Times of Tunbridge Wells 16th October 2019

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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Plans are made to halt roadworks to ease traffic issues

By Richard Williams In association with

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BUSINESS leaders are looking at ways to ‘drive the town forward’ and boost the local economy following the Council’s decision to ditch plans to spend £108million on a new theatre and civic complex.

Councillors last week voted overwhelmingly against the Calverley Square project. They even came out against the idea of any theatre in Tunbridge Wells.

Following voting at the Full Council there was a meeting of some 30 business leaders that recognised that walking away from Calverley Square would send the wrong message to developers looking to invest in the town.

The Times understands that some major developers are now reluctant to put money into a community that can repeatedly vote in favour of a project only to pull the plug at the last minute,

wasting more than £10million of taxpayers’ money already paid out.

At the meeting of business leaders there was general agreement to create a commercial group to look at ways to ‘collectively proceed’ with relevant projects.

CEO of Southpaw advertising agency

‘It’s time for businesses to make a stand and take a leadership position’ Southpaw’s Tom Poynter Tom Poynter told the Times: “The decision not to proceed with Calverley Square was a real missed opportunity in building a future part of the jigsaw puzzle that would have created a picture of vibrancy for future generations.

“What was more abhorrent was the

Assurances

behaviour of some of the protesters both physically and online claiming how councillors would fare if they voted in favour of Calverley Square.

“The online trolls who thought it was a safe place to attack supporters of the project were vile, disgusting and hurtful to many people.”

Looking ahead Tom Poynter said: “We now find ourselves facing a huge challenge in defining the future. We need a vision that clearly identifies our town’s offer and how we wish to be known. We need a new brand image that unites our local communities, builds culture, drives growth and inspires future generations.

“I remain positive about our town’s future, but it is time for businesses to make a stand and start taking a leadership position in creating a step change.”

This would add further woes to the traders in that part of the town centre who have already endured nearly three months of roadworks at the top of Mount Pleasant.

These works have already been delayed, but the Council insist they will be finished for Remembrance Sunday next month.

But the day after, SGN plan to dig up Calverley Road, meaning motorists – already diverted down Crescent Road, will no longer be able to turn into Calverley Road.

Instead, cars, taxis and buses will have to drive up Lansdowne Road turn left at Garden Road where they will be faced with a no turn sign at the junction of Camden Road.

The road works are scheduled to end on November 22.

Both the Council and Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark are aware of the plans and are attempting to get SGN to postpone the works, which the gas company say are for ‘essential upgrades’ to replace gas mains with new plastic pipes.

More from business leaders on page 2

Continued on page 2

New move to ‘drive town forward’ after theatre project is abandoned

By Jonathan Banks

PHOTO: David Bartholomew

WEST KENT CAMRA

TRADERS, shoppers and motorists in Tunbridge Wells town centre could be in for more misery if proposed roadworks by a utilities company are not called off.

Both the Council and the town’s MP are trying to halt attempts by gas company SGN to dig up Calverley Road on November 11.

If the plans go ahead, drivers would be forced to take a longwinded diversion to get from one side of the town centre to the other, effectively isolating both Monson Road and Camden Road.

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Council opts out of pledge to provide town with any theatre

By Richard Williams

PRICE HIKE Council announces The Amelia Scott is over budget due to Brexit p4 NEW DIRECTOR APPOINTED Natasha Firman takes over as the new director at Winkworth estate agents p6

IN VOTING down the £108million Calverley Square project at last week’s Full Council meeting, members also ‘absolved’ their commitment to provide the town with a theatre.

In a move branded ‘politically naive’, councillors overwhelmingly voted against a motion that pledged to provide Tunbridge Wells with a theatre for residents due to ‘the importance of culture and leisure to the town’s economy and social environment’.

Only 12 Conservative councillors, including the Cabinet, backed the motion with 23 cross-party councillors all voting against. Eight abstained.

Following the vote, Council Leader Alan McDermott was left frustrated, telling councillors: “What is left to discuss? You have all just voted to say you don’t want any theatre.”

Currently, taxpayers have to foot an annual bill of nearly £500,000 to keep the Assembly Hall open due to the Council’s commitment to keep a theatre in the town.

But opposition councillors say it was a just a matter of ‘semantics’.

Sherwood’s Labour councillor, Hugo Pound, told the Times: “It is a semantic issue that the principle of a ‘theatre’ limits it to just a ‘theatre’.

What we want is a community space.

“It could be used as a theatre, it could be a dance studio, or a place to do the election counts – somewhere flexible. We do not want to commit to just a theatre.”

However, Cabinet member David Scott branded the move ‘politically naive’ saying it effectively ‘absolved the Council from its commitment’ to provide the town with a theatre.

“Council motions matter. They are legislative,” he said. “I’m not sure they [opposition councillors] are aware of what it actually means and what they have done.”

Before the votes last week, Rod Dunk, musical director of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra, told councillors closure of the Assembly Hall Theatre would ‘kill off the orchestra’, which was formed in 1922.

IN GOOD SPIRITS Atom drinks company receives a visit from Greg Clark MP after winning the Queen’s Awards for Enterprize p8

TOP MARKS Tonbridge is voted country’s leading independent school p15

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Plan to delay road works, from page 1 A spokesperson for the gas distribution company said: “We’ve agreed our project in close consultation with Kent County Council and our work will last approximately two weeks.

“We understand people can get frustrated by roadworks. However, the new plastic pipe has a lifespan of 80 years. This means that when the work is complete, people will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.”

Impacted But Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark told the Times: “Shops in and around Monson Road have already been adversely impacted by the prolonged delay in completing the public Realm Works at the top of Mount Pleasant and the proposed works by SGN will heap more misery on traders during the vital run up to Christmas.

“This is why I have asked SGN and Kent County Council to push back this non-vital upgrade to the gas mains on Calverley Road until after the New Year.”

Council Leader Alan McDermott has also written to the gas company, telling them: “The timing of this could not be worse. The town centre has been affected by a number of works including a refurbishment of a major car park and a road closure along Mount Pleasant for more than three months.

“A two-week closure of Calverley Road this close to Christmas could be the final straw for many of them,” he warned, adding: “I strongly object to the timing of this work and would strongly, strongly encourage you to postpone it until after Christmas.”

It is not the first time that SGN have been asked recently to postpone road works. Gas repairs on Tonbridge High Street were also halted last month after intervention by the town’s MP, Tom Tugendhat, and Council Leader Nicolas Heslop.

OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS ALSO SHARED THEIR VIEWS… Business Leaders, from page 1 Group would add another dimension The CEO of Tek Seating Paul Fleming asked: “Is there general agreement that investment in Tunbridge Wells is a good thing ? I think there is, if so should that investment come from public funds, private funds or a combination. Clearly there is strong resistance to public funds being used in the case of Calverley Square but I suspect there would also be resistance to possible future developments using private funds and a commercial platform as this would no doubt be seen by some as business profiteering from the town’s assets.

“The conflict and difference of opinion over the Calverley Square development has been extremely divisive but with one common factor, both sides want what they think is best for Tunbridge Wells, they just want very different things.

He added:“The suggestion at the meeting [of business leaders] was that getting local business more involved as a group would add another dimension to the debate for the future development of the

town, which is not such a bad idea.”

Together we are stronger Corin Thoday the CEO of Targetfollow that owns The Pantiles said: “We are firmly of the belief that the future of Tunbridge Wells can be strengthened through business, community, and public bodies all working together for the prosperity of all.

“This way of working has proven successful at The Pantiles, where enlivenment through events put on in conjunction with our partners

has transformed the area and created an environment where people want to live, shop, work and unwind. We do not take sole credit for the success of this, as it involved input from many others.

“For this success to be replicated across the whole of the town requires the cooperation of all stakeholders. We therefore commend all efforts to get the business community working on broader initiatives, whether through media, the BID, Royal Tunbridge Wells Together or new forums. Together we are stronger!”

We need a landmark building Hotel owner Julian Leefe-Griffiths, the driving force behind many events on The Pantiles, said: “While I’m sure a good many people in the town are very pleased that the theatre project is not going ahead in its current form, there would also be many people who are concerned about the town’s stagnation and lack of investment.”

He believes the town does need a landmark building.

“Such a site should be capable of holding multi-format productions,” he explained. “This would include not only theatre and opera but commercial shows, conferencing, sports events and music.

“We now have a great opportunity to build a multipurpose venue that could be of real benefit to the town and hopefully not as divisive as the last plan.”

Mr Leefe-Griffiths said it was important that there was cross party political support for any project and that it was clearly presented to the town’s residents and businesses.

“Tunbridge Wells really does need to invest in the town’s infrastructure and amenities,” he said. “If we choose to do nothing while other towns invest we will really put the town into reverse.”

We need to find a solution or risk businesses leaving Rob Young CEO at Infinity Group said: “Like many other towns around the country Tunbridge Wells’ high street is struggling and needs to rediscover its identity.

“In addition to this commercial office space has become nonexistent further reducing the footfall.

“As a business Infinity Group have had to build our own offices this year just to remain in the town

and with future growth planned we need to find a solution or risk businesses like ours leaving for good.

“Now is the time for the town to invest and look at new ways of attracting people to work and live.

“With regards to the Calverley Square project, it would appear that politics yet again has got in the way and the meeting of local businesses is a positive step in the right direction that will hopefully see the town transform into a cultural hub for business and the arts, attracting the creative talent we desperately need to grow our business.”

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

Missing man found dead in hotel room A MAN who went missing from Lewes on Saturday was found dead in a Tunbridge Wells hotel the next day.

Gary Offley was last seen at his home address in Lewes at around 9.30am on Saturday, but his vehicle was spotted in Tunbridge Wells two hours later.

Sussex Police had put out an appeal to find the 51-year-old, but a spokesman said the missing man’s body had been discovered in a hotel in the town.

A spokesman said: “Gary was discovered at a hotel in Tunbridge Wells on Sunday where he was sadly pronounced dead.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

Culverden by-election FOLLOWING the death of Conservative councillor Ronen Basu a by-election is to take place on Thursday, November 14.

Nominations for a new Culverden borough councillor close at 4pm on Friday [October 18].

The ward is currently served by Cllr David Scott [Con] and Cllr James Rands [Lib Dem].

ATM raiders found guilty FOUR men have admitted a string of cash machine raids, including using a JCB to drag an ATM from Asda in Longfield Road.

On April 4 the cash machine at Asda in Tunbridge Wells was stolen after a digger was taken from the recycling centre and used to pull it from the wall.

Adrian Gowers, 55, of Gillingham, Philip Barnard, 25, of Chelmsford, John Lee, 49, of Basildon, and David Eves, 48 of Dartford were all remanded in custody at Woolwich Crown Court after admitting a string of ATM thefts across the South East.

A fifth man, Billy John Lee, 28, of Essex, failed to enter any plea, and was released on bail.

Charity coffee morning A LOCAL healthcare marketing agency is holding a coffee morning to raise money for a cancer charity.

Page & Page is hosting the coffee morning at the Tunbridge Wells Hotel on The Pantiles on Friday, October 25 between 10am and 3pm to help raise awareness and funds for the cancer charity Macmillan.

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Work finally gets underway on the derelict cinema site PREPARATORY work has begun on the former ABC cinema site at the top of Mount Pleasant Road, 18 years after it was left derelict.

The lack of activity on the site has been a bone of contention in the town since the cinema was closed and eventually pulled down in 2001.

For nearly two decades, various developers have taken possession of the land, only to subsequently sell it on.

Elysian Residences took ownership of the 1.3 acre parcel of land last year, after previous developers Altitude pulled out of building a mixed use retail and residential complex.

Last month, the company had their plans to turn the site into a mix of 108 retirement apartments, retail units, a restaurant and boutique cinema, approved by the Council’s planning committee.

A digger and Portacabin were spotted last week behind the hoardings on the site, as work began to clear the ground ready for building work to begin on the £80million ‘Belvedere’ at the end of the year.

ACTIVITY Contractors working last week

Mark Curry, Head of Development & Planning at Elysian Residences explained: “As soon as we received full planning consent we instructed our

Councils playing ‘catch up’ to get towns’ bins emptied

RUBBISH Dudley Road last week

By Richard Williams WASTE crews worked all last weekend in both Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge as the two councils admit they are playing ‘catch up’ following changes to bin collections.

The new waste collection service began on September 30, where for the first time, the

councils are collecting glass for recycling, as well as food waste, textiles and electrical appliances.

Urbaser, who took over from Biffa in handling waste for both boroughs in March, has struggled to adapt to changes to collection days and routes changed to accommodate the new services.

Residents have taken to social media to complain about missed or late collections and the two councils admit that hundreds of bins have been missed or delayed following the changes.

But Gary Stevenson, Head of Housing, Health & Environment at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said things were improving.

He added: “Crews have been working all weekend and additional resources have been brought in to support existing staff as they familiarise themselves with the new rounds and new way of working.

“We start week three of the new service in a slightly better position. The figure for reported missed collections at the start of week three is 207, a small improvement on the previous week.

“While this indicates that over 90 per cent of collections are taking place I am very aware that

diggers to begin clearing the remaining building, which is an important step towards being able to begin construction.” this doesn’t help those people who are waiting for their collection.

“I can assure them that we are doing everything possible to deliver the service they expect and the additional resources will stay in place until we are confident that this is happening.”

Tunbridge & Malling Borough Council apologised to residents for missed collections and said they were working with Urbaser to ‘catch up’, but until then, they warned residents: “Collections may take place later than usual or, in some cases, early the next day.”

CABINET APPOINTMENT TWBC has appointed a new Cabinet member for Sustainability who will be responsible for waste collections.

Cllr Matt Bailey [Paddock Wood, West] has replaced Cllr Ronen Basu who died last month.

He said: “Friends of the Earth recently ranked Tunbridge Wells Borough Council as one of the greenest in the country, in part due to the hard work of my predecessor. I hope to continue his excellent work.

He added that while it was a ‘challenging time’ due to the recent changes to bin collections, the new service ‘will increase recycling rates and further enhance our borough’s green credentials’.

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Another project overbudget due to Brexit

By Richard Williams ANOTHER Council-run project has gone over-budget – thanks to Brexit.

The Amelia Scott, the Council’s originally proposed £13.2million museum, library and cultural hub, will now cost a total of £15.8million when it is finally built.

At a Communities and Economic Development Cabinet Advisory Board [CAB] meeting, the Cabinet were told the price hike was down to contractors Wilmott Dixon.

The company has said the centre, which is on Monson Road, will now cost £12.1million to build – 44 per cent more than the Council’s budgeted £8.4million for construction costs.

The company has blamed Brexit for the price hike, which they say has affected the price of materials and the availability of labour.

But a spokesperson for the Council said they were continuing to work closely with the contractors to bring the costs down. “We are currently finalising contract negotiations which should be concluded shortly with an expected construction contract value of around ÂŁ10.5m,â€? she said.

However, she added the final cost for the Amelia Scott, which is being jointly-funded by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council [TWBC], Kent County Council [KCC] and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will be ÂŁ15.8million.

This has left the Council with a funding gap, which it hopes to reduce by the sale of its

Gateway building, which will no longer be needed once the Amelia Scott is built.

But TWBC Cabinet is being asked to approve an extra ÂŁ400,000 of funding to deliver the project.

On top of that, KCC has also been asked for another ÂŁ400,000, as has the National Lottery, but this will have to be underwritten by TWBC as the Lottery have said ‘additional funding requests in the current climate are difficult’.

COST CULTURE The Amelia Scott will now cost ÂŁ15.8million

Tender This could mean the Council will have to fund an additional ÂŁ800,000 in order to pay for the increase in costs of the development.

But Cllr Jane March, Cabinet member behind the scheme insisted the Council would assure taxpayers were getting ‘best value’.

She said: “As with so many other projects across the country the construction costs for the Amelia at the Amelia Scott have risen since the first stage tender process. “The reasons for this include uncertainty around Brexit and the availability of labour, British Steel entering into administration and contractors pricing in risk of, for example, importation delays and tariffs. “The Council’s project team has worked very closely with the contractor to bring costs down and we have had the revised costs independently verified to ensure they reflect current market prices and that we are getting best value.�

Player injured and club reported for racism following post-match brawl

Costs for Calverley Square, the Council’s flagship project that was scrapped last week, had also spiralled due to Brexit.

As reported in the Times in August, the Council’s theatre and civic centre development went from £90million to £108million.

Opposition councillors said they were ‘disappointed’ by the price rise but still backed the Amelia Scott project.

Liberal Democrat Mark Ellis, who sits on the Communities and Economic Development Cabinet Advisory Board, said: “I am disappointed that due largely to Brexit the building costs for the Amelia Scott have increased significantly. “However, we still feel that this building will provide significant value to our community and continue to support the project.�

THE town’s football club has been reported to the FA and the anti-racist organisation, Kick It Out, following a fight in which supporters were accused of hurling racist abuse at opposition players.

acknowledging the ‘shocking’ nature of the events during the fixture in which ‘a series of incidents took place off the pitch culminating in a serious injury to a Tunbridge Wells player’.

The player, Danny Powell, is said to have suffered two black eyes and requires surgery on a broken nose following ‘the assault’, which is understood to have taken place in the club’s car park.

The club has reported the incident to both the FA and Kick It Out

TROUBLE Culverden Stadium

One Tunbridge Wells FC player suffered a broken nose and black eyes following last week’s game between Tunbridge Wells and Beckenham Town at Culverden Stadium.

In a statement, Beckenham Town say that during the game on October 5 Southern Counties East Football League [SCEFL] away game at Tunbridge Wells, their players and supporters were subject to ‘racist and physical abuse by Tunbridge Wells FC supporters’.

They say they have reported the incident to both the FA and Kick It Out. Tunbridge Wells FC also released a statement

We’re always looking for interesting and celebratory news stories from schools in the area to include within our Education pages. If you have news to share about your school, you can contact our Education Editor Eileen Leahy at eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk We also run dedicated Education specials on a variety of topics. Look out for our next one in the March issue of SO Magazine and in Times Local Newspapers on 15th January 2020 26th February 2020 To advertise and contribute editorially to these specials, please contact Gemma Hak ghak@markerstudy.com

Distressing Around 300 fans, including families, attended the game.

In their statement, Tunbridge Wells FC said the matter was now in the hands of the police.

They added: “Tunbridge Wells Football Club utterly condemns the use of violence against players and supporters and will be seeking that those involved are brought to justice. “The club fully acknowledges that the events that took place were shocking, distressing and frightening for those that witnessed them – especially for the many members of the Junior Football Club who were in attendance.�

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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Puppets from around the world pull in the crowds

By Richard Williams PUPPETEERS from around the globe descended on Tunbridge Wells last weekend and drew huge crowds at the town’s third puppetry festival.

People flocked to The Pantiles and Royal Victoria Palace where they were enthralled by performances from artists from across the UK, Italy, Spain and Poland.

Despite the dreary weather last weekend, people turned out in their hundreds to see the shows and performers at the biennial Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival.

Linda Lewis, festival director, said: “Despite the soggy start, we had a magical three days which began with a stunning night-time show on Friday that lit up the skies, finished with another wonderful marionette performance and something for everyone and all ages in between.”

International She said while much of the street theatre planned for The Pantiles and Millennium Clock was brought inside Royal Victoria Place shopping centre, it didn’t deter the puppets or performers from putting on a world-class show.

Highlights included Arbor the 17ft tree who captivated both children and adults alike when he strode to life with his environmental tale of saving our green spaces.

While Di Filippino’s traditional marionettes brought their intricate skill, storytelling and singing from Italy to the UK for the first time.

Giant puppet Don Quixote encouraged audience participation in a fun-packed family show, and The Cloud Travellers glided gently through Royal Victoria Place, scattering magical raindrops from their fingertips.

A little further afield at Trinity Theatre, The Forum and Assembly Hall, people enjoyed a programme of ticketed performances including a ‘mini marvel of a tale for an audience of just

eight’, plus performances from the Moomins, Snarks and black comedy from Strangeface and its awardwinning show The Hit. And on Sunday, Hikapee’s Look Up took to The Pantiles on a five-metre-high aerial rig, exploring the relationship between circus performer, puppet and audience.

Meanwhile Thingumajig Theatre amused crowds with their diverse miniature puppet shows inside a big, rolling mule puppet that explored the theme of migration.

“We continue to grow in size and ambition each time and wanted this year’s festival to have a real international feel which, from the feedback we’ve had from people who came along, we’ve achieved,” said Ms Lewis.

“We’ve spent lots of time with all of the artists over these past few days. Witnessing their passion, skill and innovation that is bringing new audiences into puppetry has been a privilege and we’re looking forward to building on this for the 2021 festival,” she added.

Pictures by: David Bartholomew

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BUSINESS

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New director at Winkworth TUNBRIDGE WELLS estate agents Winkworth has announced the arrival of a new director.

Natasha Firman, a Chartered Surveyor with 20 years’ experience in the property industry, took over the High Street office this week.

As a resident of Tunbridge Wells, the new director says she is well placed to serve the property needs of local people.

She said: “Tunbridge Wells benefits from a resilient property market, with consistent demand from people moving to the area from central and greater London looking for better value for money.

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Bungalows are making big comeback in the South East

Database “Having previously worked with the London market, I hope that this past experience, teamed with Winkworth’s extensive database of London and country buyers, will help me to create an unrivalled service for local homeowners.

“I’m also eager to introduce some fantastic digital solutions for our clients, which I believe will be a first for the area, and will particularly help to simplify the renting process for landlords and tenants,” she continued.

NEW IDEAS Natasha Firman

By Richard Williams NEARLY a million retirees in the South East are in the market for a bungalow, according to the latest research.

A recent YouGov poll, has found that more than half of over 65s in the region would consider moving to a one-storey house.

Bungalow home ownership peaked in 1987, when 15 per cent of all new houses built were single-storey dwellings.

But last year fewer than 2,500 bungalows were built across the UK – less than two per cent of all housebuilds.

To date, only two million bungalows have been built across England and Wales.

And the research shows the bungalow, which can trace its origins back to British India, is back in favour partly due to the South East’s ageing population.

John Tonkiss, Chief Executive of specialist housebuilders McCarthy & Stone, who commissioned the research, said: “Bungalows are increasingly popular amongst older generations and should be a consideration for any drive to build more suitable housing – they are easier to maintain, are built with older people in mind, and help maintain independence for longer.”

He said that demand for bungalows has been consistently high, with the company selling around 60 of them in the last two years.

But he believes current planning legislation should be reconsidered to help cater for the increasing market demand for housing designed specifically for older people, including the popular bungalows.

He concluded: “Housing like this not only brings a host of health and other benefits to older people, it also helps free up under-utilised family homes for younger generations.

“This shift can play a major part in helping solve the UK’s housing crisis.”

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Success for Tonbridge distillers Neill Thomas is a partner in Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited. He specialises in employment law and works between his offices in the City and Tunbridge Wells.

Each month he will answer readers’ questions. In this article he looks at sexual harassment.

RUM DEAL: Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark (centre) visiting Atom Brands following their Queen’s Awards for Enterprise success, pictured with managers (l-r) Joel Kelly, Ben Ellefsen, Justin Petszaft and Nick Ravenhall

By Richard Williams SPIRITS producer Atom Brands has won a raft of industry awards for its growing portfolio.

The Tonbridge-based drinks company has received additional international recognition from globally-renowned awarding bodies.

The awards follow top honours earlier this year at The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for ‘Outstanding Short Term Growth’ in overseas sales.

The spirits manufacturer has now also won the coveted title Rum Producer of the Year in the International Spirits Challenge 2019, and has picked up 16 Gold awards at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2019.

The firm was started in 2011 by three childhood friends with the creation of

Bathtub Gin. Now Atom Brands products include That Boutique-y Whisky Company, That Boutique-y Gin Company, That Boutique-y Rum Company and Drinks by the Dram, which creates spirited advent calendars with 30ml drams of liquid behind each door.

Quality The company, which employs over 200 people in and around Tonbridge, exports to approximately 70 markets worldwide, an achievement which earlier this year earned them their Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

International Spirits Challenge organiser Justin Smith said: “Atom Brands has once again achieved great success in this year’s International Spirits Challenge 2019, showing both consistency

and quality across their portfolio of products entered.

“They picked up an impressive 24 medals, with their excellence recognised in the Rum category – where they were awarded two trophies as well as the prestigious ‘Rum Producer of the Year’ Award – a remarkable achievement.”

Atom Brands Managing Director Nick Ravenhall added: “To be recognised by these prestigious awarding bodies is a huge achievement for Atom Brands.

“We believe that the work that we do globally, and the brands we create locally, are world class.

“And to get the endorsement of renowned judges from around the world validates the hard work and dedication the whole of the Atom Brands team puts into getting these products to markets around the world.”

Debt burden could close Pizza Express ONE of the most popular international chain restaurants in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge could close due to its massive debt burden.

Pizza Express bosses are in talks with creditors after their most recent accounts showed the food company, which has 470 outlets up and down the UK, had £1.1billion of debt.

The firm’s debt burden equates to each restaurant owing around £1.8million.

NO DOUGH: Pizza Express in the High Street

This is despite pizza being one of the UK’s favourite meals.

While sales in the UK and in its 150 overseas restaurants both fell last year, it is the looming debt repayments that have caused the eatery to seek financial advice ahead of crunch talks with creditors in the coming weeks.

Around £665million of the chain’s debts are due to be paid back within the next three years.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Law firm to support Sands

Call for more flexible working

TUNBRIDGE WELLS solicitors CooperBurnett has announced it will be supporting Sands – the stillbirth and neonatal death charity – as its charity of choice for the next two years.

Sands is a national charity, established to provide help and support to all those affected by the loss of a baby before, during or shortly after birth.

It does this through a network of local groups, of which Tunbridge Wells Sands is one.

The Tunbridge Wells group offers support to all those in the local area affected by the loss of a much-loved baby.

It offers monthly support group meetings, as well as oneto-one befriending by Sands members.

“Supporting a charity has become key to our philosophy at CooperBurnett, and it’s been something which has brought us together more closely as a team over the years,” said Partner Victoria Sampson.

She added: “We recognise the enormous support which Sands gives families, and our charity committee is busy thinking of our next big challenge to raise vital funds for and awareness about the charity.”

A CHARITY is asking local businesses to consider offering more flexible working hours to staff.

Marking National Work Life Week last week, Tunbridge Wells charity Fegans says it is all too familiar with the pressures working parents face on their time, and the guilt they experience when trying to balance work and home.

Fegans said that research has found almost half of parents (47 per cent) say work gets in the way of spending time with their children, while 86 per cent say they want to work flexibly, but less than half (49 per cent) actually do.

The Modern Families Index 2019 also found working flexibly was associated with a five per cent increase in satisfaction with the work-life fit, whilst being able to take time off for childcare caused a ten per cent increase.

Ian Soars, Fegans CEO, said: “The evidence from parenting experts, psychologists and therapists shows that spending time with your child is key to building a better relationship.

He added: “Employers offering flexible working is a powerful statement of intent about how we prioritise family without questioning people’s commitment to their work.”

The legal world was rocked last week by a decision made by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).

The Solicitors Regulator Authority (SRA) alleged that Ryan Beckwith, a senior partner at Freshfields Bruckhouse Deringer, one of the City’s Magic Circle firms, had sexually harassed a junior colleague.

Following an after work drinking session at a City pub, Mr Beckwith had returned to the flat of the junior colleague, who it was alleged, was intoxicated to the extent that her decision making capability was impaired. The junior colleague gave evidence that she had only allowed him to come into her flat to use the toilet and later only remembered sitting on the side of her bed ‘embarrassed’ and partially clothed with him sitting on the floor. She said ‘I just woke up and I’m not wearing any clothes… he sorts of gets on top of me,‘ and ‘He was kind of making comments on my breasts’.

The SRA alleged that he had kissed or attempted to kiss the junior colleague in circumstances where he was in a position of seniority or authority. It was also alleged that he initiated or engaged in sexual activity, where he ought to have known his conduct was unwelcome and while the junior colleague was intoxicated. Mr Beckwith, denied the allegations.

After a seven day hearing, which was played out to the world-wide legal press, the SDT made a finding that Mr Beckwith had breached SRA principles 2 and 6, in that he failed to act with integrity and to behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in solicitors and in the provision of legal services. The allegations of kissing and engaging in sexual activity were found unproven. Mr Beckwith resigned his employment.

Mr Beckwith was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay legal costs of £200,000.

Amid outrage that he was not struck off the solicitors roll, the SRA are considering an appeal on the basis that the sanction was too lenient. It is believed this is the first time the SDT has found misconduct in relation to sexual activity between colleagues.

Many firms are now urgently reviewing their HR policies in relation to drinking alcohol and how it affects the organisation’s culture both in working time and outside of normal working hours. In the Beckwith trial, the junior colleague alleged that Mr Beckwith bought her two bottles of wine and these had been drunk on an empty stomach. Firms are therefore likely to cut back celebrating with alcohol either immediately after work or on an ‘away day’.

Firms will want to consider making policies covering alcohol consumption and guidelines for senior staff who may mistakenly believe that their responsibilities to junior staff become blurred outside the office environment.

While moderate alcohol consumption and sensible behaviour amongst colleagues after work is likely to be sanctioned under any workplace policy covering the consumption of alcohol, given the damage excessive drinking can cause in broken lives, shattered careers and shredded business reputations, it is difficult to see where the line will be drawn.

We have a lot of information on our website www.thomasmansfield.com Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited, First Floor, 12-123 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QG. Telephone 01892 337540

Thomas Mansfield Solicitors Limited First Floor, 121-123 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QG Telephone 01892 337540 London - Sevenoaks - Tunbridge Wells – Tonbridge – Maidstone

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Yoyo chief’s first aid course to help with mental health issues

NEW PERSPECTIVE Speaker Matthew Holman explains mental health first aid

1) Don’t dismiss your gut feeling about a colleague’s wellbeing; people are very good at hiding their issues, but that doesn’t mean it’s not having a huge impact on their life.

2) Learn to be vigilant, don’t wait for them to come to you or you will likely be too late (the course gave them the confidence to approach colleagues).

3) Don’t be afraid of mentioning suicide, it makes them assess and contextualise their situation and gives them the opportunity to be honest about their own thoughts.

4) Don’t feel like you have to solve the problem; be reassuring, listen, let them know recovery is always possible, and lead them to get help from a professional.

Techniques THE Tunbridge Wells digital agency Yoyo Design has introduced a mental health first aid course for its staff and is encouraging other local businesses to do the same.

To coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10, Yoyo’s Managing Director, Jenny Kitchen, told the Times: “One in four people suffer from mental health issues every single year, and in our sector this figure is even higher.”

Research has shown that 92 per cent of people in agencies have suffered with poor mental wellbeing, compared to 62 per cent of the wider population.

“We have three internal teams that run activities for the whole studio,” said Jenny.

“These include mindfulness, yoga, sports days, massages, creating our own allotment, marathon walks, and pretty much anything that keeps us

all looking after ourselves and each other.”

However, they decided to go further in order to ensure that staff had the right skills to take action when there was an immediate mental health issue.

Jenny and another colleague signed up to take part in a two-day mental health first aid course offered by the local charity West Kent Mind.

“As MD, I talk to every single person in the agency regularly, and given the importance of the issue we wanted to show that we were taking this seriously and we were committed to improving the support we offer,” she said.

She added: “In all honesty, it was far more intense and emotionally challenging than either of us anticipated. The course was hugely eyeopening.”

Among the practices they learned were:

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Jenny said: “The course was some of the best training that I have done. We’ve already put some of the techniques into practice and seen the direct impact this has had for our employees.

“We’re looking at providing all staff with mental health awareness training.

“To any business leaders that are thinking about or wanting to take part in mental health training, just do it.

“It’s hugely valuable at work and outside. You’ll come away from it with a new perspective, understanding and empathy.

“This is so incredibly important for the employees that are trusting you on a daily basis to keep them safe and happy at work.”

To sign up for a course, visit westkentmind.org.uk/training/mhfa

Community News

NEWS

9

Quiz gets it right for Hospice in the Weald LOCAL law firm Berry & Lamberts Solicitors raised more than £1,700 for Hospice in the Weald at their annual charity quiz night at The Grey Lady in Tunbridge Wells.

There was also a raffle and silent auction, with a record number of donations from many local businesses and suppliers.

With sharing platters on the tables and a drink provided on arrival, the atmosphere was funfilled and relaxed.

Success Paul Reader, Managing Partner and Head of Commercial & Dispute Resolution, said: “Each year our team choose their nominated charity of the year.

“This year, Hospice in the Weald was chosen and we have been busy raising much-needed funds which will all go towards this wonderful charity, which provides care completely free of charge to patients with a terminal illness, their families and carers.

“The quiz night was a resounding success – the total raised on the night will be added to the running total for 2019 and handed over to the hospice at the end of the year.”

HEADS TOGETHER Quiz teams battle it out

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Community News

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Penshurst’s Run or Dye starts to glow after raising £100,000 More than 20,000 people have taken part in the summer event, which also includes a 1km race for children.

The Glow run is open to children over the age of seven if they are accompanied by an adult.

“It’s really taken off because of the success of trail running and parkrun,” said Andrea.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Run or Dye Glow features foam, lasers and UV paint

‘Lots of people have taken up running – and we are very much about families getting fit together’

By Andy Tong THE popular Run or Dye fun run at Penshurst Place is branching out this month with its inaugural nighttime version.

Run or Dye Glow will be held on laser-lit trails across the estate this Saturday evening [October 19] from 7.30pm, with the option of two distances – 3.5km and 5km.

The event has been held in the summer for the last five years, raising money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

This year, in June, the fundraising reached a grand total of £100,000 – which goes towards pioneering research, specialist equipment and family support.

Organiser Andrea Avena said: “Night running is one of the biggest trends this year – there are plenty of running groups who do it using different head torches. So we decided to merge that with our own event.”

And she added: “There are a few ‘glow’ events going on already, in Brighton and West London, for example.”

“Lots of people have taken up running – and we are very much about families getting fit together.”

They chose the Great Ormond Street Charity as the beneficiary because ‘it’s fantastic, it does incredible work, and it’s a stand-out children’s hospital around the world.

“We’re a very family-focused organisation.”

Run or Dye Glow features nine different foam, glow and colour zones on the route, including Time Tunnel, Equalizer and Disco. Runners can expect to be covered in ultra-violet paint.

There will be a DJ leading a disco warm-up at 8pm and an after-party in the festival village.

Fellow organiser Brian Adcock said: “We’re proud that for five years Run or Dye has helped people kick-start their fitness journey.

“With our brand new event, we will continue to champion getting fit with your friends in the most fun and colourful way possible.”

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

The 60th anniversary of Cards for Good Causes THE annual pop-up shop Cards for Good Causes opens this Saturday [October 12] in the United Emmanuel Church Hall, at the top of Grosvenor Road in Tunbridge Wells.

The shop is run by volunteers, many from the various different charities who are selling cards and raising funds through the scheme.

At least 74p in each £1 goes to the charities featured. As well as an extensive range of Christmas cards, there are gifts and other Christmas-related goods.

Browse There are more than 300 shops nationwide, and the scheme, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, sold more than £4million in cards in 2018, helping more than 250 charities.

It is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4.30pm, and will run until December 19. You can also order online at cardsforcharity.co.uk A spokesperson said: “Buying charity Christmas cards is one of the simplest ways to support good causes this festive season.

“You will have plenty of time to have a browse and choose your charity of choice to support.

“Look out for the Santa board outside the shop just below the roundabout.”

She added: “We are always on the lookout for new volunteers, so if you get a couple of hours spare and would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website [above].”

Participants receive a T-shirt, headband and dye package. There are still free fundraiser places available for those who pledge to raise £100 for the charity. Visit runordye.co.uk

SPECIAL FEATURE

Mayfield School celebrates re-launch of prestigious Caedmon Dramatic Society THE TEMPEST A Mayfield School production

extends throughout the School, involving all age groups in staging plays, set design, costumes and make-up. The next whole-school production is Alan Parker’s classic musical ‘Bugsy Malone’, which is being held on the 12th and 13th February, for which rehearsals are already underway.

Girls in Years 7 to 10 are currently auditioning for a promenade production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, which will see the white rabbit guiding the audience around Mayfield’s historic grounds for different scenes of the play, in what will undoubtedly be a colourful and engaging performance next May. In addition to Drama, Mayfield offers an extensive curriculum, spanning the range of traditional academic subjects and a wide selection of creative and performing arts disciplines. Many girls balance a combination

of arts and sciences to A Level, reflecting the rounded nature of a Mayfield education. The School has a tradition of cultivating academic excellence. Class sizes are small and inspirational teaching, from highly-qualified and dedicated staff, enables girls to flourish and excel, reflecting the equal value placed on every subject and the breadth of curriculum offered. Academic study is complemented by a diverse range of activities beyond the classroom enabling girls to discover and develop talents and realise their potential.

Caedmon is the latest addition to this programme.

Head of Drama, Mrs Sally Gerstmeyer, commented: “I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing Caedmon back after all these years and it has a special place in the hearts of Mayfield girls past and present. We are all looking forward to watching the next generation take this prestigious society forward and make it their own.”

FANTASTIC MR FOX A promenade performance

Mayfield School has re-launched the prestigious Caedmon Dramatic Society that has nurtured and encouraged the talent of many famous names over the years, including Caroline Goodall (‘Schindler’s List’, ‘Hook’, ‘Cliffhanger’, ‘The Princess Diaries’); Rosie Cavaliero (‘Jane Eyre’, ‘Little Dorrit’ and ‘Jam and Jerusalem’); and Fenella Woolgar (‘Bright Young Things’ and ‘Call the Midwife’), on their journey to success on stage and screen.

Caedmon was originally founded at Mayfield in 1933 when the girls chose and produced the plays themselves, and the greatly-anticipated first play that the newly-formed Caedmon will perform is Jean Anouilh’s adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy, ‘Antigone’, on the 14th and 15th November.

The re-launch party was attended by Caedmon members past and present including Mayfield’s

talented Drama Scholars, Year 13s Olivia, Genevieve, and Megan (the new Head of Caedmon) and Year 12s Samantha and India, who have a wealth of experience developed in School performances and external productions. Each girl achieved Distinction in their LAMDA Gold examination, with Samantha and India awarded perfect scores, an impressive accomplishment.

These girls also achieved outstanding marks in their Drama GCSE and are currently studying A Level Drama and Theatre in combination with a broad range of other subjects, including Spanish, Economics, Politics, Maths, English and Psychology.

During the event, the current Mayfield Scholars had the opportunity to engage with alumnae and were inspired by their varied experiences.

Mayfield’s long tradition of dramatic excellence

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National News

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Talks ‘ongoing’ as Boris Johnson on the ‘brink’ of Brexit deal DOWNING Street has said Brexit negotiations remain ongoing as reports suggested Boris Johnson is closing in on a new deal after giving significant ground to the EU over the Irish border.

The Prime Minister is in a race against time to get a fresh agreement negotiated in time for the Brussels summit of European leaders starting on Thursday.

The Guardian reported

yesterday afternoon [Tuesday] that senior sources on both sides of the Channel were saying that a draft treaty could be published on Wednesday morning after the UK agreed in principle there will be a

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customs border in the Irish Sea. But the PM’s official spokesman said: “Talks remain constructive but there is more work still to do.”

Downing Street sources were also downplaying the chances of a breakthrough being imminent and an EU official stressed “talks are ongoing”.

Meanwhile, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it remained uncertain whether a deal would be ready in time for the Brussels summit.

“The initial indications (from the EU) are that we are making progress, negotiations are moving in the right direction,” he told reporters.

“But whether we will be able to conclude a revised Withdrawal Agreement, which is an international treaty, in

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

time for the summit, that’s as of now unclear.”

Mr Varadkar also revealed that the PM told him during their meeting last week he was “confident” he would be able to do what Theresa May thrice failed to do by getting a deal through the House of Commons.

Suggestions a deal was closing in came as Downing Street declined to recognise a midnight deadline apparently set by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Mr Barnier warned Mr Johnson that “it is high time to turn good intentions into legal text”.

Postal workers vote to strike over Christmas ROYAL MAIL workers have voted massively in favour of strikes in a dispute over job security and employment terms and conditions, raising the threat of industrial action in the run-up to Christmas.

Members of the Communication Workers Union

(CWU) backed action by 97 per cent in a huge turnout of almost 76 per cent.

The CWU said that Royal Mail is not sticking to an agreement reached last year covering a wide range of issues, which means the first stike action in a decade ‘looms large’. cricketer revealed his political ambitions.

The duke told how everyone laughed at a gathering in Richmond-uponThames, south west London, in

Memories of Diana during Pakistan tour THE Duke of Cambridge and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan have reminisced about the time they met more than 20 years ago, with William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, when the ex-Test

1996, when Mr Khan announced his ambition of becoming prime minister to William and Diana.

The former international cricketer was a friend of Diana, who had taken the young duke to visit him and his then wife, Jemima Goldsmith.

The pair were reunited in on Tuesday in Pakistan as William and the Duchess of Cambridge met Mr Khan on the second day of their five-day royal tour of the region, at the Prime Minister’s official home in the nation’s capital Islamabad.

Diana also met Imran Khan, and his then wife Jemima Goldsmith, in Pakistan back in 1997.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Harry Dunn family go to Whitehouse THE White House has asked for an ‘urgent meeting’ with the family of man killed in a head on collision with a woman who fled the country after being granted diplomatic immunity.

A spokeswoman for Harry Dunn’s family said the 19-year-old’s parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, headed to Washington yesterday.

The teenager was killed when his motorbike was involved in a head-on collision outside RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire.

Anne Sacoolas, the motorist allegedly responsible for the crash, returned to the US claiming diplomatic immunity.

The family travelled to America earlier this week and said they would be trying to

convince President Donald Trump to reverse the decision.

PM praises squad PM BORIS Johnson has commended the England team for their ‘tremendous dignity’ in dealing with the racist abuse during their Bulgaria match.

The Prime Minister said European football’s governing body must ‘face up to facts’ in order to root out the blight on the sport which is not being adequately targeted.

The team and backroom staff were subjected to abuse including racist chanting at various stages of the Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia on Monday night, as England responded with a 6-0 win.

Asked about the abuse, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The racism

we saw and heard last night was vile and has no place in football or anywhere else.”

Child rail death A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has died after being electrocuted on railway lines in Merseyside.

Flowers were left at railings at the side of the tracks near Bedford Road in Bootle yesterday [Tuesday] after the boy died on Monday.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said officers were called to the line in Bootle shortly after 7pm following reports of a casualty on the tracks and a 12-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

She said: “His injuries were consistent with electrocution and the incident is not being treated as suspicious.”

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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National News

BUSINESS

13

Crackdown on motor finance commission

Thomas Cook boss apologises to MPs for travel firm’s collapse

Woodford removed as fund to be wound up

MOTORISTS are set to save around £165 million a year under plans to ban salesmen and brokers from charging some types of commission on car financing deals.

Britain’s financial watchdog is proposing a crackdown to stop car retailers and brokers from charging commission linked to the interest rate that customers pay on loans to buy motors.

The Financial Conduct Authority [FCA] said they can increase the interest charged to boost their commission that ‘creates an incentive for brokers to act against customers’ interests’.

Christopher Woolard, executive director of strategy and competition at the FCA, said: “We have seen evidence that customers are losing out due to the way in which some lenders are rewarding those who sell motor finance.

“By banning this type of commission, we believe we will see increased competition in the market which will ultimately save customers money.”

THE former boss of Thomas Cook has said he is ‘deeply sorry’ for the travel firm’s collapse.

Ex-Chief Executive Peter Fankhauser told MPs that senior figures at the company regretted being unable to save the ‘iconic brand’.

Employees, customers and suppliers are among those affected by the failure of the firm.

Several former Thomas Cook workers attended the Commons’ Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee hearing to watch Mr Fankhauser and four other senior company figures give evidence.

In his opening remarks, he said: “You heard me probably say it already, but I really want to repeat it in front of the members of the select committee, how deeply sorry we are that we couldn’t save this iconic brand and this company who has a long, long standing history in this part of the UK industry.

“I’m deeply sorry about this failure and I’m deeply sorry for the distress we caused to millions of customers who booked holidays with us and who were on holidays with us.

“I’m deeply sorry for our suppliers who were long-standing partners and who were loyal to us throughout this time.

“I’m especially sorry for all my colleagues who worked extremely hard and tirelessly to make Thomas Cook a better company.”

THE Woodford Equity Income Fund, which has been suspended since June, is to be wound up, administrators have said.

Neil Woodford, once hailed as the greatest stock-picker of his generation, has also been dumped from having any further involvement in the fund, with investors told they cannot expect to see their money returned until the end of January.

In a letter to investors, Link Asset Services, which administers the fund, said: “After careful consideration, the decision has now been taken not to re-open the fund and instead to wind it up as soon as practicable.”

The fund was suspended in June after Kent County Council, among others, attempted to withdraw £263milllion of its pension fund, but, because Mr Woodford and his team had bought stakes in so many unlisted companies, selling the assets was extremely difficult.

The administrators added that the winding-up would start from January 17 2020.

Telegraph profits fall THE owner of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers blamed ‘structural decline’; in the industry as operating profits fell by more than 61 per cent, as it plans to reach one million subscribers by 2023.

Telegraph Media Group said that revenues fell, as expected, by 2.7 per cent last year to £278.1million, a slower decline than the 5.8 per cent drop in 2017. Operating profit fell to £8.1million.

“Our results for the year to December 31 2018 demonstrate strong strategic progress in the face of structural declines across the entire industry in print advertising and print circulation revenues,” the group said in a statement.

The business is embarking on the second phase of its plan to reach a million subscribers.

‘I’m especially sorry for all my colleagues who worked extremely hard’ But MPs were quick to call into question some of the accounting policies including the decision to include a £2.5 billion “goodwill” value on the business in 2018.

They also asked the bosses why they based

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UNDER FIRE Thomas Cook Chief Executive Peter Fankhauser at the House of Commons bonuses on profits that excluded one-off payments to pay for the restructuring. A total of £1.8billion was written as ‘exceptional’ costs over eight years.

Committee chairwoman Rachel Reeves said: “The proof of the pudding is somewhat in the eating and you failed to turn around this business. In the end you couldn’t just hide these numbers forever, they caught up with you.”

She also called former Thomas Cook Chairman Frank Meysman ‘deluded’ over the collapse.

Ms Reeves added: “You can point to as many successes as you like but you have brought down a 178-year business with huge repercussions for customers, staff and taxpayers. You can point to the successes but I’ll point to the failures and they hugely outweigh the successes you’ve spoken about. I think you’re deluded Mr Meysman about the business you ran.”

Employment rates dip UK EMPLOYMENT suffered its sharpest decline in more than four years in the three months to August, new figures reveal.

The number of people in work declined by 56,000 to 32.69 million in the quarter, as the number of people claiming unemployment benefits jumped higher, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The slump was significantly below forecasts by economists, who had predicted a 26,000 rise in employment. The quarterly decline was the heaviest fall since May 2015, when the level of employment slid by 65,000.

Unemployment also increased in August, rising from a 45-year low reported in July. The level of UK unemployment increased by 22,000 to 1.31 million for the quarter.

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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 newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk or write to the Editor, Times Local News, Salomons Estate, Tunbridge Wells TN3 0TG

Thrilled the Hub is going ahead – job done, time to move on…

I was absolutely delighted to read [October 2] that contracts have been signed for the construction of the new Southborough Hub. Contractors are due on site on November 1 and the work will be completed in 60 weeks, with the official opening programmed for February 2021.

Proper public consultation took place at three exhibitions held in Southborough School and the library, when residents were asked to choose between two options: Retaining the existing Royal Victoria Hall building and updating it; or replacing the old structure with a brand new, purpose-built building. The majority decided to go for option two.

In May 2015 Conservatives in Southborough put up 12 candidates out of 18 to stand for election to Southborough Town Council with a promise to deliver the Southborough Hub, and

all 12 were elected – which gave us a mandate to do just that.

The Conservative Group on Southborough Town Council can be smugly proud that if it wasn’t for Kent County Council’s Cllr Peter Oakford and the rest of my Conservative colleagues, we might have had to wait at least another 20 years for anything to happen!

This is what I first got elected for in 2007.

Job done. Time for me to move on and do something else in my retirement. It has been a brilliant 12 years helping my fellow Conservatives on the Town Council in achieving this objective. It has been hard work but we got there in the end.

Cllr David Elliott Conservative Town Councillor for Southborough North

GRAND DESIGN An impression of what the new Hub will look like

Developers running for the hills Tunbridge Wells RIP. So, disgusted of Tunbridge Wells win, £11million wasted, everybody can now go back to shopping online and moaning about the demise of local shops.

Or could there be light at the end of the tunnel and the so-called Tunbridge Wells Alliance ride to the rescue with a low cost miracle plan to save the town from decay? I imagine every developer that has decided to build in and around our town will now run for the hills.

David Clarke Via email

Get rid of all bricked pavements I would like to respond to Kerry Glover [October 2], whose father had tripped up on an uneven brick pavement in Southborough. The bricked pavements in the town are treacherous in wet weather as I have also slipped several times – and I was hospitalised on two occasions.

After the first accident, on Mount Pleasant, I contacted Kent County Council Highways. It took nine months to be repaired, the bricks being replaced with Tarmac. After my recent second incident on Forest Road, that has not been repaired as far as I can tell.

So it is not only Southborough pavements that need to be repaired. Every bricked pavement in Tunbridge Wells should be replaced with Tarmac.

Until someone is seriously hurt these pavements will be a liability, but alas I doubt if this will ever be achieved.

Anita Pratt Via email

Refusal to turn up for fresh start After much fanfare, the new refuse collection system came into operation on September 30.

The collection in my area was supposed to be on Wednesday [October 2], which is paper, bottles, etc. However, by 4.45pm, as no collection had taken place, I called Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, only to be told they were totally unaware of a problem.

As it was close to the end of the day, should I care to call on Thursday they would complete a report. When I stated that it was for the entire road and side roads, they said that all of us would have to call and report!

So is this the ‘new service’? Why do we bother to pay our council taxes if that’s the attitude?

I wait in expectation this week, just in case they do turn up.

John Pearce Southborough

Arriva buses on road to nowhere Is it me, or has anyone else noticed since the closure of the Arriva bus depot in St John’s the huge amount of buses nowadays being driven around Tunbridge Wells all saying ‘Sorry – not in service’?

Walking along Pembury Road and into town, I usually see more empty buses displaying this sign than ones taking passengers anywhere.

They must waste so much fuel, which is not helping the environment and will no doubt cause fares to be increased.

Karen Bryant Tunbridge Wells

No smoke without fire for Mr Clark I never cease to be amazed at the utterances of MPs. In his self-serving piece [October 2], Greg Clark decries the behaviour and language of the argument over Brexit, but fails to address the root cause.

It is his actions and those of his like-minded colleagues that have caused a real and genuine anger; he and they have usurped the democratic process. Of course there are heated words, what else does he expect?

His call for moderation is in sharp contrast to his immoderate and indifferent behaviour – I liken him to a man who starts a fire in a hay barn and is then offended by the consequent hue and cry.

Ralph Steerpike Tunbridge Wells

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

We’re not making a song and dance Your publication of Odes to Boris… [September 25] was not called for and says more about the writer and the editor of And another thing… than it does about a Prime Minister who is the only one so far to have the guts to try to do what the majority of loyal British people voted for, to leave the controlling EU. It is not us who are making a song and dance about trying to make us all look like fools in the eyes of the world.

I did not vote to join the EU. I can’t remember much about the Common Market vote. I was with the forces in Germany. The EU has been creeping up on us and we did not know what was going on.

Why not print all that we will have to give up under the Lisbon rules that pushes ahead faster in January 2020? None of these will be under our control as a nation: Fishing grounds, all our nuclear facilities, minerals, including oil and gas, the Armed Forces, governmental control, areas will become districts, no Commonwealth any more.

Leave voters are not thick, uneducated heathens who did not know what they were doing, as has been implied.

Look at yourselves first and the way you lot have acted. We have stayed quiet with dignity.

M McJannett Via email

Grammar pupils grandstanding I went to grammar school and it was an incredible privilege, even though I’d earned it.

Earlier generations would have felt the same about any secondary education; before that any form of education was a blessing.

Now, it seems, the privilege is to grandstand on matters that pass beyond the naive understanding of idealistic youth.

I would think more of Archie Mitchell [October 2] and his contemporaries if they were to protest about climate change in their own time – school is for schooling. And, given the continuing progress made by British governments at no small cost to the taxpayer, their protests would be more meaningful if they took place on the streets of Beijing, or Delhi, or Berlin.

As for his column on October 2, he laments the fate of the planet: He need not worry, it will survive, we may not.

The climate has always changed; past ice ages are witness to that, and there are cycles he may want to investigate that have influences that are little understood – I recommend the Serbian Malenkovitch for study. There is a rich vein of more modern stuff, too.

Humans have always inhabited the broad, rich deltas of rivers like the Ganges and have always paid the price of climate and tidal fluctuations.

Apart from being very dangerous most of the year, crossing the Atlantic in an expensive yacht is not a viable alternative, and making stern faces at world leaders is merely silly.

So let’s be done with the gesture politics.

Hugh Masters Pembury

DIY is not Calverley’s strongest point (what is, you shout?) Indeed Management (Mrs C) begs him to pay others to do any work at home after he put wallpaper on upside down (it had a really small pattern). However, when the loo seat needed replacing, Himself stepped up to the plate, or rather the bathroom. After all, how hard could it be?

An hour later Mrs C popped her head round the door, just as Calverley was finishing the job, and burst out laughing. The seat was on upside down, as can be seen in the picture above. Mrs C dared Calverley to publish. Well, as they say, publish and be damned.

WHEN is the Vegetarian Society going to stand up and defend its members from those pesky vegans? Calverley asks because veggie choices have plummeted. Go into a gastro pub and gone is the veggie burger. Today it’s the vegan burger – terrible things. Pop into the supermarket for a ploughman’s sandwich and it’s now made with plastic-tasting vegan ‘cheese’! Awful stuff. Years ago, being a ‘veggie’ and eating out was a challenge – mainly lasagne. Then menus improved along with choices. Now it’s trendy to eat vegan because everyone assumes the dishes will also appeal to veggies. They don’t. And yes, Calverley is a veggie.

STRICTLY legend Anton Du Beke does not have false teeth. And you can take that to the bank. Calverley was mortified on hearing that one of the judges on the Saturday night BBC show SMILE suggested the smiling … it’s dancer had ‘fake’ teeth. He Anton was dressed as the wonkyDu Beke toothed spy character Austin Powers.

Calverley had the pleasure of bumping into the local lad at the Times Business Awards earlier this year. He was handing out the trophies and his impish humour and big smile lit up Salomons – it was all real. Lovely chap.

FINAL thought: You can recognise a pub regular when he/she asks to settle up the tab at the end of the night, hands over the debit card and bar staff type his/her pin number into that hand-held machine without even asking. They know the number off by heart.

Not sure that’s a good thing.

Chin Chin, dear reader

We do our best to publish letters in full. However, the Editor reserves the right to edit any letter. Please ensure that letters do not exceed 250 words

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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EDUCATION

Times

Tonbridge wins Independent Boys’ School of the Year trophy

Local News

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ADVERTORIAL

Do as I say, not as I do…

The local public school beat off stiff national competition when it was awarded top prize for its outstanding academic results, commitment to the environment and pastoral excellence…

TONBRIDGE SCHOOL has been named the Independent Boys’ School of the Year in a prestigious national awards ceremony.

The accolade was received at the Independent Schools of the Year awards earlier this month.

Set up to celebrate the student experience, the competition highlights the varied and imaginative ways in which schools prepare young people for their futures.

The judging panel, made up of headteachers, educationalists and representatives from the sector’s member associations, praised Tonbridge for its programme of co-curricular breadth and depth, for developing a keen sense of social responsibility in its boys, for showing environmental commitment, and for its record of academic and pastoral excellence.

Bottles This year’s awards attracted a record number of entries from hundreds of independent schools across the country. There were 20 different categories in total, and judges considered many of Tonbridge’s achievements in the past year, which included: The launch of the Barton Science Centre and its role in the wider community; staging events such as Science for Schools, the Family Science Day and the Student Science Conference; and the school’s Join The Pipe partnership, which saw the scrapping of single-use plastic bottles across the premises

T and the installation of water fountains.

The school was also commended for having hosted the Mission Discovery educational programme, which enabled students from a number of Kent schools to work alongside NASA astronauts; plus its record year of fundraising, which included huge support for the Child Action Lanka and Porchlight charities.

Its involvement with initiatives such as Mental Health First Aid, the Anti-Bullying Council and

Time to make history CHILDREN from St Peter’s Church of England Primary school in Tunbridge Wells recently paid a visit to Berkeley Homes’ Hollyfields development to bury a time capsule which is set to be uncovered again in 50 years’ time.

Students at the Windmill Street school – which is known for its ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating and will relocate to Hollyfields when the new school is completed – were challenged with a writing task, explaining what they would want to place in the time capsule to show the children of the future.

Nik Pears, Head of Prep School, Kent College Pembury

he phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do….” has echoed down through the ages. Sayings like this have longevity because they resonate across generations.

It is certainly something that we will have experienced someone saying to us at some point, likely in admonishment. We may even have used ourselves. But whether or not we have actually spoken the words, it is highly likely that we have lived them out. And the impact on those around us, often our children, can be profound. We often hold our children to expectations that we do not live up to ourselves.

HOLDING THEIR AWARD The schoolboys are proud of the recognition

The students suggested a range of meaningful objects, and the top eight entrants were chosen to take part in burying the capsule.

The vessel has been registered with the official international Time Capsule Society, and was buried in Hawkenbury on the site of the new school.

The children’s contributions, which included, poems, diary entries and guides to Hawkenbury, were placed into the time capsule to give the children of 2069 an idea of life in Hawkenbury today.

Speaking at the event, Berkeley Homes’ Manag-

the Bridge The Gap society, which celebrates diversity were also commended.

The school’s Headmaster, James Priory, said: “This award is a tremendous tribute to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our staff and boys. There is much to celebrate in our thriving school, and I’m delighted to see recognition, too, for our outreach work, the boys’ volunteering activities and the good use of our facilities made by the wider community.” ing Director, Peter Smith, said: “This is an exciting moment for both the children of St Peter’s and Hollyfields. The creation of Hollyfields by Berkeley has made the move of the school possible, and we are proud that the development will provide brand new facilities for the children of Hawkenbury to enjoy for years to come.”

The Head Teacher of St Peter’s CoE Primary School, Miss Lynn Goreham, added: “The children really enjoyed thinking about what best represents life in 2019, and the messages they want to send to the children of the future.

“We’re all looking forward to the new school being ready and hope that the children will continue to visit the site of the time capsule for years to come.”

For me, if I am honest, more often than not this comes in relation to three key areas: food, technology and sleep.

How often can I be seen tucking into a bowl of ice cream which only a matter of hours before I was refusing to give to my children. Then of course, there is the mobile phone glued to my hand. What message am I sending to those around me, when I do not give them my undivided attention, especially my children, particularly when I demand theirs!

Sleep is another key area. As adults, we all know the value and importance of sleep - for growth, development, regeneration, for a healthy mind, but few of us actually practice what we preach. We may insist our children have a good night’s sleep and extol the virtue of doing so, but do we do the same ourselves? I know that far too often, I do not.

Learning about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, sleep, fitness and screen time is integral to wellbeing and confidence in both children and adults alike.

We are holding an open workshop looking at how you can support your child’s wellbeing and start to ‘do’ as well as ‘say’.

‘Health and Wellbeing in the Early Years’, Kent College Prep School, Saturday 9th November 9am – 10.30am.

Book online at www.kent-college.co.uk

DIGGING IN Berkeley Homes’ Peter Smith with St Peter’s Head Teacher Lynn Goreham and the children

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Rt Revd Simon Burton-Jones Bishop of Tonbridge

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

The Rt Revd Simon Burton-Jones is the seventh Bishop of Tonbridge. He has oversight and leadership of the education, youth and children, and community engagement work of churches across the Diocese of Rochester, which includes Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.

Mental illness is just not cricket 1981, 2005, 2019 – it doesn’t take a contestant on TV’s Only Connect to figure out the meaning of these dates. It just needs a cricket fan, for they represent seasons of almost indescribable joy and tension.

Reflecting on the dreamlike summer of 2019, the journalist Alex Massie has observed ‘just how many people live in that deep and lovely England where cricket still matters’.

Many of us would second that.

But a viewing of the compelling documentary The Edge asks us to think about the atmosphere in which test cricketers go about their jobs.

It is an astonishing, beautiful account of the England cricket team’s rise from being just about the worst team in the world to the best in a handful of years.

But it is also brutal, as the story slowly evolves into a meditation on mental illness and its prevalence among sports stars.

Cricket has more than its fair share of players taking their own lives.

The historian David Frith has even written a book about its prevalence, entitled By His Own Hand. We may speculate about why there are so many cricketing suicides, but it is not difficult to

work out why there is so much mental illness.

The game is played all year round, and to make a decent living a top player is often away from home for up to three-quarters of a year. Family life and personal friendships are disrupted – the simple pleasures of being at home, denied.

It is also a sport that casts an unsparingly accurate light on how good you are. Few other team sports carry key performance indicators as precise as cricket’s.

It is not a game for the faint-hearted, no matter how genteel it may appear to some.

Spiked In The Edge, we are brought face to face with several England players suffering from depression: Some diagnosed, like Jonathan Trott; others not – perhaps Steve Finn and Kevin Pietersen.

To these names may be added previous England players like Graeme Fowler, Chris Lewis, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff, who have each shared their struggles with mental health.

The England cricket team in the early 2010s

Hugo Pound Labour Councillor for Sherwood

person. But it was beaten by the sight of him batting in the hostile environment of an Ashes match in Australia, where the camera showed him unsuccessfully blinking back tears between balls, surrounded by aggressive fielders.

Since my generation’s first golden summer of cricket in 1981, indices of mental illness have increased markedly.

In recent years they have spiked. There is a growing anecdotal sense that younger generations, among whom mental illness is so prevalent, are learning to share their experiences with more openness, understanding and honesty than before.

Perhaps this will change the prevailing culture towards mental illness in the UK, which exists in its churches, too.

If it does, we may finally see an adequate reallocation of public funding and other resources to meet the challenge.

OPENESS: Sharing experiences of mental illness is important

learned ruthlessness on the field. Sadly, there seemed to be a lack of empathy off it.

No one intended Jonathan Trott to suffer, but the inability of staff to offer adequate pastoral support curtailed a successful test career.

The account of Trott rigging a bowling machine to punish his body with balls propelled at astonishing speeds was a heart-rending story of the self-judgment of a clinically depressed

Hugo Pound is a Labour Councillor for Sherwood Ward on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. He is a chartered psychologist specialising in corporate leadership and strategy. He has worked in the NHS, as a qualified social worker in a London borough, in industry, and latterly in consulting.

Calverley Square has gone – let’s look forward THE Calverley Square project has finally been ditched – not temporarily but permanently, after 27 councillors voted against it while only 12 supported it!

Now we have an opportunity to properly address the cultural, social and leisure aspirations of the borough’s residents.

The Labour Group on the Council has been arguing for some time that we need an architectural competition to repurpose, redevelop and refurbish the whole Civic Complex.

We should buy the Police Station, giving the Council a large canvas (including the Decimus Burton house next door) on which to create something very special and relevant to the town’s various communities.

We believe an innovative, modern, open design could really alter the middle section of the town.

Just imagine – an elevated extension to the Town Hall with panoramic views across the town, a restaurant, office space, public space, an art gallery, a crèche for local workers; a modern building with a mix of working, cultural, social, functional provision.

Just imagine – a new design on the site of the Assembly Hall – yes, it’s a theatre and an open hall for gigs and it’s available for conferences and it can be made smaller for comedy or more personal interactions, and it has more bars,

seating areas, food stalls and changing rooms and it can hold public engagement meetings!

People want a flexible, multi-purpose space, not just a theatre.

Just imagine – extending the back of the Assembly Hall, building over the nearly redundant road at the back, putting the Council offices into the redesigned Police Station temporarily or permanently.

REJECTED £11million was spent on the Calverley Square project

Review These ideas are not fixed. But with proper consultation and engagement with the public, the Council can create something that excites and includes many more residents than the now dead Calverley Square scheme.

The Labour Group wants the Council to direct its energies elsewhere, too.

In the coming months we will be bringing forward proposals to the Council to address the pockets of real deprivation in the Borough, where children are living in poverty, families receive deliveries from food banks, parents fret about cramped living conditions and worry about the costs of transport.

We will be fully engaged in the review on the impact of the pedestrian works currently being undertaken in town.

We will be seeking to ensure that the Council and all its contractors pay the Real Living Wage.

We will be leading the debate on climate change and our 2030 goals.

We will be seeking funding to help address loneliness and isolation among the elderly and less mobile.

We will be attending litter-picking events in

some of the beauty spots that need a little care and attention.

But first, we will be calling for a full review of the Calverley Square debacle, the £11million spent on a scheme which over half of all Councillors eventually rejected. There are lessons to be learned.

Calverley Square has gone – let’s look forward.

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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INSIDE Property Interiors Top trends and more…

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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Best property buys for...

We all love to see homes with the ‘wow’ factor – which could apply to the kitchen, reception room, garden, or something else. Sarah Bond homes in on specific aspects that make these properties well worth a look…

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Oakridge

Beechwood Mews, Halls Hole Road Tunbridge Wells GUIDE PRICE

£725,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk Partially attached to its neighbour, this unusual property is part of a conversion of an agricultural building set around a central courtyard. The big attractions are its 30ft vaulted reception room, the garden, and its location in an exclusive cul-de-sac close to Dunorlan Park and the A21.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

n Stable-style front door to hallway n Vaulted living room with beams, striking brick/ tiled fireplace and ‘living flame’ gas wood burner, plus floor-to-ceiling triple bow window and doors to garden

n Kitchen, including pull-out pantry cupboard n Principal bedroom with extensive fitted furniture and en-suite shower

n 2 further bedrooms n Family bathroom with foot and claw roll-top bath

n Boarded attic space with folding loft ladder, window, light and power

n Rear garden with full-width patio, lawn and small timber shed

n Double garage with light, power and a workbench

THE VAULTED LIVING ROOM...

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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The PRICE…

The STAIRCASES…

Wellington Place Sparrows Green, Wadhurst GUIDE PRICE

£330,000 CONTACT • Bracketts, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 533733 • bracketts.co.uk A spacious mid-terraced late Victorian village house with four floors, plus a cellar.

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST ■ Living room including working Victorian fireplace with tiled inserts. Opening to: ■ Dining room with doors to garden ■ Well fitted kitchen

Kent House, Oast West Court Lane, Hadlow GUIDE PRICE

■ Tanked cellar room with spotlighting ■ 3 bedrooms and a large bathroom ■ Landscaped garden with courtyard & shed ■ Fine far-reaching views from upper floors

£1,600,000 CONTACT • Fine & Country, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 701900 • fineandcountry.com Boasting standout spiral and wood staircases as well as some amazing rooms, this is half of a six-roundel oast. The historical roundel workings also provide a great feature, plus the oudoor pool.

Oakley Lodge

Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

■ Hall with roundel ceiling rising into cowl and wood staircase to first-floor mezzanine landing

■ Dining room with feature wall, floor-to-ceiling window and doors to kitchen/breakfast room

‘We’re surrounded by open farmland, so it’s peaceful’ (CURRENT OWNER)

■ Roundel kitchen/breakfast room with Britannia oven, stone flooring and spiral staircase

■ Roundel reception room with wood-burning stove and doors to garden

■ Office suite with separate access and shower

PRICE

£750,000 CONTACT • Fine & Country, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 701900 • fineandcountry.com A period bungalow with half an acre of grounds and fantastic countryside views. Also comes with planning permission for an annexe.

■ First floor reception room ■ Roundel master bedroom with feature curved wall and en-suite bathroom

MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST

■ Futher roundel bedroom with tiled shower unit

■ Open-plan living quarters centred around faux clock tower and light well

■ Guest suite with dressing room and bathroom

■ Living/dining room with log burner

■ Magnificent games room with brick walls

■ Kitchen with butler sink

■ 2 further bedrooms with en-suite showers

■ Conservatory with underfloor heating

■ Landscaped garden of around 0.75 acres with

■ Master bedroom with extra room, large en-suite bathroom and access to garden

terrace, kitchen garden, ornamental pond feature, brick-built BBQ and summerhouse

■ 2 further bedrooms and a shower room

■ Recently refurbished heated swimming pool

■ Mature gardens

■ Driveway, parking and two detached garages

■ Planning for self-contained annexe

www.richards-fencing.co.uk | Tel: 01892 770186 | E-mail: ian@richards-fencing.co.uk

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When experience counts...

Tonbridge Price Guide: £450,000 - £475,000 Well-appointed 3 Bedroomed Bay Fronted 1930’s built Semi-Detached House about 2 miles from the High Street. The property offers scope for extensions etc., subject to the necessary planning consents. 2 Reception rooms, good parking, gardens. EPC D

Tunbridge Wells £735,000 An immaculately presented, stylish and contemporary-styled detached home located on the popular south side of town. 2 receptions, kit/din room, 4 double beds, 2 bath/ shower rooms. Landscaped front garden, large rear garden, double garage. EPC: D

South Tonbridge £325,000 - £350,000 Superbly presented end of Terrace House on the popular ‘Somerhill Green’ development, convenient for the High Street, bus services, schools etc.,VIEWING RECOMMENDED. 2 Bedrooms, lounge-diner, cloakroom, parking, enclosed garden. EPC B

Tunbridge Wells £675,000 Tonbridge £800,000 - £850,000 A spacious & bright substantial detached home, of approx.

1,803 sq.ft, in excellent Substantial Detached 5 bedroom family house, retaining the charm and features of an decorative home. order, situated in ‘The Lakes’ area on the west side utility, of town.

2/3 receptions, Edwardian 3 reception rooms, kitchen-breakfast room, cloakroom, store kit, 4/5 beds, 2 bath/shower rooms.

Feature wrap-around gardens, large garage. EPC: D rooms, garage, corner plot. EPC E

Golden Green, Nr Tonbridge Price Guide: £400,000 - £450,000 Deceptively Spacious and extended 3 Bedroomed Semi-Detached Family House in a small rural hamlet, only 4.5 miles from Tonbidge & 2 miles Hadlow. 2 Bathrooms (1 en-suite), 21ft lounge-diner, utility, 13ft fitted kitchen, cloakroom, parking. EPC D

Tunbridge Wells £1,375 pcm This beautifully presented 2 bedroom house is centrally located in Tunbridge Wells, within walking distance to the station. Situated in a private cul-de-sac close to Calverley Park and benefits from a garage and conservatory leading to a secluded garden. EPC: C

bracketts.co.uk Tunbridge Wells 01892 533733 | tunbridgewells@bracketts.co.uk

Tonbridge 01732 350503 | tonbridge@bracketts.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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The Dairy

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AT A GLANCE THE DAIRY GREENHOUSE FARM ROTHERFIELD n One of just four properties at the end of a long private driveway with beautiful rural views n Entrance hall with exposed timbers to roof slope n Superb sitting room open to full height with exposed timbers to roof slope, wood-burning stove and double doors to garden n Kitchen/breakfast/family room with doors to front and rear gardens n Utility room with exposed timbers to roof slope and external door n Dining room/possible bedroom n Study/bedroom 4 n Master bedroom with en-suite wet room n Double bedroom with en-suite shower room and wonderful views n Further double bedroom and family bathroom n Gym/playroom

Stunning conversion of a farmhouse dairy in large landscaped gardens

n Further playroom or possible annexe, subject to necessary consents n Front garden with wild flower lawn, fruit trees and paved terrace n Delightful landscaped rear garden, including multi-level natural stone terrace, lawn, brick pathways, fruit trees, irrigation system and substantial insulated outbuilding with windows, power and light and log store n Gates to parking area with access to garage and mezzanine storage

Guide price £850,000 CONTACT • Jackson-Stops, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 521700 •jackson-stops.co.uk

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Langton Green TN3 An attractive detached house overlooking countryside with a communal tennis court.

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Large open plan kitchen Double garage with gym above Tunbridge Wells approximately 3 miles

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3

Your local expert, Ross Davies, looks forward to helping you. ross.davies@knightfrank.com 01892 310700

Guide price £1,200,000 Freehold

Grove Hill Road TN1 An elegant semi-detached Victorian house ideally configured for family living.

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Spacious reception rooms with dividing doors Kitchen/dining area opening to garden Mainline station approximately 0.2 of a mile

5

2

3

Your local expert, Ross Davies, looks forward to helping you. ross.davies@knightfrank.com

Guide price £975,000 Freehold

01892 310700

knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www. knightfrank.co.uk/tenantfees.

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Sandhurst TN18

Mark Cross TN6

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An immaculately presented property that has been lovingly extended by the current owner. EPC: C. Guide price £599,995 Freehold

Felbridge RH19

1

A beautiful 16th century Grade II listed farmhouse in a semi-rural position with wonderful views.

Guide price £1,175,000 Freehold

Dormansland RH7

A substantial detached family home on the edge of the village. EPC: C. 5

3

4

Guide price £900,000 Freehold

Sandhurst TN18

1

1

An extremely well-presented property approximately 1.2 miles from a mainline station. EPC: D. Guide price £900,000 Freehold

Argos Hill TN6

1 An attractive major portion of a fine Victorian country house. EPC: E.

An attractive south-facing family home with generous grounds in an elevated position.

Guide price £450,000 Share of freehold

Guide price £795,000 Freehold

4-5

2

3-4

Call the Tunbridge Wells team on 01892 310997, we'd love to help you. knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent and the deposit, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property (if not an AST). (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) If the landlord agrees to you having a pet, you may be required to pay a higher deposit (if not an AST) or higher weekly rent (if an AST). Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www. knightfrank.co.uk/tenantfees.

STONEGATE REGION £1,500,000 - £1,750,000 Handsome Grade II Listed period village house with beautifully proportioned accommodation, stunning gardens, far-reaching rural views and various useful outbuildings, all located close to the centre of the village.

Sitting Room. Drawing Room. Dining Room. Kitchen/Breakfast Room. Larder. Boot Room. Laundry Room. Cellar. 5 Bedrooms. 2 Bathrooms. Garage/Barn. Wood Store. 2 Greenhouses.

Shed. Approx 1.7 Acres.

CROWBOROUGH

GROOMBRIDGE

LAMBERHURST

REGION £725,000 - £750,000

REGION £725,000

REGION £825,000 - £875,000

Attractive cottage in a peaceful rural setting with direct access onto the Ashdown Forest

Delightful period property on the outskirts of Groombridge with 2.5 acres including a large paddock

Stylishly presented family house in an attractive location on the outskirts of this favoured village

3 Reception Rooms. Kitchen/Breakfast Room. Basement Study/Store Room. 3 Bedrooms. 2 Bathrooms. Stable and Garden Store. Gardens. EPC F.

3 Reception Rooms. Kitchen/Breakfast Room. 3 Bedrooms. 2 Bathrooms. Range of Outbuildings.

Summerhouse. Gardens and grounds 2.5 Acres. EPC D

3 Reception Rooms. Kitchen/Breakfast Room. 4 Bedrooms. 3 Bathrooms. Garage. Attractive Mature Gardens. EPC D.

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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Advertorial

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AT A GLANCE MAYFIELD GRANGE MAYFIELD Ground Floor n Entrance Hall n Cloakroom n Drawing Room n Music Room n Study Garden Level n Kitchen/Family/Dining Room n Large Utility Room n Wine Cellar/Gym n Shower Room First Floor n 4 Double Bedrooms, 2 En Suite n Family Bathroom Second Floor n Master Bedroom with En Suite Bathroom Outside n Garage n Off Road Parking for 3 cars (2 further spaces in car park) n Attractive gardens backing onto ancient woodland

An impressive detached family home providing flexible and adaptable accommodation.

Mayfield Grange

This immaculate property has been recently remodelled to create a fantastic and spacious kitchen, dining and family room opening onto the stunning garden. Situated in a sought after and secure gated development with attractive far reaching countryside views to the rear.

REGION £950,000-£1,000,000 VIEWINGS For an appointment to view please contact our Tunbridge Wells office 01892 512020

The best properties on your doorstep

New Instruction

New Instruction

Savills Tunbridge Wells 01892 507 000

Culverden Down Tunbridge Wells TN4

Isenhurst East Sussex TN21

Rare and exciting development opportunity in prime location, 4 bed house on approx. 1 acre plot with PP for additional 4 bed house, secluded position, convenient for town and schools, 2,163 sq ft, EPC = E

Handsome Millwood Designer home, 5 beds, 2 receptions, extensive park-like grounds and mature woodland extending to approx. 4.4 acres, mainline rail about 5.1 miles, triple garage, 3,024 sq ft, EPC = D

Freehold

Freehold

Guide £1.75 million

New Instruction

Guide £1.5 million

Warwick Park Tunbridge Wells TN2

Banner Farm Road Tunbridge Wells TN2

Prime location at town end of Warwick Park, opportunity to enhance and update, 5 beds, rail, Pantiles and High Street within 0.5 miles, generouslysized garden, garage, driveway parking, 1,941 sq ft, EPC = D

Smart renovation of 4 bed family home, PP to further extend, popular location for families, modern open-plan design, Claremont School 200 yds, garden, driveway parking, 1,507 sq ft, EPC = C

Freehold

Freehold

Guide £1.05 million

New Instruction

Guide £785,000

Hungershall Park Tunbridge Wells TN4

Wadhurst East Sussex TN5

Elegant 3 bedroom home in this private park, 2 reception rooms, charming courtyard garden, garage, off-street parking, mainline station within a mile on foot, 1,627 sq ft, EPC = C

Immaculate 3 bedroom house, well located in village for Uplands School, shops and station, landscaped communal area with views to Bewl Water, garage, driveway parking, 1,083 sq ft, EPC = B

Freehold

Freehold

Guide £755,000

New Instruction

Guide £485,000*

Talk to us today Robert Jacobs Head of Office 01892 507000 rjacobs@savills.com

Natasha Selbie Associate Director 01892 507000 nselbie@savills.com

Becky Card Negotiator 01892 507000 bcard@savills.com

savills.co.uk | savills.co.uk Follow us on what can we do for you? *Price at time of going to print.

SOUTH TONBRIDGE GUIDE: £400,000 SPACIOUS EXTENDED SEMI-DETACHED FAMILY HOME IN ELEVATED POSITION offering good size accommodation with living/dining room, family room, fitted kitchen, downstairs cloakroom plus three bedrooms and family bathroom. Garage plus off road parking and a delightful rear garden. BEING OFFERED FOR SALE WITH THE BENEFIT OF NO ONWARD CHAIN. EPC: D

(Apply Tonbridge)

HORSMONDEN OIEO £475,000 RURAL LOCATION & FAR-REACHING VIEWS. Set within an exclusive, gated development, this stylish, contemporary 3 bedroom home is just a short walk to the village centre and enjoys views over adjoining orchards. Open-plan kitchen/dining/family room, spacious sitting room, cloakroom wc, 3 double bedrooms, family bathroom and ensuite. Gardens to front and rear. Allocated parking for 2 cars and further visitor ’s parking. This property must be viewed to fully appreciate how unique and picturesque the setting is. EPC: D (Apply Tonbridge)

PEMBURY £575,000 FABULOUS FAMILY HOME ON CORNER PLOT! This detached house is situated in a popular road close to the recreation ground and primary school. The accommodation is light and bright, well-proportioned and immaculately presented throughout. Comprising: entrance hall, playroom/study, large kitchen/dining room, sitting room, utility room, cloakroom W.C, four bedrooms, family bathroom, en-suite and useful attic room. Beautiful garden with level lawn and patio. Driveway parking for several cars. EPC: D (Apply Pembury)

Residential Pembury: 01892 822880 Tonbridge: 01732 771616 Sales & Lettings e: pembury@bkea.co.uk e: tonbridge@bkea.co.uk

Lettings: 01732 771616 e: lettings@bkea.co.uk

www.bkestateagents.com

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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New Homes

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Property Focus

NEW HOMES

A dream development down on the farm TAKE your pick from a trio of truly tempting newly-built homes full of farming character at the Melfort Farm Development off Wadhurst Road in Frant, just a mile outside the village.

The impressive 4-5 bedroom detached properties to choose from are a grand, stylish farmhouse, a beautiful barn with full-height glass windows, or a striking oast house complete with traditional kiln roof – all with generous plot sizes and surrounded by landscaped front and rear gardens that incude south-facing aspects.

Each property is privately gated, and all are individually crafted to high specification and have a garage and private parking.

Inside, they feature fully fitted Kutchenhaus contemporary kitchens with Quartz worktops, integrated AEG appliances and limestone floor tiles.

Plus luxurious bathrooms and en suites with porcelain flooring; bespoke oak staircases with glass balustrades; sumptuous fitted carpets; and underfloor heating throughout the ground floors.

These superb semi-rural homes, built

by Progressive Developers, are up-to-themoment on the tech side, too, with Control4 multi-room audio systems in eight separate zones, and Control4 gate entry with keypad.

They also have BT telephone and highspeed data networks throughout with data points in all bedroom and living areas.

Additionally, Savills, who are joint agents with Knight Frank, say there is a Stamp Duty incentive available.

‘These superb semi-rural homes are up-to-themoment on the tech side, too’

Winters Barn

AT A GLANCE • Winters Barn (4 bed) guide price £1,650,000 • Lowthian Oast (5 bed) guide price £1,750,000 • Wilkinsons Farmhouse (5-6 bed) guide price £1,875,000 CONTACT • Knight Frank, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 515035 • knightfrank.com Wilkinsons Farmhouse

• Savills New Homes, Tunbridge Wells • 01892 507005 • savills.co.uk

Durlings are marketing a Lower Ground Floor office within Oxford House, a period property located on the prestigious and sought-after Mount Ephraim Road in central Tunbridge Wells. This lovely four storey building provides open plan office space.

Within the last year Oxford House has been comprehensively redecorated externally, and the Lower Ground Floor refurbished to a high standard. The space has been subdivided using glass partitioning enhancing the natural light and providing an airy, stateof-the-art working environment. A new kitchen and re-fitted WCs complete the facilities. The building has a very smart entrance and foyer, and also has a lift.

There is only one office currently available, measuring 306 sq ft, otherwise the building is fully occupied by a variety of professional firms.

If you would like further information, or to arrange an internal viewing, contact Durlings on 01892 552 500.

Durlings Commercial Property Agents can be contacted on 01892 552 500 | info@durlings.co.uk | www.durlings.co.uk

Oxford House • Mount Ephraim Road • Tunbridge Wells · · · ·

Refurbished Office to Let 306 sq ft (28.4 sq m) Prestigious Location £9,470 pax

For further details and viewing arrangements please call Julie Chalmers 22 Mount Ephraim Road, Tunbridge Wells Kent, TN1 1ED 01892 552500 | julie.chalmers@durlings.co.uk | durlings.co.uk

N

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W LD O SO %

HELP TO BUY EVENT SATURDAY 26 TH OCTOBER THREE BEDROOM HOMES READY TO MOVE INTO Join us between 10am and 6pm at our Help to Buy Event and be the first to view our newly dressed three bedroom home.

Don’t miss this opportunity to speak to our Sales Consultants about the exclusive furniture packages available* when you buy a home at Hollyfields.

To book an appointment at the event please call 01892 886321 or visit hollyfields-hawkenbury.co.uk

PRICES FROM £550,000 † ALSO AVAIL ABLE – FOUR AND FIVE BEDROOM HOMES FROM £745,000 † www.hollyfields-hawkenbury.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Photography of Hollyfields is indicative only. Help to Buy available on selected properties, subject to qualifying and terms and conditions *Available on selected properties only and subject to terms and conditions. Please ask our Sales Consultants for further details. †Prices correct at time of printing.

10713_036_Hollyfields_TimesTunbridgeWells_264x340mm_AW.indd 1

07/10/2019 11:57

PICTURE YOUR

N EW HOME Wi t h

2020 VIS ION

Colebrook House 55 -57 Colebrook Road, Tunbridge Wells Kent TN4 9DP

Upper Grosvenor Road Guide Price £260,000 - £270,000 A beautifully presented top floor 2 bedroom apartment with a private garden and off road parking

The Dairy

Prices from £350,000 A selection of 1 and 2 bedroom retirement apartments situated in the centre of town designed for independent living.

Queens Road

Guide Price £180,000 - £189,000 A well presented double bedroom top floor apartment within walking distance of the train station and no onward chain.

Tunnel Road Guide Price £255,000 - £265,000 A stunning 2 double bedroom with apartment situated in the heart of town within walking distance of Tunbridge Wells train station.

Upper Grosvenor Road

O.I.E.O £250,000

A stunning ground floor apartment with off road parking and a communal garden, walking distance to the train.

Flat 5, 13 Broadwater Down

£225,000 - £250,000 Offered with no onward chain a 2 bedroom apartment with an ensuite and with off road parking.

Hasletts Close Guide Price £180,000 - £185,000 A one double bedroom top floor apartment situated within a short walk of the local train station to London.

Jackwood Way Guide Price £230,000 - £240,000 A well presented 2 double bedroom second floor apartment with off road parking and walking to the local train station.

25 Nursery Road £300,000 - £310,000 A stunning 2 bedroom terrace family home within a short walking distance of the train station.

Deposit match

Save a 5% deposit for your new home?

Reserve by 31st October and Bovis Homes will match it!

NORFOLK Costessey Wymondham

SUFFOLK Ipswich

Bishops Stortford ESSEX Chipping Ongar HERTS

Gravesend

Ifield WEST SUSSEX

Staplehurst

Hurstpierpoint Ringmer

If you have a 5% deposit, on selected plots* we could boost it by funding up to 5% of the sale price giving you a larger deposit. This means you need to borrow less from a lender and could even secure you a more competitive mortgage rate!

How does it work?

90%

Mortgage

£315,000

5%

Buyer’s deposit

Coming soon developments

Maidstone

Whether you are a first time buyer, have limited equity in your current home, or are having trouble getting a big enough deposit together, we would love to help!

Faversham

Example house value

£350,000

£17,500 £17,500

5%

Bovis Homes deposit contribution

KENT Headcorn

EAST SUSSEX

Horam Bexhill Hailsham West Durrington

Incentive is only valid on homes marketed up to £600,000 and is available on selected plots only, subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, deal or incentive except Help to Buy. Purchaser(s) of the home must have a minimum of 5% of the purchase price required as a deposit. Deposit must be in the bank account of the purchaser before the reservation is taken and proof of deposit submitted to Bovis Homes. Bovis Homes will give a deposit contribution up to 5% deposit of the purchase price. The value of the Deposit Match payment will be deducted from the total sale price on legal completion. Reservation is subject to the usual £500 reservation fee. Incentive available on specific plots, please see development sales advisor for further details. Help to buy available on homes up to the value of £600,000. The Help to Buy Equity Scheme has specific terms and conditions and is subject to affordability criteria as prescribed by Homes England. Its use is also subject to specific mortgage lender conditions and qualifications. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, promotion or purchase assistance scheme. Please ask our sales advisor for details. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT. GDD52772

FOUR STUNNING SHOW HOMES OPEN TO VIEW at Kingsdown Meadow Residential Park

Oakgrove Waverton fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £265,000

Prestige Sofia fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £275,000

Prestige Buckland fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £250,000

Omar Ikon fully furnished, 2 Bedroom Home (40ft x 20ft) £275,000

Visit us on Friday 18th or Saturday 19th October and receive a £10 Marks & Spencer Gift Card! Call us FREE on 0800 644 4499 Visit serentiyparks.co.uk for more information

VISIT OUR OCTOBER SHOW HOME OPEN EVENT and receive a £10 M&S Gift Card

Find us at Kingsdown Meadow Residential Park

Romney Street, Knatts Valley, Sevenoaks, TN15 6XW

Visit us on Friday 18th or Saturday 19th October and receive a £10 Marks & Spencer Gift Card! Call us FREE on 0800 644 4499 Visit serentiyparks.co.uk for more information

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Life&Times

ARTS & CULTURE LIFE & STYLE FOOD & DRINK MOTORING SPORT and MORE...

IN PRINT AND ONLINE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK timeslocalnews.co.uk

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JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY NIGHT

48

LEARN TO COOK LIKE AN INDIAN

50

Dark secrets

See Louise Jameson in The Shakespeare Project’s Macbeth

ONE WOMAN’S HIGHLAND FLING

55

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MINI RUGBY COMES TO TOWN

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

FIRST STAGE Peter Basham (centre) and the theatrical team start rehearsals at Salomons

IMAGE: Craig Matthews

arts

42

Something wicked this way comes…

Next month, The Shakespeare Project will stage its first production – Macbeth – at Salomons Estate’s Victorian Theatre. Eileen Leahy finds out more about this exciting new acting troupe in EastEnders, Silent Witness and Doctor Who as well as numerous RSC productions, says she is ‘very excited’ to be included.

“Arguably, this is one of Shakespeare’s finest plays, about to be performed in one of Kent’s most glorious locations with a new and innovative troupe. What’s not to love about this fresh look at a classical masterpiece?”

Treat Aaron Sidwell, who has been cast as Macduff and is also known from EastEnders, is equally happy to be involved with The Shakespeare Project’s inaugural performance: “I am over the moon to have the opportunity to join this phenomenal new theatre company. Having been educated in Tunbridge Wells, I was lucky enough

to attend Yew Tree Theatre school and perform at the Assembly Hall on several occasions, so Tunbridge Wells is truly in my blood.

“I was also recently part of an eight-person cast just like this doing Henry V, and it made it so much more epic and dramatic for having the fewer numbers – people are in for one hell of a treat!”

The Shakespeare Project’s version of Macbeth will be directed by Matilda The Musical’s Joseph Pitcher, who says what excites him about bringing Macbeth to life at Salomons is how ‘aligned’ the venue and the story feel.

“The theatre is a majestic Victorian hall with all the grandeur you would expect from that period,” says the Old Vic Bristol-trained director.

“But the moment you set foot in the space you know somehow that intrigue and drama are in its bones – almost like there are secrets

hidden in every nook and cranny.”

Also on board are Mike Robertson, an Olivier Award-winning lighting director, and sound director Simon Arrowsmith, who will be putting the venue’s original Welte organ to good use in order to create a production with a really unique atmosphere.

“Macbeth is a gripping psychological thriller filled with conspiracy, paranoia, betrayal and manipulation, and – although the plot will be familiar to many – we are aiming to surprise the audience at every turn,” promises director Joseph.

Tickets to Macbeth, which is on at Salomons Estate from November 5-24, are on sale now from theshakespeareproject.co.uk Facebook: @TheShakespeareprojectUK Twitter: @TheShakespeare8

‘The Bard’s infamous play is about unbridled ambition, a relentless thirst for power and its deadly consequences’

IMAGES: Rosie Monks Photography

T

HE Shakespeare Project was set up earlier this year by Peter Basham in order to bring quality professional Shakespeare plays to the South East of England. The actor and director, who co-founded the theatrical troupe alongside executive producer Laurence Taylor, lives in Tunbridge Wells and has starred in numerous films, including Skyfall and Inception, as well as working for the Royal Shakespeare Company [RSC].

Following a successful fundraising Kickstarter campaign and grants from Arts Council England and the Jerwood Foundation, The Shakespeare Project is now staging its first production, Macbeth, next month, from November 5 to 24.

The ten-strong group of actors participating in the three-week run of shows at Salomons’ Victorian Theatre has just gone into a period of intense rehearsals for this ambitious project, which will see them performing a contemporary, stripped back version of the Bard’s infamous play about unbridled ambition, a relentless thirst for power and its deadly consequences.

Joining Peter, who will be playing the lead role of Macbeth, will be Aamira Challenger (Thane of Angus), Tom Chapman (Thane of Ross), Vangelis Christodoulou (Banquo), Louise Jameson (Queen Duncan), Ffion Jolly (Lady Macbeth), Aaron Sidwell (Macduff), Adam Sopp (Malcolm), Sarah Wadell (Thane of Lennox) and Gerald Bishop (Duncan).

“I’m delighted to have assembled such a fantastic team both on and off the stage,” says Peter. “Macbeth is a part that every actor dreams of playing and I am tremendously excited to start rehearsals with such a talented cast.

“I’d like to thank Arts Council England and the Jerwood Foundation for their generous support, our Kickstarter backers, corporate sponsors, and also the team at Salomons Estate who have been so supportive of the project.”

Local actress Louise Jameson, who has starred

BLOOD AND THUNDER Louise Jameson (left) and Peter Basham (above) hit more than the spot in Macbeth

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Arts & Culture

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43

‘When putting on a musical you get that family feeling’ Next weekend, Tonbridge-based amateur dramatic troupe LAMPS are putting on Sensational Sondheim – a musical tribute to Stephen Sondheim and his best loved shows, including Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and West Side Story – at the town’s EM Forster Theatre. LAMPS Chairman Liam Clarke tells us all about it…

Why did the Local Amateur Musical Players – aka LAMPS – choose Sensational Sondheim as its latest production?

We sit down as a committee and discuss our thoughts and ideas on future shows. I am a massive fan of Stephen Sondheim and have always wanted to do a concert in tribute to him. Luckily for me the committee were on board with the idea, and so ‘Sensational Sondheim’ was born.

serious amount of homework to do – and when you have to juggle that with your everyday routine that is a challenge!

And what about the benefits?

Although there can be some stressful moments within a rehearsal period, the benefits are that we absolutely love doing it.

How long have you been in rehearsals?

We’ve done two rehearsals a week over a period of approximately eight weeks.

‘The show is like having a baby – it’s something you make, nurture, and give life to’

What have the challenges been?

All shows come with their challenges.

For Sensational Sondheim I would have to say that the challenge was the amount of music that had to be learnt. Stephen Sondheim is known for writing some rather tricky material, which meant all of the cast had a

If you don’t mind, I will quote Stephen Sondheim and say: “When putting on a musical you get that family feeling, its gives me warmth and to put in a cliché, the show is like having a baby – it’s something you make, nurture, and give life to.”

MUSICALITY The talented LAMPS troupe are full of it

What will the audiences gain from seeing Sensational Sondheim?

I think we could all learn something about life from his music and his lyrics. He writes about the human experience with such depth – layers upon layers of meaning, which is just so rewarding to sing and fascinating to listen to. If you love Sondheim, then you wouldn’t want to miss it, and if you aren’t familiar with him then you should absolutely come along and see for yourself!

Why do you think it’s so important to champion amateur dramatics and reach new performers and audiences?

The amount of talent on our doorstep is incredible, and unfortunately not everyone with talent hits the professional circuit, despite their fantastic abilities.

The amateur theatre circuit is an outlet for those people to do something they have a passion for and enjoy – and nobody COMIC CAPERS Giving a new meaning to high kicks in a previous production

420 - 422 Vale Road Tonbridge Kent TN9 1SW 01732 363583

North Farm Industrial Estate, Tunbridge Wells Kent TN2 3BF 01892 527647

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should be denied that pleasure.

It’s always a challenge to keep small amateur theatre groups going. The costs of putting on a show keep rising and you heavily rely on being able to reach an audience that will come and support you in order to pay for those costs, which allows you to move on the next show and allows you to carrying on doing what you love.

And what is next for LAMPS? After Sensational Sondheim, LAMPS will be back in April 2020 with The Who’s Tommy – the rock musical based on the iconic 1969 album featuring Pinball Wizard, which we featured in Musicality Take 2 in April this year. It should be a lot of fun!

LAMPS perform Sensational Sondheim at the EM Forster Theatre in Tonbridge from October 18-20.

For tickets and timings see emftheatre.com and to find out more about LAMPS, visit lamps.org.uk

44

Life&Times

Going Out

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

goingout 7 days of activities

By Jerome Bowman

WEDNESDAY You can still catch Don’t Dress for Dinner at The Oast Theatre in Tonbridge. Bernard intends to entertain his mistress Suzy, and with his wife away, what could go wrong? The English adaption of a French farce, this promises to hurtle along at the speed of light, sucking in three hapless couples who are, for better or for worse, completely intertwined in each other’s lives. This is an amateur production by arrangement with Samuel French, and you can catch it until Saturday October 19. Tickets cost £11 and can be booked online at oasttheatre.com

UNCHARTED

by Catherine Robinson, part of a new exhibition at Trinity Theatre Gallery

and Oliver Chris (Green Wing). The production has been critically lauded for its creative and energetic take on this timeless comedy.

Tickets to see the screening, which starts at 7pm at the Odeon, cost £20.75, concessions available: odeon.co.uk FRIDAY Expect more chortling this evening at the Tonbridge Comedy night at The EM Forster Theatre. Up-and-coming misadventurist Ross Smith will compère the evening, which features Russell Hicks and Alistair Barrie. Hicks’ streamof-consciousness improvisations are inimitable and hilariously bizarre, while Barrie’s flawless delivery and comedy veteran status make him a great headliner. Tickets cost £13 and can be booked by visiting emftheatre.com With over 200 real ales, 40 Green Hop Beers and plenty of cider to boot, the 9th CAMRA Real Ale & Cider Festival & Autumn Steam and Diesel Gala held at The Spa Valley Railway is not one to miss for beer fans. The main festival will take place at Tunbridge Wells West, with smaller events at Groombridge and Eridge stations and, for the first time, an Edwardian Steam Locomotive will be running as part of the train service. The event runs today, tomorrow and Sunday.

Entry tickets cost £20 but concessions are available.

For more information, visit spavalleyrailway.co.uk

DROWNING IN GRIEF Don’t Look Now at the Uckfield Picture House SATURDAY Visit Groombridge Place for the Spooky Halloween Musical from today until November 3.

Prepare for a ghostly, spooktacular and mildly frightening day of fun, with a cast of West End actors singing songs from creepy classics The Addams Family, Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus. Make sure your children dress up in their most bone-chilling costumes for the Halloween disco at the end of the day, but please don’t bring any Ouija Boards or perform any spells while on site! All other attractions, including the Birds of Prey display will also be available. Tickets cost £14.95 for adults and £12.95 for children, with family tickets also available. For more information from beyond our world, go to groombridgeplace.com It’s Halloween Half-Term Fun at Hever Castle, which means a whole unholy host of activities for the family to enjoy will be on from today until Halloween itself on October 31. Listen to spooky stories, enter the fancy dress competition, decorate ghoulish biscuits, and try to find DRESS REHEARSAL? Comic Alistair Barrie

Tapan Karmakar, Floating life on river under pollution, CIWEM Environmental Photograper of the Year 2018

THURSDAY Visit the Odeon (and other cinemas in our area) for some Shakespearean shenanigans filmed live at The Bridge Theatre in London. National Theatre Live’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream promises to be an immersive experience, using an elaborate and enveloping set and starring Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones)

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

RIP RIP

Environmental Photographer of the Year

RIP RIP

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 28th September 3rd November 12-4pm ADMISSION FREE Tonbridge School TN9 1JP Tel: 01732 365555 www.oldbigschoolgallery.co.uk 2208-Hever-Halloween-SO-2019-125x148mm-AW.indd 1

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

tickets cost £9.50. For more information, and to book, go online to picturehouseuckfield.com MONDAY See Trinity Theatre’s new exhibition from today until October 27. Before Words is a collaborative effort by four artists: Helen Brooker, Jeanette Cook, Maggie Kelham and Catherine Robinson.

Using a variety of mediums, including etching, wood-cut, collagraph and fused glass, the artists tie the pieces together through themes of instinctive responses and expression before words. The gallery is free to enter and can be seen from 10am till the theatre closes most days.

For more information, go to trinitytheatre.net

Going Out

and try to get a good picture of him to send into the BBC to prove he is real. There will also be plenty of delightfully devilish activities for the children to enjoy, including Pumpkin Carving, Magic Shows and spooky storytelling. There will be more events during the week and at the weekend. For more details, visit thehopfarm.co.uk

Life&Times

PICK OF THE WEEK: RUN OR DYE Penshurst Place, Penshurst Saturday October 19 Get your running gear and grab your glowsticks for the ever-popular neon night run. After a Start Line Disco, you’ll run through nine zones of crazy visuals, foam and paint, so make sure you wear clothes you don’t mind getting a bit more colourful.

End the night with a final disco and street food will be available for a finishing feast.

The route takes you through the grounds of the estate, with 3.5k and 5k options available. Starting times and ticket prices vary, so for more information visit runordye.co.uk

TUESDAY Haunt The Hop Farm for Halloween and you may see the Gruffalo, who – for today only – will be visiting for meet and greets, so bring your camera HEVER HALLOWEEN at the castle

all the bats in the castle. There will also be gruesome Victorian tales for the adults which promise to fascinate and horrify. Ticket prices vary, so for more details and to book, go to hevercastle.co.uk SUNDAY The famous psychological thriller Don’t Look Now is on this evening at Picture House Uckfield. The film, originally released in 1973, tells the story of a couple who, after the death of their young daughter, go to Venice, where they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond. Groundbreaking in its time, the film still holds up thanks to its chilling an intense blending of supernatural horror and themes of grief. Plus the notorious sex scene between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie!

The screening, which is in 4k, starts at 8pm and

GruB & LIquOr Christmas 2 Courses £22.99 3 Courses £25.99 Includes a glass of fizz

Christmas Lunch from £17.99 Buffet party menu £12.99 Includes a glass of fizz

dj & disco party every weekend in December

Book christmas dinner by the end of october and receive a complimentary bottle of prosecco for every 6 guests

function room Available for large parties

45

BEER AND TRAINS What could be better? Head to the CAMRA Festival at The Spa Valley Railway

Everything but a Partridge

in a Pear tree at

Penshurst Place!

1st November until Christmas eve.

Opening times vary per event.

Settle into the festive spirit this Christmas at Penshurst Place and Gardens, and enjoy the array of workshops and experiences on offer, including carvery lunches and door wreath and Christmas cracker workshops!

Our Gift Shop will be transformed into a Christmas shopping delight, stocking an

array of gifts, decorations, food and drink.

For those looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the high street, why not shop with us on one of our Late Night Wednesdays between 13th November and 11th December where you can browse all our fabulous Christmas goodies until 7pm.

new years Eve Cocktail party 31st december

01892 457899 hello@grubandliquor.co.uk 9 nevill street, tunbridge wells, tn2 5ru

For more information visit www.penshurstplace.com or call 01892 870307

46

Life&Times

Going Out

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles Doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7 Websites pdag.co.uk & thegreylady.co.uk Wednesday Si Connelly, Lee Willz, Antoine Lynn Friday Soul Kitchen Saturday The Violet Jive Sunday Paul Crisp, The Good Ship Band

live music With Paul Dunton

R

ENOWNED blues musician Paul Cowley will be at The Anchor Inn, Sevenoaks this Wednesday night, and local singer-songwriters Si Connolly, Lee Willz and Antoine Lynn will all be at The Grey Lady on The Pantiles.

On Thursday night, Larkins are at The Forum and my top pick for Friday is The Gary Fletcher Acoustic Trio at St Edith Hall, Kemsing.

Saturday night sees many excellent local acts in action, including Sean Fennessey & Friends at The Bedford Pub, Wayne Bridle at The Beau Nash Tavern, The Violet Jive at The Grey Lady and Bleed Again at The Sussex Arms Basement with support from Break Fifty.

The must-read guide to what’s on musically for the week ahead… paulduntonandguests.com

Fans of classical music can enjoy Joseph Wolfe & Anthony Zerpa-Falcon at King Charles the Martyr Church on Saturday evening and Trio Lavolta at Finchcocks on Sunday afternoon.

Close out the weekend in style on Sunday night at The Grey Lady with popular local acts Paul Crisp and The Good Ship Band.

On Monday night, The Forum host a rockin’ showcase with music from King Reverend, Restoring Order, Saramona and Macade. Folk fans can enjoy Geoff Higginbottom at The Tonbridge Folk Club, and on Tuesday night acclaimed duo David Migden & Joe Gibson will be at The Punch & Judy Pub in Tonbridge and Tortora & Tyzack are at The Toad Rock Retreat.

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM The Common All event information and tickets at twforum.co.uk Wednesday Word Up presents: Sky God Thursday Larkins Saturday Boogie Nights Sunday Theatre: Labyrinth Monday The Stable: King Reverend, Restoring Order, Saramona, Macade Tuesday Spector THE ANCHOR INN High Street, Sevenoaks Free entry, music from 8pm Wednesday Blues with Bottle presents: Paul Cowley MUSICSTATION Bank Street, Tonbridge Booking essential For information, call 01732 350629 Thursday & Friday 8pm-9.30pm Adult band workshop, all levels welcome ST EDITH FOLK CLUB Kemsing All event information and tickets available at stedithfolk.co.uk Friday The Gary Fletcher Acoustic Trio THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim Free entry, music from 8.30pm till late Saturday Wayne Bridle Sunday Open Mic Night

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE Crescent Road Tickets at assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Sunday ‘King of Pop’ (Michael Jackson tribute)

Larkins

THE FINCHCOCKS CHARITY Waterdown House, Tunbridge Wells Full event information at finchcocks.co.uk Sunday Trio Lavolta

THE SUSSEX ARMS BASEMENT Sussex Mews Tickets at twforum.co.uk Saturday Bleed Again, Break Fifty Monday The St John’s Ambience Service presents: Merlin Nova, Harmergeddon, Chase Coley and Pascal Coleman THE BEDFORD PUB 2 High Street Free entry. See thebedfordtw.co.uk Saturday Sean Fennessey & Friends

THE GEORGE PUB Mount Ephraim Free entry, music from 8pm Monday TWUNT: Ukulele Jam Session TONBRIDGE FOLK CLUB Flying Dutchman, Hildenborough Hat collection, music from 8pm See tonbridgefolkclub.org Monday Geoff Higginbottom THE TOAD ROCK RETREAT PUB 1 Upper Street Free entry, music from 8pm till close Tuesday Tortora & Tyzack

THE PUNCH & JUDY PUB KING CHARLES THE MARTYR CHURCH St Stephens Road, Tonbridge Nevill Street Free entry, music from 8pm Tickets at kcmtw.org Tuesday David Migden & Joe Gibson Saturday Joseph Wolfe & Anthony Zerpa-Falcon The Good Ship Band PARISH CHURCH OF ST PETER & ST PAUL Church Lane, Tonbridge Adults £10; U-16s £1; Students £5. Tickets available on the door or in advance from Brittens Music.

Call 01892 526659 or email: kim.thornewell@ brittensmusic.co.uk Saturday 7.30pm Bacchus Wind Orchestra Autumn Concert

Photos © TALI Photo & film

3RD NOVEMBER 10AM - 2PM FREE ENTRANCE

WEDDING OPEN DAY Meet our recommended suppliers, take a look around our stunning venue and sample our wedding breakfast menu.

01892 515152 | www.salomons-estate.com Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0TG

Register your attendance, to receive a complimentary goody bag, to leisuremarketing@markerstudy.com

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Motoring News

Motors This week…  Ford refresh  Volvo e-mission  Triumph’s new bike

Life&Times

47

Triumph’s all-new Street Triple RS

Ford breathes new life into S-Max and Galaxy FORD has announced updates to its S-Max and Galaxy models, bolstering the appeal of the family-friendly seven-seaters.

Though the S-Max is pitched as the sportier variant and the Galaxy the larger, more practical model, both have received matching changes as part of the refresh.

Each gets chrome trim around the grille and fog lights, along with special black inserts on the ST-Line versions of the S-Max. And 19-inch alloy wheels are available as an optional extra.

New electric seats can adjust in up to 18 ways, and aim to provide relief to those who suffer from back pain.

An electric third row can be specified on the Galaxy, too, while both cars offer the flexibility of 32 different seat and boot combinations.

A new FordPass Connect feature has been introduced which allows drivers to check the status of their vehicles remotely via a smartphone app, while also allowing the car to receive over-the-air updates on traffic.

The cars come with 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engines with outputs of either 148bhp or 187bhp and either a manual or automatic gearbox.

Prices start from £30,490 for the S-Max and £33,210 for the Galaxy. Available to order now.

REFRESHED TO THE MAX The new Ford S-Max

ALL CHARGED UP Vovlo plugs its e-plans

Volvo Cars to solely build all-electric powertrains VOLVO is merging its combustion engine production operation with Chinese owner Geely so it can focus solely on building all-electric powertrains.

The new standalone business would supply next-generation petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains to all Geely brands, which also include Proton, Lotus, London Electric Vehicle Company and Lynk & Co. It is hoped this will also open opportunities to supply powertrains to third-party manufacturers.

The Swedish car maker expects half of its global sales to be all-electric by about 2025, with the other half-hybrid powertrains sourced from the new operation.

The firms say that no jobs would be lost in the merger, which will employ about

3,000 people from Volvo and 5,000 from Geely.

Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars’ President and Chief Executive, said: “Hybrid cars need the best internal combustion engines. This new unit will have the resources, scale and expertise to develop these powertrains costefficiently.”

Volvo has been heavily investing in electrification technology. In September it introduced a plug-in version of the XC40, its entry-level SUV, becoming the first manufacturer to offer a plug-in version of every car in its range.

It also recently confirmed its first allelectric model would soon be introduced to the XC40 range.

TRIUMPH has lifted the lid on its new Street Triple RS motorbike.

The middleweight bike employs techniques learnt through the firm’s development of its Moto2 racing engine, ensuring it pushes out plenty of power while being cleaner than before.

Outright power remains at 121bhp but torque is up, giving more in-gear punch.

A new exhaust cam has been fitted, along with a lighter crankshaft, clutch and balancer, which all help to give the bike a boost from low-down. Showa forks and a fully adjustable Ohlins STX40 rear shock come as part of the respectable mechanical set-up, too.

A new twin catalyser in the exhaust system helps it to meet more stringent Euro5 emissions rules, and an up-anddown quickshifter will help to give lightning-fast gear changes.

Looks-wise, the LED headlights are sharper and more angular, while the bodywork is more dynamic in design.

The two opening colour options are matt black with aluminium silver and yellow decals, or silver with red and silver decals.

Triumph has yet to reveal UK prices, but it’s expected to be around £10,500.

Life&Times

food

48

Food & Drink FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

A passage to India The Masala Pantry, a private Indian catering and cookery tutorials company in Tonbridge, is run by Sana MacDonald. Here she tells Eileen Leahy what her clients can expect to savour…

I

was born and brought up in Mumbai, India and moved to Tonbridge in 2017 after following my heart! I married my long-term boyfriend, an Englishman, after more than seven years of dating each other.

We are now happily settled here, and although I am a communications consultant by profession, cooking has always been a big part of my life and my number one passion.

After loads of encouragement from friends and family, I decided to start my business, Masala Pantry, to teach Indian cooking.

‘ Another aspect of my teaching is to bust myths… there is no such thing as curry powder in India!’

The concept is simple: I teach clients how to cook authentic Indian food using easily available ingredients found in supermarkets locally. I give private cooking lessons in the comfort of people’s own kitchen, using their own pots and pans, so they can be confident in recreating what they’ve learnt.

I had been toying with the idea of mixing my passion for food into a profession, and so I briefly joined a food and drink PR agency in London, only to soon realise that I needed to do something more. So I quit my well-paid job in order to enter the unchartered territories of running my own business.

I created my own website, logo and marketing material and voila – Masala Pantry was born.

At present, I mainly offer private lessons and catering for groups of four to six. But I would love in the future to do public pop-ups and also participate in local food festivals. I promote myself through Instagram, but word of mouth recommendations are growing, too.

People love Indian cuisine and its many different layers of flavour, and with Masala Pantry I set out to shed light on how easy and simple Indian cooking can be.

Another aspect of my teaching is to bust a few myths. For example, not a lot of people here know that there is no such thing as ‘curry powder’ in India, or a ‘Madras’, for that matter!

People can enjoy a personalised lesson that incorporates their particular food preferences, and I always ensure that all recipes can be made with allergies and likes and dislikes in mind.

Across countries and cultures, food always

CHRISTMAS DAY AT O N E WA RW IC K PAR K H OT E L Christmas is a time for loved ones, so join us at One Warwick Park Hotel, where we will take care of all the hard work so you can sit back, relax and make the most of the cherished family time.

Available from 12.30pm n £85.00pp, Childre 50, 12 and under £42.

Children under 5 eat free

Starters

Mains

Desserts

CELERIAC & APPLE VELOUTE (V) With homemade bread

BALLOTINE OF TURKEY (GF) Stuffed with cranberry stuffing, traditional trimmings & au jus

CITRUS CURED SALMON (GF) Pickled fennel, preserved lemon, char-grilled leaks, crispy shallots & tender pea shoots

SLOW ROASTED STRIPLOIN OF BEEF Rosemary roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables & Yorkshire pudding

CHERRY & AMARETTO CHRISTMAS PUDDING (V,GF) Disaronno amaretto sauce & redcurrants

HICKORY INFUSED KENT DUCK BREAST (GF) Textures of plums, golden beets & parsley gel

ROASTED COD LOIN (GF) Baked potatoes, winter vegetables, sorrel & white wine sauce ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH (V,GF) Stuffed with Blue Murder, spinach & walnuts, roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables

SEVENTEEN VANILLA CHEESECAKE White chocolate, espuma Passion fruit coulis

To book call 01892 520 587 or email reservations@onewarwickpark.co.uk

ONE WARWICK PARK HOTEL

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Food & Drink

Life&Times

49

CALLING CARD “Learn to cook like a local Indian”

brings people together, and my lessons are no different. Friends, colleagues and families, including both parents and children, can enjoy these sessions, acquiring some culinary skills as well as spending quality time together.

My recipes are largely influenced by the medium spiced, tangy flavours of authentic home-cooked meals in Mumbai. I love chicken and fish curries as much as I enjoy my vegan and vegetarian meals.

In my family, we eat meat only on weekends as a treat. On weekdays, my mum mainly cooked veggies.

This was just how it was. It was only in the last couple of years that I learnt that it is labelled as vegan/ vegetarian and that it is super popular!

If I had to describe the essence of a Masala Pantry cooking class in three words it would be ‘warm, homely and 100 per cent authentic’.

TEACHING YOU IN YOUR OWN HOME Sana MacDonald

All details about Sana’s lessons and private catering can be found at masalapantry.co.uk Instagram @Masalapantry Facebook @masalapantryuk and Twitter @masalapantry

B A R . R E S TA U R A N T. R O O M S . C AV E . G A R D E N Book now for Christmas parties!

T: 01892 618854

Serving great food in a beautiful setting, we are the perfect place for your Christmas celebrations.

E: hello@themountedgcumbe.com W: www.themountedgcumbe.com The Common, Tunbridge Wells,

For more details please email, call or pop in and see us!

Opening Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-11pm Thurs-Sat 11am-11.30pm Sunday 12-10.30pm

Kent, TN4 8BX

#EatDrinkStayEnjoy @MountEdgcumbeTWells

@TMountEdgcumbe

@themountedgcumbe

Food Service Times: Mon-Thurs 12-3pm 6-9.30pm Fri-Sat 12-9.30pm (3-6pm Light Menu) Sunday 12-8pm (4-8pm Light Menu)

Life&Times

travel

50

Travel

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Taking the high road into the past – my journey through the wilds of Scotland with no mod cons…

Tracing the path of writer-explorer Nan Shepherd – who is the new face of the Scottish £5 note – adventurer Elise Wortley tasted what it would be like to go back to the 1940s for a latterday trek through the Cairngorms National Park Written during the last years of the Second World War, The Living Mountain is Nan’s homage to the Cairngorm Mountain range in northern Scotland. The book was very much ahead of its time in terms of structure and style, which is perhaps why – after being turned down by one publisher – she left the manuscript untouched in a drawer for over 30 years.

Kitted out with 1940s’ equipment, mostly from eBay, I set off to Aviemore. I was wearing a vintage tweed coat, leather boots, a cotton blouse and an itchy pair of high-waisted pants with a rather fancy rocket bra. My old army backpack was loaded with a heavy canvas tent, war-time food rations, blankets and emergency dry clothing.

I was joined for the first part of my trip by camerawoman Emily Almond Barr, and we walked from Aviemore through thick pine forests leading up to the Cairngorms National Park. From the smallest elevation gain you could see for miles, the pine forests below now looking like huge blankets of dark green moss.

As we scrambled up small rocky paths towards the main peaks, black clouds rolled in and the rain poured down.

With my backpack wet and heavier than ever, I knew I couldn’t carry on for much longer, but finding a suitable camping spot was harder than I’d imagined. The ground was steep and rocky and covered in bushy heather, which made pitching tents impossible.

We had to keep walking, so headed towards a large valley below the peak of Cairn Gorm, with the hope that we would be sheltered from the worsening weather. For five nights we stayed there, fighting with our tents in the wind, walking when we could, hoping to experience

IN THE PINK The evening light on Loch Garten in the Cairngorms National Park

I

T was 4am. The noise was so deafening, I hadn’t slept again. As the roaring wind whipped up my 1940s canvas tent, I spread my body out, hands and feet in opposite corners, clinging down on to my only shelter for the next 17 nights. Shivering in the pitch black, dressed in my 1940s Scottish attire, I was ready to admit that this wasn’t exactly the relaxed journey I’d had in mind.

This wasn’t the first time I’d been in an uncomfortable situation since I started following in the footsteps of history’s forgotten female explorers. The last time was in the Himalayas, dressed in a 1920s yak wool coat and carrying a wooden backpack I’d made out of an old chair.

Night temperatures were dropping to -15°C, and as I lay in my tent with frost on my forehead, my yearning for home was stronger than ever.

Forbidden My interest in these women started at 16, when I discovered French-Belgian explorer Alexandra David-Neel’s memoir, My Journey To Lhasa. The book recounts the final stages of her 14-year journey through Asia into Lhasa, the forbidden capital of Tibet. She was the first European woman to enter the city and the first to meet the Dalai Lama. I was inspired by her determination

and ability to travel in such harsh conditions at a time when travelling for women was so unusual.

Alexandra’s book had a profound impact on me.

After a bout of crippling anxiety throughout my 20s, I decided to re-read My Journey To Lhasa, attempting to find some of her strength in myself.

This woman was fearless, and I wanted to be, too.

I decided to follow in her footsteps, trekking to Tibet. To understand what Alexandra would have really experienced, I dressed in her 1920s clothing, carrying only what was available to her at the time.

This meant no modern equipment whatsoever.

After returning home to London, I began to research other women like Alexandra. There were so many fascinating stories, such as Freya Stark, who travelled to the Valley of the Assassins in Iran, and Annie Smith Peck, the first person to climb the north peak of the Huascaran in Peru.

But there was one woman in particular who really grabbed my attention, whose journey was a little closer to home. This is how I ended up face down in a cold wet tent, following in the footsteps of Scottish explorer Nan Shepherd.

Part funded from my own pocket, with sponsorship from adventure company Wilderness Scotland, I set off to discover Nan’s mountain world. Her book, The Living Mountain, is a literary masterpiece, but surprisingly (even though she is the face of the new Scottish £5 note), Nan is widely unknown.

ON THE LOOKOUT… Elise in the mountains (above), and below a young red deer hiding in woodland near Aviemore

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Travel

Life&Times

51

the plateau, I tiptoed my way into the freezing water thinking of Nan’s words: “Gazing into its depths, one loses all sense of time.”

Finally, I was beginning to understand her world.

I went from cursing the bad weather to respecting it, understanding why the rain and wind needed to happen to keep the ecosystem alive.

I learnt to be content on my own, without my phone or modern equipment for distraction. I would write in my journal in the evenings, cook my wartime rations (potato and carrot stew) and read, falling asleep when the sun went down.

It was magical moments like these that got me through the tough ones, and spurred me on to continue this project.

Canongate recently republished The Living Mountain, but there are so many other female adventurers whose stories are being forgotten.

This project enables me to get as close to these pioneering women as I can, to continue learning from them and telling their stories through platforms they never had.

‘I was wearing a vintage tweed coat, leather boots, a cotton blouse and an itchy pair of high-waisted pants’

ALONE AT THE TOP OF THE HIGHLANDS Elise in the Lairig Ghru valley, leading to the freezing Pools of Dee Loch Morlich 12 nights, but as I waved goodbye to my friend the skies were beginning to brighten. The sun peeked out from behind fluffy white clouds, dappling the landscape with patches of green, some so dark they looked black, and others so neon bright they couldn’t be real.

The rocks at my feet had their own decorations, cloaked with electric salmon pinks, duck egg blues and light purple mosses.

When the sun was out, and the wind just a breeze, the mountain paths were glorious.

I walked for hours up to the top of Ben Macdui,

£3 £1 2 c £ 7 hi 65 ch ld p ild ren er re 1 ad n 2a u 5 an nd lt d un un d de er r

some of the places Nan mentions in her book.

Draped in half of my tent, which also doubled up as a ‘waterproof’ poncho, I wandered for hours through the mist and rain trying to reach places Nan talks about. The weather, mixed with my old equipment, massively slowed our progress. It was frustrating to feel we weren’t experiencing Nan’s whole journey, but after a few days I realised that this was all part of understanding what she would have really gone through.

Before I knew it, it was time for Emily to go. I was apprehensive about being alone for the next

Sit back, relax and enjoy Christmas Day in the stunning surroundings of Bewl Water.

AMUSE BOUCHE SPRING ONION, SMOKED CHEDDAR BEIGNETS Beetroot aioli (GF available) (V) STARTERS MAPLE SMOKED DUCK BREAST Pickled walnuts, clementine, watercress and pistachio salsa verde (GF) (N) SMOKED CHERRY TOMATO AND CREAMY BURRATA TART Crispy basil, pine nut pangrattato (V) (GF available) (N) CHILDREN’S FRUIT STICKS With a strawberry coulis (V) (GF) (DF) 01892 890000 www.bewlwater.co.uk – info.bewlwater.co.uk Bewl Water, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent, TN3 8JH

the highest peak at 1,309m, along the epic Lairig Ghru valley towards the Pools of Dee, the freezing water bubbling up from the ground, just like Nan described in her book. I watched tiny frogs hop between streams and deer chewing on grass, their young calves following them like a shadow.

There were magical moments, like when the wind would suddenly drop and there would be complete and utter silence. And then, finally, with the sun shining, I had my chance to plunge naked into the crystal waters of Loch Avon.

Surrounded by giant mountains, hidden deep in

HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Wilderness Scotland offers the High Points of the Cairngorms trip from £1,525pp sharing, including six nights’ all-inclusive lodge accommodation, transfers and guiding. Departs June 20, July 11, August 22 or September 12, 2020. Call 01479 898707 or visit wildernessscotland.com To follow Elise and her project, visit womanwithaltitude.com

Please call 01892 89000 0 or visit www.bewlwa ter.co.uk for more info rmation or to book

at Bewl Water

MAINS ROASTED FREE RANGE TURKEY Chestnut stuffing, pancetta wrapped chipolata, seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, turkey jus (GF available) (N) SPINACH, WILD MUSHROOM AND PUMPKIN WELLINGTON Herb and pink peppercorn sauce, seasonal roast vegetables, roast potatoes (GF available) (V) DESSERTS WARM CHRISTMAS PUDDING Brandy butter and crème Anglais (GF available) DARK CHOCOLATE TART Toasted Italian meringue, espresso Anglais (GF available) Tea/coffee with mini mince pies

52

Life&Times

Recruitment

FOR EVEN MORE NEWS VISIT: timeslocalnews.co.uk

Wednesday October 16 | 2019

WITH THE

FIND YOUR PERFECT JOB TODAY – A MUST-READ FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR WORK LOCALLY

Juniors Day Nursery are looking for enthusiastic, passionate and motivational Senior Nursery Practitioners. As an expanding childcare company, we have positions available in our established nursery’s in Cranbrook and Tonbridge and in our brand-new Nursery in Headcorn, which opened in January 2019.

As a Room Leader, you will be working with a dedicated team and will also have the responsibility of working closely with the management team.

Extensive knowledge of the EYFS is essential. Ideally candidates will hold Qualified Teacher Status or Early Years Professional status and have two or more years of experience in a nursery or school setting.

The candidate must be confident working both unsupervised and alongside the management team. Experience of SEN would be an advantage. Our starting salaries are highly competitive and reflect experience and qualifications. We pride ourselves on our strong team approach to teaching and our ongoing commitment to professional development and staff support.

All applications are subject to satisfactory DBS and reference checks. Please email cranbrook@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk for job application and job descriptions, stating which Nursery you would be interested in.

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

CODEWORD 4

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Numbers are substituted for letters in the crossword grid. Above the grid is the key with two letters solved. Try to complete the first few words to give you more letters, or look for a frequent number that might reveal a common letter. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

Pupils aged 3-11 years

Classroom Assistant / Gap Student Start January 2020, Full-time The Mead requires a vibrant, dynamic, creative and committed person to support and enhance areas within this successful prep school which enjoys a reputation for both high academic and performance standards within a caring, happy environment.

The successful candidate will be a highly personable and self-motivated individual, empathetic to the values and ethos of The Mead.

The job descriptions and application forms are available from the school.

Please contact the Business Manager, Rebecca Hall, The Mead School, 16 Frant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5SN (01892 525837) or manager@themeadschool.co.uk. The closing date for all applications is Monday 21st October 2019.

The successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Mead School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its pupils and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

6

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26 3

5 2

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4 6

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

7 26

6 3 2 9

26

22

11 10

15

2

5 3

8 3

Codeword:

4 2

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

3

DIFFICULTY RATING:★★✩✩

2

9

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7 1

9

6 5 2 8 6

3

1 6 3

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

1

In this Sudoku, the normal 3x3 boxes are now strangely odd shapes – but all the rules and logic of normal Sudoku apply.

Fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and box contains every number uniquely.

Puzzle solutions will be published in a forthcoming issue

A L L OW N E H I N OG A I P F E S T I F F I M D G UMM E R N E Y A N D R E T I J O U S A G E R T C R E V E N T

Q U I C K N D U N N I N T R O L O N E W E N I G E L O H R E U NW I N D AM T G I B O Y L E R G E A G R OW L A Z E I A T E L E X

Sudoku:

2 1 3 8 7 5 4 6 9

7 6 8 4 9 1 3 2 5

9 4 5 3 2 6 1 7 8

1 3 6 9 4 2 5 8 7

8 5 9 6 3 7 2 1 4

4 7 2 5 1 8 6 9 3

6 9 4 1 8 3 7 5 2

3 2 1 7 5 9 8 4 6

5 8 7 2 6 4 9 3 1

9 5 1 2 6 8 7 4 3

3 6 2 7 9 5 8 1 4

7 1 8 4 5 2 9 3 6

5 8 9 6 1 3 4 2 7

4 2 3 1 8 7 6 9 5

Jigsaw Sudoku:

6 7 5 9 3 4 2 8 1

1 4 7 8 2 6 3 5 9

2 9 6 3 4 1 5 7 8

8 3 4 5 7 9 1 6 2

DINE WITH US FOR

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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU & JIGSAW SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★★✩

CLASSIFIEDS

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Puzzles

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Beacon Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1BB

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

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Sport

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

second minute when the visitors hit the base of the post.

But they took the lead in the 21st minute when Jack Parter put in a low cross from the left that was converted by Tom Derry.

Five minutes later, Jack Rudoni was fouled in the box after running in from the left, and D’Sean Theobalds beat Michael Johnson with the spot-kick.

The Angels were flying now and in the 28th minute a long ball found Tommie HessionHarris, who forced his way through a hesitant defence to place the ball past Johnson.

Tonbridge Angels 5 Braintree Town 1

By Jim Rowe FOOTBALL: STRUGGLING Tonbridge Angels turned the form book on its head with a resounding win against Braintree Town in National League South.

The visitors arrived at Longmead unbeaten in their last six league games but allowed the Angels to score a handful of goals and move off the bottom of the table.

The home side had a scare as early as the

PHOTO: David Couldridge

Five-star Angels hit form to hurt mighty Braintree

Just past the hour-mark Hession-Harris claimed his second from a cross by Chinedu McKenzie.

Braintree did find a consolation in the 74th minute when substitute Adam Mills converted a free kick from Byron Lawrence.

The Angels were not done yet, however, and central defender Rian Bray claimed his first goal for the club in the 80th minute when he headed home a cross from the left by his fellow central defender Sonny Miles.

Angels manager Steve McKimm was delighted with his team’s performance, saying: “Everybody was outstanding, including the subs.

“Today we have beaten comprehensively a good side because instructions were followed and chances taken. I’m very pleased for the players and the supporters.”

Tonbridge now entertain Chelmsford City at Longmead on Saturday (October 19, kick-off 3pm).

TOAST OF THE TOWN Steve McKimm (left) and Barry Moore (right) celebrate 300 games in charge of the Angels with club president Steve Churcher

show class Watson keeps high-flying TJs on top Lancing to shatter Rustics’ Worthing 10 Tonbridge Juddians 45

hopes in FA Vase

RUGBY: TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS retained their

Rusthall 0 Lancing 2 PHOTO: Adam Hookway

five-point lead at the top of National Two South with a highly competent performance in difficult conditions.

With a wet ball and a damp pitch that involved a succession of high kicks for position in the hope of a dropped catch.

Eventually after TJs’ forwards had been repulsed near the line. the ball reached wing Hugo Watson who had space and power to cross for a try that fly-half Will Robinson converted.

Soon after, the ever-eager Watson joined a ruck, picked up the ball and broke through the middle of the melee to run half the length of the field for an unconverted try.

The Raiders’ scrum-half Calum Waters was yellow-carded but they still managed to get on the scoreboard when wing Matt McLean kicked a penalty.

TJs hit back straightaway, a successful driving maul off the lineout enabling hooker Ryan Jackson to touch down for an unconverted try.

The hosts then failed to deal with the kick-off

By Rich Smith FOOTBALL: RUSTHALL came unstuck in the first round of the FA Vase against a talented Lancing side who play in the Premier Division of the Southern Counties Combination.

Three of the visiting side had just returned from trials at Championship side Reading, and both sides showed a good passing game.

The Rustics had a great chance to take the lead when Reuel Powell-Downey was through one on one with the keeper but Taylor Seymour spread himself well to thwart the in-form striker.

On 15 minutes Lancing opened the scoring after fine build-up play, a superb through ball from Lew Finney finding James Rhodes who slotted home.

PACK MENTALITY Jack Whitmarsh celebrates after Ryan Jackson is driven over through for a try which replacement No 10 Rob White converted with a fine kick.

Raiders now produced their best passage of play, gradually closing in on TJs’ line, and finally a try came from Waters, converted by McLean.

Before the end, however, TJs’ replacement centre Noah Ferdinand managed to find a way through the defence to add another try, White converting again.

The leaders are now at home to fourth-placed Henley Hawks on Saturday (October 19, kick-off 3pm).

and the loose ball was pounced on by the ubiquitous Watson.

He was held up but former Raiders player Finlay Coxon-Smith was on hand to score. Robinson added the extras to take the visitors in at the break 24-3 ahead.

The home side were reduced to 14 men again after the interval when prop Rhys Litterick was carded, and massive pressure on the Raiders line brought TJs a penalty try.

Then accurate inter-passing worked enough space for scrum-half Charlie Edwards to shoot

Dominate Five minutes before half-time, Powell-Downey broke free and as he raced towards the box he was brought down from behind.

James Beresford was fortunate to only be shown a yellow card. From the resulting free kick Tommy Lawrence’s effort was well saved by Seymour.

In the second half Lancing’s central midfielder Kane Louis began to dominate the middle of the park and on the hour the visitors scored again.

Lew Finney was played in and his shot rebounded off the upright before falling kindly for Louis, who scored from close range.

Lancing were now looking a classy side as they slowed the game down, making it difficult for the Rustics to create any more openings.

Rusthall are in cup action again at Bearsted of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division in the Kent Senior Trophy on Saturday (October 19, kick-off 3pm).

Wells lose again at remarkable Rochford Rochford Hundred 24 Tunbridge Wells 9

By Graham Withers RUGBY: TUNBRIDGE WELLS suffered their third consecutive defeat in the London and South East Premier Division at the hands of an Essex side who have not lost since April 2017.

Rochford Hundred arrived in the top flight after back-to-back promotions and, with a perfect record so far this season, they have achieved an astonishing 53 successive bonus point wins.

Soggy conditions suited the powerful, forward-orientated approach of the home side, who opened the scoring after just four minutes.

A series of phases led to prop and skipper Aston Bevans-Royston scoring a try that was converted by Cameron Greenhall.

Wells responded well but the forwards could not force their way over. More pressure saw Rochford penalised, however, and Frank Reynolds put Wells on the board with a penalty.

After only 15 minutes the visitors suffered a blow when the influential Mike Hathaway had to

be replaced because of an injury.

Rochford’s persistent pick-and-go tactic saw flanker Harry Hudson cross a converted try on 18 minutes.

Wells managed a stustained period of pressure around the 22-metre line and were awarded a string of penalties.

Reynolds missed one kick at goal that will have disappointed him but slotted a second penalty on 36 minutes to reduce the arrears to 14-6 at half-time.

PHOTO: Brendon Kemp

NO WAY THROUGH: Nick Doherty is held up

PHOTO: Bruce Elliott

Spillage Wells soaked up a sustained period of pressure after the interval and Reynolds kicked another three points on 59 minutes to close to within a single score.

But this spurred the home side back into action and after a flowing attack a fine crossfield kick was gathered by wing Danny Cleare to score an unconverted try wide on the left.

Rochford then kept the visitors pinned back in their 22 and finally found their fourth ‘bonus-point’ try to maintain their remarkable winning run Having survived a spillage over the line, Wells were turned over and at the ensuing re-set scrum No 8 Mac Duaibe touched down with five minutes to go.

It was still a decent display from Wells, since Rochford will be among the title contenders.

They showed their ability with the quality of their tight game and by being more clinical in taking their chances.

Wells slip to seventh place and will hope to get back to winning ways when they host London Irish Wild Geese on Saturday (October 19, kick-off 3pm).

IN CONTROL: Steve Camacho holds off Lancing

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Wednesday October 16 | 2019

Sport

Women’s quartet take national relay title to secure the top spot.

Nicole Taylor opened up on the first leg of four on the 4.33km course, and handed over in fourth place, running 14min 39sec in what was to prove the 10th fastest lap of the race.

Lincoln led at this stage, from Cardiff and Aldershot, out of 77 teams in total. Kiri Marsh ran an excellent 15.08 on the second lap to keep Tonbridge in fourth, not far behind Charnwood

By Mark Hookway ATHLETICS: Tonbridge Athletic Club women’s

team captured the Road Relay title at the National Championships in Sutton Coldfield to maintain the club’s outstanding record at long-distance events.

On the day they finished second to a strong Cardiff outfit but their performance was enough ROAD TO SUCCESS (L-R) Lucy Reid, Kiri Marsh, Nicole Taylor and Phoebe Barker

and Aldershot, as Cardiff started to build a commanding lead.

Phoebe Barker, who is hitting her best form, then pulled Tonbridge into second place with a 14.53 stint, finishing ahead of Aldershot and Highgate.

The top four remained in the same positions over the final circuit, with Lucy Reid consolidating Tonbridge’s second place in a time of 14.44.

Missed Taylor and Reid were also part of the crosscountry team that won the National Cross Country Relay Championships last November.

The men’s team finished 12th over six legs of 5.88km, consisting of Ben Cole (17.38), Alasdair Kinloch (18.12), Jamie Goodge (18.49), Jamie Bryant (18.45), Ryan Driscoll (18.15) and Kieran Reilly (18.10).

Tonbridge just missed out on medals in two age group races, finishing fourth in both the under-17 men’s and under-13 girls’ championships, in both cases only being a few seconds away from a podium place.

In the 10km road race in Ashford, Becky Morrish was first female home in a time of 37.50, two seconds away from her personal best.

Harriers double up to win twin titles ATHLETICS: TUNBRIDGE WELLS Harriers Men’s and Ladies’ teams are celebrating an unprecedented double after they won both the Kent Road Racing Grand Prix.

It is the first time they have won the competition in the same season. The Kent GP scores team performances over 10 races throughout the year from January.

Victory was secured with a strong showing in

the Maidstone Half. The hilly race was challenging but Harrier Dan Watt took overall victory in 1hr 23min 20sec.

Ana-Maria Green won the F45 prize and the Harriers fittingly won the overall team prize awarded to the best-placed mixed team, which consisted of Watt, Keith Mitchell and Jillian Holford.

In the first Kent cross country race of the season

500 juniors contest Mini Festival UP AND RUNNING Wells Under-8 player Xander Evans flies through

Fantastic Matt George, Wells’ Under-9s coach, said: “They played fantastic rugby and showed a competitive spirit, guts and determination.

Some teams did not have sufficient numbers to make a complete squad, so sides were created

PHOTO: Bruce Elliott

RUGBY: EIGHTY-ONE teams from clubs across Kent, Sussex and South London came to St Marks to take part in the Tunbridge Wells RFC Mini Festival on Sunday (October 13).

Teams from the Under-7 to Under-11 age groups competed throughout the day, with more than 500 players taking part.

from multiple clubs to create a ‘Barbarian’ squad.

“These players demonstrated the ultimate level of sportsmanship and put aside their club allegiances to ensure everyone can play,” said Matt.

Alex Nicholson, chair of the club’s Mini Section, said: “Given an increased interest in rugby with the World Cup, it was a great opportunity for younger players to try the game.

“The Mini Festival embodies the core values of rugby: teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.”

“We are very grateful for all the work put in by volunteers at the club and would like to thank key sponsor NFU Mutual for their support this year.”

in Swanley Park, Cathy Gill bought home a team of 11 ladies in a time of 19.55 (20th overall) over the 5km course.

The men had a large team of 28 competing over a 10km course, with Alex Jeffries the first Harrier home in 35.25.

In the Royal Parks Half Marathon Patrick Bareham smashed his personal best with an outstanding time of 1:17.24.

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55

Dylan at front of the cue with second Kent title SNOOKER: YOUNG star of the baize Dylan Smith won the Kent Under-21 crown without conceding a frame to add to the Under-16 competition he won earlier this year.

The 11-year-old from Paddock Wood beat Brandon Nguyen, 16, of Welling Snooker Club 5-0 in the best-of-nine-frame final.

Twice in the match Brandon sportingly called out a foul shot after making contact with another ball on the table.

Brandon’s mother Jo, who co-owns the Welling club, said: “Dylan played very well and we can see he has made great improvement since we saw him last time. He will win many more competitions.”

When Dylan won the Kent Under-16s Summers Cup at Welling in April it was his first tournament victory. Now he has ended his former practice partner Ben Sizer’s run of six titles in a row.

He will now take part on the National Amateur circuit with English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards tournaments at Under-14 and Under-16 level later this month. Dylan also reached the final of the adult singles competition at the Victoria Snooker Centre Summer League in Tunbridge Wells in August.

And this Friday [October 18] the young tyro takes on the 1980 World Champion Cliff Thorburn, at Greenhithe and Swanscombe Royal British Legion Social Club.

POLISHED PERFORMANCE Dylan with his new trophy