Wednesday February 14 | 2018
YOUR
FREE PAPER
Retiring police chief reveals challenge of drug gang fight
Times
All the news that matters
Local, National and International
OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
INSIDE
Celebrating the best lifestyle entrepreneurs
SECOND TIME AROUND Cllr James Scholes could be made Mayor again Page 12-13
By William Mata
Violence Mr Pate is set to retire this year after 30 years in the force, in which he has also been Borough Commander for Tonbridge & Malling. He said home county forces have come under increasing pressure in recent years as London gangs base themselves in a town before moving on. “During my time there have been emerging crime types such as gangs of London based drug dealers coming down to Tunbridge Wells and preying on vulnerable people,” he said. He explained that individuals, often from a less fortunate background, can find an identity in a group. This can be exploited by criminals who can gather large groups of young people in the London boroughs to effectively run a drug operation.
For full interview see pages 4-5
PHOTO: David Bartholomew
DRUG gangs, who take over homes of vulnerable people, have been ‘dismantled’ in Tunbridge Wells. Retiring Chief Inspector Dave Pate says his team have all but eliminated these London-based criminals in the town, which he considers his greatest achievement. Since taking the role of Tunbridge Wells Borough Commander in 2013 the chief has overseen the arrests of 124 drug gang members. Their sentences have amounted to a combined 156 years of imprisonment.
THE INSIDE TRACK
Read Nus Ghani MP’s first column for the Times Page 24
WORTHY WINNERS: Recipients of the inaugural SO magazine Lifestyle Awards were (LEFT TO RIGHT) Leigh Roberts, Sam Dewey, Shelly Sellings, Matt Biddle, Ed Lumsden, Susie Hasler, Helen Francis, Clare Lush-Mansell, Gavin Kean and Ashley Birch. The local lifestyle magazine’s first prize ceremony was held at Trinity Theatre last Thursday evening. For more on the winners see pages 8-9.
BBC objects to controversial plans for £90m town theatre By William Mata will@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk THE BBC is the latest big name in Tunbridge Wells to call for Civic Complex plans to be altered. Hoopers and Metro Property joined the broadcaster in stating opposition to aspects of proposals to build on land bordering Calverley Grounds. They all commented on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s [TWBC] planning application for the 1,200-seat theatre and office project, which will cost a gross £90million. Thaddaeus Jackson-Browne, of Lam-
bert Smith Hampton – the legal firm representing the BBC – described plans as ‘simply unworkable’. He said the broadcaster’s Radio Kent and South East News studios in The
‘This jeopardises the entire operation’ Great Hall on Mount Pleasant Road would be impacted by noise, lack of car park space and dust pollution. “The BBC is not opposed to the principle of the Civic Development, however the BBC is concerned with the proposals in their current form and cannot support this appli-
cation,” he wrote on Friday [February 9]. “The proposal to demolish the existing car park to make way for the development, with no alternative parking arrangements for the BBC proposed during the construction phase, is unviable and hugely harmful towards operations. “The amount and level of disruption to the BBC’s day to day operations in respect to the logistics of deliveries, servicing and car parking for staff and visitors is simply unworkable and jeopardises the entire BBC operation at The Great Hall.”
Continued on page 2
SERVE WITH LOVE Cook the perfect dish for Valentine’s Day Page 65
RED CARPET READY
Win BAFTA wines in our special competition Page 64