Times of Tunbridge Wells July 5 2023

Local businesses join together in the name of sustainability

By Lilly Croucher

A NEW collective of Tunbridge Wells’ leading businesses officially launched today, with the combined aim of supporting sustainability and lifting the community.

‘amplifi’ is a group of some of the biggest businesses in the town which have unified in their efforts to address climate change, lift local charities, and create positive change in the community.

Together with Cripps and Yoyo, the collective also includes AXA Health, Childrensalon, Crowe, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Handelsbanken, Royal Victoria Place, the Times of Tunbridge Wells,

Royal Tunbridge Wells Together (the BID) and Fuggles. ‘amplifi’ is the brainchild of Pete Kenyon, partner at Cripps law firm, and Jenny Kitchen, CEO of the Yoyo design agency and the B Corp organisation. They hope that by bringing local organisations together, they can change the way local businesses navigate sustainability and help them think more collaboratively.

Jenny Kitchen told the Times: “I truly believe that business should be used as a force for good. Individuals can make an impact, but when businesses collaborate, using their collective knowledge, voice and people power, the effect is amplified.

On the benefits of local businesses working together, Pete Kenyon told the Times: “I am a passionate believer that this is our time to stand up and act.

“As individuals, or even as single businesses, none of us have the power to make a real difference alone.”

‘I am a passionate believer that this is our time to stand up and act’

FRINGE BENEFITS:

The Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival opened last Saturday (July 1)

Picture: Adam Dennis

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MONDAY JULY 10 Low 12° High 22° Light rain showers

TUESDAY JULY 11

Pupils and patients to be hit by more strike action this month

By Lilly Croucher

MORE strikes are expected in Tunbridge Wells this month as thousands of students and patients are to be impacted by multiple walk-outs.

Schools across the Borough will be closed today, July 5, and Friday July 7 as teachers in the South East walk out of the classrooms over pay and conditions.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) will be staging the two-day strike across state schools and sixth form colleges in England, making it their seventh and eighth strike in five months.

Inflation

The strike is happening after 98 per cent of members refused a 4.3 per cent pay offer from the government in April, which the union says is a pay cut when taking inflation into account.

Around 7,000 students are expected to be impacted, with schools such as Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar, St Gregory’s Catholic School and Claremont Primary making preparations for teachers walking out.

St Gregory’s has announced that the school will be open for Years 8 and 12 on July 5 and Years 7 and 12 on July 7.

Maria Fawcett, Regional Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “It is with great reluctance that our members are taking further strike action, but teachers have been left with no choice.

“Gillian Keegan has refused to engage and refused to meet with the education unions, in spite of the vast majority of teachers rejecting her initial pay and funding offer at the start of April.

“It is increasingly likely that the recommendations of the School Teacher’s Review Body (STRB) for 2023/24, delivered to Keegan weeks ago, will not be followed.

“It is believed that the review body has recommended a 6.5% rise for teachers, but she intends to suppress this unpalatable report until the end of term.”

Meanwhile “Christmas day levels of care” are expected at local NHS hospitals on July 20 and 21 after 86 per cent of 24,000 consultants in England voted in favour of industrial action.

Consultants, including those from Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) were asked to vote on “Christmas day levels of care”, meaning the strike will be “safe and effective”.

However, the British Medical Association (BMA), which is asking for a 35 per cent lift in pay, said that while there will still be emergency care, elective and nonemergency appointments will be cancelled.

Patients at Tunbridge Wells Hospital are expected to be heavily impacted by the strike action which follows after a 72-hour walk-out by junior doctors striking from July 13-18.

If an offer by the government is not made, it could mean seven days of disruption to patients at Tunbridge Wells hospital with huge knock-on effects expected for appointments and services.

The BMA said: “We know consultants don’t take the decision around industrial action lightly, but this vote shows how furious they are at being repeatedly

devalued by Government. Consultants are not worth a third less than we were 15 years ago and have had enough.

“We are simply asking for fairness to ensure that there is a pay settlement that begins to reverse the real-terms pay decline that we have suffered and a commitment to fully reform the pay review process.”

The Department of Health and Social Care described the strikes as “disappointing” and said consultants received a 4.5 per cent rise in the last financial year and that they will “benefit from generous changes to pension taxation announced at budget”.

On the upcoming strikes, NHS Kent and Medway’s Chief Medical Officer Kate Langford said: “We expect some services to be affected. Patients will be contacted ahead of time if there are any changes to their appointments.

“Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases –when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.’’

Rusthall left without connection after cable theft

EDITOR MICHELLE WOOD

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

DEPUTY EDITOR

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

CHIEF REPORTER

VICTORIA ROBERTS | 01892 779615

NEWS REPORTER LILLY CROUCHER | 01892 240626 newsdesk@onemediauk.co.uk

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By Alice Reece

A VILLAGE in Tunbridge Wells saw widespread telephone and internet outages last month after its copper wire cabling was stolen from the road near the common. Residents of Rusthall were left without landline telephones and internet connection on June 22 as engineers from Openreach hurried to replace the cabling.

One Rusthall resident, John Arkell, posted online that he believed “over a thousand phone lines in the village had been cut and stolen”.

Vulnerable

Also affected by the outage was Rusthall councillor Alex Britcher-Allan (Labour) whose phone line was also cut off. Concerned about her more vulnerable residents, Cllr Britcher-Allan told the Times: “It’s extremely frustrating when this happens, and is a cause of great concern for those who rely on traditional landlines, especially those reliant on emergency helplines in the event of a fall, as these work on analogue communication systems.

“I know this is a concern being addressed by the telecommunication companies as

they move away from the traditional analogue system for landlines in general.”

The phone lines were reported to have been fixed by the weekend and no major issues were reported.

Kent Police said they were called at 1.50pm on Thursday June 22 to a report that a quantity of copper cabling had been stolen from a location near Rusthall Road and Coach Road.

The investigation is said to include checking CCTV and looking at forensic opportunities but the Police have said no

arrests have been made.

Cable theft is a ‘constant threat’ according to Open Reach’s website with the copper wiring being worth a lot of money. The network provider said it is working with the charity Crimestoppers and using ‘anti-theft technology to help track stolen cable to help convict criminals.

As part of their investigation, Kent Police has asked that anyone with information on the Rusthall cable theft should call 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/115405/23.

RUSTHALL

Witness appeal by police after assault

POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault on Saturday June 17 that left a man in hospital in a serious condition.

According to reports, the man in his 60s was walking in Bayham Road, at about 7.40pm when he was involved in an altercation with a motorist. He was allegedly assaulted and fell to the ground, suffering a head injury.

A 58-year-old man from Lamberhurst was arrested the same day on suspicion of assault, and later bailed pending further investigation.

Detective Constable Chris Welham appealed for any witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/187604/23, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or by using the online form on their website at: crimestoppers-uk.org

Council’s residents’ survey opened

THIS year’s residents’ survey has opened, gathering information about what is important to people living in the Borough, which will help the Council shape its priorities.

Those who are unable to fill in the survey online can go to one of the drop-in sessions being held around the Borough during working hours.

This week’s sessions include No.1 Community Centre (Showfields) at 9-11am today (July 5), Pembury Village Hall at 2-4pm tomorrow (July 6), Southborough Hub at 2-4pm on July 10 and Bidborough Village Hall at 2-4pm on July 11.

The Times also found paper copies at the help point of The Amelia. The survey runs until July 23.

Suspected drug dealer caught

A SUSPECTED county lines dealer has been charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and driving without insurance, after being stopped and searched in Rusthall late last month.

On June 24, Xheladin Thaci, of Islip Road, Oxford, was stopped and searched in Grange Gardens, where officers seized a quantity of cocaine. He appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on June 24 and was remanded to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on July 24.

Tunbridge Wells honours the NHS

TUNBRIDGE Wells Borough Council is to award the NHS the Freedom of the Borough.

The civic award will be presented at the Full Council Meeting this evening (July 5) at 6.30pm.

The honour can be bestowed on individuals or on organisations.

TWBC can scrap bus gate ‘at any time’, says County Council

By Lilly Croucher & Michelle Wood

A WAR of words broke out at a Joint Transport Board (JTB) meeting on Monday night (July 3), attended by representatives of Kent Country Council (KCC) and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC), as the buck for the enforcement of the controversial bus gate at Mount Pleasant was passed back and forth, before landing firmly in the lap of TWBC. KCC’s Peter Oakford confirmed: “This iS the TWBC scheme. KCC has no control over it.”

While all present at the meeting acknowledged the impact of the bus gate on residents and that “something must be done”, TWBC councillors kept referring the matter back to KCC, until Peter Oakford, KCC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Traded Service, said definitively that any decision to scrap the bus gate lay in TWBC’s hands.

“KCC cannot stop you making that change. It is down to you, until KCC takes over [enforcement] in 2024.”

The initiative is a joint project by TWBC and KCC (which is responsible for the signage and road layout) that has been the source of much confusion for drivers entering the bus gate.

The numbers don’t add up

In the meantime, new data has revealed that the traffic ban took a minimum of £420,700 in fines in its first seven weeks.

When asked directly how much the Borough Council had earned in fines from the bus gate, TWBC said its income from

the fines during that period was £250,320.

However, new figures obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request indicate that TWBC actually issued 13,168 Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) between March 20 and May 7.

Of those fines, 1,148 were successfully appealed, meaning 12,020 fines have been paid or are waiting to be paid.

This would mean that at a minimum, if all fines were paid in the first two weeks with the 50 per cent discount at £35, the total taken would be at least £420,700.

At its maximum, this number could be £841,400, based on all the fines being paid at the full amount of £70.

To forewarn motorists, TWBC said that between March 20 and April 13, it had issued 11,000 warning letters to drivers about bus gate offences.

However, according to data revealed in the FOI, only 4,695 warning letters were issued from March 20 to April 2 – and no warning letters were issued after March 31.

As a result, the number of drivers receiving

a PCN after the warning letters stopped, more than doubled from 948 fines to 2,270.

These numbers stayed consistently above 2,000 PCNs a week, with a peak of 2,853 fines issued in the week starting April 10. When the Times asked TWBC why warning letters for the first offence were stopped after March 31, the Council said this was “the Council’s policy.”

According to another FOI, 871 vehicles received more than one PCN in the first 30 days, starting on March 20.

One motorist received 32 fines, which would have cost them somewhere between £1,120 and £2,240.

Appeals

Many dissatisfied motorists have begun appealing their fines, but according to the FOI data, only 8.7 per cent of appeals have been successful.

When it was reiterated in the JTB meeting that the bus gate could be scrapped, Cllr Siobhan O’Connell (Alliance) said: “It would be unsafe to just scrap it, owing to the removal of an island in the area…”

“The number of cars that have come through the area has reduced,” said Cllr Peter Lidstone (Lib Dem). “So that’s good news… I’m not sure we would find the budget…. Perhaps we could use some of the PCN funds?”

For TWBC, John Strachan referred the matter back to Kent Highways. “We can’t make any decisions on roads,” he said. And so, the bus gate saga continues while the PCNs roll in.

Sustainable business strategy

Continued from front page

“I believe that, if we choose to do so, and if we work hard to pool our thinking and energy, the business community can take action today on climate and community impact in ways which we can be proud of tomorrow.

“In setting up amplifi I hope that we can ensure that the Tunbridge Wells business community is one that can be known for and be proud of its collective action.”

Survey

As well as launching its new website today (July 5) the collective has also created a short survey, which is open to everyone across the Borough, from micro companies to big corporations. They hope to collect a range of views from local companies and so identify the key challenges that businesses face when becoming sustainable.

After the survey, amplifi plan to hold events aimed at bringing specialists and experts to Tunbridge Wells to start conversations where collective members can share their experiences and create solutions. The first event is planned for the autumn and will be centred around how

AMPLIFIED:

local businesses can better respond to the climate crisis.

Cabinet Member for Carbon Reduction and Sustainability, Cllr Jayne Sharratt (Labour) described her “delight” at the action being started by big businesses. She said: “amplifi is a fantastic example of local businesses leading from the front in taking action on carbon reduction and supporting the local community… I’m delighted that we can collaborate with amplifi, who are doing just that.”

BID Director, Alex Green said: “This is a great initiative of the community coming together to address key problems that will only be successfully addressed through collaboration and partnership.”

Nick Moore, Managing Director of the Times of Tunbridge Wells, said: “We’re excited to be able to play our part to create a more sustainable business community.”

Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer at Childrensalon, Denise Hamilton said: “Childrensalon is incredibly proud to be a part of amplifi and believe that as a community if we work together, we can make the world a better place.”

Businesses who wish to join, and people who are interested in getting involved in the organisation, communications and administration side of amplifi, can find out more or fill in the survey at the new website: amplifi.tw

L to R: Pete Kenyon, Nick Moore and Jenny Kitchen

Extra wheels and spaces added to town car club

Frustration

bubbles up as neighbourhood springs a leak

By Alice Reece

GOOD humour springs eternal in one Tunbridge Wells neighbourhood, but anger is bubbling up, too over a stubborn water leak, residents told the Times

Residents at the corner of Farmcombe

Close and Farmcombe Road reported a visible leak to South East Water (SEW) on June 14, but as the leak continued to flow, they decided to make a feature of the flow – for as long as it lasts.

A sign appeared, hailing the discovery of the ‘Farmcombe Spring’ on June 14 2023, and claiming: “Tourists come from far and wide to bathe in its crystal clear waters.”

Just to make sure the target of the satire was not lost on any of the tourists “from far and wide”, the anonymous sign-writer continued: “To be ignored please contact South East Water: 0333 000 0365.

“Or try [South East Water CEO] David Hinton (salary £271,620).”

Someone has even added the Farmcombe Spring to Google Maps.

Explaining the community effort, Carol Startup, whose retired engineer husband, Ian, put a hosepipe into the hole to siphon

off the ‘spring’ water more efficiently, told the Times: “It’s a very sociable estate.”

Yet despite the humour and inventiveness of the sign and the siphon, she said the jokes were a sign of real displeasure.

“I’m annoyed because there’s all this water!” Carol told the Times, explaining that although people were using the siphon to get water into buckets and wheelie bins, a quantity of water was still flowing down the road.

“There is a lot of anger, quite a lot of annoyance,” she stressed.

A recent news report that water bills across the country could rise 40 per cent to cover the cost of tackling the sewage crisis and consequences of climate change – a figure former Environment Secretary George Eustice dismissed – had further fuelled WhatsApp discussion among neighbours, Carol added.

The hosepipe ban was introduced in Kent and Sussex on June 26, with South East Water blaming a range of issues including “extreme weather conditions”, “working from home” and “high demand” for the new ban.

By Victoria Roberts

THE car club chosen by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has added three new locations and additional vehicles, offering residents pay-as-you-go transport throughout town, as well as flexible car hire in other cities where the scheme operates.

Pilot scheme

Using a Co Wheels vehicle is as simple as registering and then using the website to book – even for as little as an hour. The project was introduced locally by TWBC in 2014 as a one-year pilot scheme with just two cars, but now has eight cars available. The newest locations can be found at Amherst Road, Goods Station Road and Warwick Park.

All Co Wheels cars are either hybrids or small petrol-engine cars, and occupy a designated parking space, where drivers

must return the car after use.

Other locations are in Grove Hill Road, Mount Ephraim, Quarry Road and two on Mount Pleasant Road.

Cllr Jayne Sharratt, Cabinet Member for Carbon Reduction and Sustainability, said the scheme helped residents reduce carbon emissions even when active travel options and public transport did not go where needed.

“That’s why it’s so brilliant that the car club can help bridge that gap, and its popularity here in Tunbridge Wells is a testament to our residents’ willingness to embrace that concept.”

It takes up to three weeks to set up an account, including driver verification and receiving the driver smartcard. Drivers must be at least 21, and those under 25 must have a clean driving licence with no points or endorsements.

To find out more or join the car club, visit: co-wheels.org.uk

CLUB TOGETHER: A Co Wheels car in Grove Hill Road

HOPE SPRINGS:

The satirical note

Campaign to help end hidden holiday hunger

AS we approach the summer holidays, it is worth remembering that one in five children live in food poverty within our community.

Every summer, Nourish Foodbank sees a rise in referrals of families trying to juggle holiday childcare, not being able to work their usual hours, and often having to pay for extra meals rather than having them free from school.

Referrals

The Hidden Holiday Hunger Campaign allows Nourish to provide food items to families who are struggling to make ends meet.

Community fun on Hawkhurst run

By Sharon Bruce

ON Sunday June 25, more than 300 runners joined in the third annual Hawkhurst 10km and 5k, which took place in blistering heat. The morning started off with a keenlyfought children’s race, in which medals and prizes were awarded to all. Then, following a group warm-up led by Serida Fitness, the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Councillor Hugh Patterson,

started the runners off.

The event was sponsored by a range of local companies and organised by HCT 2018, together with Highgate Hawkhurst WI, and professional management by Nice Work.

The runners came from far and wide and ran, jogged, walked and sweated their way along the roads, lanes, tracks and footpaths of Hawkhurst.

An enjoyable day was had by all!

Holiday food parcels include fresh fruit and vegetables, sandwich fillings, cereal bars, crisps, meatballs and hot dogs and essential items, like butter, bread, cheese, ham and eggs.

How you can help:

Nourish hopes that families, schools, places of worship and businesses will take up the challenge and collect food items to help children in need. Visit nourishcommunityfoodbank.org.uk/ give-food to see a map of all the food donation stations across Tunbridge Wells and South Tonbridge. Alternatively, make a monetary donation.

£15 will provide a family with holiday items to supplement their basic food needs.

Simply text HUNGER to 70560 to give £15, or visit: nourishcommunityfoodbank.org. uk/give-money/

If you, or someone you know, is struggling and need food support, seek a referral through the Citizens Advice Bureau at: citizensadvicenwk.org.uk

THE HEAT IS ON: Runners set off in Hawkhurst

Tunbridge Wells hockey player scores gold at Special Olympics

By Lilly Croucher

A YOUNG hockey player from Tunbridge Wells took home a historic gold medal with the GB Hockey Team at the Special Olympics in Berlin last month.

Ellen Greenall, 18, who plays for the Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club, was selected as one of 10 players with intellectual disabilities to represent Team GB at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games.

This year was one for the history books: it was the first-ever hockey team sent by Special Olympics GB and England Hockey, to compete in the biggest inclusive sporting event in the world.

Ellen, who has epilepsy, autism, a learning disability and is partially sighted, was one of only three girls selected for the team and played right in the action as a midfielder.

The team, which dominated the competition, won five games, bar one in the first round, and took victory during the final against Bulgaria on June 24, winning 4-2.

Ellen told the Times: “I had a great time in Berlin and loved playing hockey in the GB team. Winning the gold medal was fantastic.”

Happiness

Speaking about the incredible achievement, Special Olympics GB Hockey Team Coach Lochlann Kaye said: “We wanted to come here and play well, we would have been happy with any medal, but to win gold… It’s a real honour. They’ve worked hard and it’s an amazing feeling to make it all worth it.

“There were tears, but there’s a lot of happiness.”

On how the sport has affected her daughter, Ellen’s mum, Michelle Greenall, told the Times: “It’s been the most amazing thing for Ellen.

“She’s always loved sport, but opportunities are rare for children with special needs, and with her having epilepsy, too, I have found people reticent to be ‘responsible’ for her.”

Ellen joined the Flyerz section of the Tunbridge Wells Hockey Team in 2018, which provides hockey opportunities for those of all ages with physical and learning disabilities.

As part of England Hockey and Access Sport, the Flyerz programme runs regular free sessions, which are adapted for different abilities and levels to give disabled children and young people more access to the sport.

Ellen joined the Flyerz with her younger sister Rosie, having never played hockey before, but since then she has been part of an England team that participated – and won – at the European ParaHockeyID tournament in Antwerp in 2019.

Both sisters are enthusiastic about the sport and have become popular members of the club, attending regular training and will hopefully play for the women’s sides next season.

Michelle Greenall said: “Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club have paved the way for Ellen to develop her hockey skills and the Flyerz programme shows that sport can and should be accessible to everyone.”

Walking group leaders urged to step forward

Protecting wealth for generations

Protecting wealth for generations

Families continuously rely on our legal advice and guidance to help them build and safeguard their assets.

Whether it’s time to enjoy your wealth, or ensure that it’s protected for the next generation, our expert team will offer pragmatic advice to help you make informed decisions.

By Victoria Roberts

WALKING group leaders are a “health-giving volunteer force who can help others get fitter and make new friends”, said Kent County Council, in a call for help in all parts of Kent.

Andrea Olver, One You Walk and Talk Co-ordinator for Kent Community Health NHS Trust, who also volunteers as a health walk leader, stressed the health

and social benefits of group walks.

She said: “Regular walking can reduce your risk of getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, as well as helping you manage your weight and improve your mood and sleep.

In West Kent, Wellbeing Walks are managed by district and borough councils.

Those interested in being a walk leader in Tunbridge Wells can contact health@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

GOLD STANDARD: Ellen with her medal

Picture: Shutterstock

Families continuously rely on our legal advice and guidance to help them build and safeguard their assets.

Whether it’s time to enjoy your wealth, or ensure that it’s protected for the next generation, our expert team will offer pragmatic advice to help you make informed decisions.

A family-friendly venture

New spring water business is source of pride for town

A family-friendly venture

By Victoria Roberts

has finally arrived and is blazing down upon Digby Furneaux and Katie Bagley’s new venture.

venture.

ROYAL Tunbridge Wells Water is on a mission to put the sparkle into the summer as the tourist hordes pour on to The Pantiles. Entrepreneur and angel investor, Simon Squibb joined Royal Tunbridge Wells Water a year ago, bringing his investment background to the project founded by Samuel Danby.

A NEW CHAPTER

Ingredients

The company filters, dilutes and bottles mineral water from the historic Chalybeate Spring, producing six mixes for sale, including a ‘Natural’ uncarbonated mineral water, an un-flavoured ‘Bubbles’ bottle and four other lightly-carbonated, flavoured waters, Mr Squibb explained. “People used to take natural ingredients and crush them into the water to give it some taste. We played on that by taking

for £6.95

stems from the restaurant Cau in Tunbridge Wells, where she was general manager for four

natural ingredients from around Tunbridge Wells,” he told the Times.

Katie has worked in bars and restaurants throughout her career, but her main experience stems from the restaurant Cau in Tunbridge Wells, where she was general manager for four

“It has a reduced iron content, so it is less strong-tasting – but it’s still natural mineral water. That’s what makes it special.”

Meanwhile, thanks to Mr Danby’s theatrical background, the company is making the most of the spring’s history and location with theatrical touches such as live music and a visit by ‘Lord North’, who discovered the spring in 1606.

“We’re trying to make it more of a tourist attraction. We want to make people proud of it [the historic spring] again. After all, this is what Tunbridge Wells is named after!” said Mr Squibb.

Royal TW Water is open every weekend, but the bottled water is already available in The Cakeshed and The Buzz.

Royal TW Water is open every weekend at the Dippers’ Hall on The Pantiles: royaltwwater.com

Best foot forward to keep free local legal service

years. It was here that she met Digby, who has been in the industry since he was 11 years old and worked in his parent’s restaurant in Lincoln. Other than a brief two-year flirtation with IT, Digby’s life has been in hospitality. After moving down to Tunbridge Wells at the age of 16, he’s worked at The Viva on Mount Pleasant, Ask,

years. It was here that she met Digby, who has been in the industry since he was 11 years old and worked in his parent’s restaurant in Lincoln. Other than a brief two-year flirtation with IT, Digby’s life has been in hospitality. After moving down to Tunbridge Wells at the age of 16, he’s worked at The Viva on Mount Pleasant, Ask,

EIGHTEEN teams of legal firms and organisations stepped out last Wednesday (June 28) to raise funds to help keep North West Kent Citizens’ Advice Bureau (NWKCAB) free to use and available.

Scores of local staff and partners took part in the 10km-walk through Tunbridge Wells.

A local funding officer for NWKCAB told the Times: “One hundred per cent of the money raised from the event is to help our charity, Citizens Advice in North & West Kent, to provide people, including residents of Tunbridge Wells, with free advice on issues such as debt, housing, benefits, money management, employment, immigration and family challenges.”

The local branch of the advice centre is based in Royal Victoria Place.

With fundraising still continuing after the walk, and with law firm employers often matching donations, the jury is still out on

So, what can we expect from the new Brecknock? According to Digby, their secret recipe is looking forward.

So, what can we expect from the new Brecknock? According to Digby, their secret recipe is looking forward.

the total amount raised. However, the walk raised over £11,000 last year.

“Sadly, a lot of pubs have been closing lately,” he notes, “and I believe it’s because so many are stuck in the past. You cannot last if you refuse to move with the times.”

Among local organisations taking part were Berry & Lamberts Solicitors, Buss Murton Law, CooperBurnett, Cripps, JE Bennett Law, Law 365, Loch Associates Group, SOCOTEC Advisory (formerly Base Quantum), Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, Thomson Snell & Passmore and TN Recruits Law.

“Sadly, a lot of pubs have been closing lately,” he notes, “and I believe it’s because so many are stuck in the past. You cannot last if you refuse to move with the times.”

The pair believe that the modern average pub-goer expects more from their local than previous generations. To them, a pub that hasn’t changed in 30 years simply won’t cut it anymore. There is a demand for a higher quality service, a greater variety of good drinks, and a menu that is reflective of the county.

The pair believe that the modern average pub-goer expects more from their local than previous generations. To them, a pub that hasn’t changed in 30 years simply won’t cut it anymore. There is a demand for a higher quality service, a greater variety of good drinks, and a menu that is reflective of the county.

Contribute

But even that’s not enough according to them. The above is no secret to pub success. A lot of popular pubs have already implemented these sorts of changes, so you need an edge –something that will help you stand out from the crowd: “We don’t want to be a carbon copy of other establishments.”

But even that’s not enough according to them. The above is no secret to pub success. A lot of popular pubs have already implemented these sorts of changes, so you need an edge –something that will help you stand out from the crowd: “We don’t want to be a carbon copy of other establishments.”

The Tunbridge Wells & Tonbridge District Law Society and Kent Law Society also participated.

To learn more about the Legal Walk or to contribute to an individual fundraiser, visit: londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/ our-events/walks-in-the-south-east/ tunbridge-wells-legal-walk-2023/

The four of us are sitting in the sprawling garden behind the pub. It’s a beautiful space and one that is not going to waste – certainly not if this young family has anything to do with it.

The four of us are sitting in the sprawling garden behind the pub. It’s a beautiful space and one that is not going to waste – certainly not if this young family has anything to do with it.

With a clear goal for what they hope to achieve, , along with their young son and puppy, have reinvigorated The Brecknock Arms in Bells Yew Green. Here, discovers what they have in store…

many are stuck in the past. You cannot last if you refuse to move with the times’

A NEW CHAPTER Katie Bagley, Digby Furneaux and son Barnaby

When my colleague and I arrive at The Brecknock Arms one lunchtime, the summer sun has finally arrived and is blazing down upon Digby Furneaux and Katie Bagley’s new

With a clear goal for what they hope to achieve, , along with their young son and puppy, have reinvigorated The Brecknock Arms in Bells Yew Green. Here, discovers what they have in store…

Zizzi’s, Loch Fyne in Sevenoaks, The Mill House,

closing lately… it’s because so many are stuck in the past. You cannot last if you refuse to move with the times’

Katie Bagley, Digby Furneaux and son Barnaby

TTWATER WORKS: Simon Squibb (left) and Samuel Danby

FUNDRAISERS: ‘Legal Walkers’ last Wednesday

Fresh glass for Fuggles as bar gets summer update

By Sarah Carter

A SUMMERTIME renovation has left Fuggles Beer Cafe with a new glass shopfront, seating and murals commissioned from a local artist.

The business has replaced the decadesold shopfront with a fresh facade, said Fuggles owner Alex Greig.

“It’s our tenth anniversary this November, so the work is partly to celebrate ten years. It’s good to have a refresh after such a

period, and we look forward to ten more,” he told the Times

“This is gearing us up for our busy season in the autumn, so summer is the perfect time to do a renovation,” he added. Yet the bar only closed for two days during the works, allowing customers to come in and watch local artist Katie Ellis painting the walls, prompting Mr Greig to invite customers to: “Literally come and watch paint dry. Which I hear is a lot more interesting with a beer or glass of wine… ”

Specialist dental practice joins Dentex network

A SPECIALIST dental practice in Tunbridge Wells has been sold to a network of practices in a negotiated deal.

Christie & Co, a specialist advisor for buying and selling businesses, arranged the sale of the Centre for Aesthetic Periodontics and Implantology, in Lonsdale Gardens, to Dentex.

Interest

Founded in 2003 and run by Dr Pedja Pavlovic, the Tunbridge Wells practice had become a multidisciplinary specialist referral centre, which attracted “strong interest from a number of bidders”, according to Christie & Co.

The local practice was one of three recent business sales, showing the “strength of the dental sector in the south of England”, said the business specialist.

Tony Walker, Christie’s associate director of dental, said: “Having proven to be robust during Covid, the dental market in the south of England is showing that again at the moment.

“Buyers of all types can still secure funding on attractive terms and, most importantly, the appetite to buy remains as strong as ever.”

Dr Pavlovic will continue at the practice in a clinical capacity.

All the practices were sold for undisclosed prices.

YOUR ROUND: Artist Katie Ellis paints the mural. Below, Fuggles’ new look

THE LONSDALE GARDENS DENTAL PRACTICE

Thames Water fined £3.3million for ‘reckless’ pollution incident

THAMES Water has been handed a £3.3million fine for a “reckless” incident in which “millions of litres” of undiluted sewage was pumped into rivers near Gatwick Airport in 2017.

A two-day sentencing hearing at Lewes Crown Court was told there was a “significant and lengthy” period of polluting the Gatwick Stream and River Mole between Crawley in West Sussex and Horley in Surrey on October 11 2017.

Deliberate

Judge Christine Laing KC said yesterday (July 4) that believed Thames Water had shown a “deliberate attempt” to mislead the Environment Agency over the incident, such as by omitting water readings and submitting a report to the regulator denying responsibility.

Thames Water had pleaded guilty on February 28 to four charges relating to illegally discharging waste in October 2017, but had denied seeking to mislead the Environment Agency in the events, instead arguing “significant errors were made.”

The court heard how a storm pump unexpectedly activated and was filling up the storm tank, despite no substantial rainfall, for 21 hours, which went unnoticed.

On October 11, 2017, the pump then began spilling the sewage into the river for

an estimated six hours.

The court heard how no specific alarms to alert staff to the overspill, or how long the undiluted sewage was entering the tank, were in place.

When an alarm was heard, the lead technician was uncontactable as they were awaiting a new mobile phone.

Judge Laing KC said she found it “utterly extraordinary” that environmental disasters can occur because of issues such as this.

Addressing the biggest water company, which has had 20 previous fines for pollution spillage, including the biggest record fine to date six months prior to this incident, Judge Laing KC added: “They should have put in every effort into tidying up the problem areas.”

This penalty comes as the water firm, which serves 15 million households across London and Thames Valley, faces concerns over its future amid mounting debt.

Thames Water Chief Executive Sarah Bentley stepped down with immediate effect last week after she gave up her bonus due to the company’s environmental performance.

The record fine against a water company for illegal discharge of sewage is held by Southern Water at £90million for nearly 7,000 incidents across Hampshire, Kent and Sussex in a case brought by the Environment Agency in 2021.

Nato extends Jens Stoltenberg’s mandate again

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will stay in office for another year, the 31-nation military alliance has decided.

Mr Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian Prime Minister, has been Nato’s top civilian official since 2014. His term was due to expire last year but was extended after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

US President Joe Biden and his Nato

HOUSE CALLS THIS JULY IN YOUR AREA

counterparts were due to name a successor when they meet in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. But the world’s biggest security organisation makes decisions by consensus and no agreement could be found on a new candidate.

He is the second-longest serving Nato Secretary-General after former Dutch foreign minister Joseph Luns, who spent almost 13 years at the helm from 1971.

ROYAL COURT: The Princess of Wales watches Katie Boulter in action against Dariah Saville at Wimbledon yesterday (July 4) Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

‘Slippery’ Kevin Spacey was up to no good, court hears

Combating Corporate Rot

The recent news of ITV’s chief executive being grilled by parliament has sparked further debate around workplace culture and practises in the wake of Philip Schofield’s resignation over an affair with a younger employee. The news highlights the importance of mature corporate governance to help mitigate against potential corporate rot in businesses. Loch Associates Group, the South East’s leading Mult-Service Law and HR business, explains what preventative measures can be taken and the need for impartiality, meritocracy, and ethical decision-making to foster a healthy corporate culture.

AN alleged victim of Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey claimed good-looking young men were warned about the “slippery” Hollywood star as it was “well known he was up to no good”, a court has heard.

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court were yesterday (July 4) shown footage of a police interview in which the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said it was like the Hollywood star “thought he could groom me”.

The witness described Spacey as a “slippery, snaky, difficult person” and referenced his serial killer character in the film Seven, saying: “He’s a bit like that, a bit creepy.”

Bully

The 63-year-old defendant has been described by the prosecution as a “sexual bully” as he stands trial accused of sex offences against four men between 2001 and 2013.

In the video played to the jury on Monday, the man told police that Spacey said he could introduce him to A-list stars. He also recounted an incident in which he drove Spacey to a “lavish” showbiz party in the early 2000s.

“He grabbed me so hard I almost came off the road. He grabbed me really hard and it really hurt,” he said.

“I pushed him against the door and said: ‘Don’t do that again or I will knock you out.’”

He said he was “disgusted” Spacey had touched him, and denied being excited by it when questioned

by the actor’s lawyer Patrick Gibbs KC.

The witness also dismissed Mr Gibbs’s question over whether the incidents made him question his sexuality – describing it as a “ridiculous question”.

The man said he could now no longer watch any of his films or TV programmes. He said in his police interview: “I can’t stand watching the man. It makes me feel sick.”

The man told the officer that Spacey was “pretending to be nice” but was a “predator” who was “aggressive”.

Asked by Mr Gibbs if he thought the actor’s advances were “naughty”, the complainant said: “It wasn’t naughty, it was disgusting.”

“And also nice?” asked Mr Gibbs.

“Not nice at all,” the witness replied.

Continuing his cross-examination of the alleged victim, Mr Gibbs began to ask: “Didn’t what happened between you…”

The man interjected: “Nothing happened between us – he assaulted me.”

The man said it is “not true at all” that he reported the allegations to police because he “saw a bandwagon coming” and decided to “hop on board”.

Spacey pleaded not guilty in January to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The two-time Academy Award-winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The trial is ongoing.

Only a fraction of police officers accused of abusing position for sex face charges

LESS than five per cent of cases where police officers are accused of abusing their position for sex result in criminal charges, figures suggest.

Of 536 such cases from the past five years, only 24 saw a criminal charge, according to data from 32 police forces in England and Wales.

The BBC also reported that individual officers had faced up to 20 allegations, while one who faced nine claims had only received a final written warning.

One woman who says she was harassed by a serving

officer has waited for more

Lucy Hadley, head of policy at Women’s Aid, said: “Urgent, institutional and systemic change is needed to increase women’s confidence in the police.”

Last year watchdogs found that there were also systemic weaknesses in the way that police forces deal with allegations of domestic abuse against serving officers and staff, and from a sample of 149 cases, only 14 (9%) ended with a criminal charge.

Corporate rot refers to the gradual deterioration of ethical values, integrity, and governance within an organisation, says Ashley Scriven, Solicitor Advocate at Loch Associates Group. It can manifest in various forms, including financial misconduct, lack of transparency, and unethical practices. Reports have shown that toxic cultures are often created by senior leaders, reluctant to disrupt the business if it is performing financially. Mature corporate governance mechanisms are instrumental in combating corporate rot by fostering transparency and accountability. Robust governance frameworks, clear reporting lines, and regular audits ensure that decisions are made with integrity and that the interests of stakeholders are prioritised, helping to combat the risk of toxic cultures developing. Transparency not only helps in preventing unethical behaviour but also enhances trust and confidence among employees, investors, and the wider public. Ethics serve as a guiding principle for businesses, shaping their behaviour and interactions with stakeholders. Mature corporate governance emphasises the importance of ethical decision-making, promoting a culture of integrity and responsible business practices. Leadership accountability, where organisations hold leaders accountable for creating a fair and inclusive work environment is of huge importance, ensuring leaders set the right example by adhering to ethical standards and making sure that all decisions are based on merit and business needs. By adhering to a strong ethical framework, organisations can mitigate the risk of corporate rot and foster sustainable growth. This requires establishing codes of conduct, ethics training, and robust whistle-blower protection mechanisms to create a safe and confidential environment where employees can report any unethical behaviour without fear of reprisal.

To ensure mature corporate governance, businesses must prioritise board independence and expertise. Independent directors bring diverse perspectives, challenge the status quo, and safeguard against conflicts of interest. They play a vital role in preventing corporate rot by offering objective assessments of management decisions and providing strategic guidance.

ASHLEY SCRIVEN

LEGAL WALK: Kevin Spacey and his legal team walk into court yesterday (July 4)

Picture: Lucy North/PA Wire

YOU’VE seen the boys playing the old ‘air guitar’; legs akimbo; fingers sliding over imagined frets; screeching silent notes to soundless hordes of Led Zep fans. It all seems so real to their ears.

Tunbridge Wells Borough has an air guitar council. Its ruling Liberal Democrat/ Labour/Tunbridge Wells Alliance coalition is thrashing furiously, trying to look and sound like a council but nothing comes out.

The songlines in their heads keep jolting to the twang of policy strings breaking under the strain of chaotic mismanagement.

A good example was the failure to consult last year on raising car parking prices during a cost-of-living crisis. Alarmingly they realised that the new bass sound they could hear was a rising tide of audience booing as thousands of residents petitioned for a say. They got one but it was a meaningless, after-the-fact consultation.

There was more booing after they blatantly ignored a massive consultation majority. Another policy string snapped. They’d been forced by Conservative procedural moves to consult on whether we should switch to money-saving (£200,000), tedium-saving, once-in-four-years elections or stick with annual elections in three years out of four

Sean Holden

Tunbridge Wells Conservatives

which no other Kent council does. Despite the consultation showing 64% of more than 1,000 people, and 11 parish councils, wanted four-year elections, the coalition’s leader, and his Liberal Democrat partners, blocked by four votes the two-thirds majority needed to change the Council’s constitution. They said, blatantly, it was disadvantageous to their party.

Millions

It’s odd to see the Borough coalition’s cabinet, which spends millions in residents’ tax money, look like a work experience gig for sixth-form political students. When it was appointed last year all of the eight, except the leader, were in their first term as councillors and half of them were in their first year. While it may be good sport to poke fun at their inexperience, there’s a serious side. When politicians don’t know what they are about, and in Tunbridge Wells Borough Council they don’t, senior officers – civil servants – will take over. That means your Council is really run by unelected officials. There is a further effect among staff who appear to be abandoning the municipal sinking ship because job satisfaction fades when you work for a floundering

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

organisation. And floundering it is. It bounded in with a contrived ‘Focus on Five’ programme, promoted in a cliché-ridden Borough Partnership Plan so vacuous and intellectually weightless that astronauts could train in its vicinity. Their ‘transparency and democracy’ priority is now – kerrang! – the lost chord after spectacular failures of consultation. That’s set to continue when the leader blocks off streets, creating nationally unpopular, anti-car Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). Whatever residents say in the promised consultation won’t affect plans at all. Their ‘carbon reduction’ priority is faltering, not least because the entire

Sustainability Team has fled to better-run places. Meanwhile the £1.2 million grant for emissions reduction and green power and insulation, won by the previous Conservative administration for Cranbrook’s Weald Sports Centre sits in an account, being whittled by inflation. The TWBC Carbon Action Plan is out of date but the new report recommended for 2023 almost certainly won’t happen. Also not happening for lack of staff is a planned consultation on emissions strategy.

Of their other priorities, ‘safeguarding finances’ looks wobbly. Having seen the falsely claimed ‘black hole’ left by Conservative finances close up as we expected, the coalition faces a black hole of its own for which it’s trying to blame everyone else. Another loud sounding nothing of a priority is ‘vibrant and safer towns and villages’. Sure they like the sound of that as an air guitarist likes his inner-head tunes but meaning what? Not much if leaving the Council’s Community Safety Team out of their Borough Plan is anything to go by. Then there’s the plan for “genuinely affordable housing and social renting”. Fourteen months in and nothing. That, right there, is the whole story of Dolittle Council.

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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

Every moment counts...

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

forgotten about – a regular staple of the programme.

The other week she was wearing a pair of tracksuit bottoms from a wellknown sports chain tailoring to the hoi polloi, ready for an evening session on the sports field.

Charlotte Steerpike

Tunbridge Wells

South East Water needs a plan to invest in new supply infrastructure I was relieved to read that OFWAT is calling for “transformative change” at South East Water.

PURRFECT: Good news on the cat front. No chance of students at Bennett in TW self-identifying as felines, as in other schools. Calverley bumped into some Bennett boys who told him: “That will not be happening at our school, no way.” How reassuring. Calverley has his own idea of solving the problem. Place a litter tray in the corner of the classroom then see how many cats are around.

DID your readers know that deaf children are almost twice as likely as all children to start school without having achieved expected levels of development, because they’re not getting the right support in their early years? It’s an especially critical time for deaf children, because of the impact their deafness can have on language development, communication and social skills.

Without good communication skills learned early on, a deaf child could face lifelong challenges. For instance, when they start school they may come up against many barriers, like struggling to understand instructions in the classroom and conversations with their peers, all leading to feelings of isolation and a sense of ‘missing out’.

To make matters worse, Teachers of the Deaf, who provide specialist support and make such a difference to a deaf child’s

Old advertising posters at the roadside are an eyesore

On my drive each morning especially at this time of year, I delight in how the Weald landscape is at its glorious, lush best! Then I noticed how The Soap Box race organisers, five days after the event in Dunorlan Park, have failed in their responsibility to remove at least six of their roadside posters that spoil my journey into work. I can’t imagine the scale of this problem that must litter all the roads leading into town.

What are the local rules in place for the removal of roadside advertising post-event?

I thought it was a 48-hour rule. If not, it should be! Then are fines administered as a consequence of the failure to remove these signs?

If I were one of the sponsors, I would be having a conversation soon with the organisers about how my brand reputation could be affected if these posters remain in place going forward. I look forward to having my journey cleansed of these signs very soon!

Paul Tunbridge Wells

life, are in decline and have seen their numbers fall to their lowest number on record. It’s a scandal.

Here at the National Deaf Children’s Society, we’re determined to do something about it. That’s why we’ve just launched our new five-year plan, Every Moment Counts, which calls for more support, more quickly, for deaf children during those vital early years.

For more information about Every Moment Counts, visit www.ndcs.org.uk/ everymomentcounts

The National Deaf Children’s Society supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and young people. For anyone needing advice, support or information about deafness, please call our free Helpline on 0808 800 8880 or visit our website: ndcs.org.uk

Debbie Talbot

The National Deaf Children’s Society

BBC dress code suited to the audience Calverley raised questions about a BBC South East news presenter’s dress sense and the appropriateness of her frock bearing pink flamingos (June 21).

What’s wrong with that? She was in her glad rags ready for an extended interview with some faded popstar we’ve all

PEPPY SAYS...

Sadly, I question the company’s ability to change. As a local monopoly, and part of a former nationalised industry, all the ingredients are in place for inefficiency, red tape, outdated work practices and a lack of interest in customer service.

I saw first-hand how ineffective the company can be last winter.

At one point, Paddock Wood had no water supply at all, so a bottled-water station was reportedly set up at the Putlands Leisure Centre.

I went to check the water station later that day and found there was a problem: there was no water, nor had there been any water at any time.

The driver delivering the water had been given the wrong address but rather than trying to find the right address, had simply around and returned to the depot.

The company’s managers had no idea what was going on and the people of Paddock Wood were left to fend for themselves.

So I wish the firm’s CEO, David Hinton, well and hope he can quickly put in place a plan to invest in the supply infrastructure. But the problems at his company may run deeper than a lack of investment and an apparent inability to forecast demand.

Matt Bailey

Former Borough councillor for Paddock Wood West

SELL OUT: To TW and Royal Victoria

Place to visit vacant shops and check out closing-down sales. Once a flagship attraction, it is today more a ghost ship; a depressing place set for conversion into luxury apartments. Who says so? Staff Calverley spoke with said: “It’s earmarked for flats on the plans.” No surprise. Owners British Land have never denied that’s where the centre is heading. The people of TW own a share of the centre via the Borough Council and should be demanding to know: “What’s happening?”

LOVE ISLAND: Calverley watched the ITV show where women and men are thrown together and encouraged to get friendly. Real friendly. It seems a backward step from feminism and women’s rights, with girls being treated as little more than objects. Happily viewing figures have taken a hit.

FINAL THOUGHT: Calverley enjoys an ale and its relaxing impact. Now brewers are forcing him to sup more. They have cut alcohol levels in popular brews to save millions on tax. Weaker beer attracts less tax. No price reductions though. Typical!

Chin, chin dear reader…

The views of Calverley are Calverley’s own, not those of the Times, its staff or its holding company.

Picture: Shutterstock

Picture: Shutterstock

A noteworthy evening of creative celebration

Students at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys celebrated their myriad artistic talents, courtesy of the Creative Arts Summer Festival. Eileen Leahy discovers more about this fun event, which took place at the end of last month…

TUNBRIDGE Wells Grammar School for Boys (TWGSB) recently hosted its Creative Arts Festival. The yearly event is an evening celebration of the students’ talent and the work they have completed during the current academic year.

A spokesperson for the selective school, which is based on St John’s Road, said the festival was hailed as a “resounding

‘The Creative Arts Festival included a performance by Year 8 student, Karson, who immediately gained a fan club after playing’

success” by those who attended.

The programme for 2023 offered a variety of music, drama, art and media studies, with pupils from Years 7-12 all participating.

On the night, musicians played a selection of short concerts which covered rock, jazz, pop, contemporary and classical genres.

“Each participant delighted the audience who were clapping and engaged throughout the evening,” added the TWGSB spokesperson.

“The talent of the classical musicians,

who included violinists and pianists, was outstanding. They included Year 8 student, Karson, who performed Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto, Movement 1, and immediately gained a fan club after his performance!”

TWGSB drama students also performed at the school’s annual celebration, notably doing excerpts from Charles

“There were delightful enactments of Mr Bumble taking Oliver to the undertakers, which included an amusing take on Mrs Sowerberry, the undertaker’s wife.”

Work produced by TWGSB GCSE and A level art students was also on display in a gallery to showcase the budding creatives’ collective artistic talent.

Alongside this was a presentation of work by selected Year 7s, which was described by the TWGSB spokesperson as “both amusing and incredibly inventive”.

“Their ingenious recreations of various famous works of art such as Vermeer’s Girl With A Pearl Earring, Wood’s American Gothic and Van Gogh’s Starry Night,

replicated with pets, relatives, and even household products was certainly both amusing and incredibly inventive’ and definitely entertained our visitors!”

TWGSB media students’ music videos were deemed “impressively professional and displaying raw creative talent” and expertly showed off the skills they have acquired through filming and video editing.

Other media studies pupils displayed music album covers and film posters, all created using graphics techniques and their imagination.

“The evening culminated with a rousing rendition of Toto’s ‘Rosanna’ performed by Joris’s Jolly Jokers, a group that included talented TWGSB music staff on saxophone and bass guitar, and excellent frontman, George (Year 12) who really got the audience in the festival spirit,” added the school’s spokesperson.

TWGSB Deputy Headteacher, Mr Jackson, also commented on the Creative Arts Festival saying: “We are all extremely proud of the students and the work they have put in to achieve these levels of confidence and success in the creative arts, with many taking years to hone their skills. We thank them all, and the staff involved, for putting on a stunning evening of entertainment.”

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The best scented plants to enhance

those balmy summer evenings

Plant fragrant shrubs, perennials and annuals near your garden seating area, says Hannah Stephenson

NOW that many of us have given our barbecues an airing and are enjoying the longer evenings, it’s wonderful to take in the variety of scents which pervade in the garden when the sun goes down. Many plants actually increase their perfume production at night to attract moths to pollinate them. Choose your plants carefully, and you can have a wonderfully scented garden for much of the summer. There are many shrubs – mock orange (Philadelphus), shrub roses and lavender – which are all easy to obtain, along with fragrant annuals, which make great additions to patio pots and raised beds. Even if you only grow some traditional sweet peas to cut and place in a vase on your outside table, guests will be able to enjoy a whiff of their heady scent. Here are some of the best fragrant plants for enjoying as the sun sets…

1. Night-scented stocks (Matthiola)

These pretty, old-fashioned annuals reach their fragrant peak at twilight, where they become moth magnets. Reaching up to 60cm in height, they produce small, four-petalled flowers in shades of white, lilac or pink and are ideal at the front of an informal scheme or added to container displays. They like full sun in a sheltered position and moist, well-drained soil.

2. Evening primrose (Oenothera)

If you’re a wildflower fan, these fragrant bowl-shaped yellow flowering beauties are excellent for pollinators, and also produce their optimum scent in the evening. Depending on the variety you choose, they can grow to up to 1m, ideal for the middle of a border, or to just 30cm, better for a container. Grow them in full sun or semi-shade. They don’t require much attention apart from watering during prolonged dry periods, and should flower from June to September.

3. Mock orange (Philadelphus)

This is among the most fragrant of flowering shrubs, ideally given plenty of space to spread out, where its white blooms can emit their delicious scent reminiscent of orange blossom – which will pervade the whole garden on balmy summer evenings. Single-flowered varieties are great for bees and butterflies and you can also get types which are suitable for large containers, such as ‘Manteau d’Hermine’, ideally placed near a window or door on the patio. They are easy to grow, withstanding poor soil and wind, but generally not shade.

Hanging their flowers sleepily during the day,

especially in really bright sunlight, the old-fashioned varieties of these annuals come to life in the evening when their blooms open to emit a sweet scent – so make sure you place them in containers near where you are sitting.

Some, such as Nicotiana langsdorffii, will grow to 1.5m, so may be better in the border or secured to a garden trellis, while others, such as the beautiful ‘Lime Green’, grow to around 60cm and are ideal for a pot. If you want flowers which open up during the day, go for the newer strains, but the old-fashioned ones will give you more perfume.

5. Lilies

These are guaranteed to give you fragrance from mid-summer onwards, whether you want a dazzling splash of colour on your patio with showstopping varieties like the pink oriental ‘Stargazer’, which likes full sun and will need staking. Or more subtle hues which pack a fragrant punch, such as Lilium longiflorum, with its white, trumpet-shaped flowers. This one is best grown in large pots (it grows to 1m) as it is not totally hardy. Or try Lilium regale, a trumpet lily growing to 1m, which lights up a summer border.

Where to place them

Perfume is most apparent in calm conditions, as wind carries the scent away in the air, so it’s best to plant fragrant climbers in sheltered spots or on partially enclosed patios.

Consider combinations

If you want fragrant perennials in your borders, go for combinations of those with scented flowers and those with fragrant foliage to complement each other. Some scented plants are not spectacular but will bring out the best in a border when planted with colourful non-perfumed plants. Try growing lemonscented verbena and pineapple sage (Salvia elegans, whose foliage releases a pineapple-like scent when you brush past it) in the border amid unscented blooms, and you will have the best of both worlds.

Locate leafy scents

Plants with scented foliage include scented leaved pelargoniums, Achillea filipendulina, catmint (nepeta), Monarda didyma and the lemon balm Melissa officinalis ‘All Gold’, while those with perfumed flowers include Iris unguicularis, Phlox paniculata, Hosta ‘Honeybells’ and many varieties of dianthus.

Plants with heavier scents may dominate, so keep fragrant roses, lilies and lavender separate from those with more subtle perfumes.

IS THE MEDIA HYPE ON THE PROPERTY MARKET REALISTIC?

If you’ve been following the media coverage regarding the property market, you may be feeling a sense of impending doom. However, is the market currently as bad as it’s being reported, or are things less severe than they seem? Deborah Richards, Managing Partner of award-winning Sales and Lettings agent, Maddisons Residential, shares her views.

Opening the BBC Property News page reveals a sombre narrative of mortgage fears and woes — and it’s not surprising why: anyone on a variable rate mortgage will be facing higher repayments than 18 months ago, resulting from central Bank Base rates rising from a low of 0.1% to 5%. However, does this mean that we’re on the brink of a housing recession?

At a meeting last week between the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, the UK’s principal mortgage lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority, it was noted that mortgage arrears and defaults remain below pre-pandemic levels, at just 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances. This is significantly lower than the 3.32% rate seen in 2009’s crash.

The immediate concern for some is that they will soon see their attractive fixed-rate deal expire and find their new monthly repayments unaffordable. Yet, although the jump in rates looks scary, banks have ‘stress-tested’ all new mortgage applications since 2014, to ensure that borrowers could afford higher monthly rate repayments. In short, it will be unwelcome and uncomfortable — but for most, it won’t be crippling. There is no doubt that disposable income will be affected, which is needed to control inflation. However, we’re finding that many buyers and sellers are prioritising needs-driven home moves, understanding they can still afford to move, with the acceptance that they will have less available funds for non-essential items.

Perhaps Tunbridge Wells sits in a bubble, but we are seeing a market that remains very much alive and kicking as people press on with their home-moving journey. As I always say – try not to believe everything you read in our intensely negative media!

Meet the expert:

Deborah Richards is the founder and Managing Partner of Maddisons

Residential, a leading, award-winning independent Sales and Lettings estate agent based in Tunbridge Wells, offering expert advice and exceptional customer service.

4. Nicotiana (tobacco plant)

Picture: Alamy/PA

‘This new digital art experience will connect with people emotionally and physically’

Microworld: Amelia is a new exhibition running over the summer months, every day until September 3. It is an immersive show that encourages interaction, experimentation and collaboration, and also teaches visitors about the consequences of our actions. Here the cultural space’s exhibitions officer, Edward Liddle, tells Eileen Leahy more about this intriguing creative concept and why it will appeal to people of all ages…

So Edward, can you briefly tell us what Microworld: Amelia is all about?

Our latest exhibition at The Amelia is really exciting. Created by artist-collective Genetic Moo, Microworlds are fully interactive digital ecosystems. Sensors in the exhibition space search for changes in movement and help create an everchanging collaborative artwork. Not only can visitors change the digital environment through their movements, but they can also create their own digital creatures, release them into the digital worlds and then see how these creatures respond to one another and to the movements of other visitors.

Where does the name ‘Microworld’ come from?

The name Microworld was inspired by the 2012 BBC nature documentary Nature's Microworlds, which explored the intricate ecosystems found in nature and the importance of keystone species. Similarly, the artworks in Microworld: Amelia collectively form a digital ecosystem where actions and reactions cascade from one piece to another. The digital ecosystem of the Microworld exhibition is affected by changes to its environment, much like the ecosystems found in the natural world.

Through play, discovery, and experimentation, Microworld encourages visitors to reflect on the consequences of our actions and inaction on ecosystems found in the natural world. How are ecosystems affected by human presence? What happens when the balance of an ecosystem is changed or altered by us?

What made you decide to commission this show for The Amelia?

As explored in our previous exhibition, Leviathan by Kelly Richardson, Tunbridge Wells has strong links to early conservation of the natural world. Microworld: Amelia therefore felt like a great fit for the exhibition programme to allow us to

continue to explore ideas of nature and conservation in a different way. Our summer exhibitions at The Amelia are also a reflection of our visitors; summer is a time for play, exploration and getting hands-on. Following the success of Cabaret Mechanical Marvels last summer, I wanted to build on the idea of interactivity and give visitors another opportunity to come to an exhibition and be part of the artwork.

The exhibition is a unique and engaging experience for families this summer, but I also wanted to ensure that adults have the chance to play. Microworld: Amelia is perfect for encouraging everyone to access their inner child, to explore, experiment and ultimately to enjoy themselves through art.

Has it toured elsewhere in the country and if so, where?

Genetic Moo have been running Microworld since 2012, and to date there have been 16 Microworlds around the world, however each exhibition is different. For every Microworld exhibition the artists develop and create more artworks and creatures which they add to their everevolving creation. We are delighted to have a world exclusive first at The Amelia, as the

artists worked closely with the Collections Team to create new interactive artworks that featured objects from the collection of The Amelia. The artists have never done this before, and we are delighted that they were able to add another layer of research to the exhibition. The artists were fascinated by many of the objects in our collection and spent time digitally scanning, photographing or recording them.

What pieces from The Amelia’s collection might visitors recognise?

The Microworld artists used a range of objects including snail shells, Tunbridge Ware and everybody’s favourite stuffed

dog, Minnie the Lulu Terrier! It’s been fascinating reimagining these much-loved objects and giving them a new digital life. Listen out to hear the sound of the hogpounders’ bells, included in an exhibition for the very first time.

What do you think audiences are enjoying most about it?

Digital art experiences are currently having their moment in the spotlight. However, too often they are quite passive with visitors simply watching a light show or a video happening around them. Microworld: Amelia is fundamentally different and is forever evolving. Audiences are clever, discerning and looking for new

innovative exhibition experiences. Digital exhibitions therefore need to work on many levels. The technology needs to work, the artwork needs to be well-thought-out and made to a high standard. The exhibition experience also needs to connect with people emotionally. Microworld: Amelia manages to achieve these things and the artists spent lots of time developing, tweaking and playing with the artworks in The Amelia exhibition space. I have already received positive feedback about visitors’ experience in the exhibition. One visitor spent 90 minutes in the exhibition last week!

Are people engaging with Microworld: Amelia and if so, how?

It’s been really intriguing seeing how visitors are interacting with the artworks in the exhibition. Everyone does something different. We’ve had visitors moving slowly at first and then gaining confidence and after five minutes they are dancing in front of the artwork to see what happens. We’ve had others making music using some of the sounds in the artworks. It’s a fun experience being with other people in the exhibition space too. Everyone approaches the artworks in their own unique way, so it’s enjoyable to sit in the space and simply

watch what everyone else is doing, learning from their interactions and then having a go yourself.

How popular has the show been?

So far we’ve had a really positive and busy response to the exhibition. I’m closely watching the visitor figures, but I think it is reasonable to say that this will be our most popular exhibition to date! It’s fun and engaging to enter a space and suddenly notice that everything around you is changing due to your presence. And that is something that the artists worked hard on achieving. Each of the individual artworks in the exhibition also feeds off each other, therefore there is always something slightly different about the exhibition when visitors return.

Open daily and entry is free. For more information head to: theamelia.co.uk

The Pantiles Arcade, 49 The Lower Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5TE

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS

‘We want to give visitors the opportunity to come to an exhibition and be part of the artwork – it’s been intriguing to see how everyone does something different’

Why the island of Lesbos is a quiet paradise for windsurfers and cyclists

As Mark Warner opens its new resort, Lauren Taylor gets active on Greece’s third-largest island

Agust of wind catches my sail and my board picks up speed, lapping through the crystal clear water as I hold onto the boom as tight as I can.

My balance is tested as I swivel the board around, taking in views of Eressos beach –a stunning 4km stretch – as the afternoon wind picks up to five or six knots. This is perfect for novice windsurfers like me, along with the small laser dinghies and catamarans, which zig-zag around the bay off the Aegean island of Lesbos.

Instructor Ikie hangs back in a safety boat, calling encouraging words in my direction and generally being a calming presence. And after three days of hauling the rig out of the water for what feels like the hundredth time, several tumbles into the sea and a few entanglements in buoys with my beginner board and sail, I feel confident enough to take windsurf equipment out alone to brave the gusty waves – and it feels amazing.

Looking back towards dry land, Mark Warner’s newly-opened resort, Aeolian Village, seems almost remote on the rugged shore – with nothing but a beach shack bar

Pub in the Park is back in Tunbridge Wells

PUB in the Park is returning to Dunorlan Park this weekend (July 7-9).

Festival goers can expect award-winning chef hosts, incredible pubs and restaurants, and music for everyone to enjoy.

Brand new for this year, three chefs will be hosting the three-day celebration.

Chef and television presenter Andi Oliver will be launching the festival on Friday night. She will be followed by top Geordie chef Si King, from The Hairy Bikers, who will be hosting all day Saturday. Saturday Kitchen superstar Matt Tebbutt will be bringing the feel-good

vibes on Lazy Sunday.

Festival goers can expect exclusive Q&A’s, delicious live demos and all the laughs from the trio of superstar hosts.

Even more chefs and experts will be at the fun-filled festival

Andy Clarke will be bringing the vibes to the main stage and,

if open flame cooking is your thing, king of fire Adam Purnell, aka Shropshire Lad, will be showing you how it’s done on the Firepit. It wouldn’t be Pub in the Park without knock-out food. As well as the firm fan favourites, new up-and-coming restaurants will be bringing bold new flavours to experience.

Mouth-watering authentic Spanish flavours will take centre stage, with stand-out tapas from Brindisa, while Will Devlin’s Birchwood will be

serving up seasonal specials.

Back by popular demand, will be the culinary delights from Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred The Hand & Flowers, and the tasty Indian flavours from Atul Kochhar Restaurants. Elevated pub classics from the Bib Gourmand-awarded pub, The Kentish Hare and seafood from Sankey’s will also be returning to the festival.

Music

The fantastic music line-up for the weekend includes drum and bass from Rudimental, nineties dance-rockers EMF, Mercury prize-winner Badly Drawn Boy, huge pop hits from McFly, tribute band Fleetwood Bac and the queens of disco, Sister Sledge.

For the full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: pubintheparkuk.com

Picture: Lime Photography/PA

nearby (serving the local, ahem, nudist beach) and Lesbos’s undulating hills behind. The bay is otherwise empty until the charming village of Skala Eresou, a 10-minute stroll away – and this unspoilt setting feels like a rare find.

The island – Greece’s third largest – is perhaps best known for its most famous inhabitant, the female poet Sappho from the 6th century BC, whose work was thought to include expressions of love for other women, and the word ‘lesbian’ has its routes in Lesbos (Lesvos in Greek) for that

reason. Even in the small village of Skala Eresou, two festivals celebrating queer women are held every year.

In more recent history, its east coast shores – at their shortest distance just 12km from Turkey – became known as a key location for asylum seeker crossings to Europe and several large camps during the height of the refugee crisis in 2015. Greece’s minister of migration, Notis Mitarachi, recently declared life was “back to normal” for residents of Lesbos.

On the southwest side of the island, which boasts 200km of coastline, there’s no evidence of the crisis. Aeolian Village, which opened in May and makes up one of five beach properties for Mark Warner (along with just one ski resort left in

Tignes, France, thanks to closures following Brexit).

The white-washed low-rise hotel sits back from the shoreline, giving a real sense of space. At half capacity outside of school holidays, it’s calm and quiet. There’s certainly no morning race to the sunloungers at the double-level 25-metre pool – perfect for lap swimmers or sunbathers with sunken daybeds dotted in the shallow surrounds, and a separate child-friendly section.

Water sports are a big part of the attraction for many Mark Warner guests – this was after all what the brand first based their summer holidays on. Sailboats, rowing boats, kayaks, windsurfing sails and paddleboards are all lined up on the

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now – in the hotel’s brand new court. With rules and scoring similar to tennis and walls to bounce the ball off in play like squash, I’m expecting to be bad at it – and I’m not wrong. But the taster sessions by certified padel coach Will are accessible for even the most uncoordinated of players – and great fun. The small carbon rackets are light and easier to use than a tennis racket, and the court isn’t as big so there’s less running (particularly playing doubles), although using the back and side glass walls to bounce the ball off takes practice and more skill than I’ve got.

beach (along with tuition and group sessions tailored to various levels of ability), and, as I can contest, it’s hugely satisfying to return from holiday having learned, or improved, a skill to boast about back home.

There are plenty of other activities on offer for the active-minded though, and while relaxing is of course an option, I love mapping out my days with timetabled activities; think a water sport here, a tennis lesson there, before ending the day with a sunset stretch – all while the kids are cared for in the kids clubs.

With 55% repeat guests to the brand as a whole, the model must appeal.

I try my hand at padel – said to be the UK’s fastest growing sport right

The best way to explore what’s outside the resort is on two wheels, and there’s a brand new selection of Scott carbon fork road bikes to suit even serious cyclists. I decide to brave an early morning ‘intermediate’ group cycle – the Lesbos hills are somewhat punishing! But that’s something that really keen road cyclists will surely relish.

Road surfaces are well-kept, there are minimal cars and considerate drivers, so even in the stifling Grecian sun on a day without breeze, these are great conditions for bike enthusiasts. With a mix of climbs and descents with sweeping bends and long shallow ascents, and views out to the sea and surprisingly green landscape (thanks to the rich volcanic soil), it’s a challenging but rewarding ride.

A much easier ‘beginner mountain bike’ session with wildlife enthusiast James, won’t offer the same thigh-burning workout, but at least you won’t be so out of breath to take note of local birds and butterflies.

‘I love mapping out my days with timetabled activities; think a water sport here, a tennis lesson there, before ending the day with a sunset stretch’

Picture: Shutterstock

What’s streaming

The Full Monty Disney+, starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Hugo Speer

The 1997 hit film The Full Monty stormed the Baftas and won an Oscar –and many hearts – with its tale of former Sheffield steelworkers who turn to stripping to escape their dire financial situation. Now, Gaz (Robert Carlyle), Dave (Mark Addy), Guy (Hugo Speer), Horse (Paul Barber), Lomper (Steve Huison), and Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) are back in a sequel series.

In the new eight-part series of the same name, once again written by Simon Beaufoy (along with Alice Nutter), time hasn’t

necessarily been kind to the lads, and their struggles have only increased over the years. Still, their friendships remain tight.

Gaz (Robert Carlyle) is living in a caravan and working as a hospital porter. He is as impetuous as always and forever involves his mates in madcap schemes – mainly with the aim of buying his disabled grandson an electric wheelchair.

Dave Horsfall (Mark Addy) and his wife, Jean (Lesley Sharp), are now the caretaker and headteacher respectively of the local comprehensive school.

Lomper (Steve Huison) is married to Dennis (Paul Clayton) and they run the local café. Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) does not have much of a storyline, but usually hangs out behind his laptop. Guy (Hugo Speer) is the only one doing well for himself.

Horse (Paul Barber) is now frail and on disability benefits.

It’s a fun watch, but never quite captures the true wit and essence of the much-loved original film.

Victim/Suspect Netflix

In her latest offering, American documentary filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman continues to explore the topic of sexual assault and rape culture, which she first addressed in her 2009 debut short, The Line.

Her new film is crafted around a deep dive by investigative reporter Rachel de Leon at the Center for Investigative Reporting. De Leon investigated several cases in which young women reported sexual assault to police, but ended up not being believed, recanting their testimonies, being charged with falsely reporting crimes and even pleading guilty.

Over the course of her probe, De Leon learns that police investigations are frequently flawed. As a result, she begins to scour each case and re-examine the evidence all over again. In the process, she uncovers a trend that has not only denied rape survivors justice, but also undermined victims’ trust in the US criminal justice system.

This sobering yet harrowing film is made without sensationalism or gratuitous detail. While heartbreaking at times,

it is a story both about De Leon’s initial investigation and about how rape culture is exacerbated by deep fissures in the criminal justice system.

A documentary worth watching, but prepare to feel some rage on behalf of rape survivors everywhere.

Become a star at the Assembly Hall Theatre

The local arts venue offers children two opportunities to take to the stage…

LITTLE Wolf Entertainment is looking for talented youngsters to appear in the Junior Ensemble alongside professional actors, in this year’s pantomime, Beauty and the Beast.

The production company is creating a pantomime never before seen in Tunbridge Wells, whisking the audience away on an adventure with Rita Simons (from Eastenders), and featuring the return of both Stewart McCheyne (of CBBC’s Andy and the Band) and award-winning dame, James Peake. Auditions are open to children aged between 9 and 16, and will take place at the Assembly Hall Theatre, on Sunday July 9. To book, simply complete a form at littlewolf.co.uk/junior-ensemble. While acting, singing, and dancing abilities are required, previous theatre experience is not essential. Beauty and the Beast plays at the Assembly Hall Theatre from December 9-31. Tickets are available now at: assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Find the spotlight Assembly Hall Theatre is also preparing to launch its One Week Summer Acting Programme for young people.

This immersive theatrical experience is designed for aspiring actors aged

from 15 to 18 with a love of theatre. Taking place from August 21-25, the programme promises to ignite a passion and unleash the potential in young people, while providing them with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from industry professionals in the captivating world of the theatre.

The One Week Summer Acting Programme will immerse participants in a series of masterclasses, enabling them to hone their acting skills and gain valuable insights into the entire theatre production process. Among those leading the process will be theatre director Joe Harmston and renowned playwright Diane Samuels. Through hands-on exercises and collaborative sessions, participants will explore the characters and compelling narrative of Ms Samuels’ play, Kindertransport, which resonates deeply with audiences of all ages.

“I look forward to being involved and sharing both the drama and real experiences behind it,” said Ms Samuels.

Applications are now open and limited spaces are available.

Visit: assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk/ whats-on/one-week-summer-actingprogramme for more details and to secure your spot.

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

SUNDAY ROAST

Get together and spend some quality time enjoying a delicious roast alfresco this summer, overlooking our 36 acres of glorious grounds.

All the family are welcome... dogs too!

Available on selected dates: 9th July • 6th August •27th August

2 courses £27.50 | 3 courses £31.50

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Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Times Reporter Alice Reece chooses three new books to enjoy…

The Trial by Rob Rinder

Published in hardback by Century, priced £20

Who better than a barrister-turned-author to write a book about the dramatic death of a hero policeman just as he was about to give evidence at the Old Bailey?

Rob Rinder has drawn from his firsthand legal knowledge to produce a classic whodunnit, with a sensational twist. The hero policeman, Grant Cliveden, was poisoned, with all the evidence pointing to Jimmy Knight, a criminal he helped to convict. A seemingly open-and-shut case, especially when Knight makes the outrageous claim that he was framed for his previous arrest, and the only person prepared to believe him is trainee barrister Adam Green. An overheard row between the policeman’s widow and a liaison officer, and a surprising discovery on CCTV footage of events leading up to the death help Adam uncover some shocking discoveries. The book is gripping from from the first page, and ‘The Trial’is the first in a new series from the author, who starred in the reality courtroom show Judge Rinder.

Review by Alan Jones

The Other Side Of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker

Published in hardback by Fourth Estate, priced £14.99

If you’re looking for a fun beach read, you could do a lot worse than this tale of rival mediums duking it out in Victorian London. The Mrs Wood of the title is an established medium, providing entertainment and solace to the genteel bereaved with a mixture of clever psychology and ridiculous tricks. But the world of spiritualism is a fickle one and Mrs Wood fears her act is getting stale. Taking on an adoring young fan as an apprentice seems like the answer to a prayer. Only there’s a lot more to the apparently innocent Emmie than meets the eye – and it soon starts to look as if there’s not enough room for both of them at the séance table. Although it has its darker moments, it’s essentially a comic tale, briskly told, which, while it raises smiles rather than belly laughs, definitely has the feel-good factor.

Review by Jackie Kingsley

Life On Other Planets by Dr Aomawa Shields

Published in hardback by Constable, priced £22

‘Life On Other Planets’ is a beautiful meditation on space, identity and belonging. Leading American astronomer Dr Aomawa Shields takes us through the story of her life – from her obsession with the sky as a young girl, through to studying astronomy at MIT, pursuing acting and then finding her way back to science.

Astronomical themes run throughout the book, from the chapter titles to the metaphors and tidbits of information Shields weaves throughout her story. As one of the few black women in her field, Shields’ story is one of resilience –battling detractors and imposter syndrome to become a prominent astronomer. Her writing style is lyrical and readable, and while Shields might not be a household name in the UK, her story is well worth knowing.

Review by Prudence Wade

Celebrate summer with a free drink at The Brasserie

TUNBRIDGE Wells foodies have a new reason to celebrate as One Warwick Park, a boutique hotel on Chapel Place, has launched a new summer dining deal in their restaurant. The Brasserie will be offering its customers a complimentary cocktail throughout July to celebrate the hotel’s 7th birthday.

After opening its doors in 2016 following an extensive renovation, One Warwick Park has become a renowned destination in town for luxurious guest experiences, including relaxing breaks and beautiful events and ceremonies.

Last year the hotel launched its newest offering, The Brasserie, a restaurant which served brunch and cocktails, and after much success, its opening hours were quickly extended into the evening for dinner reservations.

Operations Director

Nick Moore said:

“The Brasserie celebrates the very best of laid-back dining, combining everybody’s favourite dishes with locallysourced produce.

“We have been open just under a year now and want to encourage people who are yet to visit us to come down and try something new this month – and what better

way to do so than with a delicious free cocktail?”

The Brasserie opens at 12pm and the promotion, which will run throughout July, is available from Wednesday to Saturday until 9.30pm, while on Sundays it can be enjoyed up until 5pm.

Diners will receive their free cocktail when ordering one main meal from The Brasserie’s locally-sourced menu,

which changes seasonally.

“You can expect everything to be made fresh,” Nick continued.

“Each dish bursts with seasonal flavours, and we have embraced modern classics with our own, unique twist.”

For those seeking a satisfying lunch, the club sandwich is a prime choice, featuring succulent chicken, crispy streaky bacon,

The Brasserie celebrates the very best of laid-back dining, combining everybody’s favourite dishes with locallysourced produce

lettuce, tomato, egg, and a kick of sriracha mayo, all perfectly accompanied by a generous serving of golden fries.

More hearty options like the 7oz fillet steak and battered cod and chips are also popular, alongside starters and sides, like crispy king prawns and a meze sharing platter.

Vegetarians are also catered for, and whether it’s the beetroot and goat’s cheese salad or the porcini mushroom ravioli that catches your eye, diners will be spoilt for choice.

To reserve a table, bookings should be made online at: brasserie-owp.co.uk where each guest’s complimentary cocktail will be served upon ordering their delicious main meal.

On the bookshelf this week, courtroom drama in the debut novel from Rob Rinder, a comic tale of Victorian mediums in ‘The Other Side of Mrs Wood’ and life, the universe and everything is explored in a memoir by US astronomer Dr Aomawa Shields

Summer sale is a feast of exotic treasure

In over 600 lots representing every facet of the market from books and manuscripts to wine and whisky, jewellery, silver, fine art and more, it was a day full of exciting results, too numerous to feature here fully.

Special mention however has to be given to our Asian art department in the June fine sale, overseen by Dan Bray. In this typically varied selection of works from across the wider geographic region and spanning centuries of artistic tradition, it was, perhaps not surprisingly, the Chinese element here, particularly in porcelain, jade and bronze censers which really stole the show this month in Lewes.

In particular, a quite remarkable collection from a local East Sussex gentleman, whose family originate from The Cotswolds. It featured a glorious group of late Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain and bronze vessels – lots 137 to 163 in the sale. These objects illustrate the vital importance of provenance – and this was really about as good as it gets – with objects documented back to the 1920s or earlier and then by family descent.

The collection was formerly on display at the family home in Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, before the house was sold in the 1980s. Some interior photos taken c.1982 show a number of the pieces on display in the family house and an inventory undertaken in 1948 by the local Campden auctioneer and valuer Alfred Bower lists many of the items. With this level of confidence of authenticity, the Chinese market reached fever pitch for

the chance to purchase such quality objects of national artistic heritage. This was most strikingly seen in lot 153 – a Chinese transitional blue-and-white ‘qilin and phoenix’ jar and cover, lianzi guan, Chongzhen period (1627-1644) which soared past our pre-sale estimate to fetch a more-thanimpressive £60,000 (inc. fees). Items from other sources however also performed remarkably well, such as lot 183 – a Chinese yellow-and-russet jade vase and cover – a later piece, dating from the 19th or 20th century, this too surpassed even our most confident estimations to sell for a premium-inclusive £42,500.

The fine art section was as varied and exciting as always on the day, featuring works spanning some four centuries, representing artists from every corner of the globe – alongside two works by one of my own personal favourite British artists (John Anthony Park, 1880-1962).

An unusual and rather fun, and somewhat striking addition to the pieces on offer were two works by Jo Brocklehurst (1935-2006) from her celebrated ‘Punk’

series. The two portraits demanded attention just as vividly as the subculture they so brilliantly captured, and they each sold for £5,000 (inc. fees).

Time for my final highlight, in the form of lot 522: a mid-20th century, 18ct-white gold Cartier Tank Americaine manual-wind wristwatch – which stopped finally at an impressive, premium-inclusive £20,000. We are now accepting entries ahead of our autumn fine sale and would be delighted to offer free advice, without obligation. So please do enquire today! Contact Joseph at josepht@gorringes. co.uk or on 07789979396

Clockwise from left: Gentleman’s 18ct gold Rolex watch – £4,600 + fees. Mid 19th century ‘Grecian’ concert harp – £950 + fees. Robert Kelsey, ‘Sunny beach - Iona’ – £1,900 + fees. Gold and diamond set drop pendant – £4,000 + fees. Henry Weekes, Victorian white marble bust – £1,500 + fees.

In an auction that more than delivered on its promise with an eclectic set of lots, Joseph Trinder takes us through his highlights of the recent fine sale at Gorringe’s…

‘RECLINING BUDDHIST PUNK’ BY JO BROCKLEHURST

JADE CENSER

‘QILIN AND PHOENIX’ JAR

Four rosé

wines

Rosé wines are a significant category, offering an array of styles with colossally varying colours. They are made mainly from red grapes, and the pink hue usually comes from the brief contact between the juice and the pigment-bearing skins (the juice of virtually all grapes is almost colourless).

I have chosen four brilliant bottles to celebrate the dog days of summer. They’re all dry, complement most dishes, and are perfect for summertime salads, picnics and barbecues.

that will leave you in the pink

Cirò, in the wilds of mountainous southern Calabria is famous for its characterful, evocatively sweet-scented ancient Gaglioppo black grape variety. This brilliant, bright pink vino rosato is made from organically-grown Gaglioppo grapes on a hillside less than a kilometre from the Ionian Sea and confidently oozes with the perfume and vibrant taste of red berries. One for condiglione/salade niçoise, barbecued fish or pasta puttanesca. Alc 12.5%

3. 2021 Arbousset Tavel Rosé, southern Rhône, France (£12, Tesco, tesco.com)

1

Trust Asda to stock this wonderfully low-cost, creamy, traditional method (whereby the secondary fermentation, which creates the bubbles, takes place in the bottle), easy-quaffing vintage Cava with lots of zesty citrus and juicy strawberry fruit. It’s a lively, walletfriendly rosé that everyone will enjoy at the summer bash. Incredible value for immediate consumption. Alc 12%

Try this particularly thirst-quenching, full-bodied, scarlet-coloured, structured, Grenache-forward rosé from an all-rosé appellation 10 miles southwest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. All supple red fruit, spice, grapefruit and tangy blood oranges, and consistently my favourite dry French pink at Tesco. Excellent with barbecued fish, lamb chops, ratatouille and Greek/ chicken Caesar salads. Alc 13.5%

4. 2017 Ripa Rosado, José Luis Ripa Sáenz de Navarrete, Rioja, Spain (£29.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, bbr.com)

Nab this gastronomic rosado produced from a special one-hectare parcel of old vines in the Najerilla Valley in Rioja Alta.

around 18 months in neutral French 500L barrels. Long, refined and age-worthy. Perhaps with grilled lobster? This is only the second vintage. One to watch. You can follow James on Twitter: @QuixoticWine

2 3 4

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1. 2018 Asda Extra Special Mas Miralda Brut Cava Rosé, Spain (£8, Asda, groceries.asda.com)

2. 2022 Cirò Rosato Gaglioppo, Santa Venere, Calabria, Italy (£11.50, The Wine Society, thewinesociety. com)

Motoring News

Fiat cancels grey cars in bid to bring colour back to the motor business

FIAT has taken the unusual step of stopping production of grey-coloured cars as it wants to make customers choose more colourful shades.

Grey has been the UK’s most popular new car colour for five consecutive years and accounted for 25.7 per cent of all new cars sold last year, according to data from the SMMT, followed by black (20.1 per cent) and white (16.7 per cent).

But Fiat is keen to change that as it wants to be more distinctive. It says Italy is known as “the land of colours”, and it wants Fiat to be recognised as the “brand of colours” as a result.

Olivier Francois, Chief Executive Officer at Fiat, said: “We’ve broken the rules: and decided to stop the production of Fiat grey cars. This is challenging and disruptive and it is aimed to further reinforce Fiat’s leadership as the brand of joy, colours, and optimism. Italy is the country of colours and, starting from today, our cars are, too.”

To mark the announcement, Fiat’s CEO

took the seat in an example of the firm’s new 600e crossover, painted grey, before it was craned into a vat of orange paint. In a video, Francois can be seen putting the window of the car up before it’s lowered fully into a huge pot of paint, only to be lifted out once again covered completely in orange.

Bright

Though Fiat isn’t going all the way by phasing out white and black paint colours, it does offer a particularly colourful palette, including Sicilian Orange, Italia Blue and Passion Red.

Fiat isn’t the only car firm that is trying to persuade customers to choose more interesting colours. Kia and Peugeot, for example, each offer bright shades –including red, yellow and greens – as the free, no-cost colours, therefore making customers spend extra if they want to have their cars painted in a less interesting shade.

tops the list of most reliable brands

SUZUKI has come out on top in a survey of the most reliable brands for cars aged six to 20 years old.

Toyota reveals its new C-HR crossover

TOYOTA has unveiled the secondgeneration version of its popular C-HR, which will be sold exclusively with various hybrid powertrains.

Previewed by last year’s C-HR Prologue concept, this Nissan Juke rival retains much of that car’s bold styling, including a striking two-tone paint scheme, which sees the gloss black roof extend to the full rear section of the car. Coupe-like styling remains with the C-HR’s sloping rear end, while large alloy wheels up to 20 inches will be offered.

Interior

Flush door handles are a first for Toyota, while the C-HR features a modern interior including a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 64-colour ambient interior lighting. A touchscreen measuring up to 12.3 inches will be offered, including

wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The C-HR will be sold with updated hybrid powertrains, with the option of a plug-in hybrid for the first time on this version.

There will be a choice of 1.8- and 2.0-litre self-charging hybrid setups, which produce 138bhp and 193bhp, and are borrowed from the best-selling Corolla. The 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid setup is new for Toyota, and puts out a combined 223bhp, with Toyota claiming a range of up to 41 miles.

Toyota is yet to confirm specification details, though it will offer a Premiere Edition launch model, which boasts a Sulphur two-tone paint design, along with features such as perforated leather seats, a head-up display and a new ‘Skyview’ panoramic roof.

Sales of the new C-HR are expected later in the year, with prices likely to rise compared to the outgoing model’s £34,515 starting price.

for used cars

It achieved the highest brand rating of 94.7 per cent in What Car’s Used Car Reliability Survey, helped by strong reliability scores for its Swift and Vitara models. Japanese brands occupied six of the top 10 most-reliable brand places, with Lexus, Toyota and Honda taking second, third and fourth spaces respectively. At the other end of the scale, Citroen and Land Rover received the lowest brand reliability ratings, scoring 60.3 and 61.3 per cent respectively.

Score

When it came to types of cars, smaller vehicles scored the best with the Honda Jazz posting a perfect 100 per cent score. Luxury SUVs, in contrast, had the lowest average score of 69.5 per cent, with the seven-seater Land Rover Discovery getting

the worst rating of all at 47.8 per cent. Compared with the Discovery, the most reliable luxury SUV was the Volkswagen Touareg which posted a score of 89.3 per cent.

As part of the survey, owners were asked if their vehicle had gone wrong in the last 24 months, how long these repairs took to complete and how much they cost. The overall score was then presented as a percentage. What Car gathered feedback from nearly 25,000 owners of cars aged between six and 20 years old, with more than 400 models included from 30 brands.

Claire Evans, What Car Consumer Editor, said: “As the rise in living costs becomes ever more acute, buyers are turning to used cars over new models.

“Despite the potential cost savings, used cars are more expensive to buy than a year ago, and reliability is more important than ever if you don’t want to be hit by expensive and potentially time-consuming repair bills.”

Suzuki