or carers have some breathing space to cope.

A few hours to just do some shopping, spend time with another sibling, or to be able to do something as a couple, can make the world of difference to a parent who is otherwise caring for their child around the clock. Being able to become ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ and not ‘carer’, even for a few hours, can help parents regain a sense of identity.

Counselling support is also available for the entire family, including siblings, to help them cope with the emotional impact of the child’s diagnosis.

“We are welcoming referrals as we fully establish our new service and are happy to speak to families who may wish to find out if we can support them,” Ms Smith said.

Families can ask their health professional to refer them to Hospice in the Weald for Children, or they can refer themselves.

For more information and a referral form, select the ‘Children’ tab at: hospiceintheweald.org

By Sarah Carter

IN RESPONSE to increasing demand, Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury is to allocate more parking spaces to patients and visitors, although apparently at the expense of staff parking.

In last week’s Times poll held on Facebook and Instagram, 86.82 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: ‘I often struggle to find a space’ with reference to hospital parking.

Feedback

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), which manages the hospital, has also been polling hospital users.

It said last week: “In response to feedback, this week we are creating more patient and visitor parking spaces (including more disabled parking

TUNBRIDGE WELLS HOSPITAL

and drop-off bays) at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, close to A&E.”

Car parking plans dated 2021 and 2022 show a total of just over 1,400 marked spaces on the site. This includes Disabled Car Park C in front of the building, but excludes the drop-off area.

The Times understands from a staff member that the extra patient and visitor spaces are to come from staff allocation.

According to MTW’s own information, parking for the public is free for up to 30 minutes, rising to £2 for up to two hours. There is an additional £2 for each two-hour period, with fees capped at £10 for an 8 to 24-hour period. Concessionary rates are available for Oncology and Renal patients while they are receiving treatment.

Parking allowances are also available in cases of outpatient cancellations or delays.

MTW has been approached for comment.

The Amelia’s ‘Minnie’ mascot off to London for major exhibition

By Victoria Roberts

ONE of the town’s oldest museum attractions, a preserved Maltese Terrier displayed in a custom Tunbridge Ware cabinet, is off to London to take part in a major exhibition of dog portraiture.

‘Minnie’, a long-haired white dog, was preserved even before the Tunbridge Wells Natural History and Philosophical Society founded its original collection in 1885. The collection covers social history, natural history, archaeology, fine and decorative arts.

Displayed within a custom-made glassfronted Tunbridge Ware display cabinet, Minnie’ is accompanied by a card revealing that

she died on April 16, 1883, aged nearly 12. Lulu Terriers (as they were previously known) like Minnie were a very popular breed in Britain at the time, so this forms part of the social history aspect of the museum’s collection. With the collection now held at The Amelia, curators tweeted last week: “Yesterday we said goodbye (for now!) to our much-loved Minnie, the famous #tunbridgewells mascot.

“Minnie is headed on tour to the @WallaceMuseum where she will be seen by new audiences,” they added.

‘Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney’ is on at The Wallace Collection (wallacecollection.org), near Bond Street, from March 29.

‘We are delighted to now have home visits underway and are enjoying getting to know some of the amazing children and their families in our community’

FAMILY SUPPORT: Tracy Smith (left) and Fiona Ashmore of Hospice in the Weald

DOG GONE: Minnie on her way to The Wallace Collection

Spinning the extra hundreds of miles in the fight against cancer

By Victoria Roberts

A WOMAN who set out to raise money for cancer research after her friend’s life was devastated by both her own cancer diagnoses and those of her family, has raised more than four times her original fundraising goal.

Jane Stubbings met Denise Lyons when they were both training to be nurses 40 years ago. Over the years, Denise has suffered a series of health problems and in 2017 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her continuing ill health led to the discovery of secondary breast cancers in her body.

Treatment

Jane explained: “After chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, Denise was given the all-clear, but with breast cancer they only scan the chest area and not the whole body at the end of treatment.”

Denise had lost her husband before her first diagnosis, and during her own period of ill health, she also lost her mother and younger brother to cancer.

“As a friend, apart from giving support, you feel so helpless and angry,” said Jane. She decided to raise funds and awareness through a sponsored public ‘spin’ at SPN fitness studio.

“I joked to Jaime Cooke, the owner of SPN, [and asked] if she would consider me spinning continuously on a bike in the window of the studio in Camden Road for Cancer Research –

and from nowhere decided 36 hours was a challenging enough target!” she said.

Jane’s original fundraising goal was £1,000, but she has continued with both her fundraising and her awareness-raising events.

After her sponsored spin in December, Jane has since done a 250-mile sponsored walk to Harrogate, where Denise lives.

“It took eight days and was much harder than the spinning, but I finished!” she told the Times.

Jane’s fundraising page remains open at: fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/ janes-giving-page-36-1

Daffodil appeal overtakes former fundraising targets

THIS year’s Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal amassed a record number of donations in collections from Crowborough, despite the cost-of-living crisis.

Volunteer collectors at Morrisons in Crowborough have raised £1,093.17 for the charity, which provides nursing and hospice care for those with a terminal illness, as well as a telephone line and other support.

Acknowledging the financial strain people are under, local co-ordinator George Tyson told the Times: “It’s more than we have collected at any

stage in the past. In times of financial and economic uncertainty, such generosity is much appreciated.”

Two volunteers alone – 16-year-old Edward Foley and his mother, from Wadhurst –personally collected over £300, Mr Tyson added.

“Warmest thanks go to all involved – donors, volunteer collectors, staff – and, of course, the dedicated Marie Curie nurses themselves, who bring hope and comfort to many suffering illness in their declining years,” he said.

MARATHON SPINNER: Jane Stubbings completed a 36-hour spin session

FLOWER POWER: Edward Foley (right) and his mother collecting at Morrisons in Crowborough

Moulding memories of life’s milestones

By Victoria Roberts

PRESERVING flowers is a way of holding on to memories for a Tunbridge Wells-based artist who creates decorative plaster moulds from milestone bouquets and arrangements.

A former art teacher, Bonnie Flashman Payne, became an artist five years ago so she could work alongside having a family, and creates the plaster tiles at her kitchen table.

After making a clay mould from the flowers, she pours plaster into the mould and sets wall hooks into the back of the ‘tile’, so it can be hung on the wall of any dry indoor room.

Preserving

She initially focused on preserving wedding bouquets but she soon realised that many other arrangements held emotions that people didn’t want to let fade with the flowers and foliage.

“It was in my first year that I got a commission. I had someone come to me to ask: ‘Do you do funeral flowers?’” she told the Times

“And since then I’ve developed a way of adding

ashes into a flower mould.

“It’s not very obvious, but just so they know it’s there.”

Her latest piece of work is one of these sadder memorials.

“I am currently finishing working on a commission – preserving flowers that my client's late husband bought her, just before he went into hospital with Covid.”

Having lived in Tunbridge Wells all her life, and with strong church connections and a child in school, Bonnie’s work is very much rooted in the community.

She does one or two commissions a month, trying to work as much as possible through word of mouth, but is expanding slowly, offering ceramic casts of hands and even paws, and has now joined forces with a jeweller who casts foliage in silver pendants and earrings.

“I’ve also linked up with a florist,” she added.

“Pieces start at £40 to £45, but it depends on what you are asking for – it does vary – but my most expensive commission has been £150.”

Botanical Press is on Instagram @ botanicalpressart

Students bring their special café out into the community

STUDENTS with additional needs who opened a school café as part of their enrichment and life-skills training are about to take their business to the next level by running it as a weekly pop-up in Tonbridge.

The Nexus Pop Up Café, organised by Nexus School’s Young Enterprise club and teacher Katie Porter, will be open on Thursday afternoons in term time at Christ Church United Reform Church (URC) in Tonbridge High Street.

Opening

Tonbridge Mayor Cllr Sue Bell will attend the grand opening this week before it opens to the public on Thursday March 30.

Community and Career Liaison Lindsay Avery told the Times that the café has been running at the school for two terms, and is now ready to go out into the community.

She explained: “It’s a mix of all the students, all different abilities and pathways. Some are 11, some are 19 – and everyone else in between.”

Students are involved in all aspects of the café, from menu design and front of house, to stock-taking and ordering.

“They started with a budget,” Ms Avery said. “It should be like a minibusiness.

“But we [Nexus School] are very hidden away [in Upper Haysden Lane] and I’d love to see them getting out into the community.

“The church is such a central location and the building is so accessible.”

The menu at the moment consists of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and soft drinks, as well as some cakes and scones.

“Initially, they are going with pre-packaged mixes so they can give the right nutritional information,” she added.

Cllr Bell will be one of the customers asked for their feedback during the grand opening, said Ms Avery. “We hope she is going to love it. She’s so interested in this sort of thing.”

At the same time, the café’s current customers – a mix of teachers, school drivers, students’ personal assistants, school governors, parents and other visitors – will not be left without their café, she stressed.

“We hope this will be their in-house ‘workplace’ for work experience, and that all our in-house events – like parents’ evening – will be held there.

“The café covers all of our life-skills.”

Visit the Nexus Pop-Up Café at Christ Church United Reform Church, Tonbridge TN9 1SG, 1-2pm on Thursdays in term time, from March 30.

CAFÉ SOCIETY: The church in Tonbridge

Local nutritionist consults for new global food app

By Alice Reece

THE Times’ Health and Wellbeing columnist, Monica Price has been announced as the newest ambassador for a global food guide app, Ingredifind, which aims to help those with allergies and food preferences.

Ms Price, a broadcaster and health and wellbeing expert, has been hired as the latest consultant for the new platform, created by father-and-son team Mark and Nick White.

Food shop and bar reopens after flood

By Lily Croucher

A GROCERY shop and bar on The Pantiles has reopened after the building nearly sunk following a flood almost 14 months ago.

Oliver Greens, which sells local produce as well as drinks at its bar, has finally reopened after flooding in the basement forced it to close back in January 2022.

Future

The shop’s owner, Claire Barrow, told the Times about the uncertain future the shop faced after the flooding, and her excitement to be back.

Ms Barrow said: “It was a long 14 months and I didn’t think it would take so much time, but it kept going on and on [and] I thought we might never be back.

“We think a water pump had started pumping

water into the building, causing it to flood, so the whole building had to be underpinned. Now it looks amazing.

“It is great to be back, and I am really excited for summer, when we will be able to serve customers our summer menu at our outside seating area. I am also looking forward to a great Christmas with the shop.

Last week (March 15), Ms Barrow featured on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to talk about how winning £75,000 in a competition on the show had helped her and her family start the business.

Of the experience she told the Times: “Oh, it was great. ITV are an amazing group of people.

I’ve had the pleasure of doing a few things with them now, and the fact they are advertising my business on television is great.”

Oliver Greens is open every day from 10am-5pm, with the bar open from 12pm-10.30pm.

The Silicon Valley-based app allows restaurants to create customised, digital menus where customers can filter through food allergies and dietary preferences.

Ms Price will be using her wealth of knowledge on nutrition and food allergies, plus her expertise in media broadcasting to build on the app’s success. She hopes to encourage more

restaurants, including those in Tunbridge Wells, to sign up to the platform for free.

She told the Times: “Tunbridge Wells has an eclectic mix of wonderful restaurants that will all benefit from this app, whatever ingredients they use.

Important

“This revolutionary app, launching very soon, will be such a useful tool for those with food allergies and dietary preferences. Something so simple – and yet so important.

“Restaurants and consumers will be able to sign up for free and create an account, and working together, select the food allergy or preference. Menus will be displayed showing you which foods best suit your preference. This could potentially save lives.”

Supermarket Lloyds Pharmacy faces closure at end of the year

By Sharon Bruce

THE LLOYDS Pharmacy inside the Tunbridge Wells Sainsbury’s has been identified as one of the Kent branches that could face potential closure. This has been revealed in the wake of Lloyds’ announcement to close 237 pharmacies in Sainsbury’s supermarkets by the end of the year.

Emails

Last month, Pharmacy Network News reported that it had seen emails with potential buyers discussing the sale of several hundred branches.

Mark Pitt, Assistant General Secretary of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association, the only independent union exclusively for pharmacists, added: “We have seen many disposals of Lloyds Pharmacy branches over recent months and we know more may occur.

“However, for every disposal there has been a buyer, therefore patients and communities have seen no reduction in availability, the pharmacy network has not lost capacity and there were no job losses.”

Other Lloyds Pharmacies in Kent facing potential closures include the Tonbridge Road and Cranbrook branches.

STARRING ROLE: The ITV television crew setting up outside Oliver Greens last week

Why not make a night of it?

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.

THIS YEAR’S AWARD CATEGORIES

By Victoria Roberts

DINNER bookings have closed for the Times Business Awards, but how about enjoying the night fully by taking advantage of a 20 per cent discount on accommodation at Salomons Estate?

An overnight stay is ideal for those who live further afield. With a rail strike planned for March 30, you would no longer need to worry about getting behind the wheel of a car, either. Simply enjoy the drinks reception sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, before moving into the Victorian Science Theatre for the gala dinner, attended by headline sponsor Berkeley Homes Southern Counties and the category sponsors.

Celebrating

After dinner, celebrity host Nick Ferrari will take up his role entertaining and delighting the guests, before he and the sponsors get down to the serious business of announcing the 10 winning companies, organisations and individuals. Once the tables are cleared, the room will transform into a dancefloor and Mint DJs will keep the evening going with a mix of songs, old and new, to ensure everyone is celebrating, until the event ends at 1am.

Accommodation can be booked by calling 01892 515 152 and quoting ‘Business Awards’ for a double or twin room at £92 (bed and breakfast) and single room at £68 (bed and breakfast).

Prices include VAT.

THE BUSINESSES SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 AWARDS ARE...

Best Business with 1-25 Employees 2023

Brittens Music

The Green Duck Emporium HR Revolution

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials

Best Business with 26+ Employees 2023

CooperBurnett LLP

Cornerstone FS PLC

Loch Associates Group

Best in Food and Drink 2023

The Blue Anchor (Crowborough)

The George & Dragon (Speldhurst)

Pig & Porter

TN1 Bar & Kitchen

Charity of the Year 2023

Age UK Tunbridge Wells

Nourish Community Foodbank

Taylor Made Dreams

Green Business of the Year

Denton’s Art of Hair

Emily Brown Photography

Goupie

Creative Business of the Year 2023

Colley Raine & Associates

Sharp Minds Communications Ltd.

The TN card

Start-Up Business of the Year 2023

Claire Douglas Styling Kumquat TN Lettings

Family Business of the Year 2023

Fashion Carpets

Grovewood Wealth Management

KMJ Property Kumquat

Entrepreneur of the Year 2023

Denise Airey

Gillian Palmer

Maryna Cole

Matt Elesmore

Outstanding Business of the Year 2023

NFU Mutual

Sharp Minds Communications Ltd.

Thomas Mansfield

Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials

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)

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

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)

Drinks reception sponsored by Brewin Dolphin

Headline sponsor:

FINAL COUNTDOWN:

The Times Business Awards 2023 will be held in the Victorian Science Theatre at Salomons Estate

‘AND THE WINNER IS’: Eamonn Holmes (centre) was the host of last year’s gala ceremony

Gold shipment worth £4million is seized

THE National Crime Agency (NCA) has obtained a civil recovery order for gold worth an estimated £4million that was being laundered by South American drug cartels.

The gold was in the cargo section of a plane that had arrived from the Cayman Islands. Its journey had taken it by private plane from Venezuela to the Cayman Islands, and via Heathrow, from where it was be transported to Switzerland.

Suspect is arrested after man set on fire

POLICE have made an arrest after a man was set alight as he walked home from a mosque. A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The victim suffered facial burns when his jacket was set alight in Shenstone Road in Edgbaston, Birmingham, around 7pm on Monday.

West Midlands Police said it was aware of a similar incident in Ealing, London and that it was working with the Metropolitan Police to see whether the incidents were linked. An 82-year-old man had been set alight on February 27 as he left the West London Islamic Centre.

Japan and China leaders visit rivals

JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit to Ukraine yesterday (March 21), hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in neighbouring Russia for a three-day visit.

Meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks in Kyiv, Mr Kishida declared his “absolute rejection of Russia’s one-sided change to the status quo by invasion and force”, and affirmed his “commitment to defend the rules-based international order”, said the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Tokyo has territorial disputes over islands with China and Russia and is particularly concerned about the close relationship between Beijing and Moscow, which have conducted joint military exercises near Japan’s coasts.

Mr Kishida, who is to chair the G7 summit in May, was the only leader of the group who had not visited Ukraine.

Due to the limitations of Japan’s pacifist constitution, Mr Kishida’s trip was arranged secretly. He is Japan’s first post-war leader to enter a war zone.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier warmly welcomed Mr Xi to the Kremlin on a visit that both nations described as an opportunity to deepen their “no-limits friendship”.

At a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Tuesday, Mr Xi said he had invited Mr Putin to visit China at some point this year.

Activists to sue state over climate policy

A COURT in Sweden has allowed a group of environmental activists, including Greta Thunberg, to file a lawsuit against the Swedish state for what they say is insufficient action on the climate.

The youth-led initiative Aurora, which is behind the lawsuit, said on its website that ‘the Swedish state does not treat the climate crisis as a crisis’.

Last year, over 600 people under the age of 26 signed a document as the basis for the lawsuit, saying the country has violated its citizens’ human rights with its climate policies.

Relatives of murder victims lead calls for change at ‘rotten’ Met Police

BEREAVED families let down by the Metropolitan Police have made powerful calls for change after a savagely critical review by Baroness Louise Casey found the force institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic.

Baroness Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen was murdered by racists in 1993, said the force, Britain’s largest, was ‘rotten to the core’.

Killers

The force was found to be institutionally racist in 1999 in the Macpherson Report on Stephen’s murder and its aftermath.

Only two of the 18-year-old’s five killers have ever been brought to justice, following abject failures in the investigations into his death that were marred by racism and alleged police corruption.

Following the publication of the Casey review 24 years later, Baroness Lawrence said: “It comes as no surprise to me that the report from Baroness Louise Casey has found that the Metropolitan Police is riddled with deep-seated racism, sexism and homophobia.”

Family members of the victims of serial killer

Stephen Port, who was left free to murder three men after police failures in investigating the death of his first victim, also called for a public inquiry to understand ‘how and why this force is failing people so badly’.

Donna and Jenny Taylor, the sisters of Port’s fourth victim, Jack Taylor, said: “Someone needs to take responsibility for tackling issues such as homophobia, someone needs to own it.

“Not one person has. We still feel that if Jack had been a girl the whole situation would have been dealt with differently from the start.

“You can’t put it right and change the culture if

you don’t know what’s going wrong, why it’s going wrong, or fail to fully investigate the root of the problems.”

The Met was accused of homophobia over the failure to stop Port, but force bosses repeatedly denied there was an issue with such discrimination.

In her 363-page report, published on Tuesday, Baroness Casey found the Met was institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic; had failed to protect the public from officers who abuse women; and organisational changes had put women and children at greater risk.

The peer said that she could not guarantee that there were not more men like murderer Couzens and serial rapist David Carrick serving in the Met.

Women’s rights campaigner Jamie Klingler said: “Nothing’s been done to prevent another Wayne Couzens.

“Why wouldn’t we expect another David Carrick or another Wayne Couzens?

“There is no question there are more men on the force who are capable of the violence they carried out.”

Johnson admits that he misled MPs but spoke ‘in good faith’

BORIS Johnson has admitted misleading MPs but denies doing so ‘intentionally or recklessly’, in a defence dossier apportioning blame to advisers and criticising Parliament’s inquiry.

The former prime minister rejected accusations of a “cover-up” and insisted his partygate assurances were made “in good faith” based on what he believed at the time, as he fights to avoid a possible suspension from the Commons.

He accused the cross-party Privileges Committee of overstepping its remit in his 52-page defence which was released on Tuesday, a day before the live grilling that could determine his political fate.

Inquiry

The group of MPs undertaking the inquiry said his legal argument “contains no new documentary evidence” as Mr Johnson seeks to convince them he did not commit a contempt of Parliament.

In his written evidence, Mr Johnson also:

– Argued he would “would never have dreamed” of misleading MPs with his denials of lockdown-breaching parties in No 10 during the coronavirus pandemic.

– Said there was “nothing reckless or unreasonable” about relying on the assurances of

his advisers, though he accepted “it is clear now, those assurances were wrong”.

– Accepted that “hindsight is a wonderful thing”, as he said he wished he had thought more about how the public would have felt about mid-pandemic parties at the heart of government.

– Did not deny saying that one event was “probably the most unsocially distanced gathering in the UK right now”.

– Insisted that the at times “unavoidable” lack of social distancing in the “old, cramped London townhouse” of No 10 was

not necessarily a breach of guidance.

The Tory-majority committee led by Labour grandee Harriet Harman will today (March 22) consider at least four occasions when Mr Johnson may have misled MPs with his assurances.

Denials

The former prime minister accepted that his denials turned out not to be accurate but said he corrected the record at the “earliest opportunity”.

However, he insisted there is “no evidence at all that supports an allegation that I intentionally or recklessly misled the House”.

“So I accept that the House of Commons was misled by my statements that the rules and guidance had been followed completely at No 10,” he wrote.

“But when the statements were made, they were made in good faith and on the basis of what I honestly knew and believed at the time.

“I did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House on December 1 2021, December 8 2021, or on any other date. I would never have dreamed of doing so.”

Mr Johnson rejected the committee’s belief that the evidence suggested breaches of coronavirus rules would have been “obvious” to him as prime minister as “fundamentally flawed”.

Childminders warn of closures after ‘free’ childcare

CHILDMINDERS have warned they might have to close under the Government’s new childcare proposals if they are not funded properly, with Government-funded hourly rates previously undercutting the amount they can earn privately.

Jeremy Hunt has promised up to 30 hours a week of ‘free childcare’ for working parents in England with children as young as nine months.

The Government said it is providing £204million this year, increasing to £288million in 2024-25, for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers, and then increasing year-on-year to meet rising cost pressures.

A statement from Childminding UK said:

“Having listened to the Budget, we still don’t know all the details about when measures will be put into place and therefore what impact they will have...

“Unless funding rates match actual costs of providing the places, more settings, including childminders, will close, creating a bigger shortage of places, preventing parents working.”

Anna Bainbridge, a childminder from Surrey, said: “I currently don’t take any funding for three-year-olds as I can’t afford to. I charge £7.50 an hour and the Government pay £4.66. It’s illegal to charge a top-up.

The offer of free childcare will be available to working parents of two-year-olds from April 2024, covering around half-a-million parents,

but initially it will be limited to 15 hours.

From September 2024, the 15-hour offer will be extended to children from nine months, which the Government has said will help nearly a million parents. The full 30-hour offer to working parents of children under five will come in from September 2025.

While the Government did not provide a comment, it confirmed that the funding that local authorities receive to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers will include an average of a 30% increase in the national average two-year-old rate from September 2023. It also said the three- to four-year-old rate will rise to over £5.50 per hour from September 2023, with further uplifts after that.

Greg Clark

Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells

Women will feel safer on our streets when sexual harassment finally becomes a crime

THIS week will mark a significant milestone in the journey to making sexually harassing women in public a criminal offence.

On Friday – just over one week on from International Women’s Day – my Private Member’s Bill will have its third reading debate in the House of Commons. Following its detailed examination in Committee and the consideration of amendments tabled, this will be the final hurdle it must clear in the House of Commons.

Support

The Bill commands cross-party support and has won the backing of the Government, so I hope that it will pass this next test and go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny there. The Bill reflects so many discussions that I have had with women and girls here in Tunbridge Wells. For example, just last month I met sixth formers – 17 and 18-year-olds – in one of our local secondary schools. I asked the mixed group with whom I was talking how many of them, when walking in the street at night, would routinely have their keys clenched in their hand in case they were approached and felt in

danger. Every single one of the young women in the class immediately put up their hands. Not one of the young men did. In the discussion that followed, the girls described this as being completely standard, instinctive behaviour that they always practised – usually without even thinking about it. The boys present were astonished: none of them had ever contemplated doing so. To be in a defensive posture against possible attack when walking at night will be the experience of many women readers of this column, too, I am sure. If it’s not keys in the hand, it might be speaking – or pretending to speak – on a mobile phone while walking. Or avoiding certain routes home altogether. Why should girls and women – in a place as civilised and comparatively safe as

Tunbridge Wells – be in a state of fear when using our streets, which belong to them as much as they do to men?

The principal purpose of my Bill is to bring about change in behaviour. If it were known that deliberately harassing a woman in a public place with the intention to cause her alarm or distress was more than unkindness – that it is a

criminal offence – it would help to establish that such behaviour is unacceptable (as it should be).

It would bring the law into line with public harassment on the grounds of a person’s race or sexuality, which is widely known to be an offence.

Behaviour

A comparison I sometimes use is with behaviour at football matches. It was not so long ago that to be on the terraces of a league football ground would involve hearing racist abuse directed at players. Nowadays, that is extremely rare. This is not just because of action by authorities, but because racial harassment is now considered so serious and shocking by most people in attendance that any perpetrator would likely be silenced and excluded by other members of the crowd.

I hope that my Bill, if it passes, will be a historic milestone. It will establish finally and clearly the right of any woman to walk in any public place without being deliberately stalked, harassed or abused. In time, the house keys held clenched in the hand on the way home will be consigned to the past.

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Greg Clark was first elected MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. He has held a number of positions in Government, including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. He is currently Chairman of the Commons’ Science and Technology Committee

Picture: Shutterstock

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

Top of the afternoon… and evening

COVID put St Patrick’s Day events ‘on hold’ for a few years, but we recommenced last year at The Old Auction House. The event this year returned to the same venue for an afternoon of socialising, frivolity and just general good quality ‘craic’. Thirty-three local friends, business acquaintances (solicitors, accountants, clients), and golfers from The Nevill Golf Club enjoyed the afternoon, and indeed the evening, too!

A big thank you from us to the staff at The Old Auction House, who looked after everyone superbly, offering up a wonderful starter of smoked salmon and charcuterie, followed by a fabulous Irish stew, and then a fine array of cheese. Also, a big thank you to The Diageo Group (brand owners of Guinness), who kindly provided hats, banners and posters for the event.

Southborough increase

I have just received our Council tax bill from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for 2023 /24somewhat confusingly sent in an envelope with the return address of Maidstone Borough Council. On examining the detailed breakdown of the bill, I note that Southborough Town Council has increased its precept by 7.4% for 2023/24 – a very significant increase at a time when families are having to deal with so many other cost pressures. Borough and County councils are restricted by central government to a maximum annual increase, and if they wish to impose any “excessive increase”, they are required to hold a local referendum and obtain approval before exceeding the limit. However, town councils face no similar restriction and are free to impose any increase they choose – clearly a democratic deficiency in the system.

Those of us living within the Southborough Town Council area now find that in 2023/24 we will be paying more in council tax to run Southborough Town Council than we will pay to run the Borough Council itself. And when you check the Town Council website, under “Budget & Precept” to see what the Town Council plans to spend all this money on –you get a blank page stating: “Nothing Found”.

The Town Council, as far as I’m aware, recently received a significant sum of money from the sale of the allotments site on Pennington Road, so why is this 7.4% increase necessary?

Perhaps the editor might consider offering one of your weekly columns on the opposite

page to the leader of Southborough Town Council, so we can be told why they need so much money from us, and what steps they are taking to reduce their costs.

Joe Simmons Southborough

Tough decisions

I see Cllr Matt Bailey using his regular column to ring alarm bells over the Borough Partnership ‘rushing to sell prize assets’. I feel I should remind him of a couple of things.

Firstly, the review of Council assets with potential for disposal is a standard annual activity, which does not automatically mean the assets will be sold. In fact, when he was part of

the Conservative Cabinet in 2021, Matt Bailey voted for a development programme which included the Wesley Centre, Paddock Wood. I am unsure what has changed between then and now.

The Borough Partnership inherited an almost £1 million deficit from the Conservatives, so tough decisions will need to be made. But it will not make financial sense to sell a car park if doing so will reduce revenue or threaten local business. In other words, we would only sell if there was excess capacity.

That said, congestion, as much as parking, deters people from coming into Tunbridge Wells. We should also look at making walking, cycling and public transport cheaper and safer, to give people options to leave the car at home.

Cllr Bailey also raises the spectre of a large multi-storey building on the border of Calverley Grounds. I remind him that he was an ardent supporter of Calverley Square, a project which would not only have built large multi-storey buildings next to Calverley Grounds, but potentially bankrupted the Council.

Peter Lidstone Lib Dem Councillor for St John’s

STEAK OUT: To the local supermarket last week where Calverley witnessed something that left him speechless (well almost). It happened as he took his trolley down the meat aisle behind a chap with only a large shopping bag into which he proceeded to deposit his choice of steaks, chicken and chops. The thirty-something turned, then brazen as one likes, waltzed back up the aisle, past the check-outs and through the front door. No attempt at payment was made. An agog Calverley (he has chosen not to name the store) quickly found a member of staff and relayed what had taken place. That’s when he got another surprise. The staff person declined to pursue the thief and explained: “We are told not to confront people like that as we might put ourselves at risk, and there’s no point in calling the police as they won’t bother with it.” What chance, society?

COVID LEFTOVER: During the pandemic, restaurants introduced time limits for sitting at tables, in part to meet government restrictions. The virus has gone (or so most believe). The timed tables have remained. Many places continue to impose a 90-minute limit. Not only that, serving staff have been known to whisk plates away as soon as a diner swallows the last mouthful, even though friends might still be eating. Calverley experienced exactly that the other day at a restaurant now crossed off his list. No table manners.

SILLY TWITS: Apologies but Calverley finds it impossible not to comment on the fall-out from the Gary Lineker incident. (He, the crisp salesman and BBC soccer pundit who criticised the new Government policy on illegal migrants.) The Twitterati exploded with rage, raced to the keyboards to support their left-wing hero and defend freedom of speech. Surely these could not be the same woke warriors who over the last few years have been busy cancelling all those who dared disagree with their points of view? Yep, one and the same. Hypocrites.

LAUGH OUT LOUD: Calverley choked on his kedgeree on reading that those newly-weds, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz, just like any other couple, are having to save up to buy their ‘dream house’. At least that’s what they told Cosmopolitan magazine. To recap, her parents are billionaires, his mum and dad (Dave and Posh) are one of the most famous couples on the planet, and they blew almost £3million on their wedding. Don’t worry about any ‘dream home’. Try living in the real world for a start.

POT LUCK: Some of the greatest inventors live in this country, so why can’t they come up with a road surface that survives winter and means potholes are history, and motorists are spared the misery of dodgem driving? Last year, a record 10,000 holes were reported across Kent, which in 2021 was named, by somebody, the UK’s Pothole Capital.

FINAL THOUGHT: Let it be known that from this day forth Calverley wishes to self-identify as a non-taxpayer. Chin, chin dear reader

Chris and Caroline Winning Tunbridge Wells

Students receive valuable lessons about their future career pathways

National Careers Week (NCW) offers students around the UK the opportunity to obtain free careers guidance and complementary resources at an important stage in the academic calendar.

The NCW’s aim is to help support young people, usually from Year 10 upwards, to develop awareness and interest about their future pathways by learning about all manner of career options.

One of the local schools who actively participated in this national event was The Skinners' Kent Academy.

Talks

During the week-long event, the Academy organised a range of activities and talks which provided students with valuable insights into different careers and the skills required to succeed in them.

Students had the opportunity to interact with local businesses and professionals from various fields, who shared their experiences and career paths with them.

One such professional was Natalie Sharp, Founder of Sharp Thinking Marketing, who spoke to Sixth Form students about her journey into a career in marketing.

She commented: “I am excited to support young people in their career journeys and inspire them to achieve their full potential. Having worked with well-known companies, such as Vodafone and British Airways, I am eager to share my experiences with the students of The Skinners’ Kent Academy.

“This partnership is particularly meaningful to me as I remember how inspiring it was to have teachers and business leaders motivate me during my own school and college years,” Ms Sharp explained.

“National Careers Week serves as a reminder of the importance of careers guidance and the

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

Make your spare room work for you & earn an income from home!

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 suits everyone; single people, couples with or without children & retired people.

Stephanie Heymer

impact it can have on young people’s futures.” A spokesperson for The Skinners’ Kent Academy told the Times that its participation demonstrated the school’s commitment to providing ‘a well-rounded education that prepares students for success beyond the classroom.’

Reflecting on the week, which ran from March 6-11 this year, Principal Hannah Knowles said: “We are delighted to have been a part of National Careers Week once again.

“At The Skinners' Kent Academy, we are committed to providing our students with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful and fulfilling careers.

“National Careers Week provides us with an excellent opportunity to showcase the wide range of career options available to our students and the skills they need to succeed in the future.”

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.

Groups arrive mid-week & stay 3-4 nights, leaving your weekends free!

Hosting fits around busy lives with early morning drop off & evening pick-up.

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

Earlier this month, The Skinners’ Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells hosted a special week-long event for students in order to mark National Careers Week. The Times discovers more about the event and how it benefited the pupils…

‘National Careers Week serves as a reminder of the importance of careers guidance and the impact it can have on young people’s futures’

SKINNERS’ KENT ACADEMY

Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th March

Come and support our two-day Lambing Weekend event, where we'll be enjoying the arrival of spring which includes our adorable new-born lambs! We will bring together a variety of land-based linked activities and displays as well as showcasing Hadlow College and what we do.

WHAT TO EXPECT...

Food & Drink vendors

Arts & Crafts stalls

Opportunities to speak with our Careers Team and Curriculum Areas

Tractor trailer rides (weather permitting)

Sorry, no dogs allowed*

Talks and Demonstrations by the National Centre for Reptile Welfare

Birds of Prey display

Chance to meet some of our animals

Fun fair rides and stalls

Unlock your property ambitions

Sponsored by Handelsbanken Tunbridge Wells

Your 20-page property guide

What you need to know about the current housing and commercial market in Tunbridge Wells and surrounds

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Stephen Donnelly of Sited says customer testimonials are great for business

New England style in the Kent countryside

OAK Lodge is a very individual, spacious family house in the small town of Cranbrook.

Jane Matthews, Senior Sales Negotiator at Bracketts Chartered Surveyors, says: “Dating from around the 1900s, Oak Lodge was originally named ‘Pontresina’, after the small village in the Swiss Alps where the original owner had been convalescing. He had the property built for his return to his native Kent.

“The house has strong influences of North American, 19th century-style inside and out, with many architectural details of

the Victorian era,” she adds.

“To the rear of the property is a New Englandstyle veranda overlooking the garden, which has flowering shrubs and plants at the borders and a fenced natural pond at its far end.

“Other features include a mature oak that is believed to be about 450 years old, and fantastic views to the countryside beyond.”

For more information on this and other properties, contact Bracketts Chartered Surveyors on 01892 533733, or visit: bracketts.co.uk

AT SITED, we recently completed the sale of two listed buildings in West Malling – The Assembly Rooms and The Red House – for our client, Michael.

Discreet

We provided a discreet off-market service, where we advised Michael to sub-divide The Red House into two properties, and approached the Council for pre-application planning advice on The Assembly Rooms for change of use to residential.

We achieved a sale price for the two properties in excess of the previously combined value, and the transactions were completed swiftly and in confidence.

Michael’s words were appreciated: “A quick note to thank you again for all your help. Unlike so many businesses today, you did exactly what you said you would do, in a challenging market, and eventually made things happen.”

It was a pleasure working with Michael. We appreciated his confidence in our understanding of the property market. steve@sjd-projects.com

stress-free.

THE RED HOUSE

OLD COUNTRY: Oak Lodge in Cranbrook

Final release of homes at Hops Green in Horsmonden

LOVE Living Homes has just launched the final collection of two, three and fourbedroom homes at Hops Green in the picturesque village of Horsmonden, with prices starting at £407,500.

All homes come complete with fullyintegrated Bosch appliances, including a dishwasher and fridge-freezer. Kitchens and hallways have Karndean flooring, and there are fitted carpets in the main living spaces and bedrooms. Every home has a private garden and allocated parking, with EV charging points. The larger houses also have garages. The development will also incorporate an outdoor children’s playground for the wider community to enjoy.

Hops Green is inspired by its surroundings and is thoughtfully positioned in a peaceful pocket of the village, bordered by mature hedgerows and trees. The homes are designed to reflect local architectural styles and have been constructed using top-quality materials and craftmanship.

Colin Lissenden, Development Director at Love Living Homes says: “The launch of our final phase of homes at Hops Green provides local people, whether first-time buyers, growing families or downsizers, with the opportunity to purchase a contemporary new home in an idyllic, semi-rural setting.

As with the launch of our previous phases, we’re expecting these homes to be very popular, so would encourage those interested to enquire as soon as possible"

Horsmonden is a thriving local community, with impressive vistas across the rolling, green hills of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village centre has a selection of independent shops, including an organic grocer and food store, convenience store, along with traditional pubs. There is also a lively calendar of social events throughout the year in Horsmonden, including the Summer Festival, firework night displays and the Christmas Festival.

Hops Green benefits from the charm of quaint village life, yet is ideally situated for commuters. Paddock Wood station is a 10-minute drive from Hops Green, with direct trains to London Bridge in just 43 minutes. For drivers, Royal Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone take 25 and 27 minutes, respectively, and the A21 is a mere 10 minutes from Hops Green, with easy links to the M25 and the motorway network.

For more information and to register an interest, visit: lovelivinghomes.co.uk/ new-developments/hops-green/

‘Horsmonden is a thriving local community, with impressive vistas across the rolling, green hills of the High Weald’

Helping property owners earn through Airbnb

WITH energy bills and interest rate rises fuelling the cost-of-living crisis, homeowners and second-property owners will be looking for new earning opportunities. A great way to do that is to use a key asset – your home.

Investment

Property is usually the most significant investment you make in life, and many people will feel nervous about allowing strangers to come into their own homes.

Pass the Keys recognise this, so they take care of everything, reassuring property owners and

helping them put their assets to work.

James Morris, Managing Director of Pass the Keys, says: “We handhold you through the process of getting your property guest-ready, from professional photography, listing across multiple platforms, guest-vetting and communication, to cleaning, bed sheets, towels and everything else a guest expects.

“After all, when you stay in an Airbnb, you expect hotel-quality service.”

Visit passthekeys.com to input your property details and find out what your home could earn. Contact James Morris on 01892 489488 or james.morris@passthekeys.co.uk

Ed shines in his new oven-cleaning venture

ED WICKENDEN had worked for a well-known local landscaping company for just more than eight years. In his early 30s and with a growing family to support, he decided it was time to change direction and jumpstart his career.

With some trepidation, Ed secured financial backing from a family member and took the plunge to become a full-time franchisee of Oven Rescue – a nationwide oven-cleaning business.

Effort

Serving the Tunbridge Wells area, Ed says his customer base has grown steadily “through hard effort and long hours”, but admits it was difficult to get started.

“With the cost of living soaring and interest rates rising, the timing has been unfortunate, to say the least,” he explains.

But Ed remains enthusiastic.

“Like many small businesses, it would be easy to get disheartened. But every cloud has a silver lining.

“Let’s face it, more people will be eating in and having friends over for dinner now, and there’s nothing like a sparkling clean oven and hob to inspire some culinary imagination!”

To book Ed to clean your oven, call 07921 867166 or visit: ed.ovenrescue.co.uk

Launch weekend for new Ticehurst development

FERNHAM Homes have announced details of the launch weekend for their new development in the heart of Ticehurst village.

Tucked out of sight, Hillbury Fields is a collection of 30 private homes in an exclusive location with views across the High Weald –an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The development is just a two-minute walk from the High Street, where all everyday needs are catered for.

Warranty

All of the homes have a high specification, including fully-integrated kitchen appliances, tiling to bathroom walls and fitted wardrobes installed to the principal bedroom. Buyers will benefit from two years of customer

care direct with Fernham Homes, and a 10-year NHBC build warranty for peace of mind.

A spokesperson for Fernham Homes says: “With the launch of our new two-bedroom show home at Hillbury Fields, we are hosting a VIP event on Friday March 31 and an open day on Saturday, April 1. Call us to book your viewing.”

Exclusive incentives will be available on the launch weekend (March 31-April 2), including financial contributions designed to help customers move (T&Cs apply).

The spokesperson adds: “We know that moving can be stressful, and we will make the process as smooth as possible. Our knowledgeable team will guide you through each stage, from your first visit to legal completion.”

To find out more, call 01580 230332 or visit: fernham-homes.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE: Hillbury Fields in Ticehurst

BURNING AMBITION: Ed Wickenden of Oven Rescue

How inheritance is playing a part in getting people on the property ladder

GAINING an inheritance can make all the difference when it comes to being able to achieve financial milestones, such as getting on the property ladder.

For Kirsty Hamilton, 27, inheritance left by her uncle helped her put down a 50% deposit on a flat.

The operations manager from Paisley in Scotland, says: “Knowing I had the inheritance meant I didn’t have to worry about saving for my first home. It also allowed me to purchase a property in a nice area.

“We have recently refurbished the bathroom, and it’s been nice to do this from a stable position.”

Kirsty also highlights how discussing family inheritance can be worthwhile.

“It is useful to know a ballpark figure of any inheritance you may gain,” she says. “This will help you to manage your life and plan for the future.”

Ladder

High house prices and jumps in mortgage rates make getting on the property ladder an even tougher feat for some first-time buyers. Comparing her situation to that of her parents, Kirsty says: “It is 100% harder now than it was for my mum and dad.

“They’ve spoken about how much less they had to make before being able to purchase a property, compared with young people today.”

In recent research from property website Zoopla, among 2,000 people whose parents own a property, more than two-fifths (43%) are

relying on inheritance. Despite this, only three in 10 (30%) people surveyed have asked their parents how much they are likely to inherit. While some people told researchers they find it too awkward to discuss inheritance, others said they have checked how much their parents’ property is worth.

Zoopla has a calculator on its website, which can provide an indication of what your property inheritance might be worth.

Some of those surveyed said they had fallen out with family over discussions about inheritance, while others are concerned such talks could spark rifts in the future. Picking the right moment may help, as could seeking financial advice.

Some people are already making plans for the expected inheritance they are yet to receive, the survey revealed.

Nearly six in 10 (58%) expect to be able to move house, upgrade their home, pay off some of their mortgage, or become mortgage-free.

Some people surveyed were renting until they inherit, while others had purchased their home on the basis that an inheritance would one day help them to pay off their mortgage.

Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have money passed onto them by older generations, either as wealth transferred after parents have died or while they are still alive.

Recent analysis from think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) indicated that the

children of university-educated home-owning parents receive around six times more in wealth transfers during their 20s and early 30s than the children of renters.

These wealth transfers between generations often happen when people are buying their first home or getting married, the IFS said.

Benefit

For those trying to get on the property ladder who do not have the benefit of money being passed down to them to help, Daniel Copley, a consumer expert at Zoopla (zoopla.co.uk), suggests exploring what government schemes are available.

These may vary, depending on where in the UK you live.

He says: “There are several government-backed schemes – some of them not very well known –that can give first-time buyers a helping hand onto the property ladder.”

It may also be worth being open-minded on location and looking for “up-and-coming” places to buy a home.

Copley suggests: “Look for areas that have similar attributes or are adjacent to your preferred area – you might be surprised how much house prices change across relatively short distances.”

Lifetime ISAs can also give people saving for their first home a boost, adding a 25% government bonus onto savings, subject to certain terms and conditions.

People must be at least 18 and under 40 years old to open a Lifetime ISA.

Picture: Shutterstock

How power of attorney can protect your future finances

POWER of attorney can be a powerful tool to help protect your future financial affairs.

But recent research from Scottish Widows suggests that, despite many having heard of it, a third (33%) don’t understand how it can be used.

Less than half (41%) of married couples have power of attorney in place, far fewer than the three-quarters (76%) of couples who have discussed writing wills.

A power of attorney is a legal document. It allows a trusted person to make decisions for someone else, or take action on their behalf, if that person loses the capacity to, for example, if they become ill or have an accident.

It can help with managing mortgages, bills and investments, for example. The processes may vary, depending on where you live in the UK.

Tips

Rose St Louis, Protection Director at Scottish Widows, has some tips for how power of attorney could help:

1. Talk it through

While couples may or may not decide to nominate their partner or spouse, it’s still important to discuss their decision with them.

Rose says: “Having these difficult conversations can pay off hugely if it means families get the protection they need.”

2. Understand the costs involved

Rose says the costs may be cheaper than some people realise, with some people on benefits or lower incomes potentially being able to apply for reduced fees.

She says: “While concerns about costs are, of course, understandable, many people assume that power of attorney is beyond their means without even knowing what is available. Check whether you’re able for support.”

Fernham Homes wins gold in customer satisfaction awards

3. Could you sort it at the same time as your will?

Rose says: “This March is Free Wills Month, an opportunity for people to get free advice about writing their will, but there’s no need to stop there.

“Writing your will is an ideal opportunity to explore the other tools available, in the event that you need someone to manage your finances on your behalf.”

4. Don’t put it off

“Don’t underestimate the importance of exploring your options in good time,” says Rose.

“It’s no good waiting until you already need someone else to manage your finances.”

If someone loses capacity and there is no power of attorney in place, this could mean having to go to court, which could be costlier than setting up power of attorney in the first place, she says.

Of course, power of attorney may never be needed, but by having it in place, it’s there as a safety net, in case there is a time when it becomes essential.

FERNHAM Homes is delighted to announce that it has received the Gold Award for Customer Satisfaction in 2023 by In-house Research. The award is accredited to companies that achieve a customer recommendation score of 90% or above.

Fernham Homes is celebrating its fourth consecutive year winning the award, and the second time achieving a 100% recommendation rate. Out of the 80 developers working with In-house Research, Fernham Homes is one of just eight housebuilders to achieve this level of customer satisfaction.

Benchmark

The awards, run by In-house Research, the largest independent research company specialising in the new build and construction sector, are based entirely on customer satisfaction levels from purchasers who completed on their new home in 2022. In every category of customer feedback, Fernham Homes met or exceeded the benchmark

rating, with questions covering condition of home, response to defects and how special or valued a customer felt, with a special mention for achieving 100% for home demonstration meetings.

Tom Weston, Chief Executive at In-house Research, said: “It has been an extremely challenging few years for the housebuilding industry. Despite this, Fernham Homes has continued to put customers at the heart of their business.

“We are delighted to recognise all the staff at Fernham Homes that have contributed to the achievement of this award,” he added.

Sean Ellis, Managing Director at Fernham Homes, said: “On behalf of the entire Fernham Homes team, we would like to say a huge thank you to all our customers for their fantastic feedback and continued support.

“Customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us and something we value highly. At Fernham Homes, our vision is to be the house builder of choice in Kent. This award is proof that our customers value the service we provide.”

Speakers:

everything from planning and design through to project management, budgeting and financing the development. In addition, they will shed light on how the early appointment

quantity surveyor and main contractor can save you money on your build.

‘Ask the Architect’ Advice Clinic

In addition, on Tuesday 11th April 10am-1pm, you will have the opportunity to book a 20 minute appointment with Angie Pool, Founding Director of Atelier de Linde to ask any architectural questions you may have. Appointments can be booked via our website. Spaces are limited, so book now to avoid missing out!

Why I love where I live

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND LANDLORDS FROM THE SPRING BUDGET

The Spring budget is a time when homeowners, buyers, tenants and landlords may find themselves pausing in anticipation as to what the next few months have in store for them. At a time when we are seeing the property market continue to perform against the odds, the lettings market is still facing several pressures. Deborah Richards, Managing Partner of awardwinning Sales and Lettings agent, Maddisons Residential, highlights the impact for the property market of Jeremy Hunt’s first Budget.

Where do you live?

I live in Langton Green.

How long have you lived there?

I moved here with my family in 1975 – my parents still live in the same house. I went to Langton Green Primary School and then Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School (TWGGS). After university I travelled for a couple of years and then ended up in the Midlands, working first in PR and then training as a broadcast journalist and joining the BBC. I had my first daughter when we were living near Melton Mowbray.

What made you decide to move back?

When I was pregnant with my second child, the BBC conveniently opened a TV station in Tunbridge Wells, so it was a no brainer to move back in 2001. It ticked all the boxes: great schools, commutable to London, lovely countryside, easy access to the coast and childcare from my wonderful parents. We even built our house in their back garden!

My children also went to Langton Primary, with my daughters going onto TWGGS and my son to Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys.

What’s your favourite local shop?

I have three dogs, so I spend a small fortune in Pet’s Fayre in Southborough. Also, we have corporate membership of The TN card to encourage our employees to support local independents.

Where’s the best place to go for a Sunday stroll?

We’re totally spoilt for choice! I love that I can be in the fields within five minutes of leaving my house. I love all the local walks, especially Shadwell Woods and Happy Valley. But I often go for much longer walks across Ashdown Forest and the beautiful High Weald.

The best place to get a cup of coffee?

I’m more of a tea drinker, but anywhere on The Pantiles – we are so lucky to have such a beautiful historic centre to our town. The Daily Bread in Rusthall is also a firm favourite.

Where do you take people when they come to visit?

The Pantiles, of course, as well as any of the lovely local National Trust properties, walks in the countryside or Winnie the Pooh hunting on Ashdown Forest.

What’s the night life like where you live?

The Forum is a brilliant venue, and I love that the 80s nights get all generations, from 18 upwards, dancing together. It’s also fantastic that The Assembly Hall is attracting bigger productions, like Six. My mother was ill when we saw it in London for my birthday a couple of years ago, so I’m really pleased I can take her and my dad to see it locally next month.

Where’s your favourite place to eat in town?

We have quite a big multigenerational family, so I love The Shuffle House – everyone from my three-year-old grandson to my 83-year-old father enjoys playing the shuffleboards together. We’re lucky to have The Hare pub as our local. For brunch, if I’m feeling really lazy then I head to The Brunch Café around the corner from me in Langton Green or Juliet’s on the High Street. In the evening, The Ivy and Coco Retro, or for Thai food it’s Kai’s Kitchen.

Are there any nice views nearby?

For dining with views, you can’t beat The Beacon. As I’m out walking the dogs in all weathers there are just so many amazing views locally!

If you’re looking to relax and unwind, where’s your favourite place to go?

It has to be a massage at Beauté of Royal Tunbridge Wells on Nevill Street.

Where’s the best place to meet friends and socialise?

My teenage haunt was The Duke of York pub on The Pantiles, and I love that I’m still meeting friends there after all this time! It’s also dog friendly and has a lovely fire in the winter. Framptons is a great place to go before heading over to The Forum. But for a quiet drink in a totally unique setting, you can’t beat the battered sofas in the cave at Mount Edgcumbe.

What do you do when you spend a weekend or day off in the local area?

I’ve run four marathons, so it used to be long-distance training runs around the country lanes. But I’ve had complications in the last couple of years, so my running has largely been replaced by walking.

The best weekends involve my parents, my children, my grandchildren, my brother and his husband, often with a long family Sunday lunch, either at home – but preferably at my parents’, as my mother is an amazing cook – or somewhere like The Vineyard in Lamberhurst as it has great food, a great location and great cocktails.

Why do you love where you live?

That’s simple, it has it all. The great schools were a key reason for moving back to the area, but it’s also a fantastic town, with the jewel in the crown being The Pantiles. There’s always lots going on and a tremendous community spirit, surrounded by beautiful countryside.

With the recent cold weather, the measures to extend the help for household energy bills may be a comfort to many. The reality though, is that most households will still be keeping an eye on bills and introducing ways to save energy where they can until prices start falling, which is expected to be from July as wholesale gas prices drop. Those households with young children, who are eligible, could see a boost to income with childcare support, or help with extended childcare. As a commuter town, that will help eligible working parents. However, the increased support will be phased in from April 2024, so won’t relieve family budgets immediately.

Landlords, however, lost out on two proposals which the Chancellor – in choosing to focus on getting people back to work – opted to omit: a cut in stamp duty or the reinstatement of the tax relief on mortgage payments.

And whether we can be reassured that the UK will avoid a “technical recession”, as the Chancellor predicts, remains to be seen. A drop in house prices normally marks a recession. Falling house prices can give a boost to first-time buyers, who benefit from both lower deposit requirements and less borrowing (although higher interest rates can still mean the same net monthly repayments). While recessions don’t follow the same pattern, if Jeremy Hunt’s prediction proves to be correct, house prices are likely to remain higher, with sellers –especially those who are downsizing – being the biggest winners.

In February we saw house prices rising as mortgage interest rates fell, which helped give the market some confidence. Yet there are conflicting reports that prices nationally are falling as a direct link to previous mortgage rate increases. In challenging and turbulent times, it is even harder to identify trends and predict outcomes – and with the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and nerves over the stability of banking giant Credit Suisse, crystal ball gazing is becoming even murkier. But however the property market plays out, there will always be a silver lining for some.

‘There’s always lots going on and a tremendous community spirit, surrounded by beautiful countryside’

Siobhan Stirling is the Managing Director of Sharp Minds Communications, which is based in Tunbridge Wells. She explains why the area is such a fantastic place to live…

Photo © Emily Brown Photography

A writer with a passion for historical romance

Lotte James is a successful writer for romance specialist Harlequin Mills & Boon and also a self-published author. The former actor and theatre director tells Eileen Leahy how her love of reading romantic fiction led to her career switch…

So Lotte, after working as an actor and theatre director, what led you to pursue your dream of writing?

To be honest, it was a ‘stars aligning’ type of situation. For as long as I can remember, I would dream up stories and scribble notes at any given chance. Then came a time in my personal and professional life when I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to fully commit to writing, and I went for it. It fulfilled me in ways I had only ever dreamt of, and I knew that this was the right path to travel.

How long have you been a published author and how did you get into writing romantic novels?

My debut with Mills & Boon, ‘The Housekeeper of Thornhallow Hall’, was published in 2021, but I began selfpublishing in 2018. I started writing romance after I remembered my love of reading it! I realised that in most of the tales I was already dreaming up, the main arc was a love story.

They each travel their own paths, as we do in real life.

Do you find writing for publishing houses such as Mills & Boon constricting, or are you allowed free reign?

No, it’s not constrictive at all! The publishers are really great at giving their writers a lot of creative freedom, and in terms of the editorial process, it’s really more of a collaboration to ensure we’re telling the best version of the story we can.

Can you tell us why your books for Mills & Boon carry the strapline

‘Historical’?

Is romance your preferred literary genre?

Definitely – both to read and to write about. But I do like other styles as well. I particularly enjoy a good thriller or crime book and I am hoping to try a bit of everything at some point.

What are some of the titles of the books you’ve written?

For Mills & Boon I have penned ‘The Marquess of Yew Park House’, ‘The Gentleman of Holly Street’ and ‘The Viscount’s Daring Miss’. I have also written a series entitled Vixens & Villians for them, which is ideal for fans of historical romance with a dash of darkness and danger.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters and plot lines?

It can be anything really. A painting, chemistry between characters on a TV show, or the need to tell the story of one of the secondary characters in my own books. Once I have the initial kernel of an idea, I use a lot of my theatre training to build the story. I ask myself questions about the characters, ponder what kind of themes or atmosphere I want to play with, and where I want them to go in the story.

How do you ensure that no two stories are ever the same?

I think that comes naturally. Just digging into who the characters are ensures no two stories will ever be the same because they are fully developed, with rounded lives.

Because they are just that: Historical romance. I have self-published one contemporary book, and am planning more in the not-so-distant future. But for now, most of my books are set in the 1820s and 1830s, which is a really fascinating, liminal, and transitional period.

Do you have to carry out a lot of research for each of your novels?

I do, and I love it! It’s one of

the job, though I have to be very careful and limit myself to what I actually need to research at any given time. One too many times, I've fallen down the research rabbit hole!

What techniques do you employ to ensure that your writing and plots do not become formulaic?

I think it comes back to knowing your characters, and your world. You may be following a certain plot structure, you may have, say, a midpoint in every story, but the middle of the story for your main characters will rarely be the same in all cases. That’s because everyone’s story is different, even just by the perspective in which you choose to tell it.

Who is your target audience?

Oh, that’s a tough one! I would probably say people who love protagonists willing to break the rules to find their happy ending!

You also run writing workshops. Please tell us a little about those. When I started writing full-time, I found myself employing many of the tools and techniques I learned working in theatre. They offer a different way into the writing process, and have been really useful in conquering the blank page. So I thought, why not offer that perspective to others? I now host virtual workshops that vary according to levels of experience, suited to people at every stage of the writing journey.

What books do you have coming up for publication?

My next book, ‘The Viscount's Daring Miss’, is out April 27 in the UK, both in eBook and in paperback. I am hoping to self-publish more books this year. My next, as of yet untitled, Mills & Boon novel should be out in the autumn.

For more information about Lotte’s work, visit her website at: lottejamesbooks.com or follow her on Twitter: @lottejamesbooks

‘Most of my books are set in the 1820s and 1830s, which is a really fascinating, liminal, and transitional period’

‘When writing I ask myself questions about the characters and what kind of themes I want to play with in the story’

LOTTE JAMES

GARLIC & CHILLI CHICKEN SKEWERS

Tzatziki dip, spring onions, toasted sesame seeds (gf)

PAN-FRIED WILD MUSHROOMS

Mixed wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, thyme, cream & sourdough (VE)

CUTTLEFISH CALAMARI

Lemon & dill mayonnaise, fresh chilli (GF)

ROASTED BEET TARTARE

Beetroot, shallots, capers, and Dijon mustard served with crème fraiche and sourdough (VE)

THE BRASSERIE BURGER

100% British beef, soft pretzel bun, Applewood smoked cheddar cheese, bacon jam, baby gem leaves, with fries & mixed salad (GF available)

MAINS

COURGETTE & BUTTERNUT SQUASH TAGLIATELLE

Crispy sage, toasted pecans & parmesan shavings (V)

SPICED CHICKEN THIGH ORZO

Goats’ cheese, spring onion, red pepper, sun dried tomato

PAN-FRIED SEABASS

Puttanesca sauce, olives, plum tomatoes, fresh chilli, dried garlic, kale, celeriac crisps

DESERTS

WHITE CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY BLONDIE

Raspberry sorbet, dark chocolate snow

PISTACHIO FONDANT

Chunky chocolate ice cream

APPLE TARTE TATIN

Caramelised apple, clotted cream ice cream

CHEESEBOARD

Quince paste, local cheeses with biscuit selection (£3 supplement)

*A discretionary 12.5% service charge will be added to your bill

Chapel Place, Tunbridge Wells Make

Why healthy eating for babies and new parents is simply child’s play

Local dad of three and family food specialist Adam Shaw is hosting two new pregnancy and weaning workshops in Tunbridge Wells next month. The popular Instagrammer, who published his first book last year, tells the Times what’s cooking…

Adam Shaw runs the successful At Dad’s Table Instagram account, which boasts more than 55,000 followers. The former conference and events manager, who is Le Cordon Bleu-trained, came up with the idea for launching his blog when his wife fell pregnant with their first child back in 2017.

“We were both surprised at how official food advice focused so much on what you can’t have, and not what you can. We both felt like we’d failed as parents before we’d even started! So instead I started designing food-positive recipes for each trimester to make my wife and baby feel good and things grew from there.”

Eventually Adam gave up his day job to concentrate full-time on At Dad’s Table.

Over the past six years, the father of three young boys has seen his social media following consistently grow and last year published his first book, ‘How To Grow Your Family’. It’s been a bestseller and was voted The Top Family

Cookbook of 2022 by BBC Good Food.

On the back of all this, Adam has just announced he’s launching two brand-new foodie workshops in Tunbridge Wells for both expectant and new parents.

Running on April 18 and 21 at Bubba & Me

baby and toddler emporium on Mount Pleasant, the idea of the workshops is to equip parents, who are either expecting their first child or who have recently welcomed a newborn into the world, with all the nutritional information and culinary techniques they’ll need in order to cook and eat with confidence at this exciting –yet often exhausting – stage of parenthood.

“We are dividing the workshops into two categories,” explains Adam, whose children are aged five, three and under one.

“The first workshop, on April 18 is all about

feel-good food ideas for expectant and new parents, while the second one I’m hosting on April 21 is a simple crash course on how to start weaning.”

Adam adds that the first workshop will cover all the basics anyone starting on their journey to parenthood will need to know.

“I’ll discuss all that your body requires nutritionally in pregnancy, share recipe ideas for each trimester, suggest energy-rich meals to get ready for birth and give some snack ideas for the hospital.

“I will also give some ideas for batch-cooking hearty dishes so sleep-deprived, new parents aren’t stuck at the stove, plus some suggestions for snacks to get you through the day – and the 1am feed!”

Weaning

Adam goes on to say that the second workshop on April 21 will revolve around the next stage of weaning and will be just as comprehensive.

“I’ll talk about when to pick up on signs your baby is ready to be weaned, the merits of baby-led-weaning and getting started with first foods. I will also discuss introducing allergens and proteins, plus share general safety advice.

“I’ll also go beyond first foods a little bit by suggesting easy breakfast, snack and finger food ideas and how to make general family meals more baby-friendly.”

Adding there will be plenty of samples to enjoy at both classes, Adam tells the Times that these classes will be really useful for any new or soon-to-be parent: “Both will cover all aspects of your pre- and post-pregnancy nutritional journey – and there’ll also be time to ask any questions you may have about anything.”

Adam will also be signing copies of his cookbook ‘How to Grow Your Family’, which was also awarded Best Healthy Cookbook, in the Health and Wellness Awards of 2022 and has been endorsed by celebrity super mum Giovanna Fletcher.

To book a place visit: bubbaandme.co.uk, or you can contact Adam directly via his Instagram @at_dads_table

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: A TASTE OF ADAM SHAW’S SIGNATURE BABY- AND PARENT-FRIENDLY FOOD

A QUICK and easy energy-packed dish for expectant and new parents, full of Omega-3, complex carbs, folate and much more to keep you going all day long!

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 mins,

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets

2 teaspoons of vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

300g brown basmati rice

3 cloves of garlic, grated

1 red chilli, seeds removed and diced (optional)

1 x 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon of turmeric

1 pepper, cored and diced

1 handful of mange tout

1 x 440ml can of coconut milk

150g of fresh spinach, washed

10g finely chopped coriander

Method

1. Season and pan fry the salmon, skin side up for 4 minutes in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Leave it alone, then flip it and cook for another

2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Cook the rice per packet instructions. Fry the onion in the remaining vegetable oil for 3-4

minutes then add the garlic, chilli (optional) and ginger. Add the turmeric and a splash of water and mix well.

3. Add in the diced pepper and mange tout, cook for a further minute, then add the can of coconut milk. Mix well and it'll go this lovely golden colour. Simmer away for 7-8 minutes.

4. Add in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes so the spinach wilts. Then place the salmon back in and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with the rice topped with coriander.

A GREAT snack for weaning babes and young children, and a way to get in extra greens.

Makes: around 12 muffins

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

1 x courgette, grated and excess water squeezed out

2x carrots, peeled, grated and excess water squeezed out

80g frozen peas

80g frozen sweetcorn

80g grated cheddar

1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme

200g wholegrain flour

200g plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

5 tablespoons Greek yoghurt

2 eggs

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius and grease a muffin tray. Combine the grated courgette and carrot and peas and sweetcorn in a large bowl.

2. Add the herbs, cheese, eggs and yoghurt and mix well.

3. Sieve over the flours and baking powder, mix well then divide into a muffin tray.

4. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.

VEGGIE-PACKED WEANING MUFFINS

SALMON AND COCONUT TURMERIC CURRY

‘I’ll discuss all that your body requires nutritionally in pregnancy, share recipe ideas and suggest energy-rich meals’

AT DAD’S TABLE: Adam Shaw is helping young families eat well

All-conquering dry, simple to recognise, fresh, fabulously aromatic, zesty Sauvignon Blanc, the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is easily the most well-liked grape variety in the UK. According to NielsenIQ intelligence data, in 2021 we spent nearly £1bn retail (£973m) on the grape (or one bottle of wine in every seven, in value terms), some £440m more than on its nearest varietal competitor, Pinot Grigio, and £600m more than Malbec. Bursting with grassy, green flavours and real bite, is there a white grape more closely linked to the first shoots of spring than the early ripening, cool-climate-loving Sauvignon Blanc?

Here are six sensational, zippy Sauvignon Blancs that are certain to tickle your taste buds…

1. Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire 2022, France (Lidl, £6.99)

Sauvignon Blanc’s French heartland is the upper Loire. Its earliest reference in the Val de Loire appeared under the ancient synonym ‘Fiers’ in 1534 in Chapter 25 of François Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel. However, some of France’s best-value Sauvignon Blanc is made in the Loire’s less-celebrated, protected designations of origin. Lidl now has some very decent bottles at incredible prices, such as this refreshing, easy-swigging, nettle nip of a verdant bargain basement Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. Classically dry, crisp and backed by hints of herbs and gooseberries, it has lively acidity, restrained aromas of green fruit (the chemical compounds behind these green fragrances are nettle-fresh methoxypyrazines – a word to drop at your next professional wine tasting), freshly-mown grass and it ticks all the boxes. Try it with goat cheese, an early panzanella or a Greek salad. Alc 12.5%.

2. Morrisons The Best Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022, New Zealand (£7, buy 6 and save 25%, until April 11)

Frank Yukich, the late founder of Montana Wines (now renamed Brancott Estate) and indeed, New Zealand’s wine industry, planted the first commercial grapevines in a sheepfarming area at the top of South Island in 1973. Some fifty years later, crowd-pleasing, vibrant Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a modern classic (constituting a gigantic 67% of all New Zealand wine). Made in partnership with Morrisons by Yealands, this nostril-filling own-label bottle is stonking value for the money: lemon zest, gooseberry, Kaffir lime, green capsicum, tomato leaf, boxwood and lemongrass moments dart in, out and around tangy acidity. A steal on the 25% discount offer on six bottles (down to just £5.25 a bottle)! The Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc steal of the year. Alc 12.5%.

3. Berry Bros & Rudd Chilean Sauvignon Blanc by De Martino, Casablanca, Chile (Berry Bros & Rudd, £10.95)

Chile’s coastal Sauvignon Blanc improves with every vintage. Unoaked and medium-bodied, this superb, subtle version was produced for Berry Bros & Rudd by De Martino and has more than enough flavour, with citrus, green apple, papaya and a twist of guava mingling nicely on the lip-smacking palate. Cool climate, Pacific Ocean brilliance in a glass. Alc 13%.

4. Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand (Co-op, £11)

A single smell of this reminded me how delightful Sauvignon Blanc from the southern hemisphere can be. Pioneers Peter and Anna Vavasour planted the first grape vines on the silt loam soils in the dry, windy, Marlborough sub-appellation of the Awatere (pronounced

“Awa-terry”) Valley subregion in 1986, and the estate produces superb wines with layers of depth and intensity of flavour. This new release is framed by crunchy, mineral acidity and packed with bell pepper, tomato stalk, oyster shell, crushed blackcurrant leaves and crunchy tropical fruit. An impressive, seamless performance. Alc 12.5%.

5. Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Hemel-enAarde, Walker Bay, South Africa (Vinvm, Specialist Cellars & Bancroft Wines, £14.60£18.49)

Despite great financial pressures, the South African wine scene is vibrant right now. Savour this delicious, well-priced luminous Cape offering from star winemaker Kevin Grant in the cool-climate ward of Hemel-en-Aarde. This is a class act with inviting green melon, green peas, smoky green tomato, zesty citrus and passionfruit. It’s a wine so alive that it pulses with vitality and energy. A real cracker and absolutely great with seafood. Alc 13%.

6. Dog Point Vineyard Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand (The Wine Society & Berry Bros & Rudd, £24£28.95)

This is one complex wine that will appeal to devotees of white Burgundy. Dog Point Vineyard was established in 2002 by partners Ivan and Margaret Sutherland and James and Wendy Healy. Combining flavours of toast, citrus, vanilla spice, gooseberry fool, nuts, baked grapefruit, elderflower and bright acidity, this unfined, deftly oaked, full-bodied, age-worthy, single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is among New Zealand’s very best whites. Scintillating and well-framed, it’s especially good with scallops or salmon fillets. Kudos! Alc 14%.

& FINE ART AUCTIONEERS

1ST APRIL

JAMES SHOOLBRED ARTS & CRAFTS SETTLE, 54CM (4’6”) WIDE EST: £400-£600

33 PIECES (PART SHOWN) EST: £300-£500

COGNAC PRUNIER, OLD PALE GRANDE FINE CHAMPAGNE COGNAC, 19 BOTTLES EST: £400-£600

EUGENIO ZAMPIGHI (ITALIAN,

16TH CENTURY IRON BOUND WOODEN TABLE CASKET, 22CM WIDE EST: £800-£1200

1859-1944), ‘THE HAPPY FAMILY’, OIL ON CANVAS, 56CM X 76CM EST: £3000-£5000

WESSON R.I., R.B.A., R.S.M.A. (BRITISH, 1910-1983), ‘NEAR THE RIVER

guidegig

March 22 to April 4

01/04 Karamelien

THE BEDFORD PUB, HIGH STREET

Open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm

31/03 The Seamonkeys

THE COMPASSES, 45 LITTLE MOUNT SION

Open all day, free entry, music from 7.30pm

25/03 Gez Gold

30/03 Squeeze A Crowd

In his fortnightly gig guide, Times music editor Paul Dunton highlights some of the best acts to see over the next couple of weeks. They include electro dub legends Dreadzone, former Terrorvision frontman Tony Wright and local indie rockers Suncharmer…

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE, THE PANTILES

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

26/03 Charged Particles (12pm-4.30pm)

31/03 Into the Blue

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

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

24/03 New Metal Nights III

LUMP BUZKIT – A Celebration of Limp

Bizkit

SYSTEM OF HER DOWN –

A Celebration of System Of A Down

25/03 Dreadzone

31/03 Suncharmer + The Rambling Club + Yet to Invent + Platoon

01/04. SWiTCH– House music WEISS with Tim Cullen, Pete Griffiths and E & J

03/04 The Stable: Largo + Next to Mountains + Sabre Wolf

04/04 Damu The Fudgmunk & Raw Poetic

THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE, CRESCENT ROAD

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

30/03 Don’t Stop Believing

31/03 90’s Live 01/04 Magic Queen 02/04 RTWSO: (3pm)

Programme: Ravel, Mendelssohn and Rachmaninov, soloist Callum Smart

Programme: Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff Soloist: Callum Smart

Conductor: Roderick Dunk

Programme: Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff Soloist: Callum Smart

TN1 BAR & KITCHEN, MONSON ROAD

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

23/03 David Mumford (7pm)

24/03 The Masqueraders Duo (8.30pm)

25/03 Owen Donavon (8.30pm)

30/03 James Mcmaster 7pm

31/03 Masqueraders Duo 8.30 pm

01/04 Dave Mumford Duo 8.30pm

THE GREEN DUCK EMPORIUM, 53 GROSVENOR ROAD

All event information, tickets and bookings at thegreenduckemporium. com/events

25/03 Disco Duck with Vintage Vinyl

31/03 Carradine’s Cockney Singalong

02/04 Sister Mary’s Sunday Service

THE FORUM BASEMENT, THE SUSSEX ARMS

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

24/03 Hotwax

25/03 Mindless + Freeze + Recoil

26/03 Dark Horse Comedy: Russell Hicks

THE ROYAL OAK PUB, PROSPECT ROAD

Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm 25/03 Flux Capacitor

THE BLACK HORSE PUB, CAMDEN ROAD

Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm (live music every Friday night)

24/03 New Imitation Live Trio 31/03 Ryan Weeks

RIDGEMONT PAVILLION, SOUTHBOROUGH

TWYFC presents: Tony Wright (Terrorvision) + The Ackerleys All event information and tickets available at https://www.seetickets.com/venue/ the-ridgemont-pavilion/31794

EVEN FLOW CAFE, ST JOHN’S ROAD

Open all day, free entry, music from 7pm 30/03 Open Mic Night

TYBER’S REGGAE BAR, 9 NEVILL STREET

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

25/03 The Accelerators

31/03 DJ Skorcher

THE MASONIC HALL , ST JOHN’S ROAD: TUNBRIDGE WELLS JAZZ CLUB

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

23/03 Pete Rudeforth’s Jazz Club Quartet

THE RED LION PUB, RUSTHALL

Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm, booking advised 01892 527000

22/03 Jazz Jam

29/03 Jazz Jam

TRINITY THEATRE, CHURCH ROAD

All event information and tickets available at www.trinitytheatre.net

28/03 Martin Simpson

02/04 Liza Pulman: The Heart of it

ROSE HILL SCHOOL THEATRE

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

12/03 Classical music concert Katy Johns (violin) and Jong-Gyung Park (piano)

KING CHARLES THE MARTYR CHURCH

All event information and tickets available at www.kcmtw.org

Inn Stetter Hut: Concert 17 James Gilchrist and The Linarol Consort

GEOGRAPHY WINE BAR, HIGH STREET

Open all day, music from 3.30pm, free entry

26/03 Ryan Weeks

02/03 Ben Hills

THE GUN & SPITROAST INN, HORSMONDEN

Open all day, free entry, music from 8pm

22/03 Jam session, all welcome

29/03 Jam session, all welcome

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, PENSHURST

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

25/03 Penshurst Choral 60-year celebration

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

• Name and address of venue

• Date and time of event

• Name of event and name of act(s)

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

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

• Please state photo credit if required

paul@paulduntonandguests.com

ANNA HOWIE

SUNCHARMER

JAMES MCMASTER

RYAN WEEKS

Popular dog show makes a welcome return

By Molly Miller

THIS weekend, on March 25, dog lovers and their furry friends will be heading to Bewl Water, the largest reservoir in South East England, to welcome the return of their annual free event ‘Big Dog Day Out’, now in its fifth year.

Attracting over 1,500 visitors last year, Big Dog Day Out is sponsored by Purely Pets and Venture Photography and promises something for the whole family.

Photoshoots

Among the special features are an agility course, puppy photoshoots, flyball and a shopping village where pet owners can shop for accessories, clothing, treats and handmade gifts. Stallholders include Pure Connection Pets, Pops & Coco, Snuffle Monsters, Artistically by Amber, and Handmade by Tierney. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Dog First Aid Sussex will also be in attendance.

The main event, the dog show, is scheduled to take place at 12pm. Entries for Most Handsome Boy, Prettiest Girl, Best Biscuit Catcher and Best Rescue can be made on the day.

Rosettes and prizes, gifted by Venture Photography, will be awarded to first- and second-placed dogs, who will follow in the pawprints of last year’s winners, Blue and Kira − both rottweilers.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a host of fun-filled family activities, including a bouncy castle, children’s adventure trail and face painting.

Hot food, sweet treats and light bites will be available all day from the new menu at the dog-friendly Waterfront Café. It offers a great spot to refuel with views of the 800-acre reservoir.

Car parking onsite costs just £6 for the entire day and gives visitors access to several other free activities.

There are two adventure play areas, self-guided

walking routes and wildlife spotting. Bike hire, drop-in laser tag and soft play sessions can also be enjoyed for a small fee.

To be in with the chance of winning a doggy hamper of treats, toys, an activity tracker and an annual pass to Bewl Water, pre-register at: bewlwater.co.uk/whats-on/events/, where all names will be entered into a prize draw.

TICKETS COST £18 FOR CHILDREN OR ENJOY A SIBLING DISCOUNT OF £10 PER CHILD. ADULT ADMISSION COSTS £5.

• A SPECIAL MEET AND GREET WITH THE EASTER BUNNY

• COMPLIMENTARY CANAPÉS, TEA AND COFFEE • COOKIE-MAKING • PUPPETRY AND LIVE MUSIC

• AFTERWARDS WHY NOT ALSO JOIN US FOR SUNDAY LUNCH, AT JUST TWO COURSES £27.50 / THREE COURSES £32.50, CHILDREN ARE HALF PRICE

Studying music theory can elevate your performance to new heights

For any student musician, there are benefits to understanding music theory. Brittens Music owner Andrew Collins explains why music is about more than just melody…

Music theory is the study of how music works, including the relationships between notes, chords, scales and rhythms. By understanding music theory, students can become more knowledgeable about music and improve their skills as musicians. While learning to play an instrument, hitting the right notes and strumming the right chords is important, but so, too, is the theory behind the art. Understanding music theory can benefit music students in the following ways:

Improved performance

When students understand how music is structured, they can better interpret the music they are playing. For example, they may be able to recognise patterns in the music, or understand how different chords and melodies work together. This can help them play more confidently and with greater expression.

Enhance their composing and songwriting

When students understand how music works, they can use that knowledge to create their own music. They can experiment with different chords and

melodies to create their own unique sound. They can also use music theory to analyse and understand the music of other composers, which can help them develop their own style.

Become better listeners

When students understand how music works, they can better appreciate the music to which they are listening. They can recognise different chords and melodies and understand how they work together to create a particular sound. This can help them to enjoy music more fully and stimulate the development of a more discerning ear. For younger students studying their GCSEs, it can all be a lot to take in, so additional learning support through booster courses can really help. Brittens Music School’s GCSE Music Theory Booster Course is designed to help students prepare for the GCSE

HOUSE

Music Theory exam, and takes place in the Easter holidays. It provides an overview of a wide range of topics, including notation, scales, chords, and harmony with a heavy focus on reviewing a number of example exam questions.

The GCSE Music Theory exam is an important part of the music curriculum, and a good grade can open up many opportunities for students. By taking the GCSE Music Theory Booster Course, students can test their understanding of the topics covered in the exam and can develop the skills they need to succeed, helping them to become more confident. When students understand music theory, they can approach their music with greater confidence. They can better understand the music they are playing and can make more informed decisions about how to interpret it. This can help them become more confident performers and can also help them become more confident composers or songwriters.

To find out more about Brittens Music School’s GCSE Music Theory Booster Course on Tuesday, April 11, pop into the showroom on Grove Hill Road in Tunbridge Wells or visit: brittensmusic.co.uk/events

FOR MARCH IN YOUR AREA

‘When students understand music theory, they can approach their music with greater confidence’

ANDREW COLLINS

Motoring News

Mercedes GLC Coupe revealed as a stylish, electrified SUV

MERCEDES has unveiled its new GLC Coupe –a more stylish version of one of its bestselling models.

Joining the standard SUV model, which arrived in its second generation in 2022, Mercedes has now pulled the covers off the Coupe version. Bringing a larger grille and more muscular look than its predecessor, key styling elements include a larger grille and new LED lighting at the front and rear.

It’s slightly longer and taller than the previous model, too, benefiting in boot space in particular, with the GLC Coupe now being able to carry up to 545 litres of luggage – 45 litres more than before.

Inside, the interior mirrors that of the latest C-Class, and brings the GLC Coupe a far more modern finish than its predecessor. There’s a main 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen, along with a 12.3-inch digital dial display, while an optional panoramic sunroof is available for the first time. Some of the most important changes on the GLC affect what’s under the bonnet, with all

models featuring some kind of electrification.

The ‘regular’ engines now feature a 48-volt mild-hybrid system as standard, with petrol options including the GLC 200 and GLC 300, and the diesel models being the GLC 220d and GLC 300d. All versions are four-wheel-drive, too.

Hybrids

Above this sits the headline petrol and diesel plug-in hybrids, which are significantly enhanced over the previous car. Boasting up to 376bhp, these now use a 31.2kWh battery (a similar size to the Mini Electric EV), with all boasting an electric range of ‘more than 100km (62 miles)’. Optional 60kW DC rapid charging also means the battery can be charged in as little as 30 minutes.

The new Mercedes GLC Coupe will go on sale in July 2023, with full pricing to be announced, though we expect a noticeable increase over the outgoing model’s £50,965 starting price.

MG4 takes UK Car of the Year title

THE MG4 has been awarded the top spot at this year’s UK Car of the Year awards.

Unlike 2022’s event, when four of the top cars were battery-powered, this year’s competition saw the MG4’s closest competition coming from vehicles with internal combustion engines.

At £26,995, the MG4 is one of the cheapest electric vehicles currently on sale, yet it’s still able to return up to 281 miles of electric range. Inside, it comes with a 10.25-inch infotainment system as standard, as well as a host of driver assistance systems,

Affordable

“The MG4 proves that electric cars can be affordable, practical and appeal to all areas of the automotive market,” said John Challen, Director of the UK Car of the Year Awards. “Fully charged, it offers more than enough miles for most

Brakes and tyres behind most serious MOT faults

ISSUES with tyres and brakes are the source of the ‘most serious’ MOT failures, according to new data.

Though problems with lights, reflectors and indicators are the most common reasons that cars fail their MOT, it is issues with tyres and brakes that are most likely to lead to ‘more serious’ failures, DVSA data analysed by the RAC has shown.

Issues

Failures for issues with headlights, indicators and reflectors accounted for just over a quarter of all MOT failures in the 12 months to March 2022, with faulty or broken suspension behind just under a fifth of failures.

Problems with brakes and tyres were the third and fourth most common reasons for failure respectively, while ‘bad visibility’ – cracks or splits in a windscreen – finished out the top five.

The data also showed that a third of all initial MOT tests of cars, vans and small passenger vehicles resulted in a fail – equivalent to 7.3m vehicles – nearly one-in-ten were attributed to a

failed test where at least one dangerous fault had been uncovered. In these instances, a tester cannot allow the car to be driven until the issue has been resolved. Brakes and tyres amounted to 88 per cent of these failures, with the proportion of tyre failures increasing slightly over the years from 10 per cent in 2018-19 to 12 per cent in 2021-22.

RAC Head of Roads

Policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Many drivers dread taking their vehicle for its annual MOT for fear they could end up having to spend lots of money on repairs in order to get it to pass. This is no

doubt the case for an unlucky third of owners whose vehicles fail their MOTs initially. “Drivers should never ignore dashboard warning lights as they could end up putting themselves or others at risk and costing themselves a lot of money with a bigger repair bill than necessary had they acted straight away.

Additionally, routine servicing helps reduce the chance of a vehicle failing its MOT as it includes a host of important basic checks.”

All cars require an annual MOT three years after registration and each year after that.

journeys, while the design and driving dynamics tick two other important boxes for consumers. A deserved winner for the electric future.”

Dacia’s seven-seater Jogger came in second place, followed in third by the lightweight Toyota GR86, which also won the Best Coupe category.

Toyota also scored top marks in the Best City segment with its Aygo X coming out on top, while Kia’s Niro was handed the Best Crossover prize. The Lotus Emira was crowned as this year’s Best Performance model, while the Best Large Family award went to the Dacia Jogger.

Receiving the winner’s trophy, Guy Pigounakis, MG UK’s Commercial Director, was thrilled with the victory. “The MG4 has proved to be a hit with both existing and new customers since it arrived in September last year – and it is also hugely encouraging that so many expert reviewers hold the same opinion as well. We’d like to thank everyone at UK Car of the Year for this award.”