The Times of Tunbridge Wells August 30 2023

Festival ‘one of biggest yet’

By Lilly Croucher

DESPITE the sun’s late appearance at Calverley Grounds, thousands of people descended on Tunbridge Wells over the bank holiday for a weekend of local music and good food, making this year one of the festival’s most successful ever – for music lovers and businesses alike. The Local & Live music festival, involving three days of free, live music, brought a reported 14,000 people to the town to celebrate the local music scene.

Now in its 18th year, Local & Live founder Paul Dunton works tirelessly every summer to ensure this free event continues to support local artists and the community.

Paul said: “Making it happen every year is an exhausting process, but the result is always worth it.” Also enjoying the festivities were local businesses, who saw a spike in

Continued on page 3

Plans

By Lilly Croucher

afoot

WHILE tourism in Tunbridge Wells is booming and businesses have reported a return to pre-pandemic levels this summer (Times, August 9), both visitors and residents alike have been left a little disorientated, asking: “Where do we go?”

For those visitors who decide to

to enhance town’s tourism

take a train to our town, alight at the station and wander down the High Street to The Pantiles, they may find themselves a little lost if they follow the lone sign outside Framptons, indicating ‘Tourist Information’, but leading nowhere.

The sign is a relic of times past, before the ‘Tourism Office’ was relocated from The Pantiles to the

Amelia Scott Centre in 2022. Pat Pledger from Hamburg, Germany, told the Times of their battle to find the tourist information.

“I needed a Tunbridge Wells street map and thought the local Tourist Office might be able to help.

“I was directed to the Amelia Scott

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EDITOR MICHELLE WOOD michelle.wood@onemediauk.co.uk | 01892 240626

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KCC care in funding crisis

£10million is set to be cut from the budget for adult soical care

By Grace Corcoran

LOCAL charities have expressed deep concern about Kent County Council’s planned budget cuts in light of the increasing number of people requiring support services.

A Kent County Council (KCC) report, published on August 17 forecasted an overspend of £25.8million in Adult Social Care and Health (ASC&H) services, with plans to cut this by £10million.

At a KCC Cabinet Meeting on Thursday August 17, Peter Oakford (Conservative), Councillor for Tunbridge Wells North and Cabinet Member for Finance said:

“The Council will need to limit its actions to focus on the most essential activities and priorities until the financial position is brought under control.”

Sandra Springett, Chief Officer at Age UK Tunbridge Wells, a local charity that supports the elderly, described the news as “astonishing, but not surprising”. The charity currently receives less than £30,000 from KCC, which is ringfenced for events for those living with dementia –only a small portion of the services Age UK provide.

Although Age UK did receive support from KCC during and immediately after the pandemic, it no longer receives further funding from the Council after it withdrew its direct support when it changed to commissioning via contracts.

With a 17.4 per cent increase in people aged 65 years and over in Tunbridge Wells

‘With a rising older population, record waiting times for health and social care support, staff recruitment almost impossible, and the cost-of-living crisis, the outlook is already bleak’

since 2011, these cuts will inevitably have a detrimental impact on the elderly community.

Ms Springett told the Times: “With a rising older population, record waiting times for health and social care support, staff recruitment almost impossible, and the cost-of-living crisis, the outlook is already bleak. This news is not welcomed.

“Just because we are not funded by KCC doesn’t mean this will not affect us. What it will mean is more older people struggling because wait times are longer, or they don’t quite meet the threshold for statutory support.

“This in turn has a knock-on on older people’s mental and physical health at the very point when they need support.”

Ms Springett finds it “hard to imagine” where KCC will be able to cut ASC&H services further. Council have not yet been able to say which services will be affected, or how.

Aspens, a local social care charity that provides support to people on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities, expects more demand this year for

their services.

Aspens CEO Robert Shanahan said: “The year 2022/23 saw an increase in demand for adult services across Aspens, especially for those with complex or dual needs, such as autism alongside a mental health condition.

“We are experiencing similar demand so far this year [2023/24], particularly for our adult supported living services.

It comes as no surprise then that Mr Shanahan finds news of the proposed budget cuts “concerning”.

“Whilst we recognise the constraints on the funding available, this will put a strain on areas that are already under great pressure,” he said.

“It is essential that KCC, and more importantly central government, fund social care properly to enable charities and organisations like ourselves to provide the support that is so needed by some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” he said.

The public health grant money allocated to KCC by central government for 2023/2024 was just over £74million, from a total of £3.529billion.

Kent County Council Leader Roger Gough echoed Mr Shanahan’s call to central government: “Our message to central government, and to our residents, is clear.

Our funding is going up by less than inflation, ultimately making extremely tough savings decisions not only inevitable but urgent,” he said.

Expenditure

The Times reported on August 2 that the Council needed to make £86million in planned savings and income. The cuts to ASC&H are just one measure the Council is taking to try to limit expenditure. A review will look into “all areas of the council’s activities, to ensure that all available resources are directed in the most effective way and that savings and efficiency plans are delivered”.

The report reveals a projected overspend of £43.7million for 2023/24, and sets out initial management actions to reduce the forecast overspend to £26.7million (£10million from adult social care and £7million from capital programme financing).

Which cuts are to be made to which services will not be an easy decision for the County Council to make, although Mr Gough indicated that he was “confident that we can find solutions”.

The next Cabinet meeting on October 5 will set out in more detail the additional actions needed.

‘WE CAN’T TAKE ON FURTHER CHILDREN’

Kent County Council (KCC) has warned that it has become so overwhelmed by unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) that it might have to stop taking local youngsters into care, too.

The surge in small boat arrivals had prompted an “unthinkable crisis point”, the Council said in a statement issued on August 25.

A recent High Court Ruling has reinforced the requirement for the Council to keep taking on migrant children, despite pleas from KCC that it cannot keep up with the demand.

According to the August 25 statement, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting

Service, KCC is currently caring for 661 UASC and 1,030 UASC care leavers.

Sue Chandler, the cabinet member for Children’s Services, wrote in a letter: “I must inform you that KCC is once again in a position whereby it cannot meet both its statutory duties to accept all new [UASC] arrivals, care for them safely, and discharge all of its other duties towards vulnerable children and young people in Kent.”

A government spokesperson told the BBC: “The safety and welfare of all children is our utmost priority. We are working closely with Kent County Council to help them fulfil their legal duty.”

COUNTY HALL

Donation prompts smiles at animal charity

SMILES for Miles on Gill Wing Farm in Groombridge has received funding from The Ashley Family Foundation following reporting by the Times (June 28).

Paris Howard-Hall took over the farm in 2022, taking out a loan while continuing to work two jobs in order to keep the farm going.

The sensory farm for individuals with additional needs is home to an array of animals, including donkeys, pygmy goats and rhea birds.

Sessions at Smiles for Miles are one-toone and are tailored to an individual’s needs.

The donation of £1,500 will help Paris to develop her “labour of love”, and help to make sure that as many people as possible benefit from the therapy and experience provided.

Rail services set for weekend strike action

INDUSTRIAL action by unions will stop services and close local stations this Friday and Saturday.

The train drivers’ union ASLEF plans a strike this Friday (September 1), which will stop trains across the network.

Separately, an RMT strike is scheduled for Saturday (September 2). Southeastern said it would run some services, but only as far as Sevenoaks. There are no rail replacement bus services on strike days.

‘Visiting’ cocaine dealer receives sentence

A COCAINE dealer has been sentenced to over two years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.

On May 19, Dimitar Atanasov, 41, was stopped by community policing team officers, who searched his car, finding 13 cocaine wraps inside a magnetic box fixed under the driver’s seat. The officers also seized £455 in cash and arrested Atanasov.

Last Wednesday (August 23) at Maidstone Crown Court, he was sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Katie Gregory, of West Kent CID, said: “Another visiting drug dealer has been brought to justice by the local officers of Tunbridge Wells.”

Borough set for tourism boost

YOU ARE HERE:

Continued from front page Centre, where I could not find anything resembling a Tourist Information Centre.

“Finally, I asked a lady in the library, who raked around in several drawers and produced a very small map, which she hoped would help me.

“I cannot believe that this is all that Tunbridge Wells can offer visitors.”

When Crowborough resident ‘Dr Fossil’ tried to call the tourism office, he encountered a switchboard that offered him limited help.

He said: “When I rang the advised number (01892 779570), I was told there was no one person heading it up, or even responsible for it.

“Why is there nobody to contact, and you are not even able to be connected to the Tourist Office?”

In 2021 (the latest available figures) there were 3.5 million visits to Tunbridge Wells, 57 per cent of which were specifically for a holiday, the majority being day trips. This valued the local tourism industry at almost £191.5million, creating over 4,500 jobs in the Borough.

Of the relocation of the Tourist Information Centre, Cllr Justine Rutland (Lib Dem) the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, including Tourism said: “[The office] was moved by the previous administration and although it’s not a like-for-like replacement for the Information Centre on The Pantiles, it was thought the Amelia would have more suitable facilities, more contact with staff, and [be] better economically.

“Staff are being trained to provide more information, but this is going to take time.

“The team has a teeny-tiny budget to work with... We have the website which is doing very well. Last year we had 339,000 visits, so people are looking at Tunbridge Wells...

“Hopefully, when finances allow, we can expand to have a Tunbridge Wells shop or Information Centre. Never say never.”

A spokesman for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) said the Council is working to increase tourism:

“In the Amelia Scott, information is available on the Visit Tunbridge Wells screen and from the customer advisors, who are happy to answer questions and provide leaflets on request.

“The Pantiles remains a place tourists want to visit. We have a range of tourism leaflets in the Corn Exchange, and we are working to set up enhanced Tourist Information Points at attractions and accommodation across the Borough.

TWBC said they are also working with the

RTW Together Business Improvement District (BID) to provide more information to tourists.

Alex Green, Chief Executive Officer of BID told the Times: “We will be printing new map guides and trails for the town and will be installing leaflet display holders across town for our regular town guide, which includes activities in the town for the next few months, as well as comprehensive listings of venues.

“I’m also excited that our partner, Visit Tunbridge Wells, is in the process of updating and upgrading its website,” he explained.

“It will be working closely with the Amelia team to enhance its tourist information provision at one of the key tourist draws for the town, which should in turn help bring people to a key area of the town.”

For more information on tourism in the town, visittunbridgewells.com

Local & Live ‘the most successful to date’

Continued from front page

trade over the bank holiday weekend. Sponsoring the event and representing local businesses, RTW Together (BID) told the Times: “We are proud to have supported the Local & Live festival over the last four years, which brings thousands of tourists and residents alike into the town.

“Our footfall counters reported almost 14,000 people, or a 20 per cent higher level of people in the town over the weekend, which directly benefits local retailers as well, as reminding visitors what a vibrant town Tunbridge Wells is.

“Venues outside the park, and those [vendors] inside the park, reported they had had the best days of the month and a considerable uptake on last year.

Matthew Sankey, the Borough Council’s Business Champion and owner of Sankey’s restaurant, said he felt that this was the best event yet, with numbers up by almost a third on last year.

He told the Times: “This weekend’s Local & Live event was without doubt the most successful to date. Our event bar and kitchen outperformed last year’s figures by almost 30 per cent.

“Our sites on The Pantiles and Mt Ephraim also saw the best trading figures

this summer, which proves the festival really does bring in trade to our town,” Cllr Sankey said.

“Reports from other traders were also positive, with many hospitality businesses reporting spikes over the weekend.

“It was also great to see so many BID-levy payers involved in the event as traders.

“All the revenue stays local and isn’t kidnapped from the town.”

Echoing Mr Sankey’s comments, The Bedford Pub said it had also seen its trade pick up over the festival weekend.

“We saw a huge surge in customers.

“[We are] so grateful for the extra

business and the memories created.”

Independent retail shops also felt the increased footfall.

Victoria Richards, Store Manager at Good & Green, a sustainable ‘health emporium’ told the Times: “The festival went really, really well. There was a lot more footfall of people coming from the festival, with more first-time customers coming in.

“Even though we have been in the High Street for two years, we are not that well known... Being a sponsor has been great exposure for us, with Saturday being one of the busiest days we have ever had.”

Also sponsoring the event were Pantiles-based estate agents, Maddisons Residential, and local law firm, Berry and Lamberts.

Deborah Richards, Managing Partner of Maddisons, said how proud Maddisons was to be a top sponsor of the festival.

“The event is now a very well-established and well-regarded part of the Tunbridge Wells social calendar, and it was fabulous to see so many people from near and far enjoy a fabulous line-up of acts,” she said.

Tunbridge Wells solicitors Berry and Lamberts told the Times: “As a longstanding local business, we are proud to sponsor Local & Live, bringing together local musicians and showcasing the talent and diversity of our wonderful town.

Tourists are currently directed to the Amelia Scott for information

‘Resilient’ Year 11s receive GCSE results

By Grace Corcoran

STUDENTS across Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas collected their GCSE results last Thursday (August 24), with results across local schools topping the national picture.

Like A-Level results the previous week, GCSE grading, too, was brought back to pre-pandemic levels this year, resulting in a fall in top marks.

Dropped

As predicted, the pass rate across the country (grades marked at 4 – equivalent to a grade C and above), had dropped from the Covid grade spikes.

Jon Sparke, Headteacher of Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, Tunbridge Wells said he was “full of admiration” for his students, who saw their studies “profoundly disrupted” by the pandemic, which first impacted their education in KS3.

Of all entries in the UK, (excluding Scotland, who did not sit GCSEs), 68.2 per cent made the pass mark.

The southeast of England scored over 10 percentage points higher than the national percentage of grades, with 79.7 per cent of entries awarded a 4 or above.

Top grades in the South East also ranked above the UK average, with 24.4 per cent of entries hitting a 7 or above (equivalent to an A grade). Nationally, 22 per cent of entries got top marks.

When it came to subjects, Business Studies saw the biggest percentage rise for any subject, with at least 100,000 entries across the UK. This was a jump of 14.8 per cent from last year.

The lead enjoyed by girls over boys for the top grades also narrowed this year. The proportion of female entries awarded 7 or above was 24.9 per cent, 5.8 percentage points higher than male entries (19.1 per cent). This is the narrowest lead enjoyed by girls since 2009.

Amanda Simpson, Headteacher of Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys praised her students’ “determination” despite of the “lingering impact of the pandemic”.

“Their determination will stand them in good stead for their future study or training,” she said.

Keith Slattery, Head of School at Beacon Academy, Crowborough also praised the “resilience” of the students at his school.

“Their dedication, resilience, and determination have been truly inspiring, and they should be incredibly proud of their accomplishments”, he said.

RESULTS ACROSS THE AREA

Bennett was pleased with “strong” results, with a third of all GCSE entries achieving top grades (9-7) and 90 per cent of students achieving five or more grades 9-4, including English and Maths.

Ed Dickie, Headmaster of Claremont Senior School, East Sussex, who akin to Bennett, saw more than a third of students achieve top grades, said: “We are deeply proud of those students who achieved academically outstanding results this week and look forward to supporting them as they look towards applying to the top universities in the future.”

St Gregory’s Catholic School is “delighted” with its results, with 75 per cent of students achieving the pass mark, including BTEC qualifications.

Skinners’ School had plenty to celebrate with 61 per cent of grades at 9-7 and 20 per cent at 9.

Twenty-three Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School pupils achieved five or more Grade 9s.

COUNTER VIEW with

Uplands Academy, Wadhurst, saw 71 per cent of students achieving grades 9-4 in both English and Maths.

Kent College Pembury saw one in 10 pupils achieve straight 8s and 9s. Benenden, Cranbrook, had 82 per cent of all grades marked at 9-7, the highest rate seen since 2016 (excluding the Covid-affected years).

Mayfield had one in four grades awarded at grade 9. Headteacher

Jonathan Forster was particularly pleased that Kseniia, who joined Mayfield at the end of Year 10 on a full bursary after leaving Ukraine due to war, achieved grades 9-7 across all her GCSE exams. Mascalls Academy will be welcoming a record number back into Sixth Form, following a positive set of results. For those who didn’t achieve the grades they hoped for, a number of options are available. These include qualifications for A-Levels, apprenticeships, retaking key GCSEs or having one’s exams re-marked.

KASIn place of the usual Q&A, the following are some of the support packages that have been made available to help businesses deal with the Coronavirus:

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: HMRC will reimburse 80% of wages paid to workers who have be laid off due to the coronavirus crisis. This is capped at £2.5k per employee per month.

Financial forecasts, which are a model of what your business results might look like over the next say 12-36 months, are a very useful tool generally for deciding what you want your business to look like, clarifying how to get there, testing what-if scenarios, and setting targets against which to assess progress. However, they are even more important in times of rapid change, such as rising utility costs and interest rates, as they can give an early indication of issues such as profits turning to losses or running out of cash. The earlier you can spot issues, the more chance you have of dealing with them successfully.

VAT Deferral: The deferral will apply from 20 March to 30 June 2020. There is a lack of clarity on the Gov. uk website and we are interpreting this as payments due by 30 June rather than quarters ended 30 June. This means that May quarter VAT Returns, where payment is due by 7 July, will still be payable as normal. Any payments deferred will become payable by the end of the tax year (31/3/21 Company or 5/4/21 Unincorporated)

Income Tax Deferral: The self-assessment second payment on account, due by 31 July 2020, will be deferred to 31 January 2021. No penalties or interest will be charged.

To build a financial model, you need to have your opening assets and liabilities (your Balance Sheet). This gives your starting position of what you own, what is owed to you and what you owe. This is entered in your chosen forecasting software (I like Spotlight Reporting) and the associated cash flow timings are

added. For example, if you have a loan, you can add the interest rate and repayment terms and the resulting loan repayments and charges will be included in the model.

Cash Grants: A grant of £10k will automatically be provided to all businesses currently entitled to Small Business Rates Relief. A grant of £25k can be claimed for businesses in the retail, hospitality or leisure industry if their rateable value is between £15k and £51K.

Business Rates Holiday: There is a 12-month business rates holiday (April 20 to March 21) for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England.

Next you consider every line item of income and expenditure (this on its own is a good exercise). This is added to the model, typically on a monthly basis. You also include whether the amount is subject to VAT and the likely payment terms (i.e., 30 days). Usually, items can be related to each other so Purchases may be included as 30% of Sales rather than a fixed figure. This makes updating or testing different scenarios much easier.

The output of the above is a forecast Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Account and Cash Flow Statement. This will allow you to check that things are on track, and model differing options if not.

Time to Pay Arrangements: In addition to the deferral schemes noted above, if you have outstanding tax liabilities (Corporation Tax, VAT or Income Tax) due to coronavirus, you may be able to agree a time to pay arrangement. Arrangements will be agreed on a case by case basis. To discuss your options, contact HMRC on 0800 0159 559.

Further info and updates can be found here: https:// www.synergee.org.uk/press-releases/coronavirus-update

ALL SMILES: Good news at Beacon Academy

MAGNIFICENT YEAR:

Celebrating at Claremont Senior School

How do local venues fare with disabled customers?

IN Jeremy Hunt’s spring budget, announced back in March 2023, there was a focus on new measures to encourage the over-50s, disabled people and benefits claimants back to work.

The Government committed to spending up to £4,000 per person to help them find appropriate jobs and put in place the support they need. It will fund 50,000 places every single year.

Therefore, it is likely that during 2023, more disabled professionals within our community will be working in Tunbridge Wells and holding meetings with their clients in cafes and venues around the town. For this reason, I have compiled a review of five café venues from the perspective of a disabled person.

I have been wheelchair-enabled , partially-sighted and neuro-divergent since 2011, and my disabilities are both visible and invisible. Over the past few months, I have visited several cafes and assessed each on the following accessibility criteria:

1. Proximity to parking – to facilitate drop-off by a carer

2. Entrance

3. Staff

4. Interior design – space to manoeuvre wheelchair/likely sensory overload.

5. Toilet facilities

My assessments were conducted with the help of my experienced, professional carer.

These were my findings:

1. TN1 Bar &Kitchen 8/10

This café/restaurant/bar performed very well, thanks to its proximity to a disabled parking bay in Crescent Road car park, level entrance with manageable doors and helpful staff on hand to assist, if needed. Inside the tables are well-spaced to permit movement of a wheelchair, and the toilet is very easily accessible from the dining area.

2. Trinity Café/Clocktower Bistro: 7/10

Trinity’s café has some key strengths: convenient parking, slope entrance, light doors and space to move comfortably inside alongside no auditory overload, easy to access the disabled-toilet facility, and excellent options for vegan or food intolerances.

3. Fine Grind at The Amelia Scott 6/10

This café performed less well than I’d hoped for within a new, council-run premises. Access is awkward for two reasons. Firstly, signage inside the Amelia Scott foyer is poor. Secondly, the glass door into the café is extremely heavy which means that my carer struggled to keep it open while she pushed my wheelchair through it. Fortunately, a member of the public offered us some help. Nevertheless, inside the café our difficulties continued.

Tables are packed together tightly so that we had to ask several customers to move to make space for my wheelchair to reach a free table. The need to disrupt others added to my feeling of anxiety about being in an unfamiliar space in my wheelchair. Postscript: After my visit, I was incredibly impressed by this café’s willingness to hear my concerns. They want to implement improvements wherever possible. Throughout my meeting, I noticed that this café is extremely noisy which contributed to my sensory overload, which made it more difficult to focus on my meeting. Staff were cheerful, even though they were struggling to walk around my wheelchair in the tightly-packed space. It offers a good range to cater for dietary requirements. I did not have an opportunity to check the access to the disabled toilet.

4. Bill’s, Fiveways 7/10

I visit this café weekly for a networking group. Its weaknesses are parking and two heavy glass doors, which staff don’t always hold open for my carer to get me inside. Sometimes we’re in luck and have a very pleasant visit. For meetings, I like the ability to reserve a table in advance.

5. Earl Grey Tea Rooms, Southborough 0/10

On a visit here, I identified that this café is not wheelchair accessible for me. There are steps which make it too sharp an incline to use the ramp which staff offer for wheelchair-users. My carer had to rely on my client to use his strength to push me inside.

slimming-friendly tikka masala

Contact your local Slimming World Consultant and join a friendly and super-supportive group today!

Monday

Pembury Pembury Baptist Church 1 Romford Road, TN2 4HT

Monday 5.30pm Call Jesse 07710549334

We are currently recruiting a new consultant for this Group. Contact Jesse to find out more about this exciting Opporutinity 07710 549334

Cranbrook Cranbrook Rugby Cricket Club Angley Road Cranbrook, TN17 2PN

Monday 7pm Call Debbie 07789776887

slimming-friendly tikka masala

Tuesday Cranbrook Cranbrook Rugby Cricket Club

Anglet Road Cranbrook, TN17 2PN

Tuesday 9.15am & 11am Call Debbie 07789776887

Rusthall St Pauls Primary School Entrace Via Gladstone Road, TN4 8RZ

Tuesday 5.30pm Call Jesse 07710549334

We are currently recruiting a new consultant for this Group. Contact Jesse to find out more about this exciting Opporutinity 07710 549334

Lisa Beaumont MCIM has over 20 years of experience in publishing and advertising. Recently, Lisa identified a gap in digital marketing and developed her skills in social listening to deliver qualified leads to SME’s and sole traders. She has a passion for community engagement projects; Trinity Theatre, Different Strokes West Kent, which she established in 2015, and Rusthall Community Arts to name a few. As well as being an Associate at Colley Raine, Lisa runs her own consultancy. Following her survival from a brain haemorrhage in 2011, she continues to fight to improve her health. Lisa lives with her family in Tunbridge Wells.

Wednesday

Paddock Wood Paddock Wood Community Centre Maidstone Road

Tonbridge, TN12 6EB

Wednesday 9.30am Call Simone 07738681969

High Brooms St Lukes Church Hall

Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9JH

Wednesday 5.30pm & 7pm Call Jesse 07710549334

Ramslye St Marks C of E Primary School

Ramslye Road, TN4 8LN

Wednesday 7pm Call Susie 07717177892

Thursday

Crowborough All Saints Church Hall Church Road, TN6 1ED

Thursday 9.30am, 11am, 5.30pm & 7pm Call Mary 07738014528

Friday

Crowborough All Saints Church Hall Church Road, TN6 1ED

Friday 9.30am & 11am Call Mary 07738014528

Contact your local Slimming World Consultant and join a friendly and super-supportive group today!

Crowborough Crowborough Community Centre Pine Grove, TN6 1FE

Tuesday 5.30pm & 7.30pm Call Beckie 07948352691

Paddock Wood Paddock Wood Community Centre Maidstone Road,TN12 6EB

Tuesday 5.30pm & 7pm Call Simone 07738681969

#YesYouCanWithSlimmingWorld

Saturday

Tunbridge Wells St Barnabas Primary School

Quarry Road, TN1 2EY

Saturday 8am & 9.30am Call Jesse 07710549334

Lisa Beaumont, Associate at Colley Raine & Associates, has compiled a review of five café venues, from the perspective of a disabled person…

Government recognition for local charity

By Victoria Roberts

A CARE co-ordinator for local disability charity Aspens was chosen to mingle with other charity professionals and a Government minister at 10 Downing Street earlier this month, in one of a number of recent events recognising the Pemburybased organisation.

Megan Bruce, the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Transition Coordinator, took up an invitation issued to Aspens through the Voluntary Organisations for Disability Group (VODG).

Aspens cares for and supports people on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities.

Approach

The charity uses the PBS framework to support those who are vulnerable, using a person-centred approach to enhance all areas of an individual’s life.

Megan helps people aged 16 and over to transition to supported living services at Aspens, after placements which have broken down, or after transferring from mental health facilities or live-in school placements. While at the Downing Street event on August 17, Megan said: “It was a great opportunity to meet other people working in the sector, and to not only learn about what they do, but also pass on information about what we do at Aspens.”

At the garden event, she networked with other invitees including care workers,

registered managers, carers, social workers and personal assistants, all sharing information about their work.

Megan added: “I also spent some time speaking with Helen Whately [Minister for Health and Social Care], and it was great to have been given the opportunity to represent Aspens, and highlight the positive difference that everyone makes to the people we support.”

Megan is also a finalist for the Kent Care Awards (KiCA) 2023 in the PBS Champion

category, alongside her Aspens colleagues Ollie Payne, a PBS specialist, the team at Aspens’ PBS Supported Living service Rosewood, and the Aspens People Department. Also up for an award is Senior Horticultural Support Worker Mike Giles. Having spent over 30 years helping the people Aspens supports to enjoy gardening and learn about horticulture, he has made the final shortlist in this year’s BBC Make a Difference Awards, in the Carer category.

By Sharon Bruce

LAST week (August 23), the Times reported on the gorilla-napping of a golden statue from the bar at One Warwick Park Hotel. The perpetrators were caught on camera –images which were then distributed in both the newspaper and on social media.

Truly demonstrating the power of the media, the gorilla, nicknamed Gary, was returned to the hotel on the very day that the Times hit the streets.

At around 2pm on August 23, two women were seen leaving Gary outside the hotel. He was subsequently taken into the reception. A note was found accompanying the gorilla, in which the women apologised for taking Gary “on an adventure” and stating that it was always their “intension” (sic) to return him, and signed it: “Gary's friends”.

While Gary is safely back where he belongs, police are still working to identify the perpetrators, in line with its policy to investigate all reported crimes.

Age with joy at home

Gorilla is returned

ON THE GUEST LIST: Megan at 10 Downing Street

Over 500 products and flavours from over 30 local and national producers. There will also be special guest chefs cooking up a storm on the bandstand, with a range of locally sourced produce. What’s more, to help work off the calories, we have toe-tapping live music and entertainment to keep the whole family entertained. Visit our website and social media sites for more information.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES FOR DETAILS.

Local businesses come together to help raise money for charity

By Elena Percy

LOCAL barbers Denny’s Place on Grosvenor Road, held their annual ‘Denny’s Fest’ last month, to raise money for the Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre.

The festival, on July 29, marked the tenth anniversary of the death of the shop’s founder, Denny Rowe – famous in Tunbridge Wells as the ‘world’s fastest barber’. Denny passed away from cancer in 2013.

Skills

Denny’s barbers snipped away at over 30 heads at just £10 a cut, and 14 Arrows Tattoo, whose parlour is a few doors down from Denny’s, used their artistic skill to ink more than 100 tattoos at £40 a piece. The event raised a total of £7,513, adding to the £37,000 they have made from the

Actor to appear in one-off hometown show

By Grace Corcoran

A WELL-KNOWN Tunbridge Wells actor will be returning to his former stomping ground for a one-off performance. Former Trinity Youth Theatre member Oliver Chris will be bringing film and theatre director Josie Rourke’s play ‘The Joy of Text’ to life next month for a fundraising show at Trinity Theatre.

Oliver, who studied at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, is known for television hits including The Office, The IT Crowd and The Crown. The Central School of Speech and Drama

graduate is also a regular fixture in London’s West End and on Broadway, performing as Orsino in the National Theatre’s ‘Twelfth Night’ and in ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ opposite James Corden.

The Joy of Text was originally staged at the Savoy Theatre, London in 2022. This special, one-off performance at Trinity is on Thursday, September 21. Book at trinitytheatre.net

previous six years the festival has been held. One of those who received a custom tattoo was Pickering co-founder Polly Taylor, who once again got a heart tattoo to show her love and support for Denny’s Fest. Each year she adds another, which she hopes will one day form a bracelet.

The event was a real community effort, with a number of local musicians providing the summer sounds. Noble Wines, which is also based on Grosvenor Road, supplied the drinks, and St John’s Fish and Chip Bar delivered on the food.

Musician Pete Taylor, who performed on the day with The Harvey’s, returned to the stage once more for a live head shave, which raised £750, shorn by Denny’s daughter, Storm Walker, owner of Denny’s Place.

A raffle with prizes from Fuggles, record store and café even flow, and many others added to the total donated to the Pickering.

Pandemic dance students finally celebrated

DANCE academy Do4Kidz Danceworks has finally been able to celebrate four years of pupil successes in a ceremony that was delayed by the Covid pandemic.

Many of the pupils of 2020 had continued their dance lessons virtually through lockdown.

Mayor of Tunbridge Wells Hugh Patterson

recently awarded 88 children certificates for passing the Do4Kidz Danceworks annual IDTA Freestyle Dance Exams. Do4Kidz Danceworks owner Chloe Simmons expressed her pride in her students. “I am so pleased that they have finally been awarded their honours in person,” she said.

FUNDRAISING SUCCESS:

Storm Walker of Denny’s Place, and Aron Heartfield of 14 Arrows Tattoo (rear, left and right) with Caroline Neill and Polly Taylor of the Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre

OLIVER CHRIS

DANCE DELIGHT: The Mayor with the students

High-tech Pilates studio comes to Calverley Road

The

Design and interiors team goes to town with new London office

By Victoria Roberts

A TUNBRIDGE Wells decoration and interior design business is to open an office in the capital to build its London customer base, in a move company co-founder Darren Jones attributes to timing, careful recruitment and training.

Although The Colour House has been running for nearly 20 years, covering a 50-mile radius around Tunbridge Wells, it is only now that family circumstances and the team in place are right for the “huge leap” to work on the multi-million-pound houses that constitute “high-end properties” in London, explained Darren. The move comes at a time when his

children have left school, but his team has been growing up, too, he stressed.

“We’ve got an amazing team. It’s taken a lot of years to build them up and pick them. It’s a case of the stars aligning.”

“We employ all our own staff and we also have four apprentices.”

“We have already been working in London for years, but it’s become apparent that it would be a sensible move, rather than trying to run things from our office in Tunbridge Wells.”

With a website redesign in the works to distinguish The Colour House Tunbridge Wells from The Colour House Mayfair, Darren stressed: “We are definitely not leaving Tunbridge Wells!”

Supporting

A NEW Zero Gravity Pilates studio has opened in Tunbridge Wells’ town centre, bringing cutting-edge exercise technology to the area.

method, created by former footballer Chris Richardson and celebrity trainer Christopher Watson, uses machines as well as mats for the physical makeovers its users are trying to achieve.

The founders claim celebrity users including Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes and Rebecca Adlington OBE, and footballer-turned-pundit Rio Ferdinand. The Tunbridge Wells studio at 60 Calverley Road is equipped with the Reformer machines, which are used with traditional Pilates exercises as part of the Zero Gravity regime.

HOME STRETCH: Inside the Zero Gravity studio

NEW ADDRESS: The Colour House London HQ

Loch Associates Group acquires Sightscreen HR

NEW PILATES CLASSES FOR EVERYONE

Welcome to Body Glow Pilates. Join Louise on the mat to create long-lasting strength from within. You’ll walk out feeling 2 inches taller, radiating positivity from the inside out.

was founded in 2007.

By Sharon Bruce

LOCH Associates Group, a leading multiservice law and HR business in the South East, has acquired Sightscreen HR, a training and coaching specialist. The acquisition of Tunbridge Wellsheadquartered Sightscreen HR for an undisclosed amount from human resource specialist and Managing Director Ben Holt, adds professional coaching and leadership training services to Loch HR’s offering, and is expected to increase its turnover by 20 per cent.

Strategy

Sightscreen HR, which has a number of prestigious clients, including the National Portrait Gallery, covers a range of consultancy services for businesses, supporting strategy, restructuring and policy changes, as well as management and leadership training, recruitment, and managing disciplinaries and grievances. The transaction marks Loch Associate Group’s first acquisition since the business

Pam Loch, Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group, said: “This year has seen strong and steady growth for Loch Associates Group and the acquisition and appointment of Ben is a key part of our growth strategy over the next 12 months, as we continue to expand and look for further acquisitions,” adds Pam.

To support the firm’s ongoing growth, Ben Holt has been appointed as Managing Director of Loch HR and Loch Training and Wellbeing, bringing 20 years of experience in HR and leadership to Loch Associates Group.

Loch Associates Group, which acquired Sightscreen HR for an undisclosed amount, is the only firm in the South East to offer a full suite of legal, HR, wellbeing and training services under one roof to help organisations manage their staff while protecting their business.

Its services include Business and Employment Law, Immigration, outsourced HR support, Health and Safety Training and Wellbeing and Mediation Services.

Rendez-Vous is back on the menu

Designed for all levels, our classes are low impact and fun, but that doesn’t mean we don’t work hard. Come and experience the benefits of Pilates, let your mind and Body Glow.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS CLASS SCHEDULE

The Essentials Pilates Class

Tuesdays 9:30am at Sweaty Betty 7:30pm at Oakley Fitness

Thursdays 7:15pm at Skinners Primary School

Saturdays 9:30am at Sweaty Betty

Mumma & Bubba Pilates Coming Soon

Tuesdays 11am at Oakley Fitness

Mumma To Be Pilates Coming Soon

NEIGHBOURHOOD SPOT:

Rendez-Vous closed in April last year

By Sarah Carter

THE former Rendez-Vous restaurant in Camden Road has been sold to new owners who have a new tenant on the back burner. The Brasserie-style French restaurant closed in April 2022, and commercial agents Durlings announced late last week that the freehold interest of the property had been sold on behalf of the owner.

The property had been marketed with a guide price of £265,000.

It is understood that the property is to be leased by the new owners to a chef friend. The premises include a seating and bar area on the ground floor, with a further seating area on an upper level, with the kitchen to the rear.

On the first floor, there is a further dining area to the front, a storeroom and customer WCs.

There is a small garden in the rear, and the second floor and roof space include a single room with a dormer window.

Saturdays 10:40am at Sweaty Betty

www.bodyglowpilates.com

Pollution rules to be scrapped in a bid to build more homes

SCRAPPING EU-era environmental protections on nutrient neutrality will allow for an additional 100,000 homes to be built in England by 2030, the Government has said.

The Government says housing developments contribute only a small fraction of nutrient pollution and new funding is being provided to mitigate any associated increase. Environmental campaigners have, however, criticised the plans.

Policy Director for Greenpeace UK, Dr Doug Parr, said: “Who would look at our sickly, sewage-infested rivers and conclude that what they need is weaker pollution rules? No one – and that should include our Government.

Sign

“Scrapping or weakening limits on chemicals from sewage and farm run-offs would be a sure sign that ministers have completely given up on saving our great waterways and the precious wildlife they host.

“Instead of allowing house builders to cut corners, the Sunak administration should make sure we have the right infrastructure to handle our sewage, so we can build new homes without sacrificing our rivers’ health.”

Under legislation derived from the EU, 62 local authority areas across England require new developments to be “nutrient neutral” in their area.

This means developers must demonstrate

they will not cause pollutants to seep into nearby water for new houses to be deemed neutral.

This requirement will no longer apply under the changes being proposed through an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which is currently going through the House of Lords, with the Government saying it could see additional homes being built in a matter of months.

The Government said it would double investment in its nutrient mitigation scheme, being run by Natural England, to £280 million. And an additional £166million will be allocated for slurry infrastructure grants.

This extra £140m will come from taxpayers, the government confirmed.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: “We

are committed to building the homes this country needs and to enhancing our environment. The way EU rules have been applied has held us back. These changes will provide a multibillion-pound boost for the UK economy and see us build more than 100,000 new homes.

“Protecting the environment is paramount, which is why the measures we’re announcing today will allow us to go further to protect and restore our precious waterways whilst still building the muchneeded homes this country needs.

“We will work closely with environmental agencies and councils as we deliver these changes.”

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said: “These new plans will cut nutrients and help support England’s precious

habitats whilst unlocking the new homes that local communities need.

“We are going to tackle the key causes of nutrients at the source.”

Housebuilders have welcomed the plans. Executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation Stewart Baseley said housebuilding had been blocked by the rules “despite wide acknowledgement that occupants of new homes are responsible for only a tiny fraction of the wastewater finding its ways into rivers and streams”.

“The industry is eager to play its part in delivering mitigation and protecting our waterways. We look forward to engaging with Government on the right way to do so, now that ministers are acting on the arguments that builders, large and small, have been making for so long,” he said.

Rishi Sunak has stressed the benefits of Government plans to scrap EU-era environmental protections on nutrient neutrality, saying it will bring an “£18 billion boost to our economy and support tens of thousands of jobs”.

Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trusts, has accused the Government of lying about its commitments not to lower environmental protections.

He said: “In May, June and July, the Government made promises to the British people and to Parliament they would not lower environmental protections or standards. Just a few weeks later they are planning to do precisely the opposite.

“They lied. This is a disgraceful move that undermines public trust in this Government.”

HOUSING NEEDS: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove, Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, visit a new housing development in Norwich Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Air traffic control review ordered as flight chaos ‘to last for days’

TRAVEL disruption could last for days after flights were cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded during a technical fault in the UK’s air traffic control (ATC) system.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said it was the worst incident of its kind in “nearly a decade” and announced an “independent review” would be carried out.

The issue started on Monday, August 28 after a technical glitch meant flight plans had to be input manually by controllers, causing more than a quarter of departures and arrivals to be axed.

Disruption

The disruption continued yesterday (Tuesday, August 29), with tens of thousands more airline passengers suffering flights cancellations and delays as many aircraft and crews were out of position.

Analysis of flight data websites by the PA news agency shows at least 281 flights –including departures and arrivals – were cancelled yesterday at the UK’s six busiest airports.

This consisted of 75 at Gatwick, 74 at Heathrow, 63 at Manchester, 28 at Stansted, 23 at Luton and 18 at Edinburgh. Many other flights were delayed.

Mark Harper told the media: “This was a technical fault. We do not think this was a cybersecurity incident.

“And what will happen now with an incident of this magnitude is there will be an independent review.

“The Civil Aviation Authority will be putting together a report in the coming days, which obviously I will take a look at to see whether there are lessons to learn for the future, to see whether we can reduce the impact of this again.

“It’s nearly a decade since there was a significant issue like this.

“We want to make sure it doesn’t happen again, because of all the disruption that’s been caused to passengers across the country.”

An unprecedented ATC systems failure in December 2014 led to widespread disruption at airports.

Aviation analytics company Cirium said 790 departures and 785 arrivals were cancelled across all UK airports on Monday.

That was equivalent to around 27 per cent of planned flights.

Speculation that the disruption might have been the result of a cyber attack has been dismissed by the government.

National Air Traffic Services (Nats), the country’s leading provider of ATC, said at 3.15pm on Monday that it had “identified and remedied” the technical issue that was affecting its systems. It was working with airlines and airports to support affected flights.

Hurricane Idalia due to hit Florida’s coast today as evacuation notices ordered

HURRICANE Idalia is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast today (Wednesday, August 30), as evacuation orders are issued across the state.

The tropical storm become a Category 3 hurricane yesterday (Tuesday, August 29) as it intensified on a path towards Florida’s coast.

The National Hurricane Centre warned of an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surges and dangerous hurricane-force winds in the state.

Florida residents had begun stocking up on sandbags and evacuating homes in low-lying areas along the coast on Monday.

As the state prepared, Idalia thrashed Cuba with heavy rain, especially in the westernmost part of the island, where the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian almost a year ago. Authorities in the province issued a state

of alert, and residents were evacuated to friends’ and relatives’ homes as authorities monitored the Cuyaguateje River for possible flooding.

It is the first storm to hit Florida this hurricane season and a potentially big blow to the state, which is also dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 46 counties.

The state has mobilised 1,100 National Guard members, who have 2,400 highwater vehicles and 12 aircraft at their disposal for rescue and recovery efforts.

Tampa International Airport and St Pete-Clearwater International Airport said they would close, and the Sunrail rail service in Orlando was being suspended.

Mr DeSantis warned of a “major impact” to the state.

Alex Puffette

Tunbridge Wells Conservatives

Local politics needs to attract more young people

ON May 4, I had the privilege of standing for the first time in an election, as the youngest candidate across all of Tunbridge Wells, aged 19. One of my reasons for doing so was simply that we desperately need more young people involved in our local politics. The Local Government Association estimates that nationally, 16 per cent of local councillors are under 45, with the average age of a councillor being 60 years old. Considering that local councils are responsible for areas including approving planning for new affordable housing, impacting if my generation can get on the housing ladder, it seems obvious to me that young people need a seat at the Council table.

I’m pleased to see the progress that some parties across Tunbridge Wells, including my own, have made in standing some young candidates in our local elections, but there is so much more that we can do. Local politics can be a toxic and often downright abusive place. Those who put themselves forward are often shouted down by individuals on social media who aren’t interested in a proper debate. At the same

time, young people are regularly dismissed as having no ‘real world’ experience, which then supposedly immediately rules them out of holding local office. How can we expect to convince more young people to give up their time to represent their communities if all that awaits them is an onslaught of abuse? In my mind, it is clear we need to change our approach.

Challenges

We need to recognise that there are areas of debate in our local politics that young people are undoubtedly more knowledgeable about. Who better understands the need for higher quality local sports facilities and greater levels of affordable housing than those most affected? Not only that, but the young themselves know the significant challenges that those from their own generation face, particularly online. To dismiss the young as lacking the experience to represent people, to me is denying our young the right to be listened to.

People my age are certainly not

uninterested in politics. If you speak to any young person about issues like the environment, mental health or how young women often don’t feel safe when walking our streets at night, you truly get to see that young people do care about the policies that are implemented both in our town and nationally. However, this interest in important issues has generally not translated into more young people putting themselves forward for public office. In my view, that is a major problem. My plea is that we do more to engage young people in Tunbridge Wells in our local politics. This rests in the hands of every person who plays a role in politics locally. If young people don’t get the

opportunity to get involved, they may find that decisions are made that are not beneficial to them.

I hope I speak for all the parties in Tunbridge Wells (I certainly speak for the Conservative Party) when I say that our local politics would be far stronger if more young people were engaged. We need to get to a point where our local council represents all the people of our town, not just a sliver of them. A local council that can tap into the knowledge and experience of councillors of all ages and backgrounds. I have my own views on what my party should be doing nationally to attract more young people and will fight to ensure we do just that, but fundamentally, it is about listening to the voices of those that we will hand our community to in the years to come.

I am always happy to speak to fellow young people about how they can get involved in politics, from whatever party they are aligned with, or whatever political viewpoint they have.

All my contact details are available on my website at: alexpuffette.com

Social

I work with small & local businesses in and around the Tunbridge Wells area. I offer a personal & dedicated service to clients and provide a variety of supportive packages for those who want a helping hand kickstarting, growing, or overhauling their Instagram page and other social media channels. Whether you don't have time to focus on socials, or don't have the experience or tools to manage it yourself, I will take the time to understand your business and work with you to make it the best that it can be.

www.smalllocalsocials.co.uk

smalllocalsocials@gmail.com

Alex Puffette was the Conservative candidate for St John’s in May’s local election. He was the youngest candidate across Tunbridge Wells and is the Chairman of the Tunbridge Wells Young Conservatives. He has recently finished his first year studying PPE at the University of York.

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

Any compromise possible?

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

Dear Editor...

Counting pollution

Can I check that I have got this right?

Towns are planning to introduce 15-minute zones to restrict our movement and supposedly reduce pollution. To quote my local Alliance councillor Nick Pope: “What’s not to like about 15-minute towns?” Meanwhile, Gatwick is planning a new runway which will create 100,000 flights more per year, creating a flight motorway directly over Tunbridge Wells. This will introduce further environmental and noise pollution.

Has the world gone mad?

At least when I am restricted to my home, I will be able to entertain myself by counting the planes going over!

SPEED EATING: To The Ivy in the High Street for dinner. Food was OK. Clocking in and out was the problem. Apparently it warns the table is yours for only two hours. Maybe the waiter should not have spent the first 15 minutes on banter when the clock was ticking. Later the poor chap repeatedly asked if meals were finished and told how his boss was on his case. He really needed to clear the table. Ding. Time up and there was still dessert. “Maybe you’d like to sit at the bar and finish the meal.” Rather not. “How about you pay now and get a free dessert?” OK. People on the next table were celebrating and had helium balloons. They were confiscated. No balloons allowed. Or any time to eat?

IS there any way that the about-to-beimposed parking charges for Dunorlan Park could be amended?

A compromise, perhaps, to help those that are not so well-off enjoy their local parkland in a way that was first intended – to at least make the first hour free?

I believe that some of the Council members would agree to this even if the present majority don’t.

The first urban national park was to

Beware the new building boom

I must now thank Councillor Lidstone for providing more information as to why a burst of newbuilds is taking place. Whilst this may be central government’s ‘wish list’, the implementation of policies is by the various departments. As he points out, this one-size-fits-all is unsustainable in areas like Tunbridge Wells.

Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Tunbridge are old towns where infrastructure has been limited in over a hundred years. To now add a massive number of newbuilds in such restricted spaces simply leads to chaos. Perhaps a more collective approach

PEPPY SAYS...

‘Promote Health’ in the 1800s, and even the later Act of Parliament in the 1940s was passed to not only “preserve their natural beauty” but to “provide recreational opportunities for the public”. All of which I would have thought would have been at the forefront of our Council’s mind today. Can they please delay and reconsider?

Judi Best Tunbridge Wells

(is needed) by the councils of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells, and even Wealden, to approach the minister concerned, to actually visit these towns and see the level of congestion and then make an informed decision? We are all suffering massive congestion now. What would be the situation in say 10 years’ time? There is still an opportunity to build a form of ‘ring road’ that will ease traffic from these three key towns but there has to be acuity with such planning.

John Pearce Tunbridge Wells

Diana Norman Tunbridge Wells

Smokescreens and mirrors

The Lib Dem-led coalition that is known as The Borough Partnership is now going ahead and introducing car parking charges at Dunorlan Park after kicking it down the road before last May’s local elections.

I find myself torn between the political manoeuvring and the smokescreen and mirrors that has us squabbling about introducing or increasing parking charges.

It is interesting that the car park at John Street (which is in Culverden Ward, has three Lib Dem Councillors and is on the border of St John’s Ward, that also has three Lib Dem Councillors) is not going to be increased. Surely if the Council need to raise money by car parking charge increases, it should be done fairly and evenly across the Borough.

The smokescreen and mirrors being the fact that this attempt to raise comparatively minuscule funds for the depleted finances of the council has a lot of people up in arms, yet we are not talking about the £12million of taxpayers’ money that was wasted on the doomed Calverley Project. This money went on consultations, contracts, insurances, builders, amongst no doubt other things, without a brick being laid. This is a disgrace that the last ruling Conservative council left behind. Still, nothing like deflecting from the big things than distracting us with the smaller things.

Colin Nicholson Pembury

Orwellian and unjustified

I agree with Mr Segall’s letter regarding the suspension of Cllr Moon (Times, August 9): all rather Orwellian and unjustified. The Labour Party (under Mr Corbyn) were pro-Palestinian but not anti-Semitic, and often had speakers from the Palestinians at their conferences.

Some sensitive people and hounded them for this belief.

Mr Dick Bell Tunbridge Wells

BANKRUPT: Calverley lives in the land with no banks. Which seems to be most places beyond a 500 yard-radius of TW Town Hall. Happily there is somewhere to complain about the atrocious service when the mobile bank trundles into the supermarket car park for three hours every other week. Even this limited offering may be cut if more people do not pop along to the bank on wheels. Chatting to staff, Calverley was told: “We only get about 15 people each visit and they’re normally the same ones.” How much longer then before the bank bean counters end the mobiles?

TALKING OF BANKS: Will Bank of England

Governor Andrew Bailey condemn the 16 per cent pay hikes for some City bosses? He should. He was quick enough to urge the workers to show wage restraint. Up the workers! (Yes, really!)

FOXY LADY: Back in the day Calverley fought long and hard to have fox hunting banned. No surprise he is a wildlife fan. And so are his friends; one of whom goes above and beyond. She puts out food for foxes; not feeding by hand, which is wrong. She noticed the vixen losing her fur through the skin disease mange and looking quite poorly. The friend got drops from the vet to put in the food. Happily, the mange disappeared. Calverley realises there are those who will frown on helping wildlife in such a way. He is not one of them.

PARTY TIME: Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has just gone up in Calverley’s estimation. (Not that that counts for much). The grandma revealed that on her Spanish holiday she was raving with girls half her age with drinking starting at 4pm and ending at six in the morning. Asked if it happened “with or without chemical support” she said she just had vodka. Can’t wait for her to be Deputy Prime Minister. Question time should be interesting.

FINAL THOUGHT: All it takes for evil to triumph is for NHS hospital bosses to do nothing.

Chin, chin dear reader…

Picture: Cohesion Plus

Why it’s time for major exam reform

A complete overhaul of the UK’s examination system is needed urgently, argues Samantha Price, Headmistress at Benenden School…

IT IS TIME for the UK to fundamentally reform its examination system.

Clearly, the age of handwritten exams is soon coming to an end, but we owe it to future generations to be far bolder than simply filling exam halls with laptops. This should be the moment that, as a country, we grasp the nettle and instigate major changes to our anachronistic means of testing our teenagers.

The first change we must introduce is to make university applications after A-Level results are issued. Most people accept that the current practice of basing offers on predicted (or in reality, aspirational) grades is rather arbitrary and unfair for those students (and teachers) involved. Students’ time would be better spent focusing on their A-Levels rather than negotiating predicted grades and writing applications. With a post-A-Level application system, the start of the university year could move to January, allowing constructive time in the autumn for students to upskill or complete work experience.

Secondly, we need to overhaul the exam system itself. If we, as educators, fundamentally believe that young people learn best through practical experience and deep thinking and learning, how can we honestly justify the current system of all-or-nothing exams at the very end of a

two-year programme of study? Instead, it would be a fairer and more relevant system for the students if we introduced regular online assessments, which are adapted to a student’s individual pace of learning, and provide greater opportunity for practical assessment, conducting research, much like we see in the Extended Project Qualification, and creative projects requiring problem-solving and innovation.

Some may fear that evolving to this form of assessment will see educational outcomes fall, but with a strong level of imagination, expertise and desire to reform the education

young people receive in this country to truly prepare them for the workplace of tomorrow, I am certain this can be overcome. More broadly, at the same time we need to reconsider what we are testing students on

because the ever-developing technological landscape presents a genuine opportunity for once-in-a-lifetime change.

In an information-rich age where knowledge acquisition is easily accessible online, there is very little merit in testing students’ ability to memorise details. What employers are increasingly looking for among employees is to be creative (after all, technology can’t replace human creativity) along with skills such as analytical thinking, problem-solving and innovation.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report identified these skills as those needed for the 2025 workplace, along with those including technology use, leadership and resilience. Teaching young people these skills is precisely what schools should be focusing on to truly prepare them for the modern workplace.

Such reforms would require enormous political will, with cross-party consensus so the Government – of whichever party – can commit to long-term transformation of our exam system. For the benefit of future generations, and to ensure the UK continues to be a global leader, the time to start this work is now.

Samantha Price is Headmistress at Benenden School, a leading girls’ boarding school in Benenden, Kent. benenden.school

‘How can we justify the current system of all-or-nothing exams?

It would be a fairer and more relevant system for students to have regular online assessments, which are adapted to an individual’s pace of learning’

SAMANTHA PRICE

Life&Times

Balearic

Richard Branson’s exclusive luxury hotel in Mallorca… P26

Discover heritage hotspots on your doorstep

Be a tourist in your own area for free during the forthcoming Heritage Open Days events, which are taking place in and around Tunbridge Wells from September 8-17. Eileen Leahy caught up with the local event’s co-organiser Caroline Auckland to discover the wonderful historic and cultural gems we can discover for free next month…

HERITAGE Open Days is an England-wide event, which celebrates our country’s architectural, social and cultural legacy by offering visitors of all ages free access to a range of events that include interesting properties, guided walks, tours and talks. It has been running for well over 30 years nationally and in Tunbridge Wells since the mid-1990s. This year the popular event runs from September 8-17 and once again there is much to enjoy.

“In addition to the historical aspect, there are also art, craft and music events, as well as displays of traditional skills,” explains Caroline Auckland, who is co-organising the local Tunbridge Wells event, which is supported by the Civic Society, the National Trust and the People’s Postcode Lottery.

“Volunteers also make this event happen, researching and promoting all the events and sharing the fabulous resources and venues we have in our community,” continues Caroline.

For 2023, there are 15 events registered for the Borough of Tunbridge Wells, with some of them being repeated over a few days during the festival.

“The Heritage Open Days area stretches from Southborough and Tunbridge Wells out to Paddock Wood and the surrounding areas, including Capel and Horsmonden, so it is quite wide and varied,” explains Caroline.

Heritage Open Days celebrates our architectural, social and cultural legacy by offering visitors of all ages free access to a range of events that include interesting properties, guided walks, tours and talks

New for this year, local historian Fiona Woodfield will lead a bookable guided linear walk on a level route starting at Mount Ephraim House on Friday

September 8 from 10.30-12pm.

Over the first weekend, Tunbridge Wells Quaker Meeting House in Grosvenor Park will be open for a display on Saturday September 9 from 10am-6pm. On the same day Paddock Wood Masonic Hall will throw open its doors from 10am-4pm, offering a visual display of life as a hop picker. It will also be open on other dates throughout the festival, so it’s best to check the Heritage Open Days official website for details.

“Also on that Saturday, the Friends of Tunbridge Wells Cemetery will celebrate the creativity of artists, writers, musicians, dancers and singers linked to the cemetery between 2.30pm-4.30pm,” adds Caroline.

“The following weekend, St Barnabas School will be open on Saturday September 16 from 10am-3pm with tours every 30 minutes and a display of old school albums. This is happening at the same time as the school’s Late Summer Fair, so there

will be an opportunity for visitors to browse and buy from stalls, too.”

Caroline reveals that on the following day, there will be a walk around the Victorian Mortuary Garden, which is organised by the Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery.

The guided tour will be at 11am on Sunday September 17 and no booking is required.

“The very popular archaeological experience that is Georgian and Victorian Corn Milling in Southborough Valley is once again being offered by Southborough Archaeological Society with tours of the excavation site on Sunday September 10 and 17,” she says.

“The St Thomas à Becket Church in Capel, will be offering an art and craft show, with works being made by local people over the two weekends that the cultural celebration takes place. These will be held inside this stunning medieval church. Outside of the church visitors will have the chance to see

the ancient yew tree where Thomas à Becket is believed to have preached.”

Caroline also tells the Times that there will also be another opportunity to take the Elevated Decimus Burton Walking Tour around the Mount Pleasant area of Tunbridge Wells with tour guide David Woosnam.

“People will also be able to visit Salomons Estate for a talk in the museum looking back at the three generations of the Salomons family,” she adds.

“Eridge Park Estate will also be opening its archives by appointment and the National Trust’s Scotney Castle is holding a heritage and harvest country fair with displays, activities, stalls and tastings suitable for all the family over the family over the first weekend.”

Caroline goes on to say that this year’s Heritage Open Days theme is ‘Creativity Unwrapped’ and that there are a few new

events which fit in perfectly with this theme.

“One of them is Exits & Entrances. It is a look at the history of theatre in Tunbridge Wells over the last few centuries. This is being held in Decimus Burton’s Trinity Theatre and the sessions will be led by local historian Dr Chris Jones.”

There will be other events further afield, including walks around the National Trust’s stunning Emmetts Garden (pictured above) and also Mote Park in Maidstone.

These Heritage Open Days offer an opportunity for visitors to experience the unique character of the buildings, as well as examine pictures and historic records of places of interest in our town Caroline says.

“Every single Heritage Open Days event is free, including access to many sites that usually charge for admission, we are very excited Scotney Castle as it is offering a day of fantastic family fun on Friday September 8.”

“Thank you to all of the volunteers. We love the dedication and enthusiasm they devote each year to this festival and the team here in Tunbridge Wells always look forward to finding out something new about this great place we are fortunate to live in, explore and showcase.”

For the most up-to-date info on Heritage Open Day events, visit: tunbridgewellsheritageopendays.org or: heritageopendays.org.uk

Picture: National Trust Images, Nick Dougan

EMMETTS GARDEN

TRINITY THEATRE

Times Chief Reporter Victoria Roberts picks three books for the week

On the bookshelf this week, Canadian author Linwood Barclay is back with another twisty thriller, Emma Donoghue pens a dangerous love story set in a Victorian boarding school, and TV baker and dancer John Whaite opens up in his memoir…

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

Published in hardback by HQ on August 31, priced £22

Struggling author Jack Givens can’t believe his luck when he’s approached by US Marshals with a lucrative offer to write false histories for people being hidden in witness protection. His father was spirited away into witness protection after telling him that he wasn’t a good person and had killed people, but Jack thought his new job was at least a chance to find him. He had no idea about the dangers he would face imagining past lives for people he didn’t know, as well as wondering how to tell his journalist girlfriend, Lana, about the race to find his father before his many enemies did. In classic Linwood Barclay style, the shocks keep coming thick and fast – and just like his previous novels, you’ll be left speed-reading towards the end to discover answers expertly posed by the best-selling Toronto-based crime writer.

Review by Alan Jones

Learned By Heart by Emma Donoghue

Published in hardback by Picador, priced £16.99

Emma Donoghue, author of ‘Room’ and ‘The Wonder’, returns with a raw and unflinching novel about two girls who fall secretly, deeply, and dangerously in love at boarding school in 19th-century York. The novel follows Eliza Raine, a bi-racial girl sent off to boarding school after her parents die. Here, she meets Anne Lister, wealthy and confident, but also deemed an outsider for entirely different reasons. As the girls grow closer, the bond they share deepens into something more dangerous than friendship. Through a moving exploration of love, loss and identity, Donoghue captures the complex emotions of teenage love with sensitivity and insight at a time when racism was rife, gender norms strictly imposed and homosexuality illegal. Based on a true story, ‘Learned By Heart’ is a moving portrait of two young women who are willing to risk everything for love.

Review

by

Scarlett Sangster

AFTERNOON TEA

Enjoy sweet and fruity summertime

flavours in our beautifully crafted pâtisseries, perfectly accompanied by scrumptious savouries, traditional scones and a delicious selection of teas, coffees, or bubbles.

Bookings available 12pm – 4pm every day

Traditional £25 | Prosecco £30

Dancing On Eggshells by John Whaite

Published in hardback by Kyle Books, priced £22

The 2012 Bake Off winner and 2021 Strictly Come Dancing finalist has, at the tender age of 34, written his memoir. It tells his story of growing up in a working-class family in Wigan, where his parents ran a chip shop, dropping out of Oxford University, the pains of coming out, the years of body dysmorphia, alcohol abuse and bulimia, while his partner, Paul, patiently tried to help him pick up the pieces. He explores fame – after Strictly his bulimia and boozing escalated and he became gym-obsessed – and how he coped with the downs he experienced when big shows ended. As ever, there is a welcome respite in baking, as he crams in some of the mouthwatering recipes that stick in his memory. There have been messy times, but Whaite seems to have come out of the other side calmer. He quit drinking following a terrible Christmas in 2022, and you get the feeling he’s finding his way forward – and that the next 34 years may not be quite as frenetic as the first.

Review by Hannah Stephenson

A lovely meal, super service from charming staff. Fabulous cocktails! A really gorgeous place in the prettiest part of Tunbridge Wells.

Fabulous food and cocktails, amazing service and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend. An excellent location in Royal Tunbridge Wells. So central and perfect for a wander around the Pantiles. wander We will be back!

@thebrasserie_owp

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Raise a glass to British oysters with five complementary wines

Whether wild or farmed, oysters are nutritious and, for many, including me, delectable (à chacun son gout). Each region produces oysters with unique flavours, with some subtly sweeter, saltier, plumper, nuttier, silkier, juicier and more melony than others. I’m not the only fan: there’s a bumper crop of imminent epicurean events dedicated to them, including the Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival on September 15-17.

But what’s the best drink to pair with these prized, bite-sized, bivalve molluscs – wine, sake or beer? Here, I’ve chosen five shuck-ingly exceptional bottles for wineloving oyster slurpers. Try these…

1. M&S Manzanilla Extra Dry Sherry NV, Bodegas Williams & Humbert, Sanlúcar, Spain (£9, M&S, marksandspencer.com, 15%)

Here’s what light, intensely tangy, umamirich, biologically aged Manzanilla sherry is all about – a first-rate example from leading bodegas Williams & Humbert that stimulates the palate with its pulsating iodine freshness and chamomile charm. Sings of the seaside. Oysters, olives, sashimi or tapas anyone? A steal.

2. 2022 Cave de l’Ormarine, Villemarin Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc, France (£9.99, Majestic, majestic.co.uk, 13%)

Made from Piquepoul blanc grapes grown

in low-lying vineyards by the Mediterranean, this green-gold, thirstquenching, lemon zest-zingy, sea breezescented Picpoul de Pinet (one of just a handful of varietally named French AOC wines) is a really smart and tasty option for oysters and other bivalves (bonjour, mussels). The distinctive slender bottle has an embossed Languedoc cross. Santé!

3. 2018 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie, Comte Leloup du Château de

Chasseloir, Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires, Chéreau-Carré, Pays Nantais, Loire, France (£10.95, The Wine Society, thewinesociety.com, 12.5%)

Nab this perky, zesty Muscadet, which is made from a patch of 100-year-old Melon de Bourgogne grapes and aged on its yeasty lees. Think subtle sea shells, pithy citrus and green pear fruit, with a soupçon of yeasty pizzazz. Ageing wonderfully, it’s tailor-made for oysters and moules marinières.

4. 2022 Adega dos Eidos, Eidos de Padriñán Albariño, Galicia, Spain (£16.95, Lea & Sandeman, leaandsandeman.co.uk, 13%)

This sea breezy, floral, saline, seafoodfriendly wine is made from Albariño grapes grown on granitic slopes in Padriñán parish, overlooking Sanxenxo, one of the most popular resorts in rainy Rías Baixas, on the southwestern coast of Galicia in northwest Spain. Driven by minerally/ citrusy acidity, it’s irresistibly moreish and tastes of briny oyster shells and stone/ citrus fruit. Stylish and impeccable to pair with oysters. Lovely Galician drinking.

5. Co-op Les Pionniers NV Brut Champagne, France (£21.50, Co-op, coop.co.uk, 12%)

This dry champagne by Piper-Heidsieck, produced for the Co-op, offers the best value on the high street with its complex toasty brioche, orchard fruit and bready flavours. Oyster fans will enjoy its lacy, cleansing acidity. Fantastic value.

OYSTER SERVING TIP:

If you’re enjoying oysters at home, microwave them for a few seconds to slightly open the shells, making it easier to insert a knife. Serve on a bed of crushed ice.

Follow James on Twitter @QuixoticWine

James Viner looks forward to the native oyster season, which runs from September to April…

It took 25 years for Richard Branson to create his dream hotel – here’s the result

The Son Bunyola estate in Mallorca was a long-term passion project for the entrepreneur. It was well worth the wait, says Sarah Marshall

They say good things come to those who wait, so it’s no wonder Sir Richard Branson is looking so pleased with himself. He has just unveiled the latest jewel in his empire – a head-turning hotel in Mallorca born from an extraordinary 25-year quest to make a dream come true.

A restored 16th-century finca set among 1,300 acres on the island’s scenic and unspoilt northwest coast, Son Bunyola is a real moment to savour for Branson, who first fell for Mallorca’s charm during holidays with his parents as a small boy. Fast forward several ground-breaking –and lucrative – decades. Having conquered the record business and the skies, and even buying his own private Caribbean hideaway, the Virgin boss became besotted with the idea of opening a hotel on the island that had been the backdrop to so many magical memories.

He hit the jackpot in 1994, stumbling upon a sprawling estate located on a sublime stretch of shoreline backed by the rugged Tramuntana Mountains. At its heart stood a farmhouse, once home to local nobility and, much later, a working olive press before falling into disrepair.

“As soon as I saw the finca, I knew I wanted to bring it back to life and ensure this chapter of history wouldn’t be closed for good,” says Branson.

But failing to acquire the necessary permissions to operate it as a hotel forced him to sell it eight years later, only to buy it back in 2015 when work began in earnest to transform the estate into a retreat fit for a billionaire.

As Son Bunyola finally welcomes its first guests, there’s a big question hanging in the lavender-infused air: Has this passion project, a quarter of a century in the making, been worth it? There’s only one way to find out…

Checking in

Visible from the iron gates at the very top of the long and vertiginous driveway, there’s a sense of occasion upon arriving at Son Bunyola. Terraced hillsides populated with citrus trees and olive groves tumble down the hillsides, but the real star is the beautifully restored finca, which looms larger and more impressive beyond each hairpin bend.

Up close it’s no less striking. A quiet and shady cobbled courtyard awaits beyond the entrance that leads out to a sweeping sun-filled wraparound terrace, with mountain and sea views lifted straight from a Disney film.

There’s everything you’d expect from a five-star property, from spa treatments using local beauty products to fine dining all delivered by a mostly Mallorcan team. This subtle approach to service – guests are not fawned over, instead encouraged to treat the estate as their home from home – creates a cosy feeling of peace and calm.

While 21st-century luxury touches are very much present, so too are heartfelt nods to days gone by. Many of the finca’s original features remain, including the floor tiles, historic olive press, and the 13th-century medieval defence tower which now houses two of the hotel’s 26 rooms and suites.

When it comes to bedding down, expect natural materials (terracotta flooring, exposed beams and chic white cotton drapes) set against a soothing and muted colour scheme that draws inspiration from Mallorca itself, with lots of blues and greens. Plus, with not a shred of single-use plastic in sight and all wastewater treated and reused to keep the gardens looking lush, the hotel is taking its responsibilities seriously.

There’s style as well as substance thanks to the art dotted around and the extremely Instagrammable swimming pool that stretches for 28 metres along the entire side of the hotel. A stone’s throw away is the super-sized hot tub strategically placed to make the most of the coastal views.

Food and drink

Guests can expect to dine on some of the freshest and tastiest dishes this side of Palma. Heading up the hotel’s culinary offering is Spanish executive chef Samuel G. Galdon, whose close personal connection to Mallorca is clear to see. Having worked at some of the island’s best restaurants – including Michelin-starred Es Raco d’es Teix – he has also shared kitchens with the likes of Raymond Blanc and Eckart Witzigmann and brings a refreshingly contemporary approach to classic cuisine.

The hotel’s two restaurants offer different dining experiences, from breezy lunches of organic sharing platters to evenings spent enjoying barbecued lobster, decadent seven-course tasting menus and delicate dishes such as mussels and samphire.

Best of all, much of the produce served – from the honey to the wild herbs – is sourced directly from the estate’s gardens and orchards and there are plans to start producing Malvasia wine, a tipple made from a native grape that was first sipped in 1275.

Adventure beckons

Barely a 40-minute drive from Palma, the hotel offers easy access to some of Mallorca’s most impressive natural wonders and charming communities.

Dominating the region are the deep ravines and forested slopes of the Tramuntana Mountains, part of a protected UNESCO World Heritage site, where peaks soar from the sea to heights of over 1,400m. This is prime hiking territory and the trail between Soller and Cuber is a particular highlight, taking in resplendent reservoirs, canyons and, during springtime, waterfalls.

If your taste for adventure is a little on the softer side, grab one of the hotel’s e-bikes and enjoy a morning’s cycle to the Esporles, a sleepy village established by the Moors during the Middle Ages. Its handsome blonde stone buildings and elegant treelined main avenue make it a pleasing spot for a leisurely coffee and a spot of peoplewatching. The ride itself – one of Branson’s favourite things to do when he visits – is a love letter to the sheer beauty of this often-overlooked corner of the island. Alternatively, stay even closer to home and stretch your legs along the trail that crisscrosses the Son Bunyola estate and weaves its way down towards its own private beach. Keep your eyes peeled for the friendly wild donkeys.

How to plan your trip

Doubles at Son Bunyola (0800 716 919; virginlimitededition.com/sonbunyola) start from £520 per night including breakfast and complimentary minibar. easyJet (0330 551 5151; easyjet.com) has flights to Palma from airports across the UK from £58 return.

All pictures: Virgin/PA

It’s not quite been the long, hot summer we might have hoped for this year, has it? If you’re hankering for more exotic climes, you’re in luck. Step over the threshold of 7 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, and be prepared to be transported to the destination of your dreams. Award-winning luxury travel firm, Simply Luxury Escapes, is opening its first store in the town, selling something we all crave: amazing holidays.

Local entrepreneur Natasha Griffin founded the company 16 years ago after a successful City career. With a St Lucian mother and French father, her childhood instilled a wanderlust and, thanks to relatives living across the globe, she’s been passionate about travel all her life. After having four daughters of her own she truly understands what families and business executives want from their holiday time.

“Our clients crave quality time together, where all their needs are met – anticipated even – enabling them to completely escape the pressures of everyday life. They want all the details to be taken care of, from the tedious practicalities of flights, transfers and paperwork, to the incredible experiences that make a holiday unforgettable. This is our speciality: listening intently, asking the right questions, and then creating the perfect, tailored trip.”

If you’ve ever wanted to float in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, stay on your own private island, explore the vibrant cultures of Asia, encounter untamed

wilderness in Africa, or uncover the hidden corners of Europe, a visit to Simply Luxury Escapes at 7 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, is the first step on your journey.

Natasha continues, “Having operated very successfully online for more than a decade, we’re thrilled to be able to meet our wonderful clients in person at last. We know how demanding our clients’ lives are, so we’ll be available by appointment outside office hours too.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into the ambience in the shop, so as soon as you step through the doors you’ll be transported to a realm of sun-soaked beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush landscapes, with vibrant colours, natural materials and soothing sounds to evoke a sense of tranquillity.”

Named Best Small Luxury Tour Operator at the British Travel Awards last year, and holder of numerous other awards, Simply Luxury Escapes is renowned for its impeccable service and attention to detail. Their countless five-star reviews on Google attests to the excellence of their team.

“Another thing that sets us apart is our unrivalled knowledge of our destinations. We have direct relationships with all our resorts and hotels and first-hand experience of staying at many of them. So we know what the beds are like, have eaten in the restaurants, met the staff and visited the local area. Each property has been carefully selected by us for its exceptional

quality, ensuring that every client’s experience is the very best it can be. It’s the kind of deep expertise that you can’t find anywhere else and enables us to put together the perfect itinerary.”

Thanks to these close, direct relationships, and as a full-bonded ATOL tour operator, Simply Luxury Escapes is able to offer highly competitive prices, without any of the surcharges you’d pay when using a traditional travel agent.

To mark the opening, Simply Luxury Escapes invites you to join them at the store on Thursday 7th September from 11am, where they’ll take you on a journey of indulgence, relaxation, and exploration. Visitors will also have the chance to win an incredible twin-centre holiday to the Caribbean and a luxurious Hotel Chocolat hamper!

For further information please contact Natasha Griffin. Tel 01732 753011 or email natasha@simplyluxuryescapes.co.uk

Simply the best store in town? Luxury travel company comes to Tunbridge Wells

Fitness fun takes over at Bewl Water

TUCKED away on the edges of Kent and Sussex in Lamberhurst, Bewl Water – the largest reservoir in southeast England –is getting ready for a month of exciting events that guarantee a healthy dose of fitness-friendly fun. Famous for its popular activities both in and out of the water, such as adventure play, laser tag, paddleboarding and canoeing, the 800-acre site already has plenty to offer. As September arrives, visitors are urged to join in, or set up camp and catch some of the fun from the shoreline.

Dragon Boat Race Festival – September 2

Kicking off the month with a splash, the annual Dragon Boat Race Festival returns this Saturday as crews prepare to race across Bewl Water and raise funds for charity. The event has taken place on the reservoir since 1998 and over the last 20 years, more than £2.7million has been raised for over 400 local, national, and international charities. Bring your whole family along for a fantastic day out, cheering on each team as they compete to be crowned champion. There will be plenty of refreshments to keep you well-fuelled throughout the day, including light meals and sweet treats from the Waterfront Café and the ice cream parlour.

Hermes Marathon – September 9

On land, the Hermes Marathon is scheduled for September 9, making its second appearance in Bewl’s events line-up this year. Founded by David Ross,

a Guinness World Record holder, this organised race includes options for a half, full, or ultramarathon covering a combination of rural wooded trails and peaceful country lanes. Beginners can join in with a 10km race.

Each route will be chip-timed and the top three male and female runners in each category will be awarded. Results and professional photos will be available online afterwards while massage therapists will be on hand for post-run relaxation. The Waterfront Café will offer refreshments throughout the day. Registration is available online at hermesrunning.com.

Bewl Water Swim Run – September 17

Often thought of as a triathlon without the bike, pro and aspiring athletes will be heading to Bewl Water on September 17 to take on its latest Swim Run. Hosted by events company As Keen As Mustard, the non-stop course involves multiple segments of swimming and running undertaken in open water and woodland trails, and with no time to lose, participants run in their wetsuits and swim in their shoes. Created by a group of Swedes in 2002, the unique sporting experience is

renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world, perfect for adventure and fitness fanatics looking to test themselves in a new and challenging way. The routes cater to varied abilities and participants can choose between a 6k, 10k, or 21k course before refuelling at the Waterfront Café.

Sign up at: akamustard.events/bewlwater-swimrun

HUNGRY FOR A NEW JOB?

JOIN OUR AWARD WINNING TEAM

Elite Leisure Collection is an award-winning independent group of local companies operating across the hospitality, leisure and media sectors. Founded in 2008, we always aim to recruit, train, develop and support our team to consistently deliver a high level of quality and service. Following a probationary period, by joining our team, you’ll enjoy free gym membership, contributory pension, Healthshield, reward incentives and staff perks along with a competitive salary. Due to continued growth and internal advancements, we are now recruiting for the following roles across our venues in Tunbridge Wells:

• Housekeeper (full time & part time) - £11 p.h.

• Food & Beverage Manager - Up to £35,000 p.a.

• Assistant F&B Manager - £29,500 p.a.

• Sous Chef (4 days on, 3 days off) – Up to £32,000 p.a.

• Receptionist – Up to £27,000 p.a.

• Restaurant Staff - £12 p.h.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to: emma.martin@salomons-estate.com

Prussian portrait could go for a princely sum

Nick Hall from Bentley’s tells the Times about the military life of Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, the man featured in an oil painting that is coming to auction this weekend…

Working in the antiques trade you get to meet a lot of interesting characters along the way, some in the flesh, and some from history! So let me introduce you to this fine figure of a gentleman who’s sitting beside me as I write this. He’s a truly fascinating, brave and historically important character – Field Marshal Prince Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher (1742-1819).

Blucher was the son of a retired army captain. Born in Rostock, Sweden, at the age of 16 he joined the Swedish army as a hussar. Two years later he was captured by the Prussians during the Pomeranian Campaign, and thereafter joined the Prussian army for the remainder of the Seven Years’ War.

In 1773, he was forced to resign by Frederick the Great for insubordination, so he went off to work as a farmer until the death of Frederick in 1786, when he was reinstated and promoted to Colonel. Further promotions followed in 1794 to Major General and Lieutenant General in 1801. He also commanded the Prussian cavalry during the 1806 Napoleonic Wars.

In 1813, war broke out again, between Prussia and France, and at the age of 71, Blucher returned to active service and became a leading hero of his nation, and was appointed to full General over the

Prussian field forces and clashed with Napoleon at the battles of Lutzen and Bautzen, later winning a critical victory at the battle of Katzbach. He also commanded the Prussian army to victory against Napoleon at the Battle of the Nations at Silesia, and was rewarded with the titles of

Field Marshall and Prince of Wahlstatt. Then again in 1815, when Napoleon returned, Blucher once again took control of the Prussian army of the Lower Rhine and coordinated his forces alongside British and Allied forces under the Duke of Wellington, Blucher was severely injured at

the battle of Ligny, but in typical form recovered and resumed command and resumed the fight, where he joined Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo, with Blucher playing a decisive role in Wellington’s victory.

There are numerous statues of Blucher around Europe, as well as a museum, and buildings, ships and locomotives named after him.

‘There are numerous statues of Blucher around Europe, as well as a museum, and buildings, ships and locomotives named after him’

In our auction at Cranbrook on Saturday September 2, we have this fine, large and imposing portrait of Blucher in oil, dating to around the time of his lifetime and measuring an impressive 125cm x 92cm. Estimated to fetch around £4,000-£6,000, I wouldn’t be surprised if we witnessed a bidding war break out among eager collectors doing battle to own this fine and rare painting.

The fully-illustrated online catalogue for this and 1,000 other fine items can be found on our website at: bentleysfineartauctioneers.co.uk See you there!

HOUSE CALLS THIS SEPTEMBER IN YOUR AREA

PORTRAIT OF HISTORY: Nick Hall with the painting

Motoring News

Iconic Bentley Blower recreated as new scaled-down ‘Blower Jnr’

ONE of Bentley’s most notable models –the 1929 4.5-litre Supercharged Team Car –has been reborn as an 85 per cent-scale recreation.

Called the ‘Blower Jnr’ – and built with specialists The Little Car Company – the compact model is built by hand and incorporates a range of features that have been remade in line with the original.

Road-legal

It’s powered by a 20bhp electric motor, which can bring a top speed of up to 45mph and deliver up to 65 miles of range. It’s also the first car from The Little Car Company to be fully road-legal in the UK.

It measures 3.7 metres long and 1.5 metres wide, with a painted steel frame linked to leaf springs and scaled-down friction dampers – just like the ones on the full-size Bentley. It also has Brembo brakes at the front and rear to help it slow down effectively.

The rear section of the body is made from carbon fibre – rather than ash, like the

original – but the aluminium bonnet is crafted using ‘traditional techniques’ and held down with leather buckled straps.

The Blower Jr also adopts a 1+1 seating configuration, with the passenger sitting right behind the driver.

At the front of the car sits a ‘supercharger’, but it’s here that you’ll find the charging port for the batteries. This sits in front of the mesh grille which is housed within a nickel-plated housing.

Inside the car is a dashboard crafted from turned aluminium, while the fuel pressure pump has been remade into the Jr’s drive mode selector. Switches for the headlights and indicators copy those for the magnetos in the original model. There’s even a USB charging port for topping up devices, while a display includes Garmin satellite navigation and a reversing camera.

The first 99 examples of the Blower Jr will be special First Edition models. Costing £90,000 excluding VAT, they get ‘First Edition’ badging on the bonnet, door sill plate and dash, alongside an engraved ‘1 of 99’ plaque.

Mercedes-AMG adds extra versatility to GT Coupe

MERCEDES-AMG has introduced its second-generation GT Coupe, adding an extra level of spaciousness over its predecessor.

It remains powered by a 4.0-litre twinturbocharged engine, with the entry-level GT 55 producing 469bhp and the more powerful, range-topping GT 63 bringing 577bhp. Both utilise Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system as standard, too. In its most potent form, the AMG GT will manage 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds.

Layout

Its basis on the latest SL means a large change comes inside, however, with the introduction of an optional 2+2 seating layout. This adds an extra level of versatility to the GT, while also bringing it closer into line with rivals like the Porsche 911. Up front, both driver and passenger

Average premium now stands at £743

THE cost of an average insurance premium has risen by more than £200 to an average of £743 in June, according to new research. It’s a 39 per cent increase on June 2022, while the average premium for young drivers aged under 24 has soared by £510 to £1,640 in the last 12 months. In contrast, car insurance remains the lowest for drivers aged 65 to 79 at £343. The average premium for this age group has still risen by up to £89 for this age group, however.

Those in London have experienced the biggest rise in insurance costs out of all the regions in the UK. It has increased to £1,165 following a rise of £368 or 46 per cent in the last 12 months. Motorists in the southwest of England, however, have the lowest average premium at £527, though this has still risen by more than £120 in the last 12 months.

Compare the Market, who compiled the results, says that the cost of car insurance has soared due to repair-cost inflation, with insurers paying out £2.4billion in claims during the first quarter of 2023. This represents an increase of 14 per cent on the same period during 2022.

The cost of providing courtesy cars has also risen by 29 per cent in the last year,

due to longer average repair times.

Anna McEntee, Director at Compare the Market, said: “Drivers will be concerned that the cost of car insurance is rapidly increasing. Some young drivers are facing particularly steep hikes of more than £500. It’s now more important than ever for people to shop around and compare prices to check you’re getting a great deal.”

get electrically adjustable sport seats, though these can be upgraded to performance versions with integrated headrests as an option.

The forward part of the cabin is centred around a large display as well as a digital instrument cluster, which is integrated into a three-dimensional ‘visor’. Mercedes says that the 11.9-inch multimedia touchscreen has been designed for “more ergonomic freedom”, while a specific AMG Performance menu allows drivers to control various functions in the GT’s set-up.

You can also see the angle of the front and rear wheels, as well as the oil pressure in the active roll stabilisation system.

Drivers can also use the display button on the control bar below the main screen to cycle through media volume, assistance systems and driving modes. An optional head-up display can also be used to project key information.

Picture: The Little Car Company

Picture: Mercedes

Picture: Shutterstock

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